Day trip from Samarkand

[cos7355]

Hi all.

I will arrive in Samarkand on March 1st and I will leave Samarkand for Bukhara on the 4th. So I will have 3 days there. I intend to spend the first 2 days exploring the various sights in Samarkand. I was thinking about doing a day trip on the third day. I have read the Katta Langar page on this website and it looks interesting. Is it feasible to go here as a day trip from Samarkand? (and maybe also explore Shahrisabz on the same day, although I have read there isn't a lot to do there) It seems that I would have to get a taxi from Samarkand to Shahrisabz, and then another taxi to Katta Langar, and possibly the same thing on the way back. I don't mind paying more money, if the experience is good. As it says in the Uzbekistan guide on this site, "definitely visit the village: that’s where the heart of Uzbekistan still is." So I think it would be cool to visit a village. An alternative place to visit a village would be the Nuratau mountains it seems, and that possibly mean spending one less night in Samarkand and going from the Nuratau mountains to Bukhara, instead of from Samarkand.

Are either of these destinations worthwhile as just a day trip? (or overnight) Or would I need more time in order for it to be worthwhile? What would you guys recommend?

Thank you all for your time.

[LeTapir]

Hello
I have been to Shahrisabz on a day trip (i found it worth it, if you are not already bored by timurid architecture at this point), but not to Katta Langar.

The road to get there is pretty slow (and scary at times) through the foggy mountain pass, so i am not sure the travel time allows to do both sites in one day comfortably. Has anyone done it?
My guess is that by shared taxi it could be tight (on the way back, shared taxis leave from Kitob and not Shahrisabz) but if you hire a taxi for the day it should be ok.
Safe travels

[cos7355]

Hello
I have been to Shahrisabz on a day trip (i found it worth it, if you are not already bored by timurid architecture at this point), but not to Katta Langar.

The road to get there is pretty slow (and scary at times) through the foggy mountain pass, so i am not sure the travel time allows to do both sites in one day comfortably. Has anyone done it?
My guess is that by shared taxi it could be tight (on the way back, shared taxis leave from Kitob and not Shahrisabz) but if you hire a taxi for the day it should be ok.
Safe travels

Hi. Yeah, there might not be enough time for Katta Langar. I think I will at least visit Shahrisabz, for a day trip. I might also find it worthwhile.

Thanks for the advice!

[RoxaneH]

Hello!
If anyone is looking for more day trip ideas from Samarkand, I'll add to this! We weren't too keen on Shahrisabz after reading up about it here, so I just ended up looking at the map and seeing that there were guesthouses in a town called Tersak, under 1hr away (logic being, guesthouses= way of getting there?). Yandex will take you there for $7 and it's a charming rural town surrounded by mountains. We walked 10 minutes before a family invited us in for tea and plov. Their son even took us into the school to meet the English teacher. Go there!

[sketchymarco]

Hello!
If anyone is looking for more day trip ideas from Samarkand, I'll add to this! We weren't too keen on Shahrisabz after reading up about it here, so I just ended up looking at the map and seeing that there were guesthouses in a town called Tersak, under 1hr away (logic being, guesthouses= way of getting there?). Yandex will take you there for $7 and it's a charming rural town surrounded by mountains. We walked 10 minutes before a family invited us in for tea and plov. Their son even took us into the school to meet the English teacher. Go there!

That's so wholesome, I love the random things that happen when you go to a place just "because you've seen it on a map". Also good luck trying to explain to people there that you're a tourist, lol. Still part of the fun.