Ensemble · Shahrisabz City
Ak-Saray Palace
What remains of Timur’s colossal palace in his home town
Itineraries · The south
The south: Shahrisabz, Boysun and Termez in 5 days
Timur's hometown, the ancient culture of the Boysun mountains and the Buddhist and Islamic monuments of Termez — a southern route few tourists take.
Best time to go
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5 days
Day by day
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Day 1
From Samarkand over the Takhtakaracha Pass to Shahrisabz, Timur's birthplace: the ruins of Ak-Saray, the Kok Gumbaz Mosque (1434–1435) in the Dorut Tilavat ensemble and the Jahangir Mausoleum at Dorus Saodat.
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Day 2
South via Guzar and through the gorge long known as the Iron Gates to Boysun, with a night in a village guesthouse.
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Day 3
The Boysuntau range: a walk with a local guide through mountain villages and gorges, and Teshik-Tash cave, where the remains of a Neanderthal child were found in 1938. On to Termez in the evening.
Teshik-Tash CaveArchaeology · Surkhandarya -
Day 4
Termez: the archaeological museum, the Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi complex, the Sultan Saodat ensemble, Kyrk Kyz fortress and the Buddhist monastery of Fayaz Tepe.
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Day 5
The Zurmala stupa and the 12th-century Jarkurgan Minaret, then an afternoon flight from Termez to Tashkent.
About the route
The southern regions preserve the oldest layers of Uzbekistan's history. The Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz is a World Heritage Site, the Cultural Space of Boysun is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, and around Termez lie the ruins of Kushan-era Buddhist monasteries.
The road crosses the western spurs of the Hissar Range, through some of the country's finest mountain scenery.
Logistics and permits
The route starts in Samarkand and is driven with a car and driver; return from Termez to Tashkent by plane or overnight train.
Termez sits on the Afghan border, and some sites, such as Kara Tepe, lie within the border zone and may require a permit arranged in advance. Leave this to your tour operator or guide.
When to go
March–May and October–November. Surkhandarya is the hottest region in the country, and summer travel here is gruelling. In spring Boysun hosts the Boysun Bahori folklore festival — check the dates in advance.
The south: Shahrisabz, Boysun and Termez in 5 days
Sights along the way
Archaeology · Boysun District
Iron Gate and the Darband Wall
The famous mountain pass between Sogdiana and Bactria
Archaeology · Boysun District
Teshik-Tash Cave
Where a Neanderthal child was found: an icon of Central Asian prehistory
Pilgrimage site · Termez District
Al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi Memorial Complex
The shrine of “Termiz Ota”, the city’s patron saint
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