Day Trips from Tashkent

November 5, 2026

Tashkent has a handful of workable day trips: Samarkand by high-speed train, a mountain day in the Chimgan and Charvak area, Amirsoy resort, and the Sun Heliocomplex near Parkent. Several other places often listed as day trips are too far and need a longer plan.

Samarkand by Afrosiyob

The Afrosiyob takes about 2 hours 15 to 30 minutes each way, with several morning departures and an evening return, so a long day is possible. Two nights give you far more time at the Registan, Gur-e Amir, Shah-i-Zinda and Bibi-Khanym. Tickets go on sale about 45 days ahead and popular trains sell out. Foreign travellers buy with a passport number on the railway ticket site or the Uzbekistan Railways app. Check the live timetable, because departure times change. The tourism portal lists official attractions at each stop.

Chimgan and Charvak

Ugam-Chatkal National Park lies north-east of the city. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours each way. Chimgan has the Beldersay cable car, over 2 km long, which does not always run on weekdays and queues on weekends. Charvak is a reservoir behind a dam, with no white water. Rafting on the Ugam, Pskem and Chatkal rivers above the lake is seasonal and should only be done with a licensed operator. Border zones in the Chatkal and Pskem valleys need permits, which local agencies arrange. If you swim at Charvak, stay in shallow water where locals swim; lifeguard cover is not guaranteed.

Amirsoy resort

Amirsoy opened in 2019, about 65 km from Tashkent. Gondolas run from the base, one reaching the 2,290 m mark, and a chairlift serves the slopes. Summer gondola hours are about 09:00 to 19:00, and winter hours are about 09:00 to 16:00 for skiers and 09:00 to 17:00 for other visitors. Winter is the main season, and gondola prices change, so check the resort first.

Sun Heliocomplex at Parkent

This solar furnace lies about 45 km from the city and was UNESCO-inscribed in 2026. Visits are arranged through operators and take about 3 hours on site. Private-car listings start around USD 186 per group.

Places that are too far

Nurata, the Kyzylkum dunes and Aydarkul are two or three day trips, not day trips. The Fergana Valley and Khiva also need longer plans. Yangiabad, a former closed uranium-mining town, is not a leisure destination: radiation assessments are described as acceptable but long stays near former mines are not advised.

Bookings

Day tours can be compared on Viator and GetYourGuide . Summer is hot, so start early, and carry water and cash.