In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Uzbekistan
Shakhrisabz
Шаҳрисабз
Go as a day trip from Samarkand: 2–3 hours on foot covers Ak Saray, Dorus Saodat and Kok Gumbaz; sleep in Samarkand, not here.
Shakhrisabz is Timur's hometown and his second capital, 60 km south of Samarkand over a 1,780 m pass. The historic centre is UNESCO-listed and small: the Ak Saray gate ruins, the Dorus Saodat burial complex and the Kok Gumbaz mosque sit within a 15-minute walk. Most travellers see it in half a day and return to Samarkand.
- Country
- Uzbekistan
- Local name
- Шаҳрисабз
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (40 °C (104 °F)+), Jan–Mar (Takhzakaracha Pass may close)Jul–Aug (104 °F (40 °C)+), Jan–Mar (Takhzakaracha Pass may close)
- Stay
- Day trip (0–1) nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- UZS
- Money
- Soʻm in small notes for bazaars, taxis and tea houses; the largest note is worth little abroad.
- Daily spend
- Budget 150,000–250,000 UZS excl. bed · Mid 250,000–450,000 UZS excl. bed · High 450,000+ UZS excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Beeline, Ucell, Mobiuz and Uzmobile sell SIMs with a passport at the airport and city shops; registration takes a few minutes.
- Emergency
- Fire 101 · Police 102 · Ambulance 103 · Unified number 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs fit; bring an adapter for UK or US plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: A 10–15% service charge is often added; if not, 5–10%.; Taxis: Round up; no tip on app fares.; Guides and drivers: US$5–10 a day for a guide, a little less for a driver.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled water UZS 3,000–6,000 in shops. Boiled tea is always safe.
- Toilets
- Squat toilets at bazaars and bus stations, sometimes a small fee; carry tissue. Hotels and restaurants have Western toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a chaikhana | 10,000–25,000 UZS |
| Plov or lagman | 30,000–60,000 UZS |
| Bread (non) | 5,000–10,000 UZS |
| Shared taxi seat, Samarkand → Shakhrisabz | about 60,000 UZS (check) |
| Sight entry | 20,000–50,000 UZS (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 50,000–120,000 UZS |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SKD · Samarkand International
- Nearest useful airport; about 1.5–2 h by road from Shakhrisabz (check)
Typical fares
- Shared taxi Samarkand → Shakhrisabz
- about 60,000 UZS, about 1.5–2 h (check)
- Taxi across town
- 15,000–30,000 UZS (check)
- Ak Saray entry
- about 40,000 UZS (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is compact and flat: Ak Saray, Dorus Saodat, Dorut Tilavat and Kok Gumbaz are all within about 1 km (0.6 mi) of each other. Walk it. Shared taxis and marshrutkas cover the wider town; agree the fare before you get in.The historic centre is compact and flat: Ak Saray, Dorus Saodat, Dorut Tilavat and Kok Gumbaz are all within about 0.6 mi (1 km) of each other. Walk it. Shared taxis and marshrutkas cover the wider town; agree the fare before you get in.
See and do
Known for
- Ak Saray Palace gate ruins
- Dorus Saodat and Jahangir's tomb
- Kok Gumbaz Mosque
- Timur's birthplace
- Flat-stitch embroidery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Samarkand | Shared taxi from So'zangaron ko'chasi, south of the Registan; or your own car over the Takhzakaracha Pass | About 1.5–2 h each way |
| Qarshi | Shared taxi or marshrutka south, about 120 km (75 mi)Shared taxi or marshrutka south, about 75 mi (120 km) | About 2 h |
| Termez | Road via Qarshi, or train from Qarshi | 6 h+ |
Sleep
- Ipak Yoli axis (centre)
- Guesthouses and small hotels along the main street between Ak Saray and Kok Gumbaz; walkable to every sight.
- Samarkand (as a base)
- Most travellers sleep in Samarkand and day-trip; more beds, more food, better transport.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Ассалому алайкумassalomu alaykum |
| Thank you | Раҳматrahmat |
| How much is it? | Қанча?qancha |
| This one, please | Мана шуниmana shuni |
| Where is the toilet? | Ҳожатхона қаерда?hojatxona qayerda |
| I don't understand | Тушунмадимtushunmadim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Right hand on heart with 'assalomu alaykum'; men shake hands with men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman unless she offers first
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring sweets or fruit; sit where the host shows; avoid: Sitting with feet pointing at people or at the table spread (dastarkhan)
- Tea: Accept at least one bowl; avoid: Refusing everything offered
- Bread: Break it by hand, place it face up; avoid: Throwing bread away where people can see
- Dress: Long trousers or skirts in old towns and villages; avoid: Shorts and bare shoulders at religious sites
- Elders: Stand when they enter; let them eat first; avoid: Interrupting
Scams and watch-outs
- The Takhzakaracha Pass between Samarkand and Shakhrisabz can close from January to March; the detour adds about 3 hours.
- Shared taxis from Samarkand may only go as far as Kitab, 10 km short: confirm the destination before paying.
- Summer heat is serious: carry water and start early.
- Some sights charge separately and hours vary; check locally on arrival.
Shakhrisabz is a small, calm town and violent crime against visitors is rare. The real risks are the mountain pass in winter, summer heat, unmarked shared-taxi fares and uneven ground at the ruins.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shakhrisabz yet. Suggested stay: Day trip (0–1) nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ak Saray Palace gate ruins
- Dorus Saodat and Jahangir's tomb
- Kok Gumbaz Mosque
- Timur's birthplace
- Flat-stitch embroidery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Uzbekistan.travel — Shakhrisabz: uzbekistan.travel/en/i/shakhrisabz/
- UNESCO — Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz: whc.unesco.org/en/list/885/
- Wikivoyage: Shakhrisabz, revision 5237878 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237878
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ShakhrisabzШаҳрисабз
Мана шу манзилга
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Shakhrisabz; most are in Tashkent. Consular help for the region is usually handled from Tashkent (check).
Carry the address of your Samarkand hotel in Uzbek or Russian for the return taxi.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/shakhrisabz). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.