Uzbekistan · UNESCO Heritage Sites

4-Day Shakhrisabz Tour from Samarkand with Amir Temur Heritage

4 Days Round trip from Shahrisabz Moderate pace

View all 6 photos

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Marvel at the architecture of the Ak-Saray Palace
02 Explore Dor-us Saodat, with its mausoleum, room, three gates, and tombs
03 Visit the Kok-Gumbaz Mosque, the largest mosque in Shakhrisabz
04 Discover the UNESCO-listed historical center of Shakhrisabz

Take a 7-hour tour of Shakhrisabz, a 2700-year-old town that played a significant role in the history of the Central Asian region. Marvel at its many architectural sights and the historical center, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Visit the ruins of Ak-Saray Palace, Dor-us Saodat, the memorial complex Dor-ut-Tilovat, and the Kok-Gumbaz Mosque.

Take a 7-hour tour of Shakhrisabz, a 2700-year-old town that played a significant role in the history of the Central Asian region.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Shahrisabz, Samarkand

Languages English, Persian, Russian

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Explore the Ruins of the Ancient Ak-Saray Palace

The city of Shakhrisabz is primarily associated with the Ak-Saray Palace, which was built at the end of the 14th and 15th centuries by order of Amir Temur. The construction of the palace in Shakhrisabz lasted more than a quarter of a century.
The scale of the palace is striking: only one main courtyard, reconstructed from the microrelief, was 120-125 m wide and 240-250 m long. The dimensions of the other courtyard and the outer perimeter could not be restored due to serious violations of the microrelief in the 15th-16th centuries.

Day 02

Visit the Kok-Gumbaz Mosque

The largest Friday cathedral mosque in Shakhrisabz, Kok-Gumbaz, was built in the first half of the 15th century in the Dorut-Tillovat memorial complex, opposite the mausoleum of Shamsiddin Kulol. The inscription on its portal says that it was erected by Ulugbek on behalf of his father, Shahrukh.
The mosque is crowned with a magnificent huge dome covered with blue ceramic tiles. Hence the name of the mosque - Kok-Gumbaz, which means "Blue Dome". Around the cylindrical drum of the dome, along a blue strip with terracotta ornaments, the words are lined with white glazed tiles: "Dominance belongs to Allah, wealth belongs to Allah."

Day 03

Discover the Mausoleums of Dor-us Saodat

The Dor-us Saodat complex ("Storage of Power") was intended for the entire Temurid Dynasty and was built after the sudden death of Temur's beloved son, Jahongir, in 1376. After his death, Jahongir's body was transported from Samarkand to Shakhrisabz, the historical homeland of his ancestors.
The buildings of the Dor-us Saodat complex were destroyed after the troops of the Sheibanid ruler Abdullakhan II entered the city in the second half of the 16th century. Of all the buildings, only the mausoleum of Jahongir and the crypt of Amir Temur have been preserved.

Day 04

Visit the Dor-ut-Tilovat Complex

The memorial complex Dor-ut-Tilovat ("The Place for Reading the Holy Quran") was formed in 1370-1371 after the death of the prominent religious figure Shamsiddin Kulal, the founder of Sufism, the spiritual mentor of Emir Taragay and Temur himself, and the teacher of Bahauddin Naqshbandi. His tomb immediately became a place of reverence for his many followers.
Near the grave of Sheikh Kulal stood the building of the Dor-us-Tilovat madrasah. The remains of Emir Taragay were transferred to one of the rooms of the madrasah.
During the reign of Temur, Kulal's grave was covered with marble slabs. Later, during the reign of Ulugbek, a mausoleum with a dome was built over the burial place of Shamsiddin Kulal on the remains of a former and more modest building.

Where this trip takes you

Ak-Saray Palace, Kok-Gumbaz Mosque, Dor-us Saodat

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Shahrisabz 2 cities · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Professional guide service
Transport service

What's Not Included

Entry tickets
Lunch

What to bring

Just in case, bring warm clothes with you.

Know before you go

Shakhrisabz, one of Uzbekistan's most beautiful and colourful cities, is located 80 kilometres south of Samarkand, behind the high mountain pass Takhta-Karacha. The town is 2700 years old and played a significant role in the history of the Central Asian region. Once, Shakhrisabz was the capital of the ancient state of Sogd. However, the city was then called Kesh, and its fame as a center of culture, trade, and crafts spread far beyond the state's borders. Today, this beautiful city is known primarily thanks to Amir Timur. During his administration, the city received its modern name - Shakhrisabz, which means "Green City" in Persian. Nowadays, the city has a large number of architectural sights, and its historical center is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

During the tour, you will visit the ruins of his palace - Ak-Saray, the construction of which lasted 24 years and was a true masterpiece of oriental medieval architecture.

You will also visit Dor-us Saodat - the tomb of the beloved son of Amir Timur, Jahongir - and the memorial complex Dor-ut-Tilovat, dedicated to the famous founder of Sufism, Shamsiddin Kulal. Along the way, you will also have the opportunity to see and enjoy the mountains and pass roads.

Logistics