Samarkand

Sat 6/6/26

After breakfast at 8am, we ventured out to Bibikhanum mosque first (ticket required for entry). Then we surveyed around the stalls in the Siyob Bozori (market), but would return later to buy some fruits and souvenirs.

breakfast at Istat

breakfast at Istat

Bibikhanum mosque

Siyob Bozori

Siyob Bozori

From Siyob Bozori, we walked across the pedestrian bridge to Hazrat Khizr mosque on the hilltop with vantage views of Bibikhanum mosque. Next to the mosque is the mausoleum of the first president of Uzbekistan which have beautiful decorations at the courtyard.

balcony at Hazrat Khizr mosque with Bibikhanum mosque in the background

inside Hazrat Khizr mosque

balcony at Hazrat Khizr mosque

courtyard at President's museum

Bibikhanum mosque view from the hill at Hazrat Khizr mosque

We then walked about 10 minutes to Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (ticket required for entry), which houses a mausoleum and other ritual buildings of 11th – 15th and 19th centuries. (wikipedia). There are separate prayer rooms for men and women at the entrance.

Shah-i-Zinda necropolis

From the necropolis, we walked back to Siyob Bozori and bought a strawberries (UZS 50K or RM15), yellow cherries (UZS 10K or RM 3) and some fridge magnets (cheapest one cost UZS 3000 or RM1 which have the tiger mosaic of the Sherdar Madrasa in Registan Square). 

After shopping, we went to a chaykhana (teahouse) near Bibikhanum mosque to have lunch of plov, beef samosa and a pot of tea for UZS 95.4K or RM 32, paid by card.

plov and samsa lunch at chaykhana

After lunch, we went back to the hotel to rest and take a respite from the sun. For afternoon tea, we walked to a nearby bakery Chorraha and bought some beef and pumpkin samsas for UZS 19K (RM 6) paid by cash.

beef and pumpkin samsas

There are free daily lightshows at the Registan, so at 7pm we walked to the Registan Square and waited. Finally the 15 minute show started at 9pm, but it was narrated in Uzbek. There was a supposed to be a laser show after a short break, but it didn't happen (we waited until 10pm). We went back to the hotel to rest for the day after the light show.

lightshow at Registan square