Things to do in Uzbekistan

Watch the evening light set the three majestic madrasas ablaze with turquoise and gold, as the silhouette of Samarkand's iconic square transforms into a scene straight out of a Silk Road fantasy.

Tread the ramparts of this massive mud-brick citadel that sheltered Bukhara's emirs for over a millennium, and soak in the panoramic view of the old city from its windswept walls.

Marvel at the intricate brickwork of one of the oldest Islamic monuments in Central Asia, whose baked-earth facade seems to change texture with every shift of the sun.

Ascend the 45-metre tower that so impressed Genghis Khan he spared it, and gaze over the domes and madrasas of Bukhara's spiritual heart from its narrow gallery.

Stroll the avenue of mausoleums where cobalt tilework and Persian inscriptions create a kaleidoscope of colour, leading to the revered tomb of Kusam ibn Abbas.

Enter the lavishly ribbed tomb chamber of Timur, the great conqueror, where jade and gold leaf reflect the whispered prayers for an empire laid to rest beneath the fluted dome.

Wander through the mud-walled inner fortress of Khiva, a living museum of mosques, minarets and merchants' houses where the silence of alleyways whispers of caravan days.

Descend into a cosmic dreamscape where space-themed mosaics honour Soviet cosmonauts, making this Tashkent metro stop one of the most stunning underground galleries in the world.

Plunge into the fragrant chaos of Tashkent's historic domed market, where mountains of saffron, dried fruits and freshly baked non beckon under the massive blue cupola.

Join the lunchtime queue at this beloved Tashkent institution where massive kazans simmer with rice, meat and carrots, delivering the definitive version of Uzbekistan's national dish.

Emerge from the Kyzylkum Desert to find this vast, shockingly blue lake, a haven for wildfowl where you can float in warm water and picnic on the sandy shore beneath boundless skies.

Trek into the red-sand expanse on the back of a Bactrian camel, sleeping in a traditional yurt camp and waking to listen the silence of the dunes under a dome of stars.

Follow wildflower-lined trails up the slopes of the western Tian Shan, where juniper forests give way to panoramic views of snow-capped peaks only an hour from Tashkent.

Unwind on the turquoise shore of this mountain lake, a favourite summer escape for Tashkent families, with boat rides, beachside chaikhanas and the jagged peaks as a backdrop.

See the excavated sextant track of the 15th-century star-gazer prince, whose measurements of the solar year rivalled modern accuracy, revealing a hidden scientific golden age.

Watch master weavers at their handlooms in Margilan, where rainbow-coloured ikat silks emerge from centuries-old techniques, and feel the finished fabric in your hands.

Stand before a startling collection of banned Soviet avant-garde art hidden for decades in remote Nukus, its vast halls holding the second-largest Russian avant-garde collection on earth.

Gaze up at the colossal surviving portal of Timur’s white palace in Shakhrisabz, its once sky-high entrance arch still bearing fragments of vivid mosaic heralds of a ruined empire.

Sit at the edge of the historic pond, now ringed by tea-houses and mulberry trees, as the setting sun turns the surrounding madrasas golden and the call to prayer floats over the water.

Step into the lovingly restored garden retreat of Bukhara’s last emirs, where a fusion of Russian colonial and Persian design fills every salon with mirrors, gilded carvings and cool breezes.

Approach the Uthman Quran, a bloodstained manuscript said to date from the 7th century, displayed in the library of this serene Tashkent religious ensemble centred on the tomb of a revered scholar.

Enter the lavish last residence of a Kokand ruler, where 114 rooms once glittered with gilded ceilings, carved wooden pillars and a throne room that rivaled the finest courts of Asia.

Paddle through the fast-flowing whitewater descending from the Chatkal Range, surrounded by walnut-fruit forests and vertical cliffs in one of Central Asia's most biodiverse protected areas.

Settle into a wooden divan at this modern yet warmly traditional chain, pouring yourself endless bowls of fragrant green tea while sampling the dizzying variety of Uzbek sweets and pastries.

Descend into this subterranean Tashkent hotspot housed in a former steam bath, where craft cocktails, live DJs and the vaulted brick ceilings create an electric fusion of past and present.