Imam al-Bukhari & Makhdumi Azam Tour from Samarkand
Samarkand – Dahbed (Makhdumi Azam) – Khartang (Imam al-Bukhari) – Samarkand · 1 day
A private half-day trip from Samarkand to two of the most revered places in Uzbekistan. At Dahbed, walk the quiet brick courtyards and old plane trees of Makhdumi Azam, the 16th-century Sufi master of the Naqshbandi order. Then continue to Khartang and the memorial complex of Imam al-Bukhari, the 9th-century scholar who compiled the most trusted collection of hadith in Sunni Islam — reopened in 2026 with a mosque for 10,000 worshippers, four 75-metre minarets and fourteen blue domes. A calm, unhurried morning, with a private car and hotel pick-up.
Read our guide: Imam al-Bukhari Complex near Samarkand →
Sightseeing highlights
- Mausoleum of Imam al-Bukhari
- The new mosque, four 75-m minarets and blue domes
- Makhdumi Azam complex and its old plane trees
- Courtyards, gardens and fountains
- Two great pilgrimage sites in one half-day
TOUR PROGRAMME
1Pick-up in Samarkand
Pick-up in Samarkand
Your driver — and guide, if you choose the guided option — meets you at your hotel. About 30 minutes on the road to the village of Dahbed.
2Makhdumi Azam complex, Dahbed
Makhdumi Azam complex, Dahbed
Makhdumi Azam — Ahmad Khoja Kasani, 1461–1542 — was one of the great masters of the Naqshbandi Sufi order, and his teaching shaped generations across Central Asia. He was buried in his own garden in Dahbed, and the place grew into a quiet complex of brick courtyards, galleries on carved wooden columns and huge old plane trees. About an hour to walk, look and sit for a while.
3Imam al-Bukhari memorial complex, Khartang
Imam al-Bukhari memorial complex, Khartang
Another 30 minutes brings you to Khartang, about 25 km from Samarkand, where Imam al-Bukhari died in 870. His collection of hadith, Sahih al-Bukhari, is held by Sunni Muslims to be the most authentic after the Quran. Around his mausoleum — a cube under a 17-metre dome, dressed in blue and green tiles, marble and onyx — a vast new complex opened in March 2026: a white mosque for 10,000 worshippers, four 75-metre minarets, fourteen blue domes, long colonnades, gardens and fountains. About two hours to explore the courtyards and grounds.
4Back to Samarkand
Back to Samarkand
A relaxed drive back to Samarkand and your hotel.
What's included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Samarkand
- Private air-conditioned car or minivan for the whole trip
- English-speaking driver
- Licensed guide (guided option)
- Free time at both complexes for walking and photos
- Flexible start time on request
Not included
- Entry to interior halls or museums where restricted
- Food and drinks
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Photos
Booking request
Imam al-Bukhari & Makhdumi Azam Tour from Samarkand
Request for: Samarkand – Dahbed (Makhdumi Azam) – Khartang (Imam al-Bukhari) – Samarkand · 1 day