Comparison · Almaty vs Samarkand · Kazakhstan / Uzbekistan
Almaty vs Samarkand
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dauren Nabijan, CC0
Quick answer
Choose Almaty for Tian Shan mountains, Shymbulak ski resort and nightlife; choose Samarkand for Registan, Timurid architecture, lower day-to-day costs and a milder winter. Samarkand is generally less expensive, and the two are about 918 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 918 km
- Less expensive
- Samarkand
- Best time for Almaty
- May–June and September
- Best time for Samarkand
- April–May and September–October
Side by side
| Almaty | Samarkand | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Kazakhstan | Uzbekistan |
| Known for | Tian Shan mountains, Shymbulak ski resort and Medeu skating rink | Registan, Timurid architecture and Gur-e-Amir |
| Best time to visit | May–June and September | April–May and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 5 days | 3 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $90–$180 | $70–$140 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 30°C (86°F) | July, 34°C (93°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 0°C (32°F) | January, 6°C (43°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 6 | 4 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 4 |
| Beaches | — | — |
| Airports | ALA | SKD |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Almaty for…
Tian Shan mountains, Shymbulak ski resort and nightlife. Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city and former capital, spreads across the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau, with peaks over 4,000 metres visible at the end of its leafy avenues. Its centre mixes Soviet modernist buildings, the wooden Zenkov Cathedral in…
Choose Samarkand for…
Registan, Timurid architecture, lower day-to-day costs and a milder winter. Samarkand was Timur's capital in the late 14th century, and the turquoise domes he and his heirs built still define the city: the three tiled madrasas of the Registan, the ribbed dome of Gur-e-Amir, the vast Bibi-Khanym Mosque and the street of mausoleums at…
Top sights compared
| # | Almaty | Samarkand |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ascension Cathedral (Zenkov Cathedral) | Registan |
| 2 | Green Bazaar | Gur-e-Amir |
| 3 | Kok Tobe | Shah-i-Zinda |
| 4 | Medeu | Bibi-Khanym Mosque |
| 5 | Shymbulak | Siab Bazaar |
Food compared
| Almaty | Samarkand |
|---|---|
| Beshbarmak | Samarkand plov |
| Lagman | Samarkand bread |
| Plov | Tandir somsa |
| Manti | Shashlik |
Which is cheaper?
Samarkand is usually the less expensive of the two: a mid-range day costs about $70–$140 per person there, against $90–$180 in Almaty (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Samarkand on a budget.
Can you visit both?
They are about 918 km apart, so combining them means a flight. With 9 days or more it works; otherwise pick one.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Almaty or Samarkand cheaper?
Samarkand is usually less expensive: about $70–$140 a day mid-range against $90–$180 (estimates).
+Is Almaty or Samarkand better for a first trip?
Pick Almaty for Tian Shan mountains, Shymbulak ski resort and nightlife, or Samarkand for Registan, Timurid architecture, lower day-to-day costs and a milder winter.
+How far is Almaty from Samarkand?
About 918 km in a straight line.