Season guide · Samarkand · Uzbekistan
Samarkand in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Willard84, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cold, frosty and quiet, with occasional snow on the domes and the lowest prices of the year. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 28 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -2°C (28°F) to 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 28
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6°C (43°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 9 | 9.7 h | 1/5 |
| February | 8°C (46°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 10 | 10.6 h | 1/5 |
| December | 8°C (46°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 9 | 9.4 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 28 of the year's roughly 71 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 1/5 and hotel prices 1/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- December: New Year — city decorations and celebrations (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Afrasiyab
Afrasiyab Museum
Look for the boat scene and the procession panels in the main hall; a guide or audio explanation helps decode the figures.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Registan and Old Town
Chorsu trading dome
This six-sided 18th-century domed market hall stands at a crossroads beside the Registan, once a trading point for hats and goods.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in winter
- Urgut bazaar (About 45 minutes by car) — The foothill town of Urgut holds one of the region's biggest markets, best known for its stalls of old and new suzani embroidery, textiles and household goods, busiest at weekends and especially on Sunday.
- Shahrisabz (About 1 hour 30 minutes–2 hours by car) — Timur's birthplace keeps the colossal ruined portal of his Ak-Saray palace, the Kok Gumbaz Friday mosque built by Ulugh Beg and the Dorut Tilovat memorial complex.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Samarkand?
It is a trade-off: Cold, frosty and quiet, with occasional snow on the domes and the lowest prices of the year. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Samarkand in winter?
Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 28 rainy days over the season.