Termez Travel Guide 2026: Buddhist Heritage, Amu Darya & Logistics

Fly to Termez via Tashkent

For a short trip, the best option is to fly to Termez on a domestic route from Tashkent. It’s the biggest time saver: you don’t lose a full day to road transfers.

• Choose this when: you only have 1–2 days in the region and every hour on site matters.
• In practice: confirm pick‑up in advance, especially for late arrivals.
• Day‑one logic: keep it “city‑cluster” (museums/memorials/nearby points), without long out‑of‑town drives.

Airport pick‑up and car for the itinerary: transfers in Uzbekistan.

Train from Tashkent to Termez

Train travel is a stable option if you prefer to avoid flying and want straightforward, “smooth” logistics. It’s often convenient when you’re building a longer Uzbekistan route and want to reach the southern block without extra connections.

• Choose this when: you want a calm overnight/long ride and plan 2–4 days for Termez + day trips.
• Common scenario: sometimes “train to Karshi → car to Termez” is the best fit for your timing.
• Important: schedules and operating days change — always verify before you buy tickets.

Schedules and tickets: Uzbekistan trains.

Car routes and private transfers via Derbent and Baysun

If you travel overland, it’s logical to enter Surkhandarya via Derbent, and add Baysun as a dedicated block if mountains, caves, and canyons are a priority.

• Choose this when: you’re building a 3–6 day Surkhandarya route with nature days.
• Strong side: you can run the program “on the way” without pointless returns.
• In practice: a car with driver usually gives the best control over timing and stops.

Car/driver for the route: book a transfer. Baysun as a dedicated block: Baysun.

1) Buddhist heritage — a rare layer for Uzbekistan travel

The Termez area concentrates some of the region’s key Buddhist sites: Kara‑Tepe, Fayaztepe, and the Zurmala stupa. For travelers, this is a dedicated theme (Termez Buddhist sites) that is fundamentally different from the “classic” Samarkand and Bukhara storyline.

2) Large‑scale archaeology: city sites and an ancient transit corridor

Beyond the Buddhist theme, Termez offers dense archaeology: Kampyrtepa, Dalverzintepa, and the “Ancient Termez” zone. This is easy to assemble into a program without “empty” transfers inside the region.

3) Islamic shrines and memorial ensembles (city + nearby)

In and around Termez you’ll find key points of Surkhandarya’s spiritual geography: the Sultan Saodat ensemble, the mausoleum of Al‑Hakim at‑Tirmidhi, the Kokildor‑Ota khanaka, and other monuments. The result is a layered southern block: archaeology + memorial architecture in one direction.

Sultan Saodat ensemble

A memorial complex on the outskirts of Termez. It includes burial sites of Termez sayyids, traditionally regarded as direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. The ensemble developed across different periods while keeping a coherent architectural rhythm.

• Type: memorial ensemble (mausoleums + religious buildings)
• Dating: 11th–17th centuries
• Why it matters: a key point of Termez’s spiritual geography

Kokildor‑Ota khanaka

A religious lodge (khanaka) in Termez — one of the city’s notable shrines. Inside are tombstones and the burial of the revered local saint Kokildor‑Ota. After restoration, the complex reflects architectural features typical for the region.

• Type: khanaka (Sufi lodge)
• Period: mid‑12th century (1100s)
• Note: a place of pilgrimage and local religious memory

Mausoleum of Al‑Hakim at‑Tirmidhi

One of Termez’s key shrines. The mausoleum is associated with Abu Abdullah ibn Hasan ibn Bashir Al‑Hakim at‑Tirmidhi — an Islamic scholar and author of philosophical and religious works. Tradition attributes around 80 works to him; the epithet “Al‑Hakim” is usually understood as “the Wise.”

• Type: mausoleum / sacred complex
• Figure: Al‑Hakim at‑Tirmidhi (religious thinker and author)
• Context: a major point of Islamic heritage in the region

Kirk‑Kiz fortress

Ruins of a structure known for its symmetrical plan: arches and corridors repeat like a mirror, and passages cross the building “in a cross,” dividing the space into four equal parts. Sources suggest different interpretations of the complex’s function (palace, women’s madrasa, khanaka, or caravanserai).

• Type: fortress/structure ruins
• Architectural feature: strong symmetry and a “cross‑axis” corridor layout
• Interpretations: several functions are discussed in the literature

Fayaztepe — a Buddhist monastic complex

The complex is located about 4 km from modern Termez. The monastery includes rooms arranged around an inner courtyard with an iwan; the refectory adjoined on the left side. Excavations recorded finds including inscriptions and coins (including those attributed to Heliocles and Kanishka). Researchers note that monks lived here and pilgrims were also accommodated. In the 4th century the complex was captured by the Sasanian army, after which it ceased to function.

• Type: Buddhist monastery
• Structure: 13 rooms + inner courtyard
• History: ceased in the 4th century (after Sasanian capture)
• Name note: the name “Haya‑Vihara” appears in earlier references; the modern name is linked to Fayazov (an excavation participant)

Kara‑Tepe — a Buddhist complex in Old Termez

Kara‑Tepe lies in the north‑western part of Old Termez and is linked to Buddhist tradition. Temples and monasteries were built on three hills in the 2nd century CE. The architecture is distinctive for combining caves cut into sandstone with above‑ground structures of pakhsa (rammed earth) and sun‑dried brick.

• Type: religious/archaeological complex
• Dating: 2nd century CE
• Architecture: “caves + surface buildings” (sandstone / pakhsa / sun‑dried brick)

Zurmala Buddhist stupa

A stupa about 12 meters high, attributed to the Kushan period (roughly the 1st–2nd centuries CE). It belongs to the Buddhist layer of ancient Termez; over time it came to look like an earthen mound, so without context it can be hard to recognize it as a ritual structure.

• Type: Buddhist stupa
• Period: Kushan (1st–2nd centuries CE)
• Height: about 12 m

Termez Archaeological Museum

The museum opened in 2002 to mark the 2500th anniversary of Termez. Many descriptions emphasize its special status: it is often presented as the only dedicated archaeological museum in Central Asia. The exhibitions cover a wide historical range; some museum descriptions mention artifacts dated as early as 100,000 years BCE.

• Opened: 2002
• Focus: Surkhandarya archaeology / ancient civilizations of the region
• Why it helps: it “connects the dots” between Buddhist sites and regional archaeology

Kampyrtepa — an ancient Amu Darya port site

An archaeological site on the banks of the Amu Darya (known as the Oxus in ancient sources). The settlement was founded in the late 4th century BCE and existed until the early 1st century CE. Descriptions emphasize its role as a river crossing service point and a “transfer hub” for merchants and travelers along Silk Road routes.

• Type: city site / port settlement
• Dating: late 4th c. BCE — early 1st c. CE
• Context: Amu Darya crossing and transit logistics

Dalverzintepa — a Kushan‑era archaeological city site

Dalverzintepa is considered one of the region’s key archaeological monuments linked to the Kushan Empire. Sources highlight the scale of discoveries: in 1972, a major hoard was found here — about 36 kg of gold. Excavations produced large numbers of objects (sculptures, murals, figurines), used to reconstruct the culture and daily life of Northern Bactria.

• Type: city site / Kushan‑era archaeology
• Discovery: hoard of ~36 kg of gold (1972)
• Context: material culture of Northern Bactria

Jarkurgan Minaret

The minaret stands near Jarkurgan (sources also cite distances to Jarkurgan and to Termez). Based on an inscription, it is dated to the 12th century; descriptions often cite a start date of 1108–1109, and an alternative reading that places completion in 1110. Its signature feature is pronounced vertical fluting created through baked‑brick masonry.

• Type: minaret (architectural monument)
• Period: 12th century
• Detail: baked‑brick vertical fluting

Alexander Nevsky Church

A church in Termez, built in 1901 in honor of Saint Alexander Nevsky. Descriptions note that the church is in good condition today and mention restoration work. The interior is described as a hall of about 24 × 16 m.

• Type: Orthodox church
• Built: 1901
• Context: Termez’s layered history (not only antiquity and the medieval period)

Transfers in Termez and day trips across the region

A transfer is the right fit when you need a specific ride (airport/station/hotel/site), or when you’re building a “city + day trips” day without committing to a guided tour format.

• In the city: short drives between memorial complexes, museums, and ruins.
• Out of town: archaeology sites and nature locations across Surkhandarya.
• Intercity: Termez ↔ Derbent/Baysun and other south‑route legs.

Service page: transfers in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan tours that include the southern Termez block

If you’re building a country route (Tashkent / Samarkand / Bukhara and then south), Termez works best as a dedicated block with a clear day structure: city sights + Buddhist archaeology + (optionally) one regional day trip.

• Best when: you want a cohesive program and a predictable pace.
• Especially useful when: you combine Termez with intercity legs and day trips.

Program selection: tours in Uzbekistan & Central Asia.