Your city. Your history. Your profession.
Samarkand receives the world, and the world is increasingly asking to be shown around by a woman. Yet there are still too few licensed women guides to meet that demand. This pathway exists to change that. It takes you from your first day to the official Uzbek tour guide licence, and then teaches you how to make a living from it.
Over roughly eight months and more than two hundred hours, you will master the history of Sogdiana and the Timurids, the craft traditions behind every dome and doorway, the practicalities of planning and leading a group, and the storytelling that separates a guide people remember from one they forget.
What you will study
| Module | Focus | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations of Uzbek Tourism | The industry, safe tourism, how the sector works | ~25 |
| History, Culture and Heritage | Sogdiana to the Timurids, taught on site at the monuments | ~40 |
| Tour Planning, Logistics and Safety | Itineraries, group safety, first aid, safety for women guides | ~25 |
| Advanced Communication and Interpretation | Voice, narrative, handling questions, courtesy phrases in other languages | ~35 |
| Marketing and Business for Women Guides | Building a name, pricing, working with hotels and agencies | ~20 |
| Field Training and Certification | 5 to 10 supervised tours, mock exams, licence preparation | ~60 |
How it is taught
On site
You will learn under the portal of the Registan, among the tombs of Shah-i-Zinda, and in the workshops of the ceramicists and suzani (embroidered cloth) makers whose work you will one day explain to guests.
In practice
Before you ever sit the state exam, you will lead real groups on supervised tours, with a licensed guide at your shoulder to guide and reassure you.
For a living
And then the part most schools leave out entirely: how to find clients, set a fair price, and build a reputation, drawing on our Principal’s decade of experience and relationships across the travel trade.
Where it leads
A graduate of this pathway does not wait to be employed. She holds a profession, a state licence, and an introduction to the operators and hotels who hire guides. Whether she chooses to work with an agency or independently, she leaves with the two things that matter: the credential and the network to use it.
Tourism Guide: your questions
- Will I actually get the official licence?
- The pathway prepares you directly for the state certification exam and includes mock exams under real conditions. The licence is awarded by the state, not by us, but our whole final module is built around helping you pass it.
- What languages do I need?
- Strong English is important for international guiding, and we strengthen it throughout. Russian is valuable too. If your English needs work, our language courses run alongside the pathway.
- Do I need experience in tourism first?
- No. We take you from first principles. What helps most is curiosity about your city and a willingness to speak in front of people, which we will practise together.
- Women only
- Approximately 8 months
- Prepares directly for the official state guide licence
- Supervised field practicum included
- Opens March 2027