Come and learn where the Silk Road still runs.
Each year we welcome a small number of visitors from abroad to join our courses as guests: a few weeks inside a working Samarkand academy, learning alongside local students, in a city most people only ever photograph. It suits travellers with time on their hands, students taking a gap year, and professionals who want a short, real immersion in Central Asian craft, tourism or language, taught by the people who live it.
What a visit looks like
You choose what you would like to learn, guiding, craft, language, hospitality, or a little of each, and how long you can stay. You join real classes, work on real projects beside local students, and leave with more than photographs: a skill, a network, and a genuine understanding of a place that has taught the world for two thousand years.
Getting settled
We help you find your feet. We can point you to vetted local guesthouses and trusted family-run accommodation near the Academy, arrange a warm introduction to the city, and give you a named contact at the Academy for the length of your stay. This is a guest programme rather than a degree, so it stays flexible: write to us with your interests and your dates, and we will build something that fits.
Visiting: your questions
- Do I need to speak Uzbek or Russian?
- No. Visiting students are taught in English, and we offer a short survival-Uzbek course for those who want to go deeper into daily life here.
- Where will I stay?
- We will recommend vetted local guesthouses and family-run accommodation near the Academy, and help you arrange it. Costs vary with your choice and length of stay.
- How long can I come for?
- From a couple of weeks upward. Tell us your dates and interests and we will shape a programme around them.