Samarkand — Tamerlan's Cursed Legacy
Uncover the cursed legacy of Tamerlan in Samarkand's Registan. Decode riddles at Timurid monuments to break the ancient malediction before it claims another heir.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1405, Tamerlan, the ruthless conqueror who turned Samarkand into the jewel of his Timurid Empire, died under mysterious circumstances
Samarkand — Tamerlan's Cursed Legacy
You are a trusted Timurid chronicler, dispatched to Samarkand in the autumn of 1449.
You arrive at the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum shortly after the mysterious assassination
Walk through the turquoise mausoleums of Samarkand where Tamerlane rests, the conqueror who shook Asia from Delhi to Moscow between 1370 and 1405.
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, built in 1403-1404 by Tamerlane for his grandson Muhammad Sultan, but completed after the conqueror's death in 1405. Under the 40-meter turquoise dome covered with green and blue tiles, you descend into the octagonal crypt housing jade and marble sarcophagi of Tamerlane (1336-1405), his sons Shahrukh and Miran Shah, and Ulugh Beg (1394-1449). This dynastic necropolis reveals the first succession tensions that would undermine the Timurid empire.
500 meters westward, the Rukhabad mausoleum awaits in its historic cemetery. Built in 1385 by Tamerlane honoring Sufi Hodja Akhmad Ruf'i, this sanctuary reveals a monumental portal adorned with turquoise mosaics and Quranic inscriptions. The raised central tomb, surrounded by dervish cells, testifies to mystical influence on the Timurid court. Here spiritual alliances form that legitimize Tamerlane's power against rival Central Asian dynasties.
The Registan, 1 km from Gur-e-Amir, displays Samarkand's most grandiose architectural ensemble. Ulugh Beg madrasa, founded in 1417-1420 by Tamerlane's astronomer grandson, housed 100 students in its astronomical library. Its 29-meter portal with geometric mosaics faces Cher-Dor madrasa (1619-1636), decorated with tigers bearing human suns, and Tilya-Kori (1646-1660), whose golden tiles reach 37 meters. This UNESCO heritage square since 2001 materializes three centuries of Timurid art evolution.
Bibi-Khanym mosque, erected by Tamerlane between 1399 and 1404 commemorating his Delhi victory, reveals the conqueror's excessive ambition. Its 35-meter portal, Central Asia's largest at the time, was financed by Indian war spoils and inspired by Delhi mosques. Earthquake collapses and 20th-century repairs testify to this colossal edifice's fragility, a metaphor for the Timurid empire itself.
Your investigation concludes at Ulugh Beg observatory, where Tamerlane's grandson revolutionized astronomy before his 1449 assassination. This site symbolizes the transition from Tamerlane's military conquest to his successors' scientific flowering, then their fall to dynastic ambitions. You take from Samarkand understanding of an empire built on war, sublimated by art and science, but undermined by family rivalries that precipitated its fragmentation.
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
5-10 curated sites across the territory
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Ominous Prophecy
Reconstruct the prophecy that sealed the fate of the conqueror and his empire.
Secrets of Dynasties
Explore court intrigues and power struggles after Tamerlane's death.
Celestial Wisdom
Follow the footsteps of the scholars who enlightened the Timurid empire.
Between Samarkand's blue domes, an empire's destiny is written in stars and legends.
Samarkand — Capital of Destiny
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Walk through the turquoise mausoleums of Samarkand where Tamerlane rests, the conqueror who shook Asia from Delhi to Moscow between 1370 and 1405.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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Samarkand — Riddle of the Sundial
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