Uzbekistan Travel Suggestions

Posted by Thomas Shaw on December 20th, 2021

The Silk Road, Moghuls, Alexander the Fantastic - you\'d never consider that all these historic places, milestones, and personalities have influenced and basically lived inside the Central Asian region and Uzbekistan in certain. You\'d likely recall India, Afghanistan, Persia, but by no means Uzbekistan. Mind you, the initial of Moghuls - Babur - was born in what now is identified as Fergana Valley in modern Uzbekistan. The legendary Taj Mahal was built by a direct descendant of Babur who, you guessed it correct, was born \"in Uzbekistan\". So there is a ton of history in this diverse land and most Uzbeks are very proud of it. Get extra data about Tours in Bukhara
 


Nicely, since we began in Fergana valley, that is undoubtedly the least thrilling spot to check out if you are searching for visual cues, let\'s take a look at who lives here now and whether a curious traveler will uncover a thing of an interest.



For starters, archaeologists will drool over the excavation in Kuva, a tiny village some 20 miles SW of Andijan (birth spot of Babur, don\'t forget him?). This excavation is rather slow, it actually started some 50 years ago, but its significance is difficult not to notice. Archaeologists dug out a 7-8th century Buddhist temple there! It surely doesn\'t look close to spectacular, however the adjacent museum tells plenty of fascinating stories and displays a great number of ancient artifacts.



Nearby Andijan can be a dusty tense city filled with merchants, huge markets plus the only automobile manufacturing plant inside the entire of Central Asia. This was a joint project of Uzbek government and now defunct South Korean Daewoo brand. Daewoo was acquired by Chevrolet so this facility manufactures local versions of older Chevys and rebadged Daewoos. Not exciting facts at all, but we\'ve got to mention this, eh? On a optimistic note, Andijan has a terrific artisan\'s corner positioned inside the middle of local industry. You happen to be surely going there with a tour guide, so they\'d know exactly where to look.



Fergana valley is named after Fergana city. Locals proudly call it \"Pearl of your East\" and Wikipedia describes it as \"orderly tree-shaded avenues and attractive blue-washed 19th century tsarist colonial-style houses\" and that \"the city has a distinctly diverse really feel from most Uzbek cities\". We completely agree and this spot is a highly recommended stopover. If you are lucky, you are going to see an excellent collection of fine art, which they rotate infrequently at the local museum. All artists presented you will discover local, and they\'re incredibly cute followers of Russian pre- and post-WWII modern art.



In your way back to Tashkent (about 250 miles NE, 4-5 hours of crazy driving on a two lane highway, one 2000m mountain pass), which probably be using a private driver, you may pass by way of Rishtan and Kokand. Rishtan is really a modest but quite proud village. They have fantastic reasons: their ceramics and pottery are distinctive and all hand-made. You can\'t examine this style with Delftware, however they are fairly superior also. A well educated collector will absolutely appreciate this. Bring lots of cash as you would desire to purchase it all.



And finally we are in Tashkent, Uzbekistan\'s capital. This may be the last least exciting location having a weird mixture of modern steel and glass architecture and Soviet era apartment buildings. Never go too deep within the residential places and also you might in fact delight in the capital. Restaurants and clubs are extremely visible, hotels are modern and low-cost and general vibe is really chic.



Normally all visitors arrive within this nation through Tashkent international airport along with a good very first impression is not what this airport is renowned for. Absolutely disorganized lines, two-three passport control officers in tiny arrivals hall, extremely slow customs that appear to choose on each local who arrives back from abroad. Granted, they bring a ton of stuff with them, and customs gets quite \"excited\" after they observed a Moscow arrival. You\'d have to fill out customs papers on arrival and please preserve that valuable document with you until you leave the nation. Make certain you declare all the things beneficial you bring in the country and be especially careful about money. Beneath no circumstance you\'ll be permitted to leave Uzbekistan with additional cash than you declared on arrival. Good thing, that airport and its reality will not be what Uzbekistan is about. The country has its problems, but it is a really interesting spot to explore.



This story started in Fergana valley, however the typical tourist route will take you west of Tashkent 1st.



First stop - Samarkand. One of 3 true gems you\'ll locate in this country. You may get there by train, car or possibly a daily flight from Tashkent, but I\'d propose the very first two choices. 150 miles of a neat highway will get you to Samarkand, a now heavily restored and clean city using a 2500 years of history. Please go to one of several informative travel websites to read detailed stories about Samarkand (and all other places of interest) before you arrive. Your guide will overwhelm you with information, so it\'s constantly fantastic to prepare ahead of time. Study ahead of you go! This will help appreciate the astonishing sights and you\'ll be glad you are able to recognize the names as you follow your guide\'s presentation along.



After you\'ve visited every single mosque, mausoleum and market in Samarkand (this may take a few days), your trip will probably take you to Bukhara, a surprisingly diverse city! You\'d count on the identical but you\'d be wrong! Architectural marvel along with the most effective place to experience warm hospitality of locals. By the way, some words in regards to the people: they are poor, specially within the rural areas, but pretty friendly and treat every tourist because the most welcome guest. You may easily make good friends with your guide, bus or car driver, hotel staff and every artist you will meet in this country.



Moreover to two dozen of world class 2000 years old architectural monuments, Bukhara is popular for family run inns and bed & breakfasts. Should you want a total immersion in the local culture, please stay in one of many private B&Bs/Inns. What they may be lacking in amenities (if compared to chain hotels), they make up quickly with hospitality and service. Plus the food is excellent.



When you are done with Bukhara and still have some days of your vacation left, in no way hesitate to head to Khiva - a true masterpiece of architecture, history and culture. You\'d hate the road if you decide to drive, but the destination is entirely worth it. Again, read about this spot just before you go (this website is actually a excellent example), and make sure you have your camera with you. You can be rewarded with living inside the walls of UNESCO world heritage site as one of the hotels used to be a religious school in 19th century!



The majority of tourists head back to Tashkent appropriate immediately after Khiva along with a short flight would be a superb choice. Uzbekistan has its own national airline along with the airplanes are usually effectively maintained and comfortable.



If exotic and ancient cultures are your \"thing\" you\'d be pleasantly surprised in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan really offers far more than just historic monuments and 2000 years old cities. Eco-tourism is big and properly supported, trekking is one of the most effective out there, you are able to even go skiing - but that\'s another story yet to be told.