Uzbekistan Trip Details

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham, Tashkent: Stayed here for three nights in September 2024
- Pros:
- Cons:
Jahongir, Samarkand: We stayed here for two nights in September 2024.
- Pros:
- Cons:
Minzifa Hotel, Bukhara: We stayed here for two nights in September 2024.
- Pros:
- Cons:
Hotel Arkanchi, Khiva: Stayed here for two nights in September 2024.
- Pros:
- Cons:

Transport

Anur Tours

Islambek

We booked three day tours with Islambek:

1) Samarkand to Bukhara via Shahrisabz.
2) Bukhara to Khiva via Elli Qala region (eight fortress).
3) Nukus day trip.

All tours went as per plan. The drivers showed up on time and the cars were in excellent condition. The drivers were experienced and drove safely. They seem very well rested. They stopped whenever and wherever we wanted. They had enough English speaking skills. Their Russian was flawless.

A special mention about the drivers: Ahadullo was our driver for the Shahrisabz trip and Gulom was the driver for the other two trips. We were quite happy with their service.

Within the cities, we just used Yandex to call a taxi. Within a few minutes the taxi arrived and as long as you have entered the right final destination, he will drop you without the need for any verbal communication. The rates are dirt cheap. We did take the "tout taxis" when we left the airport and the train stations and they charged us 5 to 10 times the Yandex rates.

12Go

Food

Vegetarian food is not easy to find in Uzbekistan outside the main cities. In the tourist areas of Tashkent, Bukhara and Khiva, you can easily find vegetarian food. Khiva was the best. All restaurants inside the Ichin Qala had vegetarian options on the menu and most of them were traditional Uzbek dish. Khiva was the only place where we could find vegetarian plov. Outside of the main cities, you have to survive on the Non bread and white rice with fries.

Sightseeing Tips

Chimgan Mountains

This isn't that great a destination. Unless you have time to kill, you can skip this.

Fergana Valley

The only thing worth seeing is the Khan Palace in Kokand. But you will need to budget one full day if you want to visit this from Tashkent. If you do have a day, there is a convinient morning and evening trains which give you a few hours to visit the place.

Tashkent

Metro Stations

The must-sees (in no particular order) are Tashkent TV tower, Minor Mosque, Hazrati Imam Complex, Amir Timur Square and Kukeldash Madrasah. The museums were closed for renovations. So we could not visit them.

Sheikhantaur Mausoleum Complex

Samarkand

Samarkand sites are quite spread out and you will need a taxi to get around. But the number of sites is limited. The must-sees are Registan, Shahi-zinda, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi Khannum Mosque, Hazrat-Hizr Mosque (mainly for the view of the Bibi Khannum Mosque from here), Ulug Beg Observatory and Afrosiab Museum. The Tomb of Daniel does not have a whole lot for a casual (non-religious) tourist. But it isn't far away and is easy to add to a one-day itinerary. All these sites can be easily covered in a single day.

Bukhara

Bukhara has a reasonably compact centre and you can visit all on foot on a long (tiring) day. Most monuments are just shopping complexes (or a working Madrassa) and wouldn't taky any time at all to "visit" them from the outside: the monuments around Lyabi Hauz, Chor Minar, Mir-i-Arab Medressa, and the Ulug Beg Madrassa. Don't miss the wood carving museum inside the Abdulazizkhan Madrassa (one opposite to Ulug Beg). Among the other must-sees are the Kalyan Mosque, the Ark, Bolo-Hauz Mosque, and the Ismail Samani Mausoleum. The two sites that are away from the centre and require a taxi are Chor-Bakr and the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa. Both are worth visiting. We could cover all the sites in a single day.

Khiva

Khiva has a very compact centre and you can visit all the monuments easily within a day. The entry ticket covers most monuments. It is worth paying extra to climb the Islm Hoja minaret and the Bobo watch tower. Do not miss the Juma Mosque, Paholvan Muhammed Mausoleum and the Nurullaboy Palace (the last one is outside the fort walls, but within a walking distance). It is quite easy to cover everything in a day.

TRIP ITINERARY

Back