Uzbekistan Uncovered

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to mention. The merging of soviet influences on top of earlier history in Tashkent, breathtaking buildings in Samarkand, treasures around every corner in Khiva, the desert, remote settlements and 2500 year old forts, making dumplings during the homestay, wonderful people...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Muhammed was a fabulous group leader. Not only did he share his expert knowledge of the country past and present, but he managed the logistics of the trip seamlessly so that we could just relax and enjoy the adventure.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Currency - take US dollars, easy to change them at the airport on arrival or at exchange booths in the cities. Clothing for ladies - best I suggest to be covered from shoulders to below the knees to fit in with local norms. At religious sites you will need a head covering (I used a scarf for protection from the sun as well, others had a hat). I did see one or two ladies in vest tops and shorts in the cities, and they were not getting frowned at but personally I would have felt uncomfortable vs what locals were wearing. Shopping - Samarkand or Khiva for silk scarfs and clothing. Bukhara for embroidery eg wall hangings - the quality here is better than the earlier cities. If shopping in the cities vendors will happily quote in USD or euros but once you have agreed a price, if you are paying by card will of course convert back to som for the transaction...watch the exchange rate, I'd suggest better to haggle in som. We usually got around 10-15% off through haggling. Travel - there are some long journeys by road and rail. Aircon on the trains goes off in the stations, and you can be there for half an hour, so be prepared to get hot! The road to the Aral sea is awful - more potholes than tarmac. Everyone is very welcoming - don't be surprised if you are asked for your photo, or to have strangers coming up to you for a chat. Security is absolutely not a concern. Food - good, and cheap! Though veggies in our group did struggle on occasion. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this trip - go, and enjoy!

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to single out but the friendliness of the Uzbek people stood out for me, just as much as all the incredible UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As above

Most Inspirational Moment

So much happened in two weeks that choosing one highlight feels impossible. Walking the quiet streets of the famous Silk Road cities in the early morning, with the sun just coming up and locals setting up for the day, felt like stepping back in time. The warmth of our homestay family in the Nurata Mountains and the calm, open beauty of Aydarkul Lake were grounding and peaceful moments. Standing at the edge of the Aral Sea, surrounded by what was once a bustling harbour town, was something else entirely. It was confronting and really stuck with me. The Savitsky art museum in Nukus also really surprised me. I didn’t know much about it before going, but the collection of Soviet-era art that had been hidden away from censorship was incredible. I didn’t expect to be so drawn in, but it ended up being one of the most interesting parts of the trip. Our final day was a surprise favourite. Visiting the solar furnace and learning about the research happening there was so interesting. We stopped for grass-filled samsa at a local roadside spot, made fresh by a team of women working in perfect rhythm. Then we took a gondola into the snowy mountains, and it felt like we had landed in a completely different country. Our final day was a surprise favourite. Visiting the solar furnace and learning about the research happening there was so interesting. We stopped for grass-filled samsa at a local roadside spot, made fresh by a team of women working in perfect rhythm. Then we took a gondola into the snowy mountains, and it felt like we’d landed in a completely different country.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dilshod was the best. You can tell how much he loves his country, its people and his family. He shared so much about the history and culture with genuine enthusiasm, and he’s built strong relationships throughout the years that added to the experience. He always had the best food recommendations and made sure we had the nicest table wherever we went. He really made the trip feel personal and seamless, and it wouldn’t have been the same without him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the weather just before you go. Our trip was unseasonably hot but had been rainy the week before Bring a scarf with you to cover up in the holy places, or buy one at a local market. It’s best to get a light one that balls up small so it is easy to carry. Be ready for long travel days on some bumpy roads. Bring something to keep yourself entertained. Try to get up early in the main Silk Road cities. It’s a great time to enjoy the atmosphere before the crowds arrive and to see locals setting up for the day. And of course… all you need is plov. But make sure to try the local version in each region as the dish changes as you travel around.

Most Inspirational Moment

Samarkand's Registan Square, although being a familiar sight in brochures and travel guides is just as breath-taking in real life with a lovely light show in the evening.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader was the wonderful Dilshod, a guide with many years of experience, incredible knowledge, attentive and organised. A proud Uzbek who can answer any question and is happy to share his stories and

Advice for Potential Travellers

While you're there use a mixture of US Dollars and Uzbek Som - souvenirs were all quoted in dollars. It's best to have clean crisp new dollars to exchange. A scarf to cover your head and long trousers when entering mosques is essential but shorts down to the knee are acceptable for most other days.

Most Inspirational Moment

Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand are the hi lights but there are so many other moments like our lunch with music and dancing near the fortress. The Registan in Samarkand is very impressive by the sheer size. I loved Bukhara and its atmosphere at night. The fortified town of Khiva is beautiful and the colour of the wall change at night. The train journey was also nice.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dilshod was a walking guide book with outstanding knowledge of the history and culture of his country. He was very organised and as a result we did not waste any time. He told us many personal stories which added to our understanding of the difficult history of this country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You have some long days on the bus but we could all have a seat by the window. Bring a scarf to cover your head in the mosques. Clothes covering shoulders and knees are required for religious buildings

Most Inspirational Moment

The interior of the Amur Timur mausoleum, a true wow moment…or arriving in Khiva to feel we were really on the Silk Road…no, the Registan or, or… in other words, the whole holiday

Thoughts on Group Leader

Takhir handled the usual “mixed” personalities with diplomacy and care. His telling of the stories behind the sites demonstrated his passion for history

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tahir was kind, knowledgeable and consistently there for us whether it was endlessly changing money from one currency to another or patiently waiting for one or other of us, his recommendations of where to eat and what to eat, moving is between local eateries to internal flights and local trains and finally using his contacts to reclaim my coat after I left it on the last day in the train station hundreds of miles from Tashkent ~ a remarkable human being

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go!

Most Inspirational Moment

The long drive from Bukhara to Samarkand, stopping for drinks and toilet breaks in places where people have been doing exactly the same thing for thousands of years!

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader, Dilshod, was excellent. Incredibly knowledgeable and experienced, he balanced the needs of a diverse group very well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't listen to anyone who tells you that Uzbekistan is unsafe or inaccessible. The recent tourism initiative has got rid of pretty much all red-tape, and there is virtually no street crime etc. Much less stressful than travelling in Egypt or the US! The vegetarian food is also much better than everyone leads you to believe.

Most Inspirational Moment

Strolling around the beautiful streets of Khiva at night - hardly anyone else around and very atmospheric.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader Barbor was very proud of his country, and certainly knew his history. However, he was not the best at handling or organising a group, and I feel that our tour did suffer because of this - it felt like we had a lot of wasted opportunities. For example, instead of using the long bus journeys to explain what we would be doing that day, and the approximate timings and activities, he would wait to tell us everything on arrival, wasting valuable time. In addition, he was often vague about the sequence of sites and visits. This was particularly relevant in Samarkand when we lost the opportunity to visit the bazaar, which then turned out to be closed the next day when we had some free time. He would also sometimes "disappear" when we most needed him (e.g., on our first day in Tashkent when we were told we had 30 minutes for lunch but had no idea how to find it [especially given we had just arrived on a late night flight]). I feel that with another guide we could have had a richer experience. As it was, the tour was just ok.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is easy to change money from dollars/pounds on the first day - we found that $200 each for the whole trip was just enough. It is almost impossible to use your credit card anywhere you visit apart from Samarkand, so you will need cash. Enjoy the bullet train from Samarkand to Khiva. I is a real treat and it was fun getting to 231 km/hr - beat that! Walking around at any time of day or night felt completely safe, and the tourist police (in Bukhara) are especially helpful even if it is just o ask directions. Buy any souvenirs in Bukhara or Khiva - Samarkand surprisingly does not have the same opportunities. Organise your own final group dinner in Tashkent or, perhaps better still, have it the day before in Samarkand. We ended up at the Gabrielle hotel in Tashkent were we were staying, the service is awful and the food expensive (perhaps why the tour leader chose not to stay and eat).

Most Inspirational Moment

Gur-i Amir at night in Samarkand

Thoughts on Group Leader

Encyclopaedic knowledge of the country and it's history.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As with any tour the local agency make changes to the itinerary. In this case the camel ride (Day 8) was just 10-15 minutes shortly after we arrived at the Yurt camp (Day 7). The trip notes highlight a 10 to 11 hour drive on bad roads (Day 4) but it doesn't advertise the 6 hour drive under similar conditions on Day 8. Unfortunately the vehicle used throughout did not have suitable air-con so in the 38-40C we all struggled a bit. Day 10 "we have a farewell dinner..." states the trip notes. If you want a farewell dinner you have to arrange it yourself as the local company doesn't do it. Having said that after the journey from Samarkand to Tashkent you arrive back at the hotel at 20:45 and several did not want to eat at that hour knowing we had an early start for the airport the next day.