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Finally travelling again after a tough couple of years and I couldn’t have picked a better place for my first trip – Uzbekistan. I understand the group I was on was the first time the trip had run since the lockdowns, but everything ran smoothly, and it was a great group of people I was travelling with.
The toughest part of the trip was arriving into Tashkent at 3am, getting to the hotel at 4am and then back up at 10am for a day tour around the capital! However our guide – Dilshod – was excellent and pitched things at the right level considering most of the group were sleep deprived!
The next day was another early start and a flight up to Khiva. Part of the reason I chose the Exodus trip is because it went there (some tour companies skip this) and it didn’t disappoint. The hotel was ideally situated just by the gates into the old city allowing us to wander in and explore on our own after Dilshod had shown us around the main sites. We were also lucky enough to experience the preparations for an international traditional dance festival the Uzbek Tourism board have started and as a result there were many locals in traditional costume wandering the old city.
Next stop was Bukhara which I adored. There’s so much to see and do here and whilst the area around the hotel (Lyabi House complex) did feel very touristy, there were many locals around too and it was a short walk to many of the key sites. The free time here in the evening and during the afternoon on the final day in Bukhara was great to just wander at your own pace, or, after a few days in the heat, to visit a hammam as a couple of us did, to relax and get the knots in your shoulders/back pummelled away!
The drive from Bukhara to Samarkand is a long one which I’d guess is why there’s a stop at a yurt camp in order to avoid a super long day. I’ve spent a couple of weeks in yurts in Mongolia which were smaller but nicer than those here. I’m not sure if its because they haven’t had many guests during the pandemic, but the yurt camp felt a little run down, but it was only for a single night.
Samarkand, like Bukhara has loads to see and keep you busy but definitely feels more of a big city than Bukhara did. However, the scale of the buildings here dwarf anything in Bukhara with their sheer size. The jewel in Samarkand’s crown is of course the Registan and its certainly impressive. Definitely go back on your own when the sun has set to see it lit up.
Kudos must go to our guide, Dilshod. He was superb – even rearranging personal evening plans a few times to help the group out ordering dinner, etc and on the long bus trips was full of knowledge, history and jokes, keeping everyone entertained.
Nope - just book it and go! You won't regret it.
An amazing trip if you’re interested in Early to modern civilisation, beautiful architecture and a country rediscovering its heritage and crafts. The people are very welcoming, dress code is relaxed and beer or wine is always an option at mealtimes. It’s a country worth seeing now.
The unexpected ‘wild swim’ in the lake and visiting the beautiful Shah-I-Zinda on the day families were celebrating Eid are both magical memories.
Absolutely fantastic! Dilshod’s knowledge of ancient and modern history, the architecture, crafts and culture in each city was phenomenal; and his willingness to share his own stories of recent history put this trip right up with the best.
If you have a problem with pillows try and take your own travel pillow!
I have had to give this trip a 2 star because of the guide, although I take no pleasure in doing this. He was inexperienced and quite unfriendly at times. This was my 6th Exodus trip and this was my worst ever guide by a long way. See group leader section.
I absolutely loved swimming in Aidarkul Lake and the desert scenery on the way to and from the yurt. I also loved Samarkand and particularly Shah-i-Zinda.
Our group leader Shakh appeared to be inexperienced, he lacked friendliness at times and he showed a complete lack of interest in the fact that I was very badly ill twice. I had arrived a few days earlier (as a solo female traveller) and the day before I met the group I suffered sickness and diarhoea. On first meeting Shakh at the group meeting I mentioned this to him and I could not believe the almost complete lack of interest. In fact, I thought this so unusual, that I repeated myself in case he had not heard. We later went on our tour of Tashkent and I very nearly fainted (as I had not eaten due to the bug). Again Shakh was barely interested, pointed to a door where I could reach the outside and left me to it. Only when the other members of the group asked me if I was OK did Shakh very briefly check on me. A few days after that the bug returned and I was up all night with the worst illness I have ever encountered. The next day I again mentioned this to the guide and he was still uninterested (and no offers of pharmacy stops were made). Other problems with Shakh were:- not having sufficient water for our group in the first few days of the trip (at the desert fortresses we had run out of water completely in the heat and we also run out of water in the morning at Khiva). In fact, at the desert fortresses, I asked Shakh where the water was and he snapped back that he had not picked up the 10 litre bottle yet. As we had driven from the airport at Nukus there had been plenty of opportunity to pick up water. After that I no longer trusted Shakh to provide water and just bought my own to make sure I always had a supply. I have been on 5 other Exodus trips and on all those trips the guide has eaten with the group and the guides have been good/fantastic. This guide did not eat with us on the first night in Tashkent nor the first night in Samarkand and on around 4 or 5 other occasions. He was not always very friendly or smiley, which I think is the requirement of a guide. In fact one time we passed him in the street during our free time and he did not even smile or acknowledge us. The restaurant chosen for our final lunch in Samarkand was appalling in terms of service and again Shakh sat at a neighbouring table. Some of our food took an hour and a quarter or more to arrive and no complaints were made by him, to my knowledge. Then when the bill came the prices had changed markedly, for example the soup price had increased by over 50% and all the other prices had changed. This situation was awful and was handled very badly by the guide. The coach was not always asked to collect us, e.g from right outside the airport, so we were left with quite long distances to drag our cases. This was not really a problem for me as I had a rucksack (albeit a heavy one) but some of the other travellers were in their 70's and I am sure they would have benefited from being picked up. Shakh gave out his mobile number in case of emergency, with instructions NOT to ring him at night. Whilst I am sure most people would not ring the guide at night, emergencies can of course happen at night. On a more positive note Shakh was very knowledgeable about the history and geography of Uzbekistan and I very much enjoyed his commentaries, especially when he told us about his wedding. He also improved as the 11 days progressed (except for the final lunch incident). However I think being completely uninterested in the health of your travellers is completely unacceptable.
Sadly a number of people in our group were ill. Take plenty of rehydration salts. The bread is at least delicious, so you can survive on that! Do get out for a walk in the area around the yurt. I had a couple of little walks and it was so peaceful and the wildlife great.
We would like to thank Ann for her review; we were pleased to read she enjoyed the itinerary and found it to have a good combination of nature and cities, as we feel this is something that makes Uzbekistan such a special country to visit. We were, however, very sorry to read that she was disappointed with her tour leader, Shahrukh. Having discussed this with a member of the Exodus team who has also travelled with Shahrukh, who is an experienced guide, we feel that he has potential to be a great tour leader for us, so we have asked the local team to carry out some additional training regarding what is expected by Exodus and our clients. While we are sorry that this cannot alter Ann’s experience, we hope that this shows we have taken her review on board. Jennifer Cox – Product Manager
The names of Samarkand and Bukhara have conjured dreams since my school days many years ago and I never thought I would have a chance to see them. The fall of the USSR and now visa-free travel has left this land of desert fortresses, caravan stops and the beautiful buildings covered in ornate blue tiles within reach. The land of Tamerlane, the vastness of the central Asian steppes and the magical cross-roads of civilisations and learning need to be seen to be believed.
Arriving in Khiva and seeing the Silk Road monuments for the first time.
Shah is a young man fairly new to the industry. He is very knowledgeable but lacks some of the finesse and inter-personal skills that come with experience.
Uzbekistan is far easier to enjoy than imagined. Outside Tashkent English is widely spoken, particularly in the tourist industry and amongst the young. With a stay up to 15 days now visa free for tourists from a large range of countries including the UK this is the time to travel before too many people start making their plans and prices start rising.
A good overview of the country taking in the historic and architectural highlights of Uzbekistan. Transport was Good although it was evident that the train journey was more often than not unavailable. On a personal note, I felt that the group size (16) was too large.
The city of Khiva was the highlight for me. Still relatively unaffected by mass tourism and the locals were pleasant (as they were throughout) and interested to learn about their visitors.
Excellent, well informed and concerned for the welfare of the group.
Go now before mass tourism makes its mark.
It was a marvellous trip. Each day was filled with new wonders and excitement. Plenty of wow moments. A visit that was completely safe and rewarding
The city of Samarkand was full of wonder and genuine WOW moments
A fantastic and informative tour leader. Very informative and knowledgeable. Exodus are lucky to have him.
Do not miss out. Uzbekistan is a hidden jewel
Fantastic trip to a wonderful country! So much beauty it hurts your eyes, and the people are incredibly warm & friendly. Each of the main cities has a totally different feel to it, & I loved them all! Khiva was my favourite though : be sure to wander around in the evening after the crowds have gone home – it’s a completely different vibe to during the day.
Some tips:
If you climb the minaret in Khiva you need a proper torch, strong knees & no fear!! The view is wonderful but coming down is terrifying!
Being Vegetarian isn’t too hard but it’s not very exciting- just check the soup has ‘no meat’ even if it is called a vegetable soup it will often still have meat in.Vegetable kebabs lack imagination – best option is the pasta based dishes.
Be willing to have your photo taken by the locals – it will lead to some wonderful interactions
Do bother to get up for sunrise in the desert (if the Vodka the night before doesn’t prevent!) – it’s worth it!
Do have comfortable shoes & some energy! This isn’t really a leisurely trip – the pace is quite full on, but totally worth it.
Dinner & a cold beer on a roof top terrace with a fabulous view over Khiva as the swifts whirled overhead and the sun set!
Full of knowledge and always ready to help.
See Summary
Amazing country and very, very friendly people. Incredible history and historical monuments. The Uzbek government is doing great work in restoring these incredible archeological gems. Full praise to them. A very varied and inspirational holiday plus brought back some indelible memories. Our guide Dilshod was very informative, caring and sensitive to the needs of a diverse group. He is a brilliant guide.
Visit to see the Othmani Qur'an in Tashkent was a great privilege. This Qur'an written in about 646 CE was awe inspiring. Ragistan Square in Samarquand is incredible. The jaw-dropping moment came when we entered the the mosque in the Tilla-Kari Madressa. I could not take my eyes away from the amazing decorations of the ceiling. The ceiling is flat (so they say) but the the master craftsmen have done such an amazing work that it actually appears to be dome shaped. My highlight of the the whole trip.
Our guide Dilshod was very informative, caring and sensitive to the needs of a diverse group. He is a brilliant guide.
Please go as soon as you can. strongly recommend this trip and holiday
This holiday gives a great overview of the country and it’s history visiting cities along the Great Silk Road, each with their own amazing buildings and stories
We had been to many squares, mosques and madrassas but Registan Square in Samarkand topped them all and one of the final highlights of the trip.
Dilshod was excellent - friendly, extremely helpful and incredibly knowledgeable of his country and it's history and also adaptable to our requests.
Everything was incredibly cheap and we struggled to spend $200 on food and drink and trinkets in the twelve days! Take dollars which can easily be exchanged for Som. Women travellers wear sleeved tops and crop trousers/trousers or skirts., and have a scarf handy for the couple of mosques. Don't worry about the night in the yurt - very pleasant with proper framed beds and and an electric light! To avoid disappointment, if you see something you like then buy it.... some items are only local to that city and you won't see them again. The food was good with salads, soups and meat dishes, some almost European style, but also plenty of local cuisine to try.
This was a fascinating insight into a country I knew little about. The pace was good, and both the sites and the sights were interesting and varied. With one exception, the accomodation was better than my expectations. We were 15 people in a full-size coach, a real luxury for the several long drives. It was great to be able to swap sides to see a better view, or join others for a chat. The group were a pleasant assortment of people who got on well with each other and were enjoyable company.
What can one say? The Registan at Samarkand. Just when we thought we were all mosqued out, there it was...
I generally prefer solo travel, as I like to go my own way, but Dilshod had made a convert of me. He is a brilliant leader. His long experience shows in the effortless ease with which he performs this very demanding job, but nonetheless, he injects his presentations and information sessions with a freshness and enthusiasm that never, ever sounds like he is just playing a tape recording in his head. He is an immensely likeable person, and a pleasure to chat with out of hours. He is the first leader I have come across who was willing to spend dinner with his group every night to make the ordering and paying a painless process in restaurants where English was rare.
While standards of hygiene are generally good, some public toilets really require you to have a supply of tissues and sanitiser. Oddly, if you wanted to buy a roll of toilet paper, it would be easily found in any little local shop. Kleenex, on the other hand, is hard to come by - you really need to find a pharmacy to buy that. So take plenty of Kleenex.