Uzbekistan is vast with wide expanses of semi-desert open fields, and a few large towns and cities with an ancient history dating back to long before they gained importance on the Great Silk Route. Train travel across the country is a great adventure in itself, and so is meeting the people, enjoying the authentic bazaars, ancient ruins, and interesting architecture that dates back centuries.
We count down 10 of our best experiences in Uzbekistan. Your Top 10 may differ, and we love you for that!
Table of Contents
1. Markets and Bazaars, Fruits and More
An old travellers’ belief is that the best way to discover the essence of a country is to explore its local markets and allow yourself to be seduced by the noises, aromas and colours. This is the best place to interact and get to know the people. So true across Uzbekistan.
Some of the markets and bazaars of Uzbekistan have their roots in the times of the Great Silk Road. Visit the old Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent and get lost in the hustle and bustle. In Bukhara visit the Kukluk Bazaar, and in Samarkand the Siob Bazaar. Khiva’s old bazaar is located outside the mud-brick walls of the Itchan Kala’s East Gate.
Note the variety of dried and fresh fruits, particularly the big red tomatoes as well as the fresh golden-yellow- and purple figs.
2. The Itchan Kala, Khiva
Khiva’s ancient inner city, the Itchan Kala, is a beehive of activity, surrounded by 10-metre-high plastered brick walls with foundations laid during the 10th century. The current walls were erected in the late 17th century and have often been repaired and partially rebuilt since then.
The Itchan Kala, a World Heritage Site since 1990, is packed with outstanding historic buildings. It contains the Juma Mosque, mausoleums, madrassas and two magnificent palaces built at the beginning of the 19th century by Alla-Kulli-Khan.
3. The People of Uzbekistan
While Uzbekistan is a multinational state, about 80% of the population is Uzbek. Other nationalities include the Tajiks, Kazakhs, Qaraqalpaqs, Kyrgyz, Turkmens, Russians and other Slavic people.
The Uzbek language is the only official state language, though many people can also speak Russian and Tajik or Kyrgyz in areas close to their countries of origin.
People are generally friendly and welcoming even though few of them speak English well. Getting to know them is such a pleasure.
4. Uzbek Food All Over Uzbekistan
With a history of many foreign conquerors and traders along the Great Silk Road, Uzbekistan’s cuisines have been created by foreigners and perfected by the locals.
The basic ingredients of Uzbek dishes are flour, meat (usually mutton), fat of a sheep’s tail, vegetables, herbs and spices. Sheep are abundant across Central Asia, so the mutton and lamb dishes are plentiful and delicious. The signature dish of Uzbekistan is palov, typically made with rice, meat, grated carrots, onions and special spices. However, the mutton shashlik (kebab) is king!
5. Train Journey Tashkent to Khiva
The total length of Uzbekistan’s main railway network is 4,669 km (2,446 km of which is electrified). The longest domestic stretch of tracks is 811 km between Tashkent and Nukus near Urgench (Khiva).
Trains are a great way to get around the country. They are also a great way to get close to border crossings with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
However, the best reason for taking the trains, particularly overnight trains, is to meet the locals. Pack some vodka to share.
6. Registan Square in Samarkand
The Registan was the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand during the times of the Sunni Muslim Timurid Empire (1370–1507). Serving as a public square, it was a place of public executions and is framed by three Madrassa (Arabic term meaning religious school): Ulugbek (left), Tilla-Kari (middle), Sher-Dor (right). Described as “the most awesome single sight in Central Asia”, it remains the centrepiece of Samarkand.
The Registan ensemble with their magnificent interiors and exteriors is a great place to walk around during the day or evening.
7. Fayzulla Khojaev House in Bukhara
Located in Bukhara’s Goziyon neighbourhood, the old section of the city, this house belonged to a wealthy merchant who traded in karakul pelt in Russia, Germany and other countries. Known as Ubaydullokhoja, the house was built in 1892 by his son, Fayzulla Khodjaev.
Fayzulla was politically very active and fought hard to improve the lives of people in the Bukhara Emirate. He was executed in 1937 or 1938 by agents from the USSR during their oppression.
Now a museum, visit to get a glimpse of the life of rich Bukharans in the 19th century.
8. Shah-i-Zinda in Samarkand
The holiest site in Samarkand is the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis (meaning ‘Tomb of the Living King’), an ensemble that includes several mausoleums and other ritual buildings dating from the 9th to 14th, as well as the 19th centuries. It comprises the lower, middle and upper levels that are connected by four-arched domed passages. The buildings display some of the richest tile-work in the Muslim world.
Beyond the upper level is a very interesting graveyard shared by many ethnic groups indicating the city’s cosmopolitan history.
9. Khast Imam Storks in Tashkent
One of the most interesting sights in Tashkent is the Khast Imam complex that has been the spiritual heart of Tashkent for centuries. Fronting the large square is the Hazrat Imam Mosque flanked by a pair of 50m-high minarets. The nearby small Muyi Mubarak Library claims to hold the oldest Quran in the world.
On the lawn just off the square, a few large storks come to visit year-round, except in winter months when they go to warmer places. They are quite used to people so feel free to ask them where babies come from.
10. The Blessing Lady of Bukhara
This woman at the Poi Kalan Islamic religious complex located around the Kalan (Kalyan) minaret in Bukhara blows smoke as a charm to ward off evil spirits.
Early in the mornings, she approaches small shops around the square and also offers her services to wondering locals and travellers. Her service does not come free and she is not content with a few coins. She insists on paper money. She is very persistent about performing her ceremony, even if you reject her. She makes it clear that warding away evil spirits doesn’t come cheap in Bukhara.
Read more about Uzbekistan:
- Central Asia Travel – Uzbekistan the Star
- Tashkent – the Uzbek Capital
- The walled city of Khiva
- Bukhara, Uzbekistan’s Ark city
- Samarkand, the Uzbek scholarly city
Also check the full-length feature article of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan in GlobeRovers Magazine July 2014
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.