Uzbekistan

Singapore New Town

  Fast Facts

Official Name: Republic of Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan)

Location: Central Asia – Bordered by Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Population of Uzbekistan: ~ 34.6 million
Capital of Uzbekistan: Tashkent
Uzbek Money: Uzbek Som (UZS)
Uzbek Timezone: UTC +8
Visa Requirements for Uzbekistan:  As with many of the other Stans, many nationalities no longer need a visa to enter Uzbekistan. But even if you do need a visa, you should be able to get an EVisa. Check your eligibility and additional requirements for entry HERE.

Things to Do and See in Uzbekistan

Our Experiences in Uzbekistan

We visited Uzbekistan in July 2012 as part of our Silk Road Adventure. We entered from Tajikistan and exited to Turkmenistan, using all manner of transport to visit Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, and Khiva.

Here are some of our favorite tales from that trip.

  • First Stop in Uzbekistan – Samarkand
  • Timur’s Birthplace – Shakhrisabz
  • Underwhelmed – Bukhara
  • Museums, Mosques, Madresses and Minarets – Khiva
  • Back again – Bukhara

Bear in mind that the country has opened up a lot in almost a decade, so many of the challenges we had won’t be a problem for you. For example, Visas are either not needed or easier to get. ATM’s are more prevalent to get cash, and they’ve added some far larger banknotes to the collection, so you don’t have to carry around a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a coffee.

However, COVID-19 has bought a whole new set of challenges, so do your due diligence before heading there, or go with a well-established tour company that can help you avoid any headaches with logistics.

I’ve added a few tour options below:

Guided Tours of Uzbekistan

Short Tours (1-2 days)

Viator has a good range of day tours. Check them out HERE.

Get Your Guide only has 1 day tour in Bukhara at the moment. You can see it HERE

Longer Tours

Intrepid Travel has a range of tours covering the highlights, including some incorporating other Silk Road destinations. Check then out HERE

GAdventures has some similar tours, including other Silk Road destinations – Check them out HERE

Tour Radar – Has a good selection of reasonably-priced tours visiting all over China taking in many of the highlights. Use THIS LINK to get a 5% discount on your first booking.

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