Things to Do in Uzbekistan

About Uzbekistan

The heat hits first — 42°C (108°F) in July — but it's the smell of cumin rising off the tandoor bread at Samarkand's Siyob Bazaar that marks your arrival. Under the turquoise domes of Tilla-Kori Madrasah, the afternoon sunlight fractures into a thousand turquoise shards, and the call to prayer from Registan Square echoes across tilework that hasn't changed since Timur rode through in the 14th century. In Bukhara's old town, the carpet sellers still unfurl silk ikats in the same stone caravanserais where merchants bargained over rubies and lapis lazuli. The reality check: summers are brutal, visa-on-arrival is now 30 USD for most nationalities, and the shared taxis between cities (80,000 UZS / 7 USD for Samarkand-Bukhara) play Uzbek pop at volumes that'll rattle your teeth. But step into a chaikhana in Khiva's Ichon-Qala at dusk, when the adobe walls turn gold and the evening air finally drops below 30°C (86°F), and you'll taste plov cooked in sheep fat with carrots that taste like they've absorbed every spice caravan that ever passed through. The turquoise domes aren't just beautiful — they're a reminder that this is where East learned to trade with West long before Europeans drew their first world map.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Shared taxis (80,000-120,000 UZS / 7-10 USD between cities) are faster than trains but negotiate the price before getting in — they'll try to charge double to tourists. The Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand (190,000 UZS / 17 USD) is air-conditioned and actually arrives on time, unlike the Soviet-era trains that might be 3 hours late. In Tashkent, the metro costs 1,400 UZS (0.12 USD) per ride and the stations themselves are marble museums worth seeing. Download the Yandex Go app for city taxis — it's like Uber but half the price of street cabs.

Money: Uzbekistan is currently cash-heavy — ATMs dispense large bills that vendors can't break, so hit the National Bank exchange offices that give smaller denominations. The som runs around 11,200 to the dollar, but street exchanges near Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent offer slightly better rates than banks. Credit cards work in upscale Tashkent restaurants but forget about them in Samarkand's old town. Pro tip: keep some 1,000 UZS notes (0.09 USD) for bread and tea — locals appreciate exact change.

Cultural Respect: At active mosques like Bolo Hauz in Bukhara, women need head coverings — buy a colorful scarf from the old women selling them outside for 20,000 UZS (1.80 USD). When invited for tea (and you will be), accept — refusing is considered rude. Shoes come off when entering homes, even at the homestays in Khiva's old city. The handshake-with-hand-over-heart gesture isn't required from tourists, but attempting it earns smiles. Photography inside madrasahs is fine, but ask before photographing women in traditional dress — some appreciate it, others consider it intrusive.

Food Safety: Street plov from the cauldron at Samarkand's Registan is safe when it's hot — avoid anything that's been sitting lukewarm. The round bread (non) from clay tandoor ovens is sterilized at 400°C and probably the safest thing you'll eat. Tap water is treated but tastes metallic — 1.5L bottles cost 3,000 UZS (0.27 USD) everywhere. In summer, melon sellers on the road from Bukhara to Khiva offer slices dusted with desert sand — delicious, but rinse with bottled water first. Green tea in chaikhanas comes boiling hot and is safer than cold drinks.

When to Visit

Spring (March-May) is your sweet spot — temperatures climb from 15°C (59°F) in March to 25°C (77°F) in May, and the apricot trees around Bukhara burst into pink-white blossoms. Hotel prices run 20-30% higher than winter but drop 40% from peak summer rates. April brings Navruz celebrations (March 21) with horse games in Samarkand's Registan and traditional music echoing through Khiva's mud-brick alleys. Summer (June-August) is punishing — 40-42°C (104-108°F) during the day, dropping only to 25°C (77°F) at night. The upside: hotels slash prices by 50-60%, and you'll have Samarkand's turquoise domes almost to yourself in the early morning. The Tashkent to Samarkand train runs with functioning AC, but ancient sites like the Ark in Bukhara become unbearable after 11 AM. Autumn (September-November) mirrors spring with harvest festivals and pomegranate vendors appearing on every roadside. October sees perfect 22°C (72°F) days and the Sharq Taronalari music festival in Samarkand (every even year). Prices climb again in October, then drop 25% in November when temperatures fall to 10°C (50°F). Winter (December-February) brings crisp 0-5°C (32-41°F) days and occasional snow dusting the turquoise domes — magical for photographers, miserable for those expecting desert heat. Flights from Europe drop to 300-400 USD (from 600+ USD in spring), and homestays in Khiva offer fireplaces and unlimited green tea for 30 USD/night instead of 50. The Registan looks stunning under snow, but some mountain routes to the Fergana Valley close due to weather.