The Orange Kitchen

Travelling in Uzbekistan.

I've wanted to travel to Uzbekistan for years. It's long been a bucket-list destination for me, but for a myriad of different reasons, I could never quite get there until now. The great news is that it's never been a better time to visit Uzbekistan. There has been a lot of positive government reform in the last two years, meaning the country is opening itself and all it's hidden gems to the world. Previously logistical matters, like visas and local currency, were notoriously difficult to obtain, but no more. The result is that more people are visiting Uzbekistan, which is expanding and improving their tourism industry. The biggest benefit though, is that at the moment Uzbekistan is still relatively 'undiscovered' in the sense that it is not yet overcrowded or over-commercialised. It's one of the few places I've been that felt really and truly genuine - somewhere that I could experience and feel like I was the only non-local there, seeing a life and a culture so very different from my own for the first time. There are some tourists in Uzbekistan, but few enough that the country's sights, cities, restaurants and roads are relaxed, uncrowded and, particularly regarding the sights, beautifully serene and quietly magical. 

Uzbekistan skyrocketed to take the cake for the very best place I've been. It was a combination of many things, though notable mentions must go to the incredibly welcoming and friendly Uzbek people and the otherworldly architecture of the ancient cities, for making Uzbekistan so special. It's difficult to capture the complete magnificence, the magic, the sheer, undiluted beauty, of the country, though I do think my pictures speak louder than words in attempting to convey, at least in part, some of the reasons why you absolutely must add Uzbekistan to your own travel bucket lists. I had the time of my life travelling in Uzbekistan and I hope that my images and words help convince you that the very best decision you could make in your life right now would be to book yourself some plane tickets to this magical country as soon as possible!

Wandering in the Registan, Samarkand.

Where is Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan is located in the very heart of the world, right in the middle of Eurasia. It shares borders with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. All those neighbouring countries are landlocked, meaning that Uzbekistan is one of just two double-landlocked countries in the world (the other is Liechtenstein, just in case that ever comes up in trivia someday in your life)!

Basically Uzbekistan is located somewhere in the middle between China and Turkey and Russia and India. It was formerly the very heart of the great Silk Road, a testament to it's central location in the heart of the world's largest landmass, Eurasia. Nowadays it's a bit of an off-the-beaten-track gem of a place which isn't necessarily the quickest or easiest place to get to, but my oh my does it well and proper deliver the goods for adventurous tourists like myself (and hopefully you too)!

How do I get there?

Naturally, this depends on where you're coming from, but chances are you'll fly into the Uzbek capital, Tashkent! 

From Australia, I flew to Seoul, South Korea and stayed there for a few days (during which I also got my visa direct from the Uzbek embassy in Seoul), and then I flew direct from Seoul to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I did the exact same trip in reverse on my way home, again stopping for a few days in Seoul. If you're flying from Australia/New Zealand, or somewhere in Asia, I'd recommend this flight path via Seoul.

If you're flying from Europe, there are a few direct flights from the major European hubs, namely London Heathrow, Paris and Frankfurt (among others), with Uzbekistan Airways. These direct flights are decently priced, though I believe that Uzbekistan Airways don't provide any inflight entertainment, so be prepared. Alternatively, there are lots of flights between Istanbul-Ataturk Airport and Tashkent each day, so it's a good point of connection into Uzbekistan.

From the Middle East, there are direct flights via Dubai, or alternatively via Istanbul.

From North America, you can either fly in via Seoul, or come the other way via Europe/Istanbul. 

Twirling around in the walled inner old city, Khiva.

Bukhara's Kalyan Minaret, which Genghis Khan once ordered be spared as he was particularly taken with it's beauty.

Details from the exterior of Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand.

Should I travel with a tour or freestyle it?

I personally travelled with a tour, G Adventures, and I genuinely LOVED it. Because of that, I'd absolutely recommend the tour to everyone and anyone. The itinerary was 11/10, my guide was literally amazing and it was nice to share the experience with old and new friends. However probably the biggest bonus in doing a tour was language. Most Uzbek people speak their national language, Uzbek, in addition to Russian (and in some places, also Tajik). English is not very widely spoken or  understood (though this is slowly changing), so it was somewhat difficult to get around if you didn't have at least conversational Russian. My guide spoke Russian fluently and she was a literal godsend, particularly when it came to sourcing vegetarian/vegan food. Uzbekistan is a very safe country and the locals are all super, SUPER friendly, so you could absolutely freestyle it while there, but having a Russian-speaking tour guide was more beneficial than I could have realised, so if you're not so great at speaking and understanding Russian (or Uzbek!), my personal recommendation would be to go for a tour. 

A traditional yurt camp, somewhere remote in the Eurasian steppe between Samarkand and Bukhara.

Po-i-Kalan, Bukhara. This building is the only functioning madrassah left in Bukhara. 

A magnificent golden sunset over the soft rolling hills of the remote and vast Uzbek desert.

What are the must-see cities and sights?

Chances are you'll arrive in the capital city, Tashkent. It's a very clean, very organised city (unexpectedly so!), but the real sights of Uzbekistan are found to the south-west of the city in the heartland of the Silk Road. You absolutely CANNOT miss visiting Samarkand and Bukhara, and I'd strongly suggest making the effort to go out west to Khiva as well. All three of these cities were vital points on the Silk Road and they each have spectacular histories, sights and cultures to be discovered. I also spent a night in a desert yurt camp, which was a very fun, novel and interesting experience. If you've the time, I'd also suggest seeing if you can find such an experience, though this could be difficult if freestyling things rather than group travelling. 

You cannot, as in please DO NOT, miss visiting a few very notable places including;

     - The Registan, Samarkand (I'm still in awe over this place, and likely will be forever)

     - Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Samarkand (seriously impressive exterior and interior)

     - Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand (a complex of mausoleums with utterly spectacular mosaics)

     - Po-i-Kalan, Bukhara (an Islamic complex home to Bukhara's only functioning madrassah)

     - Kalyan Minaret, Bukhara (located in Po-i-Kalan, this is the tallest minaret in Uzbekistan)

     - Samanid Mausoleum, Bukhara (an incredible example of early Islamic architecture)

     - Ark/Fortress, Bukhara (includes the old city walls and palace of the former rulers of the city)

     - Bolo Haouz Mosque, Bukhara (amazing exterior with impressive wooden supports)

     - Laub-i-Hauz, Bukhara (large central square around a waterhole and excellent place for a coffee)

     - Ichan Kala, Khiva (the ancient walled old city with over 50 monuments within the walls)

     - Kalta Minor, Khiva (a minaret with really impressive mosaic tiling) 

     - Tash Khauli, Khiva (a former palace and the apartments of the ruler)

     - Watchtower, Khiva (come here at sunset for impressive views over the old city)

These are just a few of the beautiful sights to be seen in Uzbekistan. While I strongly suggest a visit to all of the above, I also recommend simply losing yourself in the cities of the ancient Silk Road and wandering somewhat aimlessly through the streets of them as a means to experience everyday life in Uzbekistan and also because the magic of this country is not merely found in it's sights alone, but also simply through the act of being a part of the day-to-day life of the country and it's people.

Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand softly lit up at Golden Hour. This is a mausoleum complex with one of the most impressive mosque interiors I've ever seen!

Kalta Minor and the quiet backstreets of Ichan Kala, Khiva.

The minarets and mosque domes of Khiva as viewed from the watchtower at sunset.

Where should I stay?

All my accommodation was organised through my tour, but we stayed in some super fun places that I'd recommend to people anyway (despite me not actually being the one responsible for finding and booking them!). 

In Bukhara we stayed at a really lovely family operated hotel called "As-Salam" which was absolutely brilliant and somewhere I'd stay again in a heartbeat! It was superbly located in the old city which made walking everywhere very easy and the rooms were really beautifully decorated with traditional artworks. Internet access was also good here (the same cannot be said for a lot of places in Uzbekistan unfortunately!) 

In Khiva we also stayed at a lovely little boutique hotel called "Shaherezada" which was again located within the old city (inside the old fortress walls to be exact - very fun)! It was also beautifully decorated and furnished and also had an excellent location.

Alternatively, there are a surprising number of accommodation options throughout Uzbekistan that can be booked through all the typical hotel booking sites. I'd really recommend trying to find small, boutique family run places because they're generally much friendly, welcoming and provide a much better insight into the beautifully friendly Uzbek hospitality than larger, international options could ever give. Generally accommodation is super affordable and you can find options you'd typically likely consider outside you're budget to actually be a very affordable price! If you're there in the summer, would STRONGLY suggest finding somewhere with airconditioning (lest you literally and figuratively melt - desert heat is not to be taken lightly, which as Australian, should warn you that when it's hot, it is through and through legit HOT!). 

Some of the many BEAUTIFUL Uzbek locals, who are absolutely the most friendly group of people I have ever had the joy of encountering anywhere in this world!

Inside Gur-e-Amir, Samarkand. This ceiling is gold plated and it's beauty was entirely beyond belief.

Bukhara's Po-i-Kalan complex, viewed from a terrace cafe across the square while enjoying some green tea.

Any suggestions on clothing?

Uzbekistan is a secular country, however the dominant religion is Islam and the influence Islam has on society is fairly obvious. The Uzbek's however, largely take a 'relaxed' approach to Islam, and the country was definitely far less conservative than I was expecting. When visiting the major historical sites, chances are there'll also be a mosque, in which case you should cover your knees and shoulders (regardless of gender). There was only one mosque in Tashkent that required women to cover their heads with a scarf. Most days I wore a t-shirt and some lightweight cotton pants or a jumpsuit, so I generally covered my knees and shoulders the majority of the time which was less a requirement and much more so a way for me to extend my respect to the Uzbek culture and people. It also served as excellent sun protection, which was rather important given the full sun and desert heat we experienced the whole time I was in Uzbekistan. There were a few times though that I wore shorts or a sleeveless top and that was not a problem at all either. 

In the summer months, Uzbekistan is HOT, so you'll want lightweight clothing. Conversely, in the winter, it is very cold, so layer up. Overall though, there wasn't anything particularly special about the clothing you should or should not wear in Uzbekistan.

Inside one of the madrassah's in the Registan, Samarkand.

Genuinely gazing in wonder at the mosaic details on the facade of a former mosque in Bukhara.

Sheep resting in the midday sun on the shores of Ayudar Lake. These guys are a common sight across Uzbekistan.

What about the food?

Ahhhhh the food. Always my biggest source of questions when visiting somewhere new.

First things first, Uzbeks eat a lot of meat. Like, A LOT of meat. Meat is everywhere, in relatively large quantities, and from what I'm told, it's fairly tasty. I was led to believe prior to my departure, courtesy of some Internet research, that because of this meat-frenzy the Uzbek's have, that being vegan, or even vegetarian, was going to be literal mission impossible. As it joyously turned out, that assumption was VERY wrong.

In Uzbekistan they grow and produce the majority of their own food, meaning that fresh produce is widely available and oh my is it mighty delicious fresh produce too! The tomatoes in Uzbekistan deserve a very honourable mention because they were hands down the tastiest I have eaten anywhere. They make a lot of fresh salads that Uzbeks typically eat as sides to their meals, though if you go to town and order a selection of these, you can made them a proper meal. I really liked the tomato salads (generally made with super delicious fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, peppers and lots of fresh dill - VERY tasty), the cabbage salads, eggplant salads, cauliflower salads, carrot salads - basically all of the salads with all of the vegetables were extremely tasty! 

Specifically concerning vegetarian/vegan food, there was generally always the option of vegetable 'shashlik' which is essentially a stick of grilled veggies. I often had shashlik with a side of rice or potato fries (the latter less traditional, but carbs are life) and some kind of salad. I could also, by asking through my guide, often get potato 'manti' which are traditional Uzbek steamed dumplings. Usually manti come filled with meat, or in the autumn pumpkin, but if we asked they were often happy to make a vegan potato version. Unfortunately the Uzbek national dish, plov, which is a kind of fried rice, is made using meat, so it was something I couldn't try. Plov was probably the only food item off limits to this vegan, with most other types of food customisable to make them meat-free, which was great!

In terms of drinks, I strongly suggest drinking lots of iced tea and homemade lemonade because both are very tasty and popular drinks available in most places. If you drink, there is a lot of vodka in Uzbekistan (thanks to their Soviet history) and my experience was that the locals will gladly share some shots and a few too many toasts to things as varied as 'friendship between nations' and 'prosperous harvests' with you when they spot you out and about at dinner! They're all super friendly though, and I really suggest taking up the offer to celebrate with locals if they invite you to do so! Also, there is some locally produced Uzbek wine and the white wine I had was delicious, so I'd also recommend trying some if you can at a restaurant! 

In Uzbekistan they largely make all of your food fresh after you order. This makes eating out a bit of a different experience and means that meal times can be very long and drawn out affairs. When eating as a group, we often had dinners up to four hours long because some dishes would take ages to freshly prepare. While initially confusing and somewhat frustrating, the benefit of this is that all your food is super fresh because they've literally made it just for you, just then. I would suggest however, that you be aware of this and to not become frustrated when your meal, or drinks for that matter, seem to take FOREVER to come out to you. In Uzbekistan, things happen on Uzbek time. 

Spices at the market. Uzbek food is based on lots of fresh, locally grown ingredients, flavoured with various spices and generally lots and lots of dill.

I'm so deeply obsessed with Uzbek tomatoes - these ones were at a market in Tashkent but the whole country had exceptionally tasty ones. Would definitely recommend eating many, MANY Uzbek tomatoes.

Because it's a little off the beaten track, it's still 100% possible to take lots of pictures around Uzbekistan without anyone - tourists or locals - in them, which is kind of insane given the beauty of the sights!

When should I visit?

Uzbekistan has two very distinct seasons, summer and winter. It's advisable not to visit at the height of either, because in the summer it is well and proper hot and in the winter it's rather cold and frozen. I visited in late June, which I thought was ideal, though I am accustomed to warm, dry summer heat. I enjoyed beautiful, cloudless summer days and warm and lively summer nights, so I thought my choice of time to visit was perfect, but if you like it a little less intense heat wise, then I'd suggest visiting in May or September to catch the less intense warm weather.

How do I get around the country?

Being on a tour as I was, I had all my transport prearranged, which was highly convenient. I mostly travelled on a private bus but there was one overnight train journey too. If you opt to freestyle things, the good news is that there are intercity trains between all the major Uzbek cities and the trains are definitely decent, so that's a good way to get around. Taxis are super cheap too, which makes navigating around the cities themselves very easy. In Tashkent there's a metro which I'd suggest going for a ride on just because the stations are works of art and shouldn't be missed, even if you don't actually need to go anywhere in particular!

Head full of dreams and a heart full of wild wonder; twirling in one of Samarkand's many elaborate arches.

The wooden columns of Bukhara's Bolo Haouz Mosque.

Blue and turquoise domes are literally everywhere in Uzbekistan and you damn well bet I took 6,003 pictures of all of them!

This post is entirely unsponsored and every opinion shared in my own, formulated through my own personal experience travelling through Uzbekistan.