Uzbekistan Destination Guide

Among the countries of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan possesses some of the most wonderful gems of architecture: turquoise domes, beautiful minarets, exquisite Islamic tile work, and well preserved artefacts from the golden era of Central Asia. You can find these architectural wonders in Kiya, a historic walled city in Urgench, in the narrow winding streets of the ancient towns of Bukhara, and in Samarkand, which the locals refer to as the ‘Rome of the Orient'. For recreation, the people of Tashkent head to the ridges of the Tian-Shan, a vast mountainous region that stretches across Central Asia. The Tian-Shan extends for 1,200 kilometres, starting in the east from Peak Pobeda and Khan-Tengry and ending on the summits of Big Chimghan in the south-west.

Uzbekistan has some of the world's highest mountains. These draw mountaineers, backcountry skiers, hikers and cyclists from round the world.

Use this Uzbekistan Destination Guide to plan what you want to see and do during your Uzbekistan holiday. A perfect way to get to know the real Uzbekistan is to take a local Uzbekistan tour. We also provide some general travel information which may be useful. Follow the links to our destinations in Uzbekistan for some more exciting things to see & do in Uzbekistan:

- Samarkand
- Tashkent

Things to See & Do in Uzbekistan

Trekking
Whether you are an advanced trekker or a beginner, you will find many trekking opportunities in the mountains of southern Uzbekistan. The high peaks challenge you, while the foothills and the plateau offer much easier treks. If you like hiking, you can hike from the spurs and gorges of the Chatkal Range to the old silver mine in the Chatkal Nature Preserve. The best time to visit for trekking is between March and November.

Mountain Climbing
Serious mountaineers will adore Uzbekistan. It has some of the world’s tallest mountains, and you can go up to 7,000 metres (23,000 feet)! There’s Peak Pobeda (7,439 metres/ 24,399 feet), Peak Korzhenevskaya (7,105 metres/ 23,304 feet), and Peak Khan-Tengri (6,995 metres/ 22,943 feet). Your climbing equipment can be flown by helicopter to the base camps.

Ice Climbing / Skiing
The Gissar, Matcha and Turkestan ridges are ideal for ice climbing. Rock climbing enthusiasts can find vertical rock faces in the Fan mountains (at Chapdara, Bodkhana, Chapdara, Zamok and Maria-Mirali) and on the Matchi Ridge (at Asan-Usan, Aksu and Sabakh). Skiers can get their shot of adrenaline in the mountains above Tashkent.

Exploring Caves
This country also boasts Asia’s deepest caves. If you are an experienced caver, explore the caves at Boi-Bulok (1,415 metres /4,641 feet) and Kievskaya (990 metres/3,247 feet). You can see some interesting things inside the caves of Uzbekistan – exquisite gypsum formations in the Kugitang cave, mummified bears in the Baisuntau caves, and beautiful subterranean lakes and rivers in western Tian Shan.

Cycling
If cycling is your hobby, try the Silk Road from Tashkent via Lake Aidarkul to Khiva. You’ll find easier rides and spectacular lake and mountain scenery around Tashkent, and in the Ferghana Valley. You could book into an organised Uzbekistan tour.

River Rafting
September to October is the best time for rafting and kayaking down the Angren, Syr Darya, Chatkal, Ugen and Pskem rivers.

In the western part of Uzbekistan lies Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan. Here, outside St. Petersburg, there is an Art Gallery which exhibits the finest collection of Russian avant-garde art.

Bukhara, in the west of Samarkhand, used to be famous as a centre of learning in the Islamic world. There are over 100 religious academic institutions and 350 mosques here.

The Ark Citadel
The urban core of Bukhara is the Shakristan where you will find The Fortress Ark Citadel. Once the home of the Emirs, today it is a museum. In the 1920s a fire ravaged much of the citadel, but you can tell what the original building looked like by the gatehouse that has survived. Opposite the citadel is the Bolo-haus complex with its mosque. The jail of the Emirs, the Zindan, is situated near the gatehouse. It has on display the instruments of torture the Emirs used on their enemies.

Kalian Minaret
In the vicinity of the citadel, there is another sight you should not miss – the 47 metre tall (154 feet) Kalian Minaret, which means ‘tower of death’. It was erected in 1127 and is so called because criminals were hurled to their deaths from the top. The Kalian Minaret and Ishmael Samani Mausoleum are the only monuments that have survived the Mongol invasion.

The Ismail Samani Mausoleum
Built by Ismail Samani, a ruler of the Samanid dynasty, this mausoleum is Bukhara’s oldest monument. The gray embellishment on the mausoleum constantly changes colour in the sunlight.

Other monuments you should visit in Bukhara are the Ulug Beg Madrasa and the Abdul Aziz Madrasa opposite it, as well as the Poi-Kalon and Kos Madrasa. Then there’s the Kalyan Mosque which allows entry to non Muslims. The architectural beauties of Bukhara are the cultural and historic treasures of the Islamic world.

This beautiful reserve nestles within a narrow gorge in the western region of the Tian-Shan Mountains. Some of the wildlife you can spot here are the rare Tian-Shan grey bear, snow tigers as well as the Berkut eagle.

Khiva is in a better state of preservation than Samarkhand or Bukhara. Since the 18th century, very little change has taken place in this ancient city, which is still ensconced within its original walls. Khiva’s strength lies in the fact that it is so well preserved. Having been turned into a museum-town, it has barely any inhabitants, but it is easy to imagine how busy it once was with its slave markets, which offered Russian and Persian slaves for sale. In the heart of the city is Ichan Kala. Today, instead of caravans carrying silk, travellers pass through its gates. The Palace of the Khan – Tash Khauli, with its enormous courtyard and harem premises, the Cathedral Friday Mosque, and the gigantic skeleton of Kalta – Minor, an unfinished minaret, give this dramatically picturesque city an air of enchantment.

Some of the masterpieces of Central Asian architecture are the imposing Mosque of Bibi Hanim, the Gur Emir mausoleum, which boasts the burial vault of Amir Timur and the famous Registan square and Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis. Of special interest in Samarkhand is the site where Alexander the Great is said to have killed his friend Cleitos.

Registan Square
The Registan Square is the heart of the town. Three enormous madrasas (Islamic seminaries) dominate the area. A couple of these are the Shir-Dor and Tillya-Kari, built in the 15th and 17th centuries, respectively. You can imagine the past grandeur of Samarkhand when you look at the beautiful blue tiles, glazed brick, mosaic, and carved marble that embellish these monuments. In the Registan Square, the ruler's decrees were proclaimed, justice was administered, and trade flourished.

Bibi Khanym Mosque
Now in ruins, this mosque lies near the Registan Square. It commemorates Timur’s love for his wife.

The Shah-i-Zinda
Some of the dignitaries of Samarkhand are buried in this cemetery. The oldest graves date back to the 14th century. This was the period when Samarkand was just beginning to recover from the pillage and plunder of the Mongol hordes who invaded the city in the 13th century.

Gur-Emir
Probably the very last of the mausoleums built to house a single individual was constructed on the orders of Timur the Great for his beloved grandson in 1404. But after that, the entire dynasty of Timurids was laid to rest in a single mausoleum inside a burial vault – the Gur Emir. With its graceful lines and colourful mosaic designs, it is a unique example of mediaeval architecture. Timur, along with his descendants, was laid to rest on the ground floor, beneath the massive cupola. The head stone on Timur’s grave is said to be world’s largest hunk of Nephrite (jade). However, the bodies lie in the basement, which is not accessible to the public.

Observatory of Ulug Beg - Samarkhand
It was Timur’s grandson, Ulug Beg who was responsible for the building of the city’s observatory (1428-1429). This observatory was known as the most sophisticated astronomical observatory of its time. It held a huge marble sextant with a radius of 40,212 metres, and an arc length of 63 metres. The instrument could determine, with great precision, the coordinates of the Sun, the Moon and other planets. To Ulug Beg (the most prominent observational astronomer of the 15th century) is accorded the creation of “Star Tables”, an astronomical catalogue.

Not far from the observatory is the Afrasiab Museum, which houses a 6th century frieze that depicts a procession bearing gifts for the Sogdian ruler of the time.

In Shakrisabz, the monumental proportions and splendid décor of the Ak Saray palace captivates visitors. Other attractions in the city are the Dorus Saodat and Dorus Tilavat architectural complexes, which include the magnificent mausoleum of Sheikh Shamsutdin Kulol, Timur's spiritual advisor.

Some interesting buildings in Tashkent are the Kaffali-Shash Mausoleum and the Kukeldash Madrasa, hailing back to the 16th century. The Kukeldash Madrasa,is being turned into a museum. There are many museums in Tashkent which showcase Uzbek and pre-Uzbek culture. The State Art Museum houses ceramics, paintings, and the magnificent robes of the Bukharan royalty. In the Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts, you can find embroidered wall hangings and reproductions of antique jewellery.

Near Iski-juva Bazaar, the entire town is a vast marketplace. Here you can buy everything from garments to food. The Khast-Imam Complex serves as the entrance to this area. The most noteworthy monuments in this marketplace are the Barakhan Madrasah, built in the 16th century. There’s also the Al-Bukhari Islamic Institute where the Moslem clergy undergo training. You will be fascinated by the beauty of the Yunus-khan and the Shakh Khavendi Takhur mausoleums, the Barak-khon, Kaffal Shashi, and Kukal-dash Madrasas, and the Cholpan Ata and Jami mosques. All these monuments were built in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Note: Since many of the Muslim sites in Tashkent do not allow non-Muslim visitors, it is strongly advised that you ask for permission before entering a place of worship.

Although the earthquake of 1966 in Tashkent was devastating, it gave birth to a new city with beautiful parks, fountains, squares, exhibition and concert halls. At the Charvak Hydropower Station, eighty kilometres from Tashkent, is a dam with a beautiful artificial lake encircled by green snow-topped mountains. The dam lies at the junction of three mountain rivers – the Chatkal, Ugham and Pskem.

Uzbekistan is hemmed in by the Tian Shan and Pamir mountains, and its landscape of mulberry trees, cotton fields, and fruit orchards is extremely relaxing. Silk is still produced here and you will find Uzbekistan well worth a visit for its colourful, friendly bazaars. The fecund and picturesque Fergana Valley deserves to be called “pearl of Central Asia”. The valley is surrounded by the Tian Shan, Hissar and Alay mountains, and to the west runs the Syr Darya River. The Fergana Valley has always held a place of prominence in the cultural life and history of Central Asia.