Crossroad of civilisations for three millennia, land of legends, birthplace of sciences and religions, and nowadays Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia, as well as booming economic and intellectual powerhouse at the very heart of the Great Silk Road. Ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva to amaze you with magnificent medieval minarets, madrasahs, castles and mausoleums, while diverse nature – ranging from snowy mountains and river valleys to Kyzyl-Kum desert – to be an unforgettable experience for any traveller.
Main facts:
State order – secular presidential Republic
Territory – 447 sq.km, double landlocked, borders Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, as well as has a small and a very secure borderline with Afghanistan. Capital – Tashkent.
Population – over 37 mln, Almost 85 % are the Uzbeks, but a multiethnic country and home for over 100 ethnicities, including Russians, Tajiks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks, Tatars etc. Majority (96%) are Muslim (mostly Sunnis ), while Christian Orthodox 2.3 % and others 1.7 % (Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants etc.).
Wish to read more about the country, its remarkable history, places, nature and traditions? We encourage you to visit the official website of the Tourism Committee – https://uzbekistan.travel/en/
Best time to travel:
Well, it is really depends on individual preferences, but most people try to visit Uzbekistan anytime from March to November.
Main factor is weather, because the temperature difference between the seasons is quite significant. Winter temperatures can fluctuateg anything between +20 C to -10 C, while in July-August +40 C is a usual figure. But with dry and very low humidity, Central Asian heat is quite bearable. If its rains, it happens mostly during March-April or November, but usually not very frequently.
If you wish to immerse in Navruz (Oriental New Year) festivities – second half of March is your time. In case if you want to see blue domes of mosques through blooming trees and try fresh mulberries – go in warm and pleasant May (quite crowded though) or maybe better in early June. Feel yourself in shoes of the Silk Road traders visiting ancient towns during hot July and August, tasting legendary yellow melons and green tea under the shadow of old trees. Taste the famous fruits of Uzbekistan just harvested in September and October. Fable Registan square in snow plus skiing in resort near Tashkent? – make a difference and come in a winter time!
Another important factor is so called “tourist season” with peaks during April – May and September-October, when there are crowds in many sites, and hotels and services must be booked well beforehand.
How to get there and to places:
Tashkent Airport is well connected with major European and Asian capitals and cities by Uzbekistan Airways, Turkish Airlines, FlyDubai, Wizz Air (Abu Dhabi), Qatar Airways, China Southern Airlines, Asiana, Air Astana, Azerbaijan Airways, LOT, Air Arabia, FlyNAS, Somon Air, others.
Regional airports have connections mostly with Istanbul, Dubai, big Russian cities, and some Central Asian destinations as well.
Local companies (Uzbekistan Airways, Qanot Sharq, Silk Avia, Air Marakanda) operate domestic flights with all provinces of Uzbekistan, as well as regional flights to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan. For more information, please, contact us and we would be happy to advise.
Veres Vert has a longstanding experience in arranging private jet services in different airports of Uzbekistan.
When it comes to railroads, pride of Uzbekistan are Afrosyob high speed trains that will bring you from Tashkent to Samarkand just in 2 hours 15 minutes, and Bukhara or Karshi in 3,5 hours. Government put a task to expand the Afrosyob network further to Khiva and Nukus. JSC Uzbekistan Railways also promised to improve comfort in “traditional trains” and introduce special tourist carriages soon.
Veres Vert has been providing services for the transcontinental luxury trainsfor many years now.
Road network is vastly improving as Government and international partners are making huge investment in regional infrastructure. Our own fleet of AC buses and cars can provide convenient and hustle-free transportation all around Uzbekistan with specially trained professional drivers and (when necessary) experienced tour-guides. Ride between Tashkent and Samarkand or Bukhara-Samarkand usually takes about 4-5 hours, while Bukhara-Khiva desert road takes around 6-8 hours (we organise a desert picnic midway).
If you are travelling overland from/to neighbouring countries, there are number of border-crossings and recent intensification of the regional cooperation means that this number is growing. Please, contact us, so we can advise you with latest updates.
Where to stay:
There are over 5,500 hotels and family guesthouses in Uzbekistan and this number is growing. Currently, only Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara can boast about international brands like Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, Mercure, Wyndham, Movenpik, Ramada, Lotte, while the majority of hotels are opened by local companies or family-run. To choose a proper one might be a challenge, but Veres-Vert has established partnerships and secured exclusive discounts with a good selection of hotels with good reputation in all cities of Uzbekistan.
Just as an example, we suggest the following hotels in four main cities:
| TASHKENT | SAMARKAND | BUKHARA | KHIVA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Regency***** | Hilton Samarkand Regency ***** | Wyndham Bukhara**** | Faravon**** |
| Courtyard by Marriott**** | Dilimah**** | Mercure Old Town by Accor**** | Azia Khiva*** |
| Crown Plaza**** | Kosh Hauz**** | Latifa Begim***+ | Bankir***+ |
| Panarams by Radisson Individual**** | Savitski Plaza**** | Devon Begim*** | Zarafshon Boutique***+ |
| Hampton Hilton*** | Grand Samarkand Superior**** | Devon*** | Feruzkhan*** |
| Elements*** | Asia Samarkand*** | Fatima*** | Musa Tora*** |
Why not to go nomad? There are traditional yurt camps in several locations, where you can spend a night and have a dinner with fire-boiled tea and instrumental music under the open sky.
Please, also read separate pages “Visa to Uzbekistan” and “10 things you should know before visiting Uzbekistan”.