woot!
Trakanon Raider
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Just came back from a two week trip in Uzbekistan. All in all, it was a great experience. Only real downside was that it was quite hot (temperature was between 30 to 45C / 86 to 113F). We went as a group of 5 friends who had already traveled together before (did Mongolia last year and Japan a few years back) and had a travel agency book guesthouses/b&b/hotels/train tickets for us, as well as local guides and drivers. Unless you are fluent in russian/uzbek/tadjik, I'd say it's a good idea to do so.
We went to the Fergana valley (Fergana, Margilan, Andijan), Samarkand, Chakhrisabz, Boukhara, Tashkent (just two nights in transit) and a 2 days treck through the Zerafchan mountains.
I've traveled quite a bit around the world, and I have to say I was amazed how friendly and welcoming the people from the Fergana valley were. It was by far my favourite part and I'd highly recommend it to anyone planing a trip to Uzbekistan. I guess it's probably mainly due to the fact that very few tourists ever go there (we met absolutely no other tourists in 3 days we spent there, not even russians uzbeks), so locals were very curious about us, would invite us to their place, offer fruits/tea. In the street, when they would see us taking pics, artisans like bakers & such were inviting us to visit their shops, and give us fruits/fresh bread straight out from the oven. We had lunch in a park among groups of locals, they would each bring us plates of all sorts of foods. Really very friendly people, and not looking to sell you something or get anything from you. They are just genuinely curious. Students will often come up to you and start chatting just because they are happy to be able to practice their english, and will ask about your home country.
Samarkand and Boukhara are much more tourist oriented. Lots of historical places to visit, hence lots of souvenir shops, lots of hotels (expecially Boukhara), lots of restaurants for tourists. People are never pushy when they are selling stuff, which is nice (and we went there during the lower season). If you like that, good for you, but if you want an amazing social experiance : go to the Fergana valley.
Food : lots of grilled meats (beef/chicken/mutton), some amazing fresh fruits and vegatables (most tasty tomatoes ever), delicious soups (with meat/noodles/vegetables in them). Best stuff was usualy local joints/street food vendors, and not in restaurants.
The country is supposed to be 80 or 90% muslim, but you can tell that the soviet atheist sledge hammer went through, so it's super tame. In fact you wouldn't guess unless someone tells you. They are very tolerant. Most people drink alcohol (beer, wine and vodka), don't realy pray (well sometimes they take a nap and say that it's "meditating"
). Girls can wear whatever they want. You can find pork in restaurants, labeled as "white mutton" ... (and vodka is "white tea" (och' t'choi)).
Oh while we are at it ! Magical Uzbek tourista-be-gone remedy : one or two shots of vodka, with a good pinch of salt in each.
To convert usd into uzbek sums, use the "black market" , i.e. pretty much anyone at the bazaar or shops in Boukhara. Going rate at banks and atm is roughly 1usd = 3000sums. Best rate we got at the black market was 6700sums for 1usd ...
tl;dr ? Hot in summer , very friendly people ; good food. Very safe, not that we ever encountered anyone that seemed even remotely unfriendly, but there are cops and soldiers everywhere, lots of checkpoints and security scans in places like train stations/malls/subway/airport. You like adventure, and want something different ? Go there !
couple pics :
We went to the Fergana valley (Fergana, Margilan, Andijan), Samarkand, Chakhrisabz, Boukhara, Tashkent (just two nights in transit) and a 2 days treck through the Zerafchan mountains.
I've traveled quite a bit around the world, and I have to say I was amazed how friendly and welcoming the people from the Fergana valley were. It was by far my favourite part and I'd highly recommend it to anyone planing a trip to Uzbekistan. I guess it's probably mainly due to the fact that very few tourists ever go there (we met absolutely no other tourists in 3 days we spent there, not even russians uzbeks), so locals were very curious about us, would invite us to their place, offer fruits/tea. In the street, when they would see us taking pics, artisans like bakers & such were inviting us to visit their shops, and give us fruits/fresh bread straight out from the oven. We had lunch in a park among groups of locals, they would each bring us plates of all sorts of foods. Really very friendly people, and not looking to sell you something or get anything from you. They are just genuinely curious. Students will often come up to you and start chatting just because they are happy to be able to practice their english, and will ask about your home country.
Samarkand and Boukhara are much more tourist oriented. Lots of historical places to visit, hence lots of souvenir shops, lots of hotels (expecially Boukhara), lots of restaurants for tourists. People are never pushy when they are selling stuff, which is nice (and we went there during the lower season). If you like that, good for you, but if you want an amazing social experiance : go to the Fergana valley.
Food : lots of grilled meats (beef/chicken/mutton), some amazing fresh fruits and vegatables (most tasty tomatoes ever), delicious soups (with meat/noodles/vegetables in them). Best stuff was usualy local joints/street food vendors, and not in restaurants.
The country is supposed to be 80 or 90% muslim, but you can tell that the soviet atheist sledge hammer went through, so it's super tame. In fact you wouldn't guess unless someone tells you. They are very tolerant. Most people drink alcohol (beer, wine and vodka), don't realy pray (well sometimes they take a nap and say that it's "meditating"
Oh while we are at it ! Magical Uzbek tourista-be-gone remedy : one or two shots of vodka, with a good pinch of salt in each.
To convert usd into uzbek sums, use the "black market" , i.e. pretty much anyone at the bazaar or shops in Boukhara. Going rate at banks and atm is roughly 1usd = 3000sums. Best rate we got at the black market was 6700sums for 1usd ...
tl;dr ? Hot in summer , very friendly people ; good food. Very safe, not that we ever encountered anyone that seemed even remotely unfriendly, but there are cops and soldiers everywhere, lots of checkpoints and security scans in places like train stations/malls/subway/airport. You like adventure, and want something different ? Go there !
couple pics :
