Uzbekistan travel advice
Cultural tips
“Try and get to the opera in Tashkent. It is well worth it, and if you can’t get a ticket they often leave the doors open onto the main square. I listened to Madame Butterfly there, eating Pringles, as they were the only thing I could find to eat that was edible that night. But the opera and ballet there really are outstanding.”
“Learn a few words of Tajik (Farsi or Dari) as that is what people speak in Bukhara and it will go down very well.”
Our Uzbekistan Vacations
Uzbekistan tour, nature and culture
A tour to the towns of the ancient Silk Road in Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan small group tour
Explore cities and landscapes of the ancient Silk Road
Uzbekistan small group tour, Uzbekistan odyssey
Ancient cities, architecture & traditional craftsmanship
Uzbekistan classic tour
Stunning silk road architecture and breath-taking deserts
Uzbekistan Silk Road tour
Discover the enchanting architecture of Uzbekistan
Silk Road vacation, small group
Discover amazing Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan
Central Asia overland tour, the stans
An epic journey through the five 'stans' of Central Asia
The Silk Road small group tour
Discover the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China
The five stans silk road vacation
Step into the pages of history on a silk road tour
The Silk Route, Beijing to Tashkent
Travel from China to Central Asia on this historic journey
Small group tour of the Stans
Get under the skin of all five 'Stans'
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan vacation, Silk Road explorer
Discover the fascinating ancient history of the Silk Road
Uzbekistan tour, Road to Samarkand
Travel the ancient Silk Road through remote Central Asia.
Uzbekistan tours
See the Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan group tour
Follow in Joanna Lumley's footsteps along the Silk Road.
Central Asia Silk Route overland tour
Overland tour from Bishkek to Istanbul
Uzbekistan Highlights tour
Discover the rich culture and history of Uzbekistan
Central Asia budget adventure tour
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on a budget!
Delhi to Tashkent overland tour, Moghul Caravan
Encounter lands of ancient wonder and history
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan vacation
Discover mountain villages, stay in traditional yurts as nomads do
Xian to Istanbul overland tour
Experience the Silk Road and the beautiful Caucasus
Silk Road overland vacation
Once in a lifetime Trans-Asian Silk Road Adventure
Uzbekistan tailor made vacation, colourful Uzbekistan
Unforgettable trip to the heart of the Silk Road
Istanbul to Xian overland tour
Epic overland trip across the continet of Asia
Silk Road cultural vacation
See spectacular mountain scenery on this Silk Road journey
Silk Road adventure tour
Seek adventure among the mountain passes of the Silk Road
Uzbekistan to Iran overland tour
Trace the western section of the Silk Road
Accommodation tips
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus:“Accommodation throughout the whole of Uzbekistan is not great, so be prepared. It has that Soviet feeling, it’s a bit bland, and you have to have a load of paperwork for everything. So, if you want a cup of coffee, you have to go to reception and get a receipt for the coffee, then come back to the dining room table which is probably about two kilometres from reception, hand over the piece of paper, they will pour you a third of an inch of coffee, and when you want a top up they will want another receipt! You have to carry your hotel receipts with you everywhere you go, and also have them for when you leave the country.
The food divides opinion…
“Uzbek fare is delicious and since the publication of the cookbook Samarkand, is experiencing something of a revival. Plov is the national dish but I prefer laghman which is a kind of Central Asian spaghetti bolognaise. Eating this delicious dish, it’s easy to see how food passed along the Silk Road, just as goods and ideas.”
Linda Maguire from our supplier, Undiscovered Destinations, shares her advice on coping with the food, especially if you’re vegetarian: “The food in Central Asia is best summed up as simple. There is a lot of grilled lamb and the national dish, plov, which is stew with mixed vegetables is very traditional and is served everywhere. The food isn’t stodgy, but there is very little variety and it’s not the most exciting. We ate a lot of cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs and the ingredients are very fresh, so it does taste delicious. I wouldn’t say that vegetarians are well catered for as the rice that is available is often cooked in meat stock, so they could struggle after a few days surviving on salad and bread.”
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus:
“I actually think that the food is the worst I have tasted in the world. I think I lost five kilos during my stay. And if you’re vegetarian, they really have no concept of it. If you are presented a meal with sausage in it and you say, no thanks I am vegetarian, they will take the sausage out and put it in the dish of the person sitting next to you. That sort of thing.”
Shopping tips
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus, is also a qualified archaeologist:“When you are shopping, be wary of the fact that there are lots of fake antiquities. I’ve actually got some amazing Uzbek hand grenades at home, which you can buy. Made of clay. They are pots which can be used as hand grenades. But with antiquities, you will be told they are from the 16th century but actually they are from about 1988. If you ask for a certificate of authentication, they will just give you a fake one of those too. So, just stay away from antiquities, or if you are buying something, tell them you think they are fake and then pay for it accordingly.”
Health & safety tips
Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus:“Health and safety in Uzbek hotels is virtually nonexistent, so do be careful. There are things like dodgy balconies or rusty old fridges in the rooms, but you will get a huge new telly with football on it because they are mad about football. It is improving, but it still isn’t brilliant. I actually got stuck at the top of a ferris wheel in an amusement park, and had to climb out the top of it into the freezing cold! So don’t go near any fairground attractions if you want any health and safety. But more places are offering homestays now, which is great.
You have to be really careful with vodka, especially if homemade. The thing to do is to twist the vodka bottle on your hand, and if your hand goes black you are absolutely fine. This is because it has grease on the bottle, which means it has gone through a conveyor belt and properly produced. If you twist it on your hand and there is nothing, then it usually means it has been home produced and is absolutely lethal. “
Our top Uzbekistan Vacation
Uzbekistan tour, nature and culture
A tour to the towns of the ancient Silk Road in Uzbekistan.
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
HEALTH & SAFETY IN UZBEKISTAN
HEALTH
SAFETY
Uzbekistan travel advice
We have selected some of the most useful Uzbekistan travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.


“It was a very full schedule and we made a conscious decision not to try and do everything, especially as we experienced travel delays in Tajikistan due to very poor roads (and road closures). Be prepared for possible stomach upsets and basic plumbing. If that doesn't worry you, then you will have one of the most fascinating and thought-provoking trips of your life and you should go!” – Caroline Gant, on a tailor made vacation in Central Asia


“Take your own tonic it is not available anywhere in the country!” – Dominic Long
“Relax and enjoy the people and country but make sure your drivers and guides understand your itinerary and interests.” – John Bird
“Check what medicines you can take into the country with a doctor’s prescription info, otherwise may have problems at border control.” – Anne Higgins