Experience your own Race Across The World — Uzbekistan Edition
This isn't the first time Uzbekistan has graced our screens on Race Across The World, but perhaps we're biased; with so much to see and do, we think this fantastic country deserves to be in every season, and we'll tell you why!
Uzbekistan is a relatively new country for tourists, although it declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country didn’t open its doors to tourists until early 2017. The first president of the country led it for 25 years under authoritarian rule, up until his death in 2016. Since then, the country has shown incredible growth, and even after years of living under a repressive state, the Uzbek people show their warmth, hospitality, and love for their country and culture.
For ideas on where to go and what experiences await you in Uzbekistan, we have created this mini-guide to inspire you to visit this vibrant and ancient culture! We know and love Uzbekistan very well. Personally, I have co-authored the first English travel guide to Karakalpakstan alongside Uzbekistan Tourism Ambassador, Sophie Ibbotson, so you’re in safe hands for advice on this vibrant Central Asian country.
Best Tours That Visit Uzbekistan
For a tour that focuses only on Uzbekistan, our Land of Silk Road Treasures tour is the best option for you! Starting your journey in the capital, Tashkent, you will have a city tour with some of the highlights, and the best part of any Uzbek tour, Chorsu Bazaar. The open-air market is the place to get many souvenirs; located in the centre of Old Town, you can find anything and everything here. After Tashkent, you will take a domestic flight over to Nukus, the capital of Karakalpakstan — the autonomous republic of Uzbekistan — or to Urgench, the administrative capital of the Khorezm region. After viewing some impressive fortresses in Karakalpakstan, you will make your way down south through Khiva, east to Bukhara, Samarkand, and back to Tashkent.
Combine the most visited Central Asian country with the least visited on our Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan: Cities of the Silk Road tour. From Tashkent, visit the splendours of Samarkand and Bukhara before crossing the famous River Oxus — the source of which has only recently been found in 2025 by Sophie Ibbotson — into Mary in Turkmenistan, over to Ashgabat, the famous gas crater, and back to Uzbekistan, visiting Urgench and Nukus.
For a mix of green mountainous terrain and the turquoise-tiled historical cities, our Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan: Mountains and Cities of the Silk Road tour should be at the top of your list. Starting in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, you’ll drive through gorgeous landscapes, stepping off the beaten path to enjoy a semi-nomadic trip with local families who will host us throughout Kyrgyzstan. From Kyrgyzstan’s Osh, we will make our way over into Uzbekistan’s Kokand before travelling onto Tashkent, into Nukus or Urgench, and looping back through Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand before ending up back in the capital, Tashkent.
For an epic adventure, join our 29-day adventure through Central Asia with our Silk Road: Five Stans of Central Asia tour. This monumental trip takes you through the highlights of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Following the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road, you will see some of the most important trade cities and historical landmarks. From Solomon’s Throne in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, to Merv in Turkmenistan, which is also known as the “Queen of the World”, to the majestic Fan Mountains in Tajikistan.
Five Best Places to Visit in Uzbekistan
SAMARKAND
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Galileo Galilei is the best astronomer, the father of modern astronomy. However, 200 years before the telescope was built, the grandson of the famed Amir Timur, Ulugh Beg, built the biggest sextant in the world. His calculations of the Earth’s axis tilt, the distance between stars, and the number of days in a year — only one minute longer than modern calculations ascertain — are disturbingly accurate. Samarkand was the home of Ulugh Beg and his observatory, which was razed after his assassination; the site wasn’t rediscovered until 1908. Although you might not see much of the original observatory now, standing in the same spot as Ulugh Beg is worth a visit to learn about this incredibly important site.
BUKHARA
Over 2,000 years old, Bukhara has been a vital economic and cultural centre, as well as one of the best examples of medieval cities in Central Asia. The 9th and 10th centuries were the golden era of Bukhara, serving as an intellectual, religious, and trade centre of the Islamic world under the Samanid Empire. Home to many poets, scientists, physicians, and philosophers, Bukhara rivalled Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. The fall of the Samanid Empire resulted in a tumultuous 200-year period, most notably the invasion by Genghis Khan in 1220. The recovery of Bukhara took a long time, and even though it eventually became a religious institution once more, the economic and trade prosperity didn’t recover to the level it was during the Samanid Empire.
One of our favourite experiences in Bukhara is visiting the summer palace of the last emir of the city. Named Sitorai Mokhi Hosa, it romantically means “Palace Like the Stars and the Moon”, and is thought to have been dedicated to the last emir’s wife. Built between 1912 and 1918, the palace blends Russian imperial architecture with traditional Bukharan interior designs.
KHIVA
The first UNESCO World Heritage Site of Uzbekistan, and in the whole of Central Asia, is located here, in Khiva. Ichan Kala is the inner-walled city of Khiva, often called an “open-air museum.” The sacred waterway of the city is said to have been dug out by Shem, the son of Noah. Steeped in legends, Khiva has been continuously inhabited for over 2,500 years, and although now the inner city doesn’t have locals living within it in order to preserve the site, during the day, Ichan Kala is bustling with shopkeepers, tourists, locals, and artisans in their workshops.
FERGANA VALLEY
Fergana Valley is the fertile garden of Central Asia, where cotton, fruit, and is home to many artisans. The valley provides a utopian break in a predominantly desert country. Each city in the valley has its own craft it’s known for. Margilan is known for its silk production and the famous ikat fabrics, which are still made by hand here, unlike the majority of the rest of the country. The legend goes that the history of silk in Uzbekistan dates back to the 4th century who brought silkworms in her hair when she eloped to the Fergana Valley. Rishton is known for its ceramics, mostly due to the rich clay deposits on which the town sits. This is the perfect region for lovers of the arts, and is the best place to meet some of the masterminds behind some of the gorgeous handicrafts of the country.
ARAL SEA
Often named as the world’s worst man-made ecological disaster, the Aral Sea is a sombre destination to visit. At one point, being the fourth largest inland sea, the Aral Sea saw the start of its destruction in the 1960’s when the soviets decided to use the water for farming and irrigation projects. By diverting the rivers that fed into the sea, the Amu Darya (Oxus) river and the Syr Darya, the Aral Sea started to rapidly shrink, ending up at under 10% of its original size. This caused several crises, from health issues due to the toxic dustbowl, to destroying local fishing communities, to destroying wildlife habitats, and increasing the salinity of the water. One of the most infamous areas in what used to be the Aral Sea is the Ship Graveyard. Boats that used to be used for catching fish now sit on the desert floor, or what used to be the bottom of the sea. Rusty, hauntingly beautiful, and eerily silent, the ship graveyard is considered a dark tourism stop.
Five Best Experiences in Uzbekistan
SAVITSKY MUSEUM IN NUKUS
A must-see museum in, what we would argue, the whole of Uzbekistan, the Savitsky Museum holds the second largest collection of banned Russian avant-garde paintings that were saved, smuggled, and hidden during the Soviet Union by Igor Savitsky. Moving to Nukus, Karakalpakstan, in 1966, Igor Savitsky was able to hide banned art from the eyes of Moscow and Tashkent officials, forge documents, and hide under their noses a collection that he risked his life for. Many artists, whose art Savitsky saved, were either tortured, murdered, or sent to gulags. The story of the collection is made even more impressive when knowing the history of censorship under which the artists lived and created.
GO SHOPPING IN CHORSU BAZAAR
Tashkent’s biggest farmers’ market is a sight to behold. Walking down the street, it’s not long before you see the blue dome of the main market hall, which is Chorsu Bazaar. Under the dome’s roof, you see the daily life of locals selling and buying meat, spices, and anything you may need to make local cuisine. Surrounding the dome are more stalls and shops with all kinds of goodies, from traditional clothing to jewellery, ceramics, and handicrafts. Here, you won’t be short of things to buy as souvenirs for your loved ones and yourself. Visiting the bazaar is a great way to experience the daily life of locals, hear the haggling around you, and taste test some treats from around the country.
EXPERIENCE VILLAGE LIFE IN YANGIKISHLAK
Nestled between the Aydarkul Lake and the Nurafshan Mountains is the small village of Yangikishlak. Staying overnight at a guesthouse, you will get to experience the daily village life in Uzbekistan. By sharing a meal with our hosts and having a conversation, you can get more in-depth information about the way of life in Uzbekistan. And, what better meal to share than the national dish of Uzbekistan, plov? During the visit here, you won’t only get to try a traditional plov, but you will also get a plov cooking demo to appreciate the time and effort that goes into this mouthwatering dish.
TOPRAK KALA IN KARAKALPAKSTAN
Founded between the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, Toprak Kala was the capital of the Afrigid kings, of the Khoresm dynasty. Climbing up to get a better view of the site, you can imagine what the structure would’ve once looked like. Overlooking the fortress, you can clearly see the outline of the town, the rooms and halls, that were once filled with people living centuries ago.
FAYAZ TEPE BUDDHIST COMPLEX
From the 1st century AD to the 7th or 8th centuries AD, Uzbekistan was a flourishing Buddhist centre, specifically around Termez. The site of Fayaz Tepe wasn’t rediscovered until the 1960’s, but this discovery was significant in understanding the historical context of Buddhism in Central Asia. Through the findings, it was discovered that the site thrived under the Kushan Empire and was focused on religious rituals and the study of Buddhism. The walls of the complex were adorned with murals and art; the images found here are considered to be some of the most ancient to have survived to the present day.
Best Time to Visit in Uzbekistan
To avoid the scorching heat, we would recommend avoiding July and August as the temperature could go up to 40 °C. For milder weather, going to Uzbekistan in the spring between March and June, or in the autumn between September and early November, is the best time to be able to enjoy all the sites without being too hot. Uzbekistan has been growing its winter tourism, and it’s a gorgeous time to visit the sites, but some regions, such as Karakalpakstan, often go below freezing, and the winds can make it feel much colder.
