Uzbekistan

Language: Uzbeki, Russian. Russian is incredibly useful in Tashkent but some Uzbek will serve you well in the countryside. The Uzbeks have switched to a Latin-based alphabet and all official signs are now written in this script. The Cyrillic alphabet has not entirely disappeared from the public domain with newspapers and advertising still preferring to use this script.

Visas

For Americans and Brits the visa regime has got a bit tougher recently. In the past Americans were automatically granted four-year, multi-entry visas but since relations soured between Uzbekistan and the USA this is no longer the case. UK citizens now need invitations after Britain’s former ambassador rocked the boat about the human rights situation in the country.

In theory an invitation is no longer needed for citizens of the US, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Spain and Switzerland to get a tourist visa for Uzbekistan. However, in practice everything needs to go through the Uzbek foreign ministry in Tashkent and they can sometimes demand a letter of invitation from an authorized source in Uzbekistan.

Invitations can be obtained online through companies such as www.visatorussia.com, but they can be quite expensive – 150 USD for a one-month single entry tourist visa – and take up to 15 working days to process. Another way of getting an invitation is to book accommodation through a travel agency, but this cuts down your flexibility and you will end up staying in overpriced Soviet-era monoliths.

Visa application forms are available online from Uzbek consulates and postal applications are possible in some countries. However, you should check with the consulate you intend to use as procedures vary from country to country. Consular fees also vary according to the length and type of visa and the consulate issuing it.

If you are planning to travel through Uzbekistan to another country it is possible to obtain a transit visa which allows you 72 hours in the country. An invitation letter is needed for this along with a visa and air ticket for your final destination.

Once in the country you will need to register your visa with the local OVIR office if you plan on staying any longer than 72 hours. If you are staying in a hotel or Bed and Breakfast, then they will do this automatically for you. If you have time on your hands and you like bureaucracy, you can try and do it yourself at the OVIR office but it is better to find a travel agent or hotel who will arrange it for you in exchange for 20 USD or so. Failing to register means that you will have to pay an unofficial shtraf (fine) to any police officers who may stop you or to the border guards when leaving the country.

Travelling to and From Uzbeksitan

Tashkent airport acts as a good hub; it has flights from North America and Europe which connect to many parts of Asia, including India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan so in theory it would be possible to combine a visit to one of these places with some time in Uzbekistan. A week would be long enough to take in Samarkand and Bukhara, and possibly Khiva, although this may be a bit rushed. Two weeks would give you long enough to add on a visit to the museum in Nukus and Moynaq where the Aral Sea once was.

Weather

The best time to visit is from April until the end of June and then from late August until the end of October. Uzbekistan can be unbearably hot in July and August – the hottest forty days of the year, known as Chilla in Uzbek, begin in late June. The temperatures reach the mid-40s on a regular basis at this time of the year. In this heat sightseeing is hard work and most of your time will be spent looking for shady street cafes for green tea and cold beer. Winters are not too extreme in Uzbekistan, except in Karakalpakstan in the west of the country, and can be a good time to visit as you avoid the peak season crowds of French octogenarians.

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