Uzbekistan

If you are looking for full moon parties, bungee jumps, ample supplies of illicit drugs and encounters with other travellers over plates of banana pancakes then Uzbekistan probably isn’t the place for you.

Its charms are more low-key. Uzbekistan has not been swamped by mass tourism and still sees relatively few independent travellers. Those that do make it are rewarded with a fairly authentic experience, some unforgettable, first-rate world heritage sites, and some very good value eating, drinking and accommodation
. Uzbek culture, despite the ravages of Russian and Soviet colonization, remains fairly intact and so don’t expect the identikit traveller joints offering bland ‘international’ menus.

Instead you will be well-fed on local specialities such as plov and shashlik and the delicious localNon bread cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor. Uzbek Choykhanas, or tea houses, are great places to sit around and watch the world go by and stock up on cheap food washed down with an endless supply of green tea.

Uzbekistan is for the more adventurous traveller who wants to go somewhere a bit different. It appeals to the traveller who wants more of an unpredictable trip rather than the well-managed experiences found in other parts of Asia. It is well off the beaten track of gap-year students, but there is enough of a tourism infrastructure that has grown up over the last few years to make independent travel feasible within the country. You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a cheap bed for the night in the main tourist centres. It may be a bit more difficult in the less visited parts, but usually you’ll find a rundown state-run hotel that will suffice for the night.

As with anywhere, you’ll get the most out of the place the more you interact with the locals. People in Uzbekistan are not yet jaded by over exposure to tourists and are still genuinely pleased to see visitors. Chances are that they will seek you out and invite you to a restaurant or to their home for a feast – the Uzbeks pride themselves on their hospitality. A bit of Russian or Uzbek will go a long way in easing your travels and meeting people, although English is becoming increasingly widespread in Uzbekistan. This part of the world does not feature as a destination on many independent travellers’ itineraries so a visit to Uzbekistan will give you a certain amount of kudos and give you something original to talk about when you move on to other more mainstream destinations.

The official and state language in Uzbekistan is Uzbek, although in practice Russian remains widely used. English is becoming more popular, especially with the younger generation who learn it at school. In the more touristy areas it is easy to find someone with knowledge of English. The kids who crowd around the Kolon minaret in Bukhara selling souvenirs speak an amazing range of languages, which they have for the most part learnt of the street.

However, Russian remains more useful for day-to day communication. The further away you get from Tashkent the weaker the grasp people have of Russian. Knowing some basics such as greetings and numbers in Uzbek will get you a long way and will be appreciated by the locals.

Back to Top - More Uzbekistan Articles - Print this page