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Published: 30 Oct 2008 09:16:04 PST

Uzbekistan

Traveling in Uzbkistan

Entry requirements

Passport and visa service: Visa regulations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Visa HQ
Diplomatic representations: a list of Uzbek embassies in various countries

Organizing your trip

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation: Tashkent is endowed with a metro and a network of public road transport.
Maps of urban networks: Maporama
Mapblast
UT Library on line

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation: Most of the transportation in the country is done by road (96.8% of the total transport). The rail transport represents just 0.27% of the total transport but is increasing. The railway network is made up of 3 992 km of classic lines of which 620 are electrified, used exclusively by the national Uzbek company, Temir Yollary. Air transport accounts for 0.13% of the total transport.
Rail companies: The Uzbek Railway company

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation: The poor maintenance of roads makes the circulation of traffic difficult and dangerous, including in the cities. Drivers and pedestrians have to be very careful because of the at times, unpredictable behavior of local drivers. There are few gas stations and the quality of the gas is irregular. Plan a reserve for long distances.
Road maps: website for the sale of central Asian maps
Google Maps website
Find an itinerary

Visiting

Different forms of tourism

Historical

Tashkent: Navoi Opera, Museum of Fine Arts, Koukeldach Madrassa, Tellia Cheikh Mosque.

Samarkand : Registan (madrassa of Ulug-Beg, madrassa Chir Dor, madrassa Tilia Kari), Bibi - Khanym Mosque, necropolis of Chah-i-Zinde, Gour Emir (tomb of Tamerlan and Ulug-Beg), observatory of Ulug-Beg, archaeological site of Afrasiab.

Bukhara : caravanserai of Rabati Malik, Kalan Mosque and Minaret, Liab-i-Khaouz, Mosque of Tchor Minor.

Khiva : Ichon-Qala, Kaltaminor Minaret, Mohamed amin Khan madrassa, Kukhna Ark, Djouma Mosque, Tach-Khovoli.

Termez : archaeological museum.

The old city of eski Shahkhar.

Cultural

Traditional production of silk at Marghilan, capital of the silk industry.

The Igor Stavisky museum at Noukous (collection by "avant-gardists" and jewelery).

The Fine Arts museum and the Museum of Decorative Arts at Tashkent.

Nature

The Ugam-Tchatkal Reserve, a one hour's drive to the north-east of Tashkent.

Vallon de Tim, 130 km from the west of Samarkand,
The huge cliffs of Tchink that dominate the Aral sea (west coast, 80 km to the north-west of Mo'ynoq).

The Kitab Reserve and the Ghissar Park in the mountains of Ghissar.

Religious

Tashkent : Koukeldach Madrassa, Tellia Cheikh Mosque, Polish catholic church, German Lutheran church, Russian cathedral.

Samarkand : Registan (madrassa of Ulug-Beg, Chir Dor madrassa, Tilia Kari madrassa), Bibi-Khanym mosque, necropolis of Chah-i-Zinde, Gour Emir (tomb of Tamerlan and Ulug-Beg). In the vicinity of Bukhara : Islamic site of saint Khodja Ismail, Tchama Mosque at Urgut.

Bukhara : Kalan mosque and minaret, Liab-i-Khaouz, Mosque of Tchor minor, Nadir Divan-begi madrassa, Samanide mausoleum. In the neighborhoods of Bukhara : Diggarone Mosque, sanctuaries of Sufism : Kasri Orifon, Sumitan, Chilangu.

Khiva : Kaltaminor Minaret, madrassa of Mohamed Amin Khan, Kukhna Ark, Djouma mosque

Termez : Djakourgan minaret

Namangam : Mullah-Bozor-Akun mosque

Beach

Uzbekistan is a land-locked country. The shores of the Aral sea are not really fit for tourism.

Winter sports

Visit the webpage of the Winter Sports on the website of the Tourism Office of Uzbekistan.

Shopping

The souks of Tashkent : Alaiskii Bazaar, Chorsou Bazaar. The Tashkent 'flea-market' : Tezikovka. The Big Bazaar of Samarkand. The Big Bazaars of Bukhara : Taq-i-Sarrafon, Taq-i-Fourouchon, and Taq-i-Zargaron.

Top 10 highlights of the capital city
The Tashkent metro
The Railway Museum
Characteristics of Russian Art at the end of the XIX century

Top 10 highlights of the country
Tourism page from the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Samarkand : Registan (Ulug-Beg madrassa, Chir Dor madrassa, Tilia Kari madrassa
Samarkand : Bibi-Khanym mosque
Samarkand : necropolis of Chah-i-Zinde
Samarkand : Gour Emir (tomb of Tamerlan and Ulug-Beg
Samarkand : Ulug-Beg observatory
Samarkand : archaeological site of Afrasiab
Bukhara : caravanserai of Rabati Malik
Bukhara : Liab-i-Khaouz
Khiva : Ichon-Qala, Kaltaminor Minaret, Madrassa of Mohamed amin Khan, Kukhna Ark, Mosque of Djouma, Tach-Khovli

Tourism organizations: Tourism Board of Uzbekistan

Living conditions

Health and safety

Health precautions: No demands in terms of vaccinations for international travelers.
Most of the health problems in the country are due to the adverse environmental effects from the Soviet policy of single-crop farming of cotton. The water contains large quantities of toxic waste, pesticides, chemical fertilizers....the situation is the most alarming around the former Aral sea, where the cases of tuberculosis and anemia have progressively increased by 6% and 30% respectively over the last ten years. There are no compulsory vaccination requirements, but it is strongly advised to be up-to-date with vaccinations for Tetanus, Hepatitis A and B, rabies if you wish to hike off the beaten track, and for DTP. Malaria is not rife in Uzbekistan.
For further information on sanitary conditions: For inquiring with the Ministry of Health
The website of the World Health Organization that gives detailed information on questions related to health
For further information on safety conditions

Emergency numbers

Police	02
Fire Brigade	01
Ambulance	03

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in Tashkent (GMT+5 )
Summer time period: April to September

Map of the time zone

Fuseau(x) horaire

Type of climate: In winter, the temperature comes down to -8 degrees C on an average in the north, while it remains positive in the south. In summer, the temperature is between 25 - 30 degrees C and uptill 32 degrees C in the south.

For further information: GISMETEO

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Climate

Eating

Culinary specialties: Uzbek food has been highly influenced by Turkish food. among the different culinary specialties there are a lot of spicy dishes.
For example :
Plov: pieces of mutton served with grated turnips and rice.
Shashlyk: spicy mutton and onions kebab, cooked on charcoal.
Manty: small fresh raviolis stuffed with beef.
Shorpas: large variety of fresh vegetable soups.
During autumn and summer, it is impossible to avoid eating fruits. There is a large variety of fruits: grapes, apricots, pomegranates and particularly watermelons in the summer.
Drinks: With respect to drinks, the Uzbeks love tea and drink it throughout the year. One can fins tea breweries or Chai-Khanas. The Uzbeks also drink Kefir which is a fresh yogurt-based drink and which is often served during breakfast. Amateurs of alcohol can taste the Uzbek sparkling wine, which is also called Shampanski.
Dietary taboos: Pork is prohibited in Uzbekistan.

Paying

Domestic currency: Uzbek Sum
ISO Code: UZS
To obtain domestic currency: Payment for any medical service should be made on the spot in cash. Besides, as for any other business or tourist trip, it is advised to subscribe to a supplementary insurance policy.
Possible means of payment: Credit cards and travelers cheques are not much used in Uzbekistan. It is better to arrive with hard foreign currency that can be changed in the capital. It is always better to ask for a receipt of the foreign exchange to explain currency expenses at the time of departure.