Uzbekistan travel guide
Uzbekistan's ornate mosques and medressas hint at its legacy as the historic trading hub of Central Asia – key caravanserai on the ancient Silk Road
Land-locked and Stan-locked, Uzbekistan was once one of the most vital hubs on the world’s most important trade route – the Silk Road.
There are few more evocative place names than Samarkand, a city of caravanserais, dazzling mosques and monuments – not least the legendary Registan – but it’s far from alone in Uzbekistan. Bukhara and Khiva also gleam with the architectural bounty of the country’s medieval wealth: palaces, minarets, mausoleums and medressas (Islamic schools), all intricately decorated with blue-toned tiles, grace the squares.
There are plenty of other historical relics of past glories, too – roam the ancient Khorezm region around Urgench to explore the remains of two-milliennia-old qalas (fortresses). But don’t miss the wood for the trees: the Uzbeks themselves, friendly and hospitable.
Wanderlust recommends
- Explore the medressas and monuments of Samarkand’s mighty Registan
- Marvel at the beautifully decorated monuments of the well-preserved trading city of Khiva
- Barter for carpets in the bazaars of Bhukara – dark red is the signature colour
- Admire avant-garde art in the Savitsky Karakalpakstan Museum, Nukus
- Head north-west to mourn the rapidly evaporating Aral Sea
- Roam among the ruined fortresses in the countryside around Urgench
Wanderlust tips
Read up on your rugs before heading to Bukhara, where a pure wool
carpet might cost £200 and up – cheaper carpets on cotton bases should be about half that price, while silk options could be ten times as much. Another souvenir option is
ikat: brightly coloured cloth. Allow plenty of time for
visa applications before departing.