What budget for activities and outings Uzbekistan?
Uzbekistan applies a double entrance fee to major monuments and museums, with tourists paying much more than locals. In spite of this, the prices of visits are very accessible compared to France, but beware: you will often have to pay a supplement to take pictures, another one to film, and still another one to benefit from a guided tour or an audioguide. In cities like Samarkand or Bukhara, where the visits follow one another, the bill can climb quite quickly.
Uzbekistan is an essentially cultural destination, with visits to the great architectural sites of Samarkand and Bukhara. The landscapes and relief of Uzbekistan, particularly in the south and east of the country, are ideal for beautiful hikes, as for example in the Zamin reserve and in the Fansky mountains, on the border with Tajikistan, where a small network of accommodation in mountain villages is developing. These activities are still not very developed, but more and more agencies are offering multi-day excursions.
All over the country you can find handicraft souvenirs for less than nothing: small ceramics, scarves, knives as well as more expensive products: Bukhara carpets, miniatures... But beware, quality is not always there. Our guide lists the best craftsmen of Uzbekistan, whose work is sometimes protected by Unesco. For those, the budget can rise very quickly. They are located in the Ferghana valley, mainly in Khiva and Bukhara. Some galleries in Tashkent are also worth the trip, but do not often offer good value for money.
What budget to eat Uzbekistan?
You can eat for less than nothing in Uzbekistan, in the small neighborhood tchaikhanas, but the menus will always be more or less the same: soup, tomato and onion salad, chachlyks (meat skewers). There is more choice in the bazaar canteens, with the advantage of being assured of the freshness of the products. But they usually only operate at lunchtime. In the big cities, the bill can go up a little faster in the shops reserved for the intelligentsia or expats. But you can now find very good mid-range restaurants offering very nice local specialties for very reasonable budgets, between 15 and 30 €.
What is the budget for accommodation Uzbekistan?
This will be the main expense of your trip. In the tourist cities: Khiva, Bukhara and Khiva, the prices can take off very strongly at the time of the peaks of tourist frequentation, and the establishments are not rare to be full. Count at least 15 € per night to sleep in the dormitory part of a B&B, and up to 70 € per person for the charming single rooms. An advantage of B&Bs: the breakfasts are often pantagruesque!
Travel budget Uzbekistan and cost of living
The following budgets are per day and per person. They are established to help you plan your expenses according to the type of trip you are considering.
Budget: around 70 €. For the travelers, one night in the most modest B&B (but they are less and less numerous) or hotels of the Soviet period, meals in the bazaar and travel by public transport. The monuments are very beautiful seen from the outside..
Comfort budget: 90 to 140 €. Charming hotels and at least one meal a day in a nice restaurant or a tchaikhana with a pleasant setting. You will be able to travel by shared cabs and budget the visit of the main monuments and museums of the country.
Luxury budget: from 250 €. This is what you will have to pay for accommodation in a luxury hotel and your trips in a private car with driver. The beautiful restaurants in Tashkent or the luxury hotel restaurants in Bukhara or Samarkand will embellish your memories.
Although Uzbekistan is more expensive than one would expect, compared to other countries in the region, it is possible to stay in Uzbekistan at a lower cost and with a certain comfort. Meals in bazaars, made of grilled meat or soups, are indeed cheaper and probably less risky for the stomach than the imitations of Western cuisine served by some mid-range restaurants.
