Halfway between Europe and China, on the ancient Silk Road described in the 13th century by Marco Polo in his Book of Wonders, there are endless spaces of steppe and desert, bordered by snow-capped mountains and salt lakes such as Lake Aydar, right up to the shores of a vanished sea, the Aral Sea. Traveling to Central Asia means finding yourself at the crossroads of civilizations and religions, and living with your Uzbekistan tour guide a unique and unforgettable experience in regions that are still little explored by tourist circuits. Traveling in Uzbekistan is also going back in time on the footsteps of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane the Mongolian emperor while enjoying today a cultural and architectural heritage, especially in the three mythical cities of Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara which contain some of the most beautiful monuments of the Muslim world. It is also sleeping under a yurt while having tea in the Ferghana valley or sliding down the slopes at the Chimgam ski resort, 80 km from Tashkent.

What to see, what to do Uzbekistan?

When to go Uzbekistan ?

The tourist season lasts from April1st to October 31st, but the months of July and August are a low point because the summer is hot, dry and dusty with temperatures that can reach 40-45°C. The best time to go to Uzbekistan is therefore in spring (March-June) and autumn (September-November) with mild weather during the day even if the nights remain very cold in the west in the desert, steppe, Khorezm and Karakalpakia. It hardly rains at all throughout the year, although there is a slight peak in March.

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Practical information for travel Uzbekistan

L’Ouzbékistan a longtemps fait rêver pour les seules et uniques étapes le long de la Route de la Soie, et n’offrait guère plus que des circuits classiques avec découverte essentiellement architecturale entre Samarkand, Boukhara et Khiva. Ce qui est déjà très bien en soi, mais laissait tout le reste du pays à la seule découverte des voyageurs individuels osant sortir des sentiers battus. Depuis quelques années les choses évoluent, et il est désormais possible non seulement d’élargir les circuits à l’ensemble du pays, mais également d’y varier les thématiques de voyage en agrémentant le volet culturel de sessions plus sportives ou dépaysantes : randonnée en montagne dans les monts Fansky ou les réserves naturelles, méharée dans le désert autour de Nurata, nuit sous la yourte dans les citadelles du Khorezm, séjour en vallée de Ferghana ou master class à Boukhara pour une découverte approfondie de l’artisanat ouzbek...

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How to go Uzbekistan

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How to go alone

Fares can be competitive if you book your tickets well in advance, but you have to reckon with long stopovers in either Moscow or Istanbul and arrivals in the middle of the night. To get good fares, it is essential to book well in advance. Think of buying your tickets six months before departure! If you have the time and the taste for contemplation, it is also possible to come by train via Moscow.

How to go on a tour

Tour operators may offer you the opportunity to combine the Silk Road countries (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) or to focus on Uzbekistan, which alone is worth the trip. The visit of the three mythical cities (Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva) is a classic, as is a stroll on the Aral Sea or in the Ferghana Valley, which will be an opportunity to meet nomads and share with them yurts, meals and wild rides!

How to get around

The air network is very dense and covers all major cities of the country. The roads are in very bad condition, except in the Ferghana valley, but the bus remains the most economical and authentic way to travel in Uzbekistan even if punctuality is not their strong point. Between Bukhara and Tashkent, the road terminals are nevertheless more modern and sometimes even air-conditioned. The railway network is well developed with more than 3,000 km of railroads.

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Discover Uzbekistan

Samarkand, Bukhara, the Aral Sea... So many names known to the general public, or which at the very least evoke a place, a history, an image. Yet Uzbekistan remains largely unknown. Lovers of history, architecture and dreams of the Orient, or simple adventurers on the Silk Road, are increasingly coming across each other on the roads to Samarkand. The restoration of the great monuments of the Timurid era, begun during the Soviet era and continued after independence in partnership with Unesco, is restoring the country to its former splendor and giving it a tourist potential that is unique in Central Asia. But to understand a country whose language, distant and recent history and traditions are so far removed from the West, one or two museums won't be enough: here are the main points that will help you experience the cultural gap that awaits you!

Pictures and images Uzbekistan

Les trois madrasas du Registan. Jeff Jones - Iconotec
Madrasa Chir Dor. Jeff Jones - Iconotec
Portraits d'habitants de la vallée de Ferghana. Patrice ALCARAS
Tchor Minor, le monument au

The 12 keywords Uzbekistan

1. #Bazaar

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They can be found in every city and village in Central Asia. There is always a very authentic atmosphere, even in the big tourist cities. Mixture of peoples, ethnic groups, languages, costumes, the bazaars are always very colorful. Each of the trades has its own space, according to a clearly visible structure.

2. #Caravanserai

Ginned along the trade routes, these ancestors of motels were veritable towers of Babel. Merchants from all walks of life would meet there for a stopover, to discuss, exchange routes or trade. These ancient places of exchange and trade were, for the most part, converted into tourism and hotels.

3. #Cotton

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Uzbekistan was the largest producer of cotton in the Soviet Union, a highly polluting crop that also requires a lot of water. After independence, some land was converted to wheat, but cotton remained dominant for a long time. It is only since 2016 that crops have really diversified in the country.

4. #Hospitality

Hospitality is the first quality of Uzbeks: at every corner it increases in proportion to the distance from the cities. In the villages, chances are that the tourist will not be released until he has tasted all the culinary resources of the housewife and become acquainted with the whole neighborhood.

5. #Kourdiouk

It is sheep fat, known for its refined taste and widely used in Uzbek cuisine. It comes from the hindquarters of the local sheep. Used in the preparation of all national dishes, it is the preferred choice for guests. So you will have your share of mutton buttock fat to enjoy during your stay.

6. #Mahalla

A word designating the neighbourhood, i.e. the first link in the social organization of Uzbekistan. Each mahalla has his council of sages, his mullah, his otin. The neighbourhood councils of each mahalla meet several times a month in the chaikhanas to discuss common problems and to weave the social fabric of the neighbourhood.

7. #Marshrutka

The most economical way to get around. There are 10 or 12 people in old minibuses, which are increasingly replaced by modern models. There are some marshrutka for long distances. This is a slower way of traveling than cabs, but it allows the visitor to pay the same price as his fellow travelers.

8. #Navrouz

The great spring festival, celebrated on March 21. Navrouz means "new day" in Farsi. Forbidden under the Soviets, and allowed again after independence, this festival is an opportunity to get together with family, friends or neighbours and prepare the traditional soumalak, a dessert simmered 24 hours a day and concocted from young wheat shoots.

9. #Plov

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This is the traditional Uzbek dish, based on sautéed rice, carrots and mutton. Depending on the region, it can have some variations: addition of grapes, chickpeas, garlic... The word plov is the Russian word, in Uzbek, it is called osh. Establishments specializing in the preparation of plov are thus called oshkhanas.

10. #Silk

Uzbekistan has long occupied a particularly strategic position for trade between China and the West, at the crossroads of the two continents, and oasis cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand have derived much of their wealth from it. Ikaté silk is still produced in the traditional way in the Fergana Valley.

11. #Suzanis

Cotton hanging of various sizes sold in all the bazaars of Uzbekistan. In homes, suzani is used as a bedspread or wall decoration. Covered with traditional patterns, it is made of pieces of different fabrics sewn together. Embroidered by women, it allowed the future husband to see the skill and talent of his bride.

12. #Tchaykhana

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Tea is the traditional drink of Central Asia. It is drunk at any time of the day in tea houses. The authentic tchaikhanas offered only tea. The kitchens were at the disposal of the customer, each one brought there what to make its meal. The men spent hours discussing business while drinking their tea.

You are from here, if...

You accept the hospitality of the Uzbeks.

You keep your feet away from the food, even when you are in modest families where you eat sitting on the floor in a suit, even if it means pushing the limits of your flexibility!

You avoid blowing your nose in public.

You always have "small gifts" from France (postcards, photos, perfume samples...) to offer to the families who have welcomed you.

You always use your right hand to eat, serve tea or hold out your cup..

You avoid throwing "aleikum salam" at the cantonade in the morning when you wake up. In Uzbekistan, you greet each other only after morning ablutions.

You don't hesitate to toast if vodka is served, and you certainly don't drink if no toast has been made.

You don't leave the table without thanking God for the meal, or at least joining your hands while your hosts say a prayer, before passing them over your face.

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