Uzbekistan Girls Trip: 9 Days on the Silk road
As a group of 5 friends from Singapore who started a travel website, we wanted to take a girls trip every year to share with our readers, but mostly so we could go to an amazing place with each other. Our second trip was Uzbekistan. We chose it because we all had a close acquaintance who lived there and invited us to come. Cleia took care of EVERYTHING. She booked our train tickets, hotels, tours and drivers. I felt so pampered and taken care of when i know it was a lot of work for her. Cleia is a warm caring and fun person to be around. She loves to socialise, cook and travel with people. She showed us so many amazing things about the country she lives in. It was an epic girls trip adventure with memories that will last me a lifetime. We started in Tashkent where Cleia lives and then moved on to a few different cities along the Silk Road either by plane or train, before coming back through Tashkent.
Know before you go:
If you want to take this same trip there are a few tips in this post to help you out. First off, check to see if you need a visa at least a month before visiting. This isn't your regular weekend getaway where you can wing it. While ever warming to tourists, Uzbekistan still has a lot of rules and you need to make sure you understand what you are doing. New Zealand citizens don't need a visa whereas US citizens do, so do your homework.Need a visa to Uzbekistan? Use iVisa! As a US citizen, I received my visa in 5 days without any problems. They helped me upload the right photos and answered all my questions. They are a bit more expensive than other sites, but I found the customer service and fast turn around to be worth the extra dollars. We highly recommend them.
The 5 original Globalwot ready for adventure!:
Once you land in Tashkent be sure to buy a SIM card. UCell has good coverage (where there is coverage) and is right there, at the airport. We got 20GB for $20 USD. This will serve you beyond Tashkent as UCell is in every major city. You can get money out at ATMs in many places now in Uzbekistan, but my advice is to bring cash with you anyway. Bring a few hundred of crisp US dollars to start you out and change some of that into Som (local currency) once you are on the ground. You can find ATMs in most major destinations, but be sure to notify your bank that you are traveling so you don't run into trouble with your card, like some of us did.
Arrival Day:
Since this was a group trip, we arrived in shifts on the first day. A few of us arrived in the afternoon and spent the evening at The Georgian Yard for a delicious dinner and dancing afterward. Usually you can find a live band here to dance the night away. The rest of the group arrived by 5 am the next morning.Day 1:
Bakery around the corner from Cleia's house. We hit this the first morning and I instantly knew I was going to LOVE this trip.
We spent most of the morning visiting the Chorsu Bazaar. You can buy just about anything here. There is an impressive array of fresh fruit and vegetables. Be sure to try the fresh mulberry juice, sample the almonds, raisins and apricot seeds and be sure to buy whatever is in season at the time. The tomatoes and peaches were amazing!
Head to the bread section of the bazaar and snack on samsa straight from the tandoor oven. Also buy lepeska; large round oven-baked bread sold in carts all around town. At the bazaar you can watch as they knead, raise and cook the bread before indulging yourself.
Embroidered Suzani:
Spend some time browsing the beautiful suzani textile shops. We visited the lovely Feruza. She has a beautiful shop across the road from the bazaar and was happy to explain the meanings of the different elements on the suzanis. Pomegranates mean fertility and prosperity.Feruza and Robin holding a beautiful suzani: T Jelsma
We had a late lunch of samsa (pronounced som-suh) at one of the best places in Tashkent. Flaky crust with vegetable or meat inside - kind of like a samosa. You buy your condiment of tomato sauce at the counter and they have vinegar at the table to add with each bite. We enjoyed cherry and lemon juice as well.
Ceramics Studio:
Afterward, we arrived at the most tranquil courtyard we would encounter in Uzbekistan, as we enjoyed Rakhimov Ceramic Studio ran by Akbar and Alisher Rakhimov. We sat amidst the pear trees listening to birds and peaceful music and then toured the grounds and learned about their master school and pottery style.
The peaceful courtyard at Rakhimov Ceramics: T Jelsma
There were many pieces to see and purchase. We loved watching this family as they all worked on pieces either for the studio or by commission. We highly recommend this visit as it was a peaceful experience during a hot and busy day. Ornaments Shopping:
Next up it was the ornaments shop by Alexandr Garmiger who has been running his shop in the Chilanzar district of Tashkent City for 25 years. He claims to be the Christmas store of Uzbekistan.
Where Christmas reigns supreme. The ornament workshop: T Jelsma[/caption]
All his ceramic hand-painted Christmas tree ornaments can be packaged in beautiful wooden storage boxes if you want. By the end of the day we were hot and tired and this shop didn't help relieve much of that. The rooms were cramped for the 7 of us and not a lot of airflow. We never did get to see people painting or watch the process much since we were worn out and opted to leave right after. We were all hot and tired. However, they were lovely people and they had beautiful things. Traditional Dinner:
After a long day, we headed to Cleia's house for a traditional Uzbekistan dinner of plov. This delicious dish of rice and vegetables is cooked in a cauldron over an open flame with many important steps that need to be adhered to.
Plov cooks over fire in Cleia's front yard. It was so delicious!
By Uzbek tradition, dinner can only be eaten once the oldest at the table serves themselves, so we said goodbye to Abdulhamid so he could head home to start his own family dinner, while we indulged in our own spread of traditional foods. Too bad we didn't have husbands around to enjoy the after-effects. (wink wink) I think if I could eat Uzbek food every day of my life, I wouldn't object. The salads are fresh, the bread is so comforting and the Plov is just a perfect compliment to both.
Famous Tashkent Metro:
We were full and tired after a fantastic first day, but we had heard so much about the metro stations in Tashkent that we wanted to go and see at least one stop before retiring for the evening. The designs of the stations did not disappoint. I only wish we could have seen each of the 29 stops! Click on this map to see images of each one.We had our private guide and friend Elmira shuttle us to one of the stations. You purchase a metro token to enter. We browsed around that station and then took the first train that came so we could see another. I think we would have kept going had it not been so late.
Even the ceilings of the Metro are stunning: T Jelsma
That night we stayed at Radisson Blu Hotel in Tashkent. Make sure to hang onto your visa your entire stay as you need to show it at each accommodation. At the end of your stay, each hotel will give you a voucher for proof of visit. These too need to be kept as they may be asked for at immigration when leaving Uzbekistan. It was a quick 2 days in Tashkent but it was a perfect jump off point to the rest of our trip through Uzbekistan and the Great Silk Road.
Day 2:
We woke up early to catch a flight from Tashkent to Urgench which was about 1.5 hours. The airports are small but the planes are clean and maintained. Pay attention to the time of your departure; a lot of domestic flights are just touchdowns to other cities, and you may not think it's your plane because the destination is different from where you're going.We met our guide and transport at the airport and took a drive through the fertile countryside.
The drive took us through fields of corn, fruit trees and cotton plants.Our first stop was in Beruniy for an early lunch of samsa and then we were off to the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan. It is marked by an archway in the archaeological region of the Aral Sea which used to be a large center of civilization but is now desert. This is the gateway to the castles of ancient Khorezm.
Hiking our way up to Ayaz-Kala:
Ayaz-Kala
The first place we visited was the excavated Ayaz-Kala which means "windy fort" and it lived up to the name. A 1800 year old fortress of mud atop a tall sloping hill provided us with a 360 view of semi-arid plains as far as the eye could see and breezes to keep your scarf afloat.Afterward we had lunch in a yurt camp just down from the fort. The food was $10 USD a person and even when we thought we were done, the food just kept on coming.
Toprak-Kala
After a 40 minute drive, we pulled up to the ruins of Toprak-Kala or "muddy fort". This area is dated from 2000 years ago and they have excavated the walls of the rooms of the palace so you can weave in and out of them just as if it was occupied. And although these forts are in Karakalpakstan, it's worth the time while spending 2 days in Khiva.Our guide Inessa was very knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. If you are interested in booking with her you can WhatsApp at +998914294593.
Eating lunch at a yurt camp:
Khiva Hotel Tips
A 2 hour drive took us to Khiva and we stayed at the Shaherezada Boutique Hotel with twin bedrooms. It had a great location and wonderful breakfast but the rooms were lacking. Our shower didn't have a holder for the shower head and none of them had shower curtains which made a mess of the bathroom. If you desire more quality in your accommodations, I would advise looking for other places.A few tips on booking hotels; stars equate certain amenities so a hotel having some is always good. The more the better. However in a place like Khiva most accommodations won't have a lot of stars because they cater to local tourists and don't have a global standard. But that's ok. Look for excellent reviews and remember, the more good reviews the better. Staying somewhere with 200+ reviews means there is enough experience to learn from. Read up and choose accordingly.
The towering presence of Khodja Minaret around the corner from our hotel:
Khiva Museums
In Khiva buy one ticket which gets you into all the museums in the World Heritage district of Ichon-Qala, or Itchan Kala, (literally: within the wall) for 48 hours. This cost us 150,000 som each. After settling into our hotel we had the late afternoon and evening to explore. We managed to climb the steep steps of the Khodja Minaret just in time for the sunset at 7:35 before it closed at 8pm. This is the tallest minaret in Khiva at 57 meters high and 118 gloriously tall steps to the top. And it's totally worth the effort. This was the only minaret we could climb during our visit - we're glad we did it.We ate dinner at Cafe Zarafshon which is in the courtyard just next to the minaret.
We recommend the green dill noodles, tomato salad and sweet potato dumplings.
Day 3:
Watching the sun rays spill over the streets of Ichon-Qala:
Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
At 9 am we met our new guide Iroda, at the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum where Uzbeks come from all over to pray for their ancestors. According to legend, Khiva was built by Shem (the son of Noah) in the shape of Noah's ship and this mausoleum was built in the place of the anchor.This mausoleum is an extra 10,000 som to get in but it is a must-see with its floor to ceiling tiles and personal Imam who prays in the main room (drop a few som in the box for his services). Sit for a while and take in the sounds and atmosphere. We recommend it.
Juma Mosque
Next up was the ancient Juma Mosque. It has 230 uniquely carved wood columns. Some of which date back to the 10th century. It's definitely a place you don't want to miss. Be sure to stand back and take a panoramic photo to capture the light as it descends through the columns onto the ground. This was one of my favorite places and definitely worth stopping during your 2 days in Khiva.
Soaring beauty of tile and carved wood at Tash-Hauli Palace, Khiva:
Tash-Hauli Palace (harem)
We took a quick stop at a caravanserai for a bit of shopping. Khiva's streets are lined with vendors but at a caravanserai you can see a lot of sellers under one roof. Personally we preferred walking the streets for treasures but this is also a good option.Afterward we explored Tash-Hauli Palace. Originally it was built not just as a palace, but also as a madrassah (school), caravanserai (shopping/trade), and in one corner, Allakuli-Khan's harem. The tile work is exquisite! There are guides on site who can tell you about the place or you can wander yourselves. Regardless, be sure to stop for a while and talk with both local tourists and the guides who are extremely friendly and personable. We had a good time trying to understand each other. They were all really friendly.
Tozabog Summer Palace
We picked up a covered golf cart taxi from the main city gate of Ichon-Qala (the same gate that sells the ticket to all the museums) to go to the Summer Palace for 20,000 som. It was nice to get off our feet for a bit and explore Dichon-Qala (literally: outside the wall). The famous summer residence of the rulers of Khiva was built in 1912 and is just 2 km away from Ichon Qala.Spending some time out of the sun was refreshing and prepared us for the walk back to the city. For lunch, at Terrassa Cafe, we enjoyed our first meat skewers called shashlik. We recommend the lamb which was nice and tender, and of course the eggplant and tomato salads.
Evening in Khiva
We took a break during the afternoon to refresh and then met up for a folk dance show at 7pm. The Khalfi family performed traditional Khorezmian dance while we had tea and traditional Uzbek bites.Rocking baby to sleep in a traditional bishkek:
The bishkek cradles of Uzbekistan are very traditional, well-loved and still well-used today. They allow you to put a baby to sleep without any diapers, and without them wetting the sheets. It is fascinating, check out our IGTV for details! I loved being in Iroda's home and learning of their family and culture. And this baby was so amazing. She started to wrap him up and before she was finished he was already asleep, totally strapped down. He was such a doll!
Day 4:
We left Khiva at 7:30am and made our way to the airport for a quick flight to Bukhara. When you check out of any hotel or accommodation, you will be given a voucher for proof of your stay. Be sure to keep them all in a safe place for immigration when you leave Uzbekistan. Once we got to Bukhara, a pre-booked driver took us to Hotel Malika Bukhara which had twin bedrooms, a great breakfast, and lovely grounds.
Walking Tour of Bukhara
Bukhara has long been known as a central stop of trade along the Silk Road and was also a center for Uzbek culture, religion and education, especially before it was besieged in the 1920s. We recommend you spend at least 3 days in Bukhara to get in as much as you can. We booked a tour guide to walk with us and help us understand more about the different places we wanted to see. Bukhara is the mecca of architecture! The buildings, tile work and design were all so incredibly beautiful.Just out from the hotel is a small trading dome called Toki Sarrafon. The trading domes of Bukhara are fascinating. With many archways to enter, they are tall enough that camels could walk through them with their wares. This particular trading dome - the smallest of the three still standing in Bukhara - was built in the 1500s. Originally, each trading dome was dedicated to a particular commodity or industry, like headwear, or money changers... but now they are full of traders who sell wares for tourists mainly. Most are handmade... You can expect to see textiles, metalwork (jewellery or knives), ceramics, etc.
A minute or two later and we were looking at Magoki-Attori Mosque, the oldest mosque in Bukhara. This was built over a Zoroastrian Temple which was the original religion in this area of Uzbekistan. The detail of the excavated foundation and mosque is astonishing.
Then a short circular route took us to Kukeldash madrassah which no longer operates as a school but now houses more traders around an interior courtyard. A madrassah is a place of learning - either secular or religious. We crossed the road to then visit the beautiful and most well-known of sites in Bukhara, the Lyabi Hauz complex.
Lyabi Hauz Complex
The Lyabi Haus complex includes a madrasah called Nadir Divan-Beghi Khanaka with its beautifully tiled walls and a pond that is surrounded by restaurants and park seating amongst the trees. A young couple were getting their wedding pictures there amongst the comings and goings of everyday people. Here you'll also find a famous bronze sculpture of Nasriddin Afandi, considered the Uzbek "Robin Hood," philosopher and Sufi wise man from the 13th century.
All these sites are close to one another so it's an easy walk. However, unless you have a guide (or have read up on Wikipedia) then you might not know what you are looking at. Our guide, called Malika, explained how the Lyabi Hauz area was originally a Jewish community settlement. But the Khan wanted to build there, so he negotiated way back in the 1500s and they reached a compromise. In return for a synagogue, the Jewish people agreed to take a neighboring plot of land instead. 
A few streets away, we had the most delicious lunch at Chinar Restaurant up on the balcony. It was the best eggplant salad and plov we'd had so far on the trip. The portions were very generous so we didn't eat as much as we thought. So be careful when ordering. We dined upstairs on the balcony with a refreshing breeze and enjoyed getting to know our guide Malika a bit more.Trading Domes
After lunch we walked through the Telpak Furushon bazaar or trading dome which originally sold books but through the ages sold caps and headwear by local craftsman.Just up from this bazaar we found a tailor that sold designs at reasonable prices or could tailor you something using good quality cotton, silk or ikat fabric. If you want some clothes made you can leave examples of your own clothes for them to use as a template. There was so much to see this day that it's possible we should have spent more than 3 days in Bukhara. But we pushed hard so we could get it all in, and yes, we walked away with tailored clothing too!
Then it was into the Tim Abdulla Khan Trading Dome which apparently is not a true trading dome since it only has one main entrance, and not multiple entrances like the others. It was decked out in an amazing display of suzani textiles and hand-loomed carpets.
Stunning Architecture Everywhere
A minute or two further on, and you'll find the Ulugbek Madrasah which is two madrasa facing each other, yet they were built 200 years apart. (Just a note that the spellings of most things in Uzbekistan vary slightly due to the translations of Russian, Uzbek, and Tajik. If you search for any of these places online, you will find them with a myriad of spellings.) On top of one of the madrasah you can see an old stork nest.From the Ulugbek Madrasah, you can see the Toki Zargaron Trading Dome that was historically used for trading jewelry. Each bazaar is a vision to experience and of course a necessity since you are in the heart of the Silk Road trade. From outside, be sure to look to the top of the Toki Zargaron domes. You'll see storks in a nest. While they are not real, they represent the heritage of Bukhara which used to be home to thousands of storks. Some of us purchased bird scissors, or scissors paying homage to the storks in this trading dome. Keep your eyes open and you'll see fake storks throughout Bukhara.
Po-i-Kalyan Square
The Ark and Dinner
From here we walked to The Ark which is the oldest and original palace at 3000 years old. It has been continually rebuilt and repaired and is now a museum. It costs 15,000 som to enter. Such a fascinating history. We arrived around 3:45 pm when it was still so hot. After our walking tour of the day we had little energy to enjoy The Ark and would advise either taking a covered tuk-tuk or putting this on your agenda in the morning when it is cooler. We spent only an hour here and got an eco tuk-tuk back to our hotel at 3,000 som per person.
After dinner, we went to The Ark at night to see the lights. We were tired so we took a quick run there and back in a tuk-tuk. It was a fun way to enjoy the evening air.
Day 5:
Our day started great with a wonderful breakfast at the Malika Hotel. If you stay there definitely eat outside in the courtyard area where the weather is nice and you are away from the crowds. We enjoyed this hotel a lot. Good rooms, great breakfast and a nice atmosphere.Master Potter at Gijduvan
We had a driver pickup at 9.30am and drove 46 kms to Gijduvan to visit a master Uzbek potter. Alisher, a 6th generation potter showed us their workshop and introduced us to their unique style called gijduvan which consists of very earthy colors, one-of-a-kind patterns, and techniques. His family has been creating pottery for 250 years.In one room they have an extremely large and heavy grindstone that a donkey works to grind the pottery glaze, which is made of burned plants. That great donkey works one day a month. It was fascinating to learn about.
We opted to have lunch at the potter's at a cost of 60,000 som each. You can eat outside in the courtyard, or inside air-conditioning if you choose. On the menu was more of our favorites; salads, and shashlik. We met Alisher's wife who was busy cooking fresh bread in their tandoor oven for us as well.
Summer Palace and the Hammam
After the potter we took a drive to the last Emir's of Bukhara Summer Palace. One of the Emir's grandsons built the current palace over the ruins of the original in the 19th century. It comprises several buildings each with a different style and holding a variety of antique artifacts to delight you. We arrived at 3.40pm but since we had spent a lot of our energy at the potters we quit at 4.15pm for the cool air conditioning of the van.
Allow 1.5 hours for your visit to this 500 year old Turkish bath. This is a quiet, women-only place where you will be scrubbed, rinsed, and massaged by women attendants. There is a men's hammam a few streets away. If you feel a bit sheepish about trying it, we strongly encourage you to put your inhibitions aside and go for it. Underwear is optional, although it is better without. We left feeling clean and relaxed.
Afterwards, it was back to the shops to pick up our tailor-made clothes. We ordered dresses and blouses at $30-35 USD each.
We closed out the day with a lovely dinner at a new restaurant called Xon Atlas on the rooftop terrace with a view of Kalyan Minaret.
Day 6:
This day in Bukhara was all about last-minute shopping before traveling on. We hit the market street for a few last-minute pickups. Clothing from one store and sterling silver bracelets and earrings from another. We then spent the rest of the morning at Bukhara Silk Carpets. They had a lovely showroom, clean workshop and a pretty spectacular sales pitch. We have all see some rug demos in our travels abroad and this one was hands down the best. Fast, informative and persuasive, without being pushy.We had lunch at Old Bukhara Restaurant which is in central Bukhara and a 2 minute walk from the Hotel Asia Bukhara. Afterwards, we were picked up from the hotel for a 25 min drive to the train station. Please note you have to buy train tickets in advance. Have your passport handy, even if you don't have to show it. You never want it far from you, just in case. Once we were on the train it was a 1.5 hour train ride to Samarkand!
Day 7 in Samarkand:
The backyard pool and yard of the Samarkand Hotel:
We were picked up from Hotel Malika in Bukhara for a 25 min drive to the train station. Please note you have to buy train tickets in advance! Have your passport handy, in case you have to show it. Once we were on the train it was a 1.5 hour ride to Samarkand. If you are looking to purchase train tickets for your own trip, you can check out this website here. We checked into Samarkand Safar Hotel. It is built like a regular house with a yard and small swimming pool out back, a main dining room for guest with its rooms upstairs. It's only two floors and no elevator. This accommodation would be difficult for people with mobility issues.
For the evening it was dinner and dancing at Samarkand Restaurant which is a local banquet hall. You will need to make reservations in advance. During our delicious dinner there was music, dancing, and even performances. It might not be your cup of tea, but feel free to join someone's dance circle. And don't be surprised if you get invited to stand and dance with locals. Dancing is a big part of Uzbek hospitality and they love to share it with anyone. We made friends because we were willing to dance and it enhanced our experience in Samarkand. Note: men and women dance in different circles!
Day 8:
After a quick breakfast at the hotel we drove to a caravanserai near Registan Square. Built in 1895, it now homes master craftsmen of the Samarkand region allowing them to make, showcase and sell their crafts.Suzani Master
Upstairs in a corner shop of the caravanserai, we met Gulom whose shop is a feast for the eyes with it's gorgeous, intricated designed suzani. Suzani's are an embroidered tapestry traditionally stitched by men but mostly done by women in recent decades.This is a glorious experience for any textile lover.Now Gulom, his daughter, sons and wife all sew suzani. Gulom learned the art from his mother Mavluda, who is a 7th generation suzani master. You can purchase a table runner for $60 USD, pillowcases from $15-65 USD or a large-sized suzani starting around $300 USD and up. Suzani designs differ depending on the region so you are perfectly justified in buying more than one suzani from more than one location! You can read about our suzani experience in Tashkent here.
The beautiful smile of Mavluda as she sits among her antique suzani: R Smith
For lunch we went to meet Mavluda at her home in the countryside. About 45 min. into the drive, we stopped at Urgut Bazaar, an enormous local outdoor market. This was a great taste of how the locals live and shop. We ate ice cream from the vendors, got lost in the aisles and made even more friends. They seem to be excited to have tourists in most parts we visited. After another 20 minutes of driving we arrived at Mavluda's home in the hills for a quiet lunch on her back porch. I could have stayed here all afternoon. She had a room full of suzani and a back veranda where we had lunch. Her yard was dirt but had a large clay oven for bread making, goats, grapes and fruit and more suzani hanging on a line. She was ready for us and made us feel comfortable and welcome. Mavluda is well-regarded in Uzbekistan as a suzani master. She and Gulom have an antique suzani collection which is an exploration into the history of designs and colours of suzani. They sell these suzanis since they are always best enjoyed. After shopping from the piles she sells from her home, we arrived back in Samarkand in the early evening.
Registan Square
We rested for a bit and then went to Registan Square. We arrived at 8pm and were lucky enough to catch rehearsals for their International Music Festival. This was such a surprise! The festival is held every two years in August and we just happened to show up in time to see rehearsals. They had beautifully decorated costumes and traditional music performed by the most famous artists in the country. We had the opportunity to sit next to the choreographer of the show and watched as she coached throughout the rehearsal. It was delightful.Just over from Registan Square is a promenade where we bought ice cream from vendors for dinner. We tried two shops. The one on the left was more expensive but had better ice cream. We had eaten so much incredible food up to this point we weren't even hungry for meals, so ice cream was a good option.
Day 9 in Samarkand:
Intricate tile work on Gur-e-Mir Mausoleum archway: 
This was our last day in Samarkand, and in Uzbekistan! After breakfast at the hotel we left for our round of sight-seeing. First stop was Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum. We did a quick walk around the grounds but didn't buy a ticket and go inside. There was a lot we wanted to see before catching our train in the evening, so we opted to move on quickly.
The shining glory of the day was Shah-i-Zinda. It is 15,000 som to buy an entrance ticket. This was my favourite place in Samarkand. It is like a little city for the dead. I loved the small walkways between the ornately tiled buildings. There were a lot of tourists there, which was not my favourite thing. We went at 10am, and it was already getting hot by then. It would be an interesting place to visit in the early evening as the air cools and the crowds thin out.
Afternoon
We made a second stop to Registan Square to see it during the day; it was covered in rigging from the music rehearsals. We waited some time to get in because they were still rehearsing when we arrived. Because a lot of it was covered and inaccessible, we didn't stay long. Make sure to see the Sherdor Madrasa and Tillokori Madrasa and take some fun photos.We had an outdoor lunch at Karimbek Restaurant that was definitely worth the stop. The biggest surprise of the meal was the delicious banana shake!
Late Afternoon
Most of the architecture in Uzbekistan is a dazzling array of towering domes, minarets and tiled arches. I never got sick of it, but if you are short on time, you need to maximize what you see. I wish we had more than 3 days in Samarkand. We did not have time to see the Ulugh Beg Observatory but what we saw online and on recommendation from another Globalwot, it looks interesting, so if you can, make time for it.Last stops in Samarkand
Bread selling baby prams at the bazaar:
Next to the mosque is the Siyob Dehgon Bazaar. Here they sell nougat, sugar almonds, fudge, produce, plants... you name it. Many of us took home sugar almonds to our families as souvenirs, and they all went down a treat. There was also a last ikat fabric purchase that needed to be made.
Near the mosque and bazaar you can catch an electric golf cart back up the promenade by Registan Square for 2,000 som per person. Otherwise it is a long and sweaty walk, unless you want to shop along the way.
Train from Samarkand to Tashkent
We left the hotel at 4pm for a 15 minute ride to the train station. The high speed train ride from Samarkand to Tashkent is roughly 4 hours. Your seating is allocated when you buy your ticket. The trains are clean and well serviced with trolleys of drinks and food that you can purchase. We watched the sun set on our final day in Uzbekistan through the train windows and arrived in Tashkent with just enough time to transfer to taxis and get to the airport.Our time in Uzbekistan was amazing.We could see the infrastructure being built to welcome tourists, and with the addition of more countries who can visit visa-free, Uzbekistan is worth your travel consideration. There are Tourist Police to help tourists in any capacity they can at major sights, like Registan Square.
In days gone by the Silk Road of Uzbekistan was a crossroads of cultures and handmade goods, and this is being revived again. We sensed optimism, curiosity and friendliness most places we went to. People are keen to share their craftsmanship and meals with you. It is a safe place to be and rich with culture. Enjoy the treasures of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, and remember, dancing is highly encouraged!
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