2020 was supposed to be bigger. We relocated to the exciting city-state of Singapore and were dreaming of our sojourns in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan – we will cover them all, we thought. Yet, here we are. Nearly half of 2020 has gone by and we are confined to our apartment. Chances of international travel for the rest of the year looking quite bleak.

Life, as we all know it, has come to a grinding halt across the globe in a truly unprecedented fashion. Offices have shut and employees have been asked to work from home. Restaurants and cafes have had to pivot to cater to online deliveries. Most commercial aeroplanes across the world are now on the ground, in packed tarmacs.

The impact of the coronavirus has had a far-reaching impact as a pandemic. Economies have been set back by years and, in some cases, even decades. Entire industries like cruise shipping, tourism, retail and hotels are amongst the few that have come to a complete grinding halt.

We’ve been having several conversations around this, among ourselves and with our friends, on how the post-pandemic world is going to look. Not only from a general perspective, but also a travel perspective.

It seems increasingly likely there will be a post Covid-19 world which will be totally different from the pre Covid-19 world. Things like how we work, travel to work, dine out, how we view and spend money, government policies and even vacations and holidays are all going to see radical changes. Call it ‘the new normal’ if you will.

While we may not be able to completely predict the future, here are some things we feel will change the way we travel.

1. Domestic travel will rise first

It looks increasingly likely that people will ditch or postpone any international travel, at least for the next couple of years. Given most countries across the world have closed their borders for non-essential travel, getting visas could get harder.

This means travellers and tourists alike will look to keep most of their travel domestic so as to help the local travel industry bounce back and eventually thrive. The tourism industry, which supports one job out of every ten jobs, will have some sort of reprieve in light of international travel looking bleak.

Passengers will be increasingly wary of booking their next international ticket. While airlines will need to assure they are taking all necessary precautions to disinfect the seats, toilets, tray tables etc. and maintaining social distancing in flights, travellers will still be cautious.

This will also give nature some much-needed time to heal. Local trips will ensure more smaller businesses which vary from hostels and homestays to handlooms and from small tour operators to food and beverages slowly and steadily get back into the groove.

In addition to that, travellers will be more comfortable in familiar surroundings where they know it’s easier to communicate or get help and thereby reduces the risk of being stuck in a foreign country.

That long-pending road trip to Tarkarli or a hike in the Hampta Pass looks more enticing now.

2. Slow travel is here to stay

The days of jet-setting through Europe covering 7 countries in 2 weeks will be a thing of the past. Countries will be more wary of who they allow into their borders and visas could get difficult. The concept of immunity passports/certificates could be a thing.

Travellers will want to make more out of their vacations and derive value out of the money they’ve spent in making their trips happen. Given that we are beginning to be aware of our carbon footprint, people will want to take more meaningful vacations rather than just hurtling through places with no semblance of truly experiencing the place.

Slow travel will involve spending more time at a particular place and exploring lesser-known gems instead of sticking to the more touristy and crowded parts. It will mean more land crossing of borders and longer vacations instead of jet-setting.

This also correlates to the first point. For example, people will want to move away from exploring only touristy Barcelona and check out its little neighbour, Girona. People may want to distance themselves from Bali and instead take a nature hike in Borneo.

3. Immunity passports or certificates could be a thing

Another change in travel that has been doing the rounds is the introduction of immunity passports or immunity certificates. These indicate that one is fit for traveling and doesn’t pose a threat to a country’s healthcare if allowed in.

This means that if you are a survivor of the Covid 19 virus, it means you have suitable immunity. Given that some countries like South Korea have reported a relapse in cases, this may or may not be the right move going ahead. Studies to prove that one is immune from the virus having recovered from it have been inconclusive.

Introduction of immunity passports/certificates could potentially pose multiple risks. For example, what if these passports/certificates could be easily forged?

It could also lead to a dangerous precedence where people will want to get affected by the virus intentionally, in order to receive the seal of approval to travel.

4. Travel bubbles will be the stepping stone to international travel

Countries that have performed remarkably well in containing the pandemic have been open to the idea of creating travel bubbles. In simpler terms, it means residents of the participating countries of these travel bubbles will be allowed to travel to and fro between these countries.

Australia and New Zealand were the first countries to propose the trans-Tasman travel bubble. These countries have nearly contained all community spread, thereby making themselves safe for travel. Recently, some counties in Europe have also been open to this idea and have agreed to allow visitors from countries to travel at manageable rates, while visitors from countries not in the travel bubble will need to spend 14 days in quarantine.

These travel bubbles will eventually weed out to more countries joining in depending on their respective situations for readiness to travel.

5. The era of business-travel could be dead

In addition to all of the personal leisure trips we took last year, we also did several work trips. I flew to Southeast Asia almost every month to meet clients and sometimes even twice a month. Deepali had to make several domestic trips to organise workshops and sessions at her company.

In fact, I managed to squeeze in a couple of work trips earlier this year as well. All those trips seem like a thing of the past now.

Over the last few months, teams across companies have had to cope with lockdowns and travel restrictions across the world. Staring into grids of people on laptop screens have replaced actual physical meetings.

It looks highly unlikely that companies themselves will want to send their employees on business trips and look for ways to not only minimise cost, but also minimise risk.

Deals and business reviews have been conducted over Zoom meetings, and companies are probably realising that the office is dead. The cloud has truly replaced the clouds.

6. Cruise Lines will have to work harder to win trust

The early months of the pandemic this year covered several stories of cruise ships with infected passengers being rejected at port after port. Being stuck in a vessel in the middle of the sea with probably a 100 others infected with a highly contagious virus is no one’s idea of a vacation.

Cruise lines, apart from airlines and hotels, have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. Not only has the industry come to a grinding halt, the Diamond Princess fiasco has struck the industry right where it hurts. Popularity and confidence have taken a major hit.

Cruise ships will need to take excess measures to ensure the health and sanitation of their guests. Regular sanitisation, lesser crowds at common areas, shorter routes etc. are part of the plans that are mooted to bring the cruise shipping industry back to life. It is still going to take a lot more than a careful PR exercise to undo the damage.

7. Flight and Hotel fares will be cheap initially

The slow but steady return to travel means airlines will go the extra mile to ensure passengers not only have safe flights, but also ensure that they are able to generate enough demand for travel.

With airlines slowly getting back on their feet, prices of flight have been slashed to encourage an initial spurt of bookings. This will, in turn, over a period of time, encourage more and more users to book flights.

Hotels too have suffered immensely in light of the pandemic and will look to slashing prices and hope customers and travellers return.

8. Airports are going to be a whole different world

There was a time when I could arrive 30 minutes before departure at the busy domestic terminal in Mumbai and still manage to make it to the flight. That may not be possible anymore.

Airports will need to add more and more screening procedures before allowing passengers to board the plane. Social distancing measures will need to be observed at ticket kiosks, check-in counters, immigration halls and baggage collection points. Masks and even gloves could be made mandatory.  We are already seeing these procedures in motion. Temperature checks, saliva inspections, swabs, the works.

Additional measures could include filling out much more detailed forms, probably carrying a health declarations, tracking bracelets. All of these tests combined can probably take an hour or more to complete. Thorough disinfection of passengers before boarding will take place.

Expect the same amount of checks or probably even more stringent ones at your port of arrival. Airlines will need to keep stringent records of passengers and their details on a global repository. There is even talk of training dogs to detect people infected with the coronavirus.

One can continue speculating. The above are simply some of the ideas being mooted around in the airline industry at large.

9. Travel will bounce back

Well, it has to. The travel industry has been witness to shocks in the past, and has bounced back stronger. 9/11 bought in a seismic shift to airport security across the world. While traveler confidence definitely dipped, people were back traveling within months. This pandemic will facilitate major shifts in health and safety for travellers and tourists alike.

For an industry that employs 1 out of 10 people worldwide, the travel and tourism industry is too significant to simple dwindle. Several livelihoods depend completely on the tourism and travel industry.

People will want to get out and be able to explore the world again. Slowly but surely, things will open up and the travel industry will be thriving again. And that’s a hope, that we want to keep alive!

Pin it!

The post What travel will look like in a post COVID-19 world appeared first on The Hungry Wandering Konks.

This heavenly dish, also called ‘Osh’ and ‘Pilaf’, is a lovely amalgamation of flavoured rice, vegetables, raisins and meat infused with oil and spices. It, undoubtedly, topped our list of must-eat dishes on our Uzbekistan itinerary.

We were fascinated with Plov as it sounded similar to ‘Pulao’, a popular Indian flavoured rice dish. This is no surprise given large parts of India was ruled by the Mughals (descendants of Taimur) for almost two centuries. Babur, the first ruler of the Mughal dynasty in India, was born in Andijan, a town in the Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan.

Part of the UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, this dish is available in most restaurants throughout Uzbekistan. We were fortunate to have tried so many different varieties of Plov and found that there are several regional variations to this national dish. In the 15 days that we spent in Uzbekistan, we had Plov at several places! And no, we did not get sick of it.

The Uzbeks love their beautifully crafted breads. Expect to be served bread and green tea with every Plov meal (and all other meals) while in Uzbekistan.

We had only heard of the Central Asian Plov Centre in Tashkent. But, we were lucky to have discovered some hidden gems in the world of Plov. If you’re looking to satiate your Plov pangs, here are our recommendations in sequential order:

7. Yulduz, Samarkand

This small, unassuming restaurant is located right next to the Ulugh Bek Observatory in Samarkand. We chanced upon this place for lunch on our first day in Samarkand, after we were done with the tour of the Observatory.

The place tends to get crowded around lunch time. Luckily, we went around 12:30 PM and managed to find a table.

The Plov comes with a portion of bread and green tea and was simply delicious for a chilly afternoon. Topped with a large piece of lamb meat and lots of veggies, it served as a perfect ‘welcome to Samarkand’ lunch for us.

Cost for a plate of Plov was 20k Uzbek soum (₹140/$2).

Location – https://goo.gl/maps/ALud1N4h5132jdtW6

6. Restaurant outside the train station, Andijan

While we absolutely cannot recall the name of this restaurant, the Plov that we had here was unforgettable. This restaurant is located outside the Andijan train station (Vokzal) which is opposite the famous Mahmud Babur statue and museum.

After 2 days of searching, this was the first Plov that we had in Uzbekistan and it did not disappoint. It was served to us piping hot along with bread and lemon green tea.

Cost for a plate of Plov including a salad and two green teas was 25k Uzbek soum (₹175/$2.5).

Location – https://goo.gl/maps/2a5EZX1YAFQZzFTa9

5. Cafe Shohrud, Bukhara

Located within walking distance of the main attractions of Bukhara and our hotel (Al-Bukhari), this little cafe has most of the national dishes on their menu. We chanced upon this place while were looking for a place for lunch on maps.me, having just arrived in Bukhara via train from Samarkand.

The Plov that we had here came with a generous amount of white and brown chickpeas, sliced carrots and pumpkin, and topped with a few slices of crispy lamb.

It was a satisfying brunch and, surprisingly, very reasonably priced considering the restaurant’s prime location.

The price for a plate of Plov including a salad and a pot of green tea was 25k Uzbek soum (₹175/$2.5).

Location – https://goo.gl/maps/4vq2eidyLFFcgjuV6

4. Tea House Bir Gumbaz, Khiva

This is one of the popular teahouses located within the old city walls of Khiva. It overlooks the blue, stumpy Kalta Minor and makes for a lovely spot to relax and sip a cup of tea at sunset.

We had decided to have dinner here on our last day in Khiva. Having reached just in time for the sunset and finding a table that allowed for an amazing view, we spent a lovely evening in Khiva.

We were happy to see Plov listed in the menu and that is what we ended up ordering. The Plov came topped with generous amounts of lamb, sliced carrots and raisins.

The price for a plate of Plov, a salad and a pot of green tea was 20k Uzbek soum (₹140/$2).

Location – https://goo.gl/maps/8u85yNFMUjUR4m9G8

3. Home-cooked Plov in Bukhara

While exploring the Abdulaziz Khan Madrassah in Bukhara, we were approached by a curious, friendly-looking souvenir stall owner asking if we were from ‘Hindustan’ (a Persian name for India, which translates to land of the Hindus). He told us that his wife and he run a small business of cooking and serving delicious Plov at their home to tourists. He asked if we’d like to come over for lunch.

Now, we had heard and read about friendly Uzbek locals inviting tourists to their homes for lunch and drinks, so we were not very taken aback. In fact, we’d been invited to homes in Andijan and Kokand by amiable locals. Since we had just had lunch that day, we said we’d take him up on that offer the next day.

At lunch time the next day, we could not find the man at his usual spot. After asking people who were in the area, one of the shopkeepers knew his whereabouts. We found our way to the man’s house after walking through the narrow lanes of Bukhara.

We had a lovely home-cooked lunch that consisted of a huge mound of Plov, tomato-cucumber salad and a pot of green tea. There was a backpacker from Russia for company. The hosts joined us towards the end of our meal and it was a pleasant afternoon of conversations and yummy Plov.

Cost of one plate of Plov including a salad and a pot of green tea was 30k Uzbek soum (₹210/$3).

2. Central Asian Plov Centre, Tashkent

The famous Central Asian Plov centre should be on everyone’s lists while visiting Tashkent. It’s best to get here latest by noon as it tends to get very crowded after that. If you’d be interested to see the art of preparing the Plov in massive cauldrons, you should be there at least by 11AM.

We went there around 12 PM and were welcomed by the sight of cooks preparing the Plov in an open area. This is also where we had to place our orders for the Plov and salad (there are separate counters for the two). There is the option of adding horsemeat and/or quail eggs to your Plov for an additional cost.

Once we collected our order, we were ushered into a massive dining hall with seating space of around 2k. The bread and tea counters can be found inside the hall. During peak lunch hours, it is not very easy to find an empty table. We found one after having to wait a while. The wait was totally worth it as we savoured the Plov.

One serving of Plov was plenty for the two of us. We were struggling to finish as the quantity was enormous. Our plate consisted of a generous quantity of rice, some minced meat, sliced carrots and pumpkin, chickpeas, raisins, a chicken egg, a quail egg and horse meat.

Cost for a plate of Plov (including a quail egg and horse meat), salad and two green lemon teas was 27k Uzbek soum (₹190/$2.6).

Location – https://goo.gl/maps/RzAEoqmZTmYWmPJZ9

1. Do’mbrobod Osh, Tashkent

This is a gem of a place that we discovered when we were absolutely famished. We were looking for a lunch place close to our hotel after we had arrived in Tashkent from Nukus. We found ‘Do’mbrobod Osh’ on Google maps and it happened to be 10 mins away by cab. People were raving about the place and the food on google reviews so we decided to go there.

The seating area at the restaurant is a huge open space and it was nearly full when we reached. After we found a table, one of us had to go over to the counters to order. It turned out that the place only served Plov, salad, breads and teas.

The Plov that we had here was the best that we had had in all of Uzbekistan. It was so flavourful that the taste of the first bite tends to linger in your mouth for a long time! Like all other Plovs, the plate is heaped with rice, tons of meat, sliced carrots & pumpkins, raisins, chickpeas and you have the option (at an additional cost) of adding a chicken egg, a quail egg and horse meat. One of the other things that one must try here is the lemon tea! It was very refreshing and helped wash down the yummy Plov.

Cost for a plate of Plov (including a quail egg and horsemeat), salad and two lemon teas was 28.5k Uzbek soum (₹190/$2.8).

Location – https://goo.gl/maps/yiLpMKSvj75qdWfv5

This was the list of our favourite Plov places in Uzbekistan. Did you love Plov as much as we did? Tell us where you got to try out some of the yummy Plovs!

OTHER UZBEKISTAN RESOURCES

Enjoyed our blog on the best plovs in Uzbekistan? Here are our other Uzbekistan-related blogs –

The Complete Uzbekistan Travel Guide 2020

7 Best Things to do in Tashkent

The 10 best Tashkent Metro Stations

10 Awesome Things to do in Samarkand

Pin it!

The post Where to eat the best Plov in Uzbekistan appeared first on The Hungry Wandering Konks.

Samarkand, the second largest city in Uzbekistan has a rich history spanning 3 millenniums. From Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan to Amir Taimur to Babur, great-warrior kings have ruled Samarkand for different spans in their lives.

Historically, Samarkand was a key city on the ancient Silk Road. Merchants, traders, noblemen, diplomats, intellectuals of yore have all passed through the city at some point. It was during Amir Taimur’s rule that Samarkand truly flourished. Taimur made the city his capital and built many mosques, mausoleums and madrassahs, a lot of which are standing today.

Over a century after Timur’s death in 1405, the Timurid empire fell apart and Samarkand’s stature started declining. The Shayabanids who were Uzbek nomads took over and moved their capital to Bukhara. This was followed by weak rule over the city and it came under several assaults, which caused much of the infrastructure and buildings to crumble.

It was only in the late 1800’s that Samarkand got the attention it deserved. The Russian empire took control of Samarkand and named it capital of Uzbek state under Soviet rule till 1930. The Soviets dedicated themselves to restoring and rebuilding many of the dilapidated monuments and bringing them back to life. Even after the Soviet rule, the Uzbekistan government has taken some serious steps to bring Samarkand back to its glory days.

Today, the city is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and attracts tourists and historians alike from all over the world. Here are some of the top things to do in Samarkand – 

THINGS TO DO IN SAMARKAND

1. Gawk at the beauty of the Gur-e-Amir

The Gur-e-Amir is the mausoleum of Amir Taimur, the founder of the Timurid empire. Interestingly, the Gur-e-Amir was not intended to be his burial place. He wanted to be buried in his birthplace of Shahrisabz, some 85kms south of Samarkand.

The Gur-e-Amir was originally built in 1403 for Taimur’s grandson, Muhammad Sultan, who died aged just 27 from battle wounds and exhaustion. Grief-stricken, Taimur ordered the construction of the Gur-e-Amir.

Taimur passed away in 1405 and did not see the mausoleum completed. It was, eventually, completed by his other grandson Ulugh Bek (we’ll come to him later), who buried Taimur alongside Muhammad Sultan.

Fast forward to a few centuries later, as the power of the empire waned, the mausoleum went into a state of neglect. In 1941, it caught the attention of Russian archeologists who began to excavate the site. The events that followed this excavation are linked to a popular legend native to the region.

Taimur’s tombstone is said to have proclaimed “When I rise from the dead, the world shall tremble. Whosoever disturbs my tomb will unleash an invader more terrible than I am”. Two days after his tomb was opened by the Russian archeologists, Hitler invaded Russia, a war that saw over 25 million Soviet deaths. To some extent, the prophecy was true as Hitler turned out to be a more ruthless invader than Taimur.

After years of repeated restorations by the Soviets and by the Uzbek government, the Gur-e-Amir captures its past glory to a large extent. It also served as inspiration to two prominent monuments in India – Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra. These were built by Mughal emperors, who were descendants of Taimur.

The lovely Gur-e-Amir was located right outside our B&B, and we were able to get in quite early, even though there was a reasonably sized crowd. The best part of staying near the Gur-e-Amir is that you can see it all lit up at night.

Some blogs say that there is an entry fee of about $3-$4. However, we entered through a small inconspicuous back gate near our B&B and we did not realise that there was an entry fee till we exited from the main gate.

2. Explore an ancient astronomical wonder

A short cab ride away from the Gur-e-Amir lies the Ulugh Bek Observatory, the history of which dates back to the early 1400’s.

Ulugh Bek was one of the grandsons of Amir Taimur. Even though he was born into a warrior family, he didn’t inherit the military nous of his grandfather. He had, instead, a keen yearning of astronomy and the stars. In order to further his interest in the celestial sciences, he built an observatory.

In the following years, after having lost a large part of the empire to nearby kingdoms, he was eventually overthrown and killed by his own son. After over 3 decades of scientific activity, the observatory was torn down, only to be discovered over 5 centuries later in 1908 by a Russian archeologist, Vladimir Viyatkin.

At its height, the observatory was known for its discoveries of over 1000 stars (way before the advent of telescopes), determining the exact tilt of the earth as well as determining the length of the year and time of the day. In addition to that, he invited Islamic mathematicians and astronomers to study and collaborate at the Ulugh Bek Madrassah in nearby Registan.

During the tour of the observatory, you can peer through the Fakhrī sextant (over 40 meters in diameter) which made it the largest astronomical instrument in the world of that type.

The views from the observatory were pretty good even though we visited during an overcast afternoon.

The Ulugh Bek Observatory is a 10-minute ride away from the Gur-e-Amir and a 7 minute ride from Registan. You can simply hail a yellow taxi off the road or book a Yandex cab.

Entry to the Ulugh Bek Observatory costs 25k Uzbek soum (₹175/$2.5) per head.

3. Visit the tomb of a revered prophet

The tomb of St. Daniel is truly one of the most unique places in the world where Christians, Jews and Muslims come to pray. The story of Daniel goes as far back as the 6th century BC, in which he was a noble Jew from Jerusalem. He is the hero in an apocalyptic biblical prophecy called the Book of Daniel.

Interestingly, there are multiple places that claim to house the remains of the revered prophet. These include places in Iran and Iraq. A local legend says that Amir Taimur’s multiple attempts to capture Syria failed. One of his generals suggested that it was because the prophet Daniel was buried in Syria. As a result, Taimur sent a much stronger army to conquer Syria and after a fierce battle, he was able to bring back the remains of Daniel.

More local folklore states that the body grows every year, and hence a sarcophagus measuring 18m was built. Some other stories state that Taimur purposefully ordered a larger coffin to put off grave robbers.

The tomb is a 5-domed building flanked between the Siab river and a hillock and is a pleasant 10-minute downhill walk from the Ulugh Bek observatory. You can also reach this place by hailing a taxi or a Yandex cab – parking is in plenty.

If you have some time to spare, you can walk up a flight of stairs behind the tomb which leads to a large open field.

Entry to the tomb of St. Daniel is 15k Soum (₹105/$1.5) per head.

4. Gape at the opulent Bibi-Khanym Mosque

One of our favourite monuments in Samarkand was the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. At one time in history, it was the largest mosques in the Islamic world. However, after years of neglect, it was only in the 20th century that the Soviets began careful restoration of the mosque.

Amir Taimur ordered the construction of the mosque in 1399 to honour his favourite wife, Bibi Khanym. Soon after, he left for his conquest of India and the construction was completed just in time before he returned in 1404.

Taimur, however, had other ideas. He ordered the reconstruction of several aspects of the mosque which proved to be disastrous for the building. Over the course of many years, the building fell into a state of disrepair. It was only in the late 1960’s that the Soviets took the complex task of restoring the mosque to its former glory.

Today, you will be welcomed into the Bibi-Khanym mosque by a large facade at the entrance which is deemed to represent the Milky Way. On the inside, domed structures are flanked by gardens before you walk up to a second facade at the opposite end of the mosque compound.

Entry to the Bibi-Khanym mosque is 25k Uzbek Soum (₹175/$2.5) per head.

5. Tour the dilapidated mausoleum of Taimur’s favourite wife

Right opposite the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, is the mausoleum of Bibi-Khanym. This is slightly underwhelming and plain compared to what lies opposite the road, it is devoid of any tourists and has limited opening hours. Nevertheless, it definitely makes for an interesting visit.

Entry to the dilapidated mausoleum is 20k Uzbek Soum (₹140/$2) per head.

6. Have traditional chai at a choykhona

All meals in Uzbekistan are accompanied by a pot of green or lemon and in some cases black tea. These are great to either start and/or wash down your meal.

One of the must-do things in Uzbekistan is to have chai at a choykhona (tea house), which will usually have shaded area under trees or small cabins. One such choykhona is the Bibinkhaum teahouse which is situated outside the Bibi-Khanym mosque. Savour some tea while you do some people-watching and munch over some hot samsas.

The price for a pot of chai and 2 samsas was 31k Uzbek soum (₹210/$3).

7. Shop at Siyab Bazaar

Siyab Bazaar is a haven for shoppers looking to take a bit of Uzbekistan back home. Since we usually prefer buying something extremely local such as a handicrafts, this bazaar was a true delight. We ended up buying a few fridge magnets and some suzani table runners for close family back home.

The Siyab Bazaar is located right next to the Bibi Khanym mosque and is the largest market in Samarkand. It’s a great way to see and experience locals going about their daily lives.

The main centre of the Siyab bazaar is dotted with sellers selling dry fruits, spices, condiments, fruits, vegetables and the famous Samarkand bread. Towards the edges of the bazaar, you will see several souvenir shops where we helped ourselves to a quick photo-op!

8. Catch the sunrise and sunset at the Registan Square

The Registan Square is the most defining monument in Samarkand and probably in all of Uzbekistan. This stunning architectural ensemble has madrassahs on three sides with a large central open space.

The Registan has a long and rich history, and has been central to life in Samarkand for centuries. Roughly translated, it means ‘place of sand’. Interestingly, in Hindi, Registan means desert. The large central space of the Registan was originally full of sand.

The Registan square served as a place for public congregations, religious celebrations and even public executions. It flourished during the times of the Silk Road when traders would gather around the buildings to sell their wares.

There are three madrassahs that make up the Registan ensemble – 

• The Ulugh Bek Madrassah which is on the left from the viewing deck and was ordered for construction by Ulugh Bek himself. It is the oldest of the three and served as a school for subjects such as astronomy, mathematics amongst others, back in the day.
• The Sher-Dor Madrassah which is on the right from the viewing deck and is located right opposite the Ulugh Bek Madrassah. Built nearly two centuries after its predecessor, the Sher-dor madrassah was intended to be built taller than the Ulugh Bek madrassah. It is named after the tigers (sher=tiger in the local dialect) that adorn its portal.
• The Tilya-Kori Madrassah which is in the centre from the viewing deck and is the most magnificent of the three structures. The youngest of the three, its dome is truly magnificent. The dome looks like it contains perforations and is carved out but is actually a flat surface and is purely the magic of light that gives it its stunning look.

The best times to visit the Registan square are at sunrise (between 6-7AM) and sunset (around 5-6PM), where you can attempt to get brilliant photos of the sun shining on these ancient domes. Unfortunately for us, both our days in Samarkand had heavy downpours. Nevertheless, we still managed to get some nice shots at sunrise and sunset below!

Entry to the Registan is 42.5k Uzbek soum (₹300/$4.2) per head. Apparently, a night pass is available too for viewing post 7PM. On the days that we were there, the monuments weren’t open to the public at night.

9. Get a little tipsy at the Khovrenko Wine Museum

When one talks about the best wines in the world, countries usually associated would be France, Italy, Australia or South Africa. Uzbekistan is typically not associated with wine. Prepare to be surprised!

In the mid-1800’s, when the Russian empire advanced to invade parts of Uzbekistan, Samarkand flourished with traders, merchants and entrepreneurs. Samarkand’s grapes had higher sugar content (25%) than the world’s average (16%). A Russian winemaker, Filatov, saw potential in starting a wine business.

With the 1917 Russian revolution on the horizon, Filatov had to shut down the winery and leave. But, he ensured to preserve his well-crafted wine from being plundered or confiscated. These preserved wines were only discovered nearly a century later, in a cellar.

Pro-tip : These wine samples are available during the tour. For an extra fee, of course.

In the mid-1930’s, another Russian winemaker, Mikhail Khovrenko re-ignited the wine-making industry in Samarkand. He developed new wines and in general, brought in technology and improved production. To honour his contribution to the wine industry, a wine museum was sanctioned.

Cut back to our visit. We were actually a bit disappointed with the downpour on the day we had decided to visit Registan. The Khovrenko Wine Museum was on our to-do list but we hadn’t really prioritised it as we only had 2 days in Samarkand. Since there was little that we could do while waiting for the rains to stop, we decided to hail a taxi and head to the Khovrenko Wine Museum.

We hadn’t booked a session (which some blogs suggest you should) and decided to wing it anyway. To our luck, it only turned out to be us and an Indonesian photographer for the tour. The session takes place in a lovely room, with an opulent table, flanked by paintings of ancient wine-making.

The sampling is walked through by a focused host who knows his Uzbek wines well. The line-up starts slow with a white wine, graduates you through 6 red wines and has a grand-stand finish of 3 cognacs. We were well and truly buzzing towards the end of it. We even indulged in a debate on Indonesian politics (Widodo et al) with our photographer companion from Jakarta.

The wine tour costs just 50k Uzbek soum (₹350/$5) per head. Some websites quote a price of 100k Uzbek soum (₹700/$10). There are some websites that sell it for as high as $35. Avoid these! Our assumption is the price varies depending on the season.

10. Spend an evening at the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

The Shah-i-Zinda, for us, was the most stunning monument(s) in Samarkand. You could partially attribute it to the fact that majority of our time in Samarkand was spent getting drenched. The warm sunlight at the necropolis was a welcome surprise.

The architectural monuments in the Shah-i-Zinda are truly beautiful. They are primarily rows of blue tombs, all of which are square buildings with a dome and have an entrance in the form of a portico.

Loosely translated, Shah-i-Zinda means ‘The Living King’. It is named after a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, Kusam Ibn Abbas. The legend has it that when he was beheaded, he didn’t die but took his head with him into the Garden of Paradise.

There is yet another legend about the steps leading up to the necropolis. According to this one, if the number of steps going up match with the number of steps going down, you will be free of your sins. We did notice some locals carefully murmuring but didn’t know what they were up to.

Some of the porticos, domes and the artwork, while heavily restored, are lovely. Don’t forget to look up!

There are a few blogs that suggest taking an alternate route through a graveyard to get a nicer view but we couldn’t really find the path. Evenings are the best time as most of the tour groups are gone and you will mostly find locals and a few travellers around.

The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis is a short walk 10 minute away from the Bibi Khanym Mosque, and is reachable via a taxi or Yandex cab as well. Entry to the Shah-i-Zinda costs 15k Uzbek soum (₹105/$1.5) per head.

Some other things that you could do in Samarkand are – 

1. Visit the Hazrat-Hyzr mosque which is named after an important prophet in Islam. Photography inside is banned so we simply saw this from the outside. It is located very close to the Bibi-Khanym mosque, on the opposite side of a foot-over bridge.
2. Visit the Rukhabad Mausoleum which is an interesting monument a couple of minutes by walk away from the Gur-e-Amir. It was built by Taimur to honour an Islamic theologist Sheikh Burhaneddin Sagaradzhi, who was married to a Chinese princess.
3. If you have an additional day, you can visit the town of Shahrisabz which is 85kms south of Samarkand. It is the birthplace of Taimur and it consists of some interesting monuments. You will need to hail a normal taxi or a shared taxi or a minibus. Usually, hotels will help you with arranging transport.

GETTING IN AND GETTING OUT

Flights

Samarkand has an airport. However, the connectivity is not the greatest. You can fly in from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan in Russia; Istanbul and Tashkent.

Trains

It is highly likely you will arrive in Samarkand via train. This is the most comfortable mode of travel and a great chance to interact with curious and friendly locals. Samarkand is well connected to Tashkent, Bukhara and the Fergana Valley. You can refer to the entire train timetable on Advantour. It is ideal to book a few days in advance if you are sure about your plans. We will shortly publish a detailed article on train travel in Uzbekistan.

We took the 2-30PM train from Andijan on a Sunday afternoon and it arrived in Samarkand at about 1-30AM in the wee hours of Monday. For our outward journey, we chose the comfortable Afrosiyob to Bukhara, a journey of about 280kms covered in just 90 minutes.

Taxis

This isn’t an option we really explored. That said, there are several shared taxis that run through the day to Tashkent, Bukhara and Shahrisabz.

WHERE TO STAY IN SAMARKAND

Budget – B&B Emir

We chose the B&B Emir as it is a great budget option in Samarkand. It is conveniently located, close to Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum. We had a really late night check-in which was quite smooth and a taxi was arranged to pick us up from the train station. We stayed in a room of 4 (2 bunk beds). The beds were quite comfortable, with a small lamp and charging port.

The common room is great to socialise with fellow travellers or to just sit and work. The breakfast was strictly okay as the breads were exhaustingly chewy for cold Samarkand mornings.

Mid-Range – Jahongir Guest House

WHERE TO EAT IN SAMARKAND

Yulduz

Yulduz is a cosy cafe/restaurant located outside the Ulugh Bek observatory. The service was great and the food was served piping hot to satiate our appetite on a chilly Samarkand afternoon. We ordered plov, some meat soup and tea. It was quite reasonable at 38k Uzbek soum (₹260/$3.75).

Bibinkhaum Choykhana

Located right next to the Bibi-Khanym mosque, the Bibinkhaum Choykhana is an excellent way to spend some time in the evening. The service is okay and the prices are decent. The price for a pot of chai and 2 samsas was 31k Uzbek soum (₹210/$3).

Registan Restaurant

The Registan restaurant is located right opposite the Registan complex and serves traditional Uzbek fare. Service is quick and friendly. For starters, we had the Kucha Oshi which is a wheat soup, followed by meat mantis which are Uzbek momos. We particularly enjoyed the main dish, Karakhan, which is a rice preparation garnished with fried meat and dried apricots. The final price, also inclusive of some traditional sweets, was 91k Uzbek soum (₹630/$9).

Samarkand Restaurant

The Samarkand restaurant is a swanky place for lunch or dinner and is located right next to the Khovrenko Wine Museum. Honestly, we were too buzzed after all that wine to even remember what we ordered. It definitely made for a good afternoon siesta. For about 3 (or was it 4?) items, the final bill came up to 68.5k Uzbek soum (₹465/$6.75).

Platan

Platan is a highly recommended restaurant on a few blogs and travel websites, known for its western and fusion Uzbek cuisine. Honestly, we were quite disappointed with Platan. The service was shoddy, we had to repeat our order thrice and it took nearly an hour’s waiting time to be served. The food was quite okay and expensive at 65k Uzbek soum (₹440/$6.4). Best to avoid in our opinion.

Muborak-Opa

This is a great option to have traditional Uzbek cuisine. Make sure to call and reserve a few days in advance as there are limited slots and the hostess takes great care in preparing the dishes. This also happens to be a great option for vegetarian food. As we were short on time, we couldn’t visit.

TRAVELING IN SAMARKAND

The Yandex app works in Samarkand and is a convenient way to book taxis. We couldn’t make use of it as our SIM card just wouldn’t work.

Pro tip – Do not buy the sim card in the airport. Instead, buy it from the city.

Alternatively, there are local yellow taxis that run by the meter. You could hail them from the streets.

Taxi drivers will wait outside every popular monument and ask if you need a ride. If you are short on time, you can go for these. Before you board the taxi, ensure that you have agreed on a price and the driver knows where to take you.

OTHER UZBEKISTAN RESOURCES

Enjoyed our blog on Samarkand? Here are our other Uzbekistan-related blogs – 

The Complete Uzbekistan Travel Guide 2020

7 Best Things to do in Tashkent

The 10 best Tashkent Metro Stations

Pin it!

The post 10 Awesome Things to do in Samarkand appeared first on The Hungry Wandering Konks.

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan is the largest city in Central Asia with a population of 2.5 million. While a lot of travellers prefer to skip the bustling capital and instead spend more time in the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, we strongly recommend spending at least a couple of days in Tashkent.

The city of Tashkent is quite modern, while also housing a history that spans over 2000 years. The city was (in)famously destroyed by Genghis Khan’s Mongol army in 1219. Thereafter, a golden period of reconstruction under the Timurid empire began. The city flourished as one of they key points on the ancient Silk Route.

The entire city of Tashkent was rebuilt in true Soviet style after a devastating earthquake in 1966. Lots of gardens, wide roads and pathways, spaced out buildings, large fountains and a modern metro system.

Today, Tashkent is a modern metropolis, however, with a very Uzbek feel to it. You will still find most people wearing traditional Uzbek dresses, which makes it a very unique capital city to visit.

Here’s a list of some of the top things to do while you are in Tashkent – 

THINGS TO DO IN TASHKENT

1. Haggle at Chorsu Bazaar

This is one of the main bazaars in Tashkent, and is easily reachable via the metro line. It is a large lively bazaar with a huge blue dome and you’ll find everything from meats, dry fruits, handicrafts, jewellery, vegetables, carpets etc. The morning and evening hours tend to be the busiest, while it slowly wanes through the afternoon.

If you intend to buy something, the trick is to find a seller of your choice and negotiate if you are buying several items at once from the same seller. Even if you don’t intend on purchasing anything, it is still a great place to see locals going about their business.

It is located close to the Chorsu metro station, which is on the blue Uzbekistan line. You will then have to brave a short walk through cramped shops selling you all sorts of things as well as black money hoarders.

2. Amble up to Kulkedash Madrasah & Juma Mosque

This is the largest madrasah in Tashkent and located a short walk from the Chorsu Bazaar. While not as impressive as the madrasas we encountered in Samarkand and Bukhara, this is worth a quick visit.

Unfortunately, it was closed on the day we visited and we only managed a few pictures from the outside. Next to the Kulkedash Madrassah, is the blue-domed Juma Mosque.

3. Watch the sunset at Amir Taimur Square

Amir Taimur aka Tamerlane, and also known as Taimur the Terrible in some circles is an Uzbek hero, revered across the country. The former sultan of the Timurid empire is also one of the most famous Central Asian conquerers.

If you are in Tashkent you will end up coming to the Amir Taimur Square. The ideal time to visit is late evenings. Don’t be surprised to see students or locals coming up to talk to you. We even got interviewed by some kids who were doing some research on tourism in Uzbekistan. Yes, video camera et al.

You can reach the Amir Taimur square by alighting at the Amir Taimur metro station, which is on the red Chilonzor line.

4. Feel tiny in front of Hotel Uzbekistan

The Hotel Uzbekistan is a stunning building in the middle of Tashkent. Built in Soviet brutalist fashion, it’s a great photo-op. You can also have a beer, while overlooking the Amir Taimur square.

5. Pay homage at the Shastri Monument

Did you know in Tashkent lies the unsolved mystery of a high-profile death, the cause of which is still unknown to this day?

Back in 1966, Tashkent was still part of the Soviet Union. It played host to India and Pakistan who had just agreed to a ceasefire after a war in 1965. The peace treaty was signed by the Indian prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri and the president of Pakistan, Ayub Khan on 10th January, 1966.

In the wee hours of 11th January 1966, Shastri was found dead having just had some milk before retiring for the night. The Soviets arrested the chef who had served Shastri, on the alleged count of poisoning but was let go later. Mysteriously, when Shastri’s belongings were returned to India, his flask of milk was missing.

Strangely, no post-mortem of Shastri’s body was conducted. The Indian government has since refused to declassify the documents related to Shastri’s death. Our trip to Uzbekistan coincided with the release of the Bollywood movie, The Tashkent Files, which is a thrilling movie that talks about the conspiracy behind the death of Lal Bahadur Shastri, India’s 2nd prime minister.

In his honour, the Soviet government unveiled a pink granite bust of Shastri in 1976, 10 years after his death. There is also an Indian cultural centre named after him. You can reach the Shastri Monument by walk from the Yunus Rajabiy/Amir Taimur metro interchange on the red/green line or the Hamid Alimjon metro on the red line.

6. Gorge at the Central Asian Plov Center

No trip to Tashkent is complete without savouring the plov at Central Asian Plov Center. At peak times (lunch hours), the Plov Center can easily seat around 400-500 people.

The plov is prepared in 4-5 massive cauldrons, near the entrance to the Plov Center. You can choose from chicken and lamb plovs and order it on your way inside. You can also choose to experiment with some horse meat. Do not forget the lemon tea which is available at a separate counter inside the Plov Center. 

The plov center can be reached by taxi or by metro. Alternatively, the Shahriston metro station, which is the end station on the green line, is a 10 minutes walk away.

Pro Tip – There are several local hidden gems where you can find great plov in Tashkent. One such place is Do’mbrobod Osh, which we simply discovered off Google Maps. 

7. Marvel at the stations on the Metro Station Tour

The Tashkent metro station tour wasn’t really on the top of our list, but it turned out to be our favourite activity in Tashkent.

A ticket on the metro costs just 1200 Uzbek Soum (₹10/$0.13) for unlimited commute through the beautiful metro stations of Tashkent (as long as you don’t exit any of the stations). We spent nearly a day traversing through the city, exploring a total of 21 (out of 29) stations.

Interestingly, the Tashkent Metro was built by the Soviets in 1977, and also doubles up as a nuclear bomb shelter (still visible today as large steel doors between metro exits). Photography was banned till as late as mid-2018, when the Uzbekistan government realised its tourist potential.

Also check out our photo-guide of our favourite Tashkent metro stations.

Some other things that definitely deserve a mention, if you have an extra couple of days to spend in Tashkent – 

1. The Romanov Palace, near the Mustaqilik Maydoni metro station is an interesting monument. It was the residence of the grandson of the Tsar of Russia who was banished to Tashkent because he fell in love with an American woman.
2. Independence Square is located near Mustaqilik Maydoni metro station, and is a large open garden with fountains and installations dedicated to the independence of Uzbekistan. It was earlier named the Lenin Square, till the demolition of Lenin’s statue in 1991.
3. The State History Museum, near the Mustaqilik Maydoni metro station is a 4-floored museum containing tonnes of artefacts and exhibits from Uzbekistan’s long line of history.
4. The German Kirche is the only Lutheran/Protestant church in Tashkent. It is situated close to the Shastri monument.
5. The Hast-Imam complex is the main religious center in Tashkent, and is situated close to the G’afur G’ulom metro station. It is a large complex that contains mosques, madrassah’s as well as a library that houses the Uthman Quran, the oldest copy of the Quran in the world.

Additionally, you can plan day trips to the Chimgan Mountains and the Charvak lake, both of which are located in the Ugam Chatkal National Park. They are a couple hours drive outside Tashkent. The Chimgan mountains are known for its short hikes. 

GETTING IN & GETTING OUT

Flights

If you are flying into Uzbekistan, it is most likely you will be landing at the Islam Karimov International Airport in Tashkent. Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, Air Astana fly into Tashkent and you may want to check the cheapest flights from your home airport.

The national carrier, Uzbekistan Airways connects Central Asia’s largest cities to most major airports in the world – Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Jeddah, London, Paris, New York, Seoul etc. You can book your flight tickets directly on the Uzbekistan Airways website.

Our flights from Mumbai to Tashkent and back cost us ₹29,000/$395 per head. Our one-way domestic flight from Nukus to Tashkent cost us ₹3940/$105.

Trains

Given its strategic position, Tashkent is extremely well connected to the rest of Uzbekistan. There are regular trains through the day to Fergana Valley, Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench and Nukus. A one-way journey to Nukus can take over a day.

Trains are not only a great way to gaze into the Uzbek countryside, but also to speak to the friendly locals who will make you feel at home. We thoroughly enjoyed our train journeys in Uzbekistan.

Check out the full train timetable on Advantour, but make your bookings on the Uzbekistan railways website. The site is mostly in Russian, even if you choose to use the English version of the website.

We caught one train from Tashkent, to Margilan in the Fergana Vallley. It cost us ₹660/$8.5.

WHERE TO STAY IN TASHKENT

Budget – Topchan Hostel

Upon arrival in Tashkent, we stayed for a night at the Topchan Hostel, which is owned by a Russian guy called Rafael. Due to the temporary closure of the Pakistan airspace, our flight was delayed by a couple of hours. We asked to arrange for a pick-up from the airport which cost us an additional $10. We were lucky to get an entire room to ourselves, which was quite comfortable. The common areas like the kitchen and the loos were quite clean too.

An alternative to Topchan Hostel in the same price range, is the Art Hostel.

Mid-Range – Hotel Hon Saroy

After mostly staying in hostels and cheap hotels, we didn’t mind splurging a little bit for our last night in Uzbekistan. We chose the Hotel Hon Saroy, which is situated close to the international airport. The rooms were extremely comfortable and spacious, and the bath & toilets were luxurious in the least. The staff in the hotel was great. They agreed to exchange our remaining Uzbek soum for USD, at a competitive rate.

Luxury – Ichan Qal’a Premium Class Hotel

TRAVELING IN TASHKENT

Metro

The metros are the best and the fastest way to travel around the capital city of Tashkent. Super-cheap, reliable and convenient, it is also a great way to explore the beautiful underground marvel that is the Tashkent metro. Keep the metro map handy for reference.

Taxis

We highly recommend downloading the Yandex app, which is a taxi-booking app. The prices are standard, so you can be sure you are not overpaying for your rides. You could still hail a taxi from the road, since most drivers are happy to take you to your location as long as it falls on their way. Ensure to agree to a fee beforehand and haggle hard.

Mashrutkas

We really didn’t catch a mashrutka (minivan) in Tashkent. However, there are plenty around if you are looking for something really really cheap. However, these take time to fill, and if you are short on time, we wouldn’t really recommend it.

Have you been to Tashkent? What did you enjoy about the city and what activities would you recommend? Let us know in the comments.

OTHER UZBEKISTAN RESOURCES

Enjoyed this blog? Here are our other Uzbekistan-related blogs – 

The Complete Uzbekistan Travel Guide 2020

The 10 best Tashkent Metro Stations

10 Awesome Things to do in Samarkand

Pin it!

The post 7 Best Things to do in Tashkent appeared first on The Hungry Wandering Konks.

We started our exploration of the Tashkent Metro at the Olmazor station. It happened to be the closest to our hotel – Hotel Hon Saroy & our lunch place for the day – Do’mbrobod Osh – where we gorged on some yummy plov. 

As soon as we landed in Tashkent from Nukus, we dropped our bags off at the hotel, had a hurried lunch and set off to explore the magical underground world that is the Tashkent Metro. All details below – 

GENERAL INFO (TICKETS & FARE)

We bought the tokens to ride the metro at the ticket counter. Look for counters with the word ‘Kassa’ on them. The metro is functional between 5 AM and 11:30 PM on all days of the week.

The fares are standard regardless of your destination station. You can travel north-south-east-west, zig-zag across the red-blue-green lines (as long as you do not exit any of the stations), for a mere 1200 Uzbek soum per person ($0.15/₹11). Unbelievably economical! 

HISTORY OF THE TASHKENT METRO

The Tashkent Metro has an interesting history. The construction had begun in 1972, six years after the city was hit by a massive earthquake in 1966. One of the first metro lines was opened to the public in 1977. The Soviets built the metro line not only keeping in mind the commuting needs of the public of Tashkent, but also used it as a bomb shelter. While switching lines or towards exit ways of stations, you will notice large steel doors, which actually lead to bomb shelters where soldiers and civilians could hide.

Today, there are three fully functional metro lines stretching across a distance of 36.2 km (22.5 miles) with a fourth line underway. They are the Chilonzor red line, Uzbekistan blue line and Yunusabad green line. Below is the route map – 

Up until May 2018, photography was prohibited inside the stations for military reasons. The ban on photography was lifted and we’re so glad that it was – the stations make for excellent phot-ops. 

10 MUST-VISIT TASHKENT METRO STATIONS

Each of the metro stations in Tashkent has a unique theme and architectural design. The interiors are made using materials such as metal (for murals and engravings), granite, ceramics etc.

Our plan was to hop off at each metro station and admire its uniqueness. We managed to cover 21 stations, out of a total of 29 over the course of 2 days and would have covered them all had I not been unwell.

While we loved all 21, here are 10 of our favourite Tashkent metro stations in sequential order – 

10. Chilonzor

Located on the Red line and one of the first to be built, this station named after one of the districts in Tashkent cannot be missed.

There are majestic, circular chandeliers hanging from the ceiling of the main hall. It gives you the feeling of being in a royal ball room (I could hear the string quartet play in my head as I walked around the station!).

Not to miss the beautiful wall art which we assume depicts the locals and their daily lives.

9. G’afur G’ulom

This station located on the Blue line is named after one of the most influential Uzbek poets. The two things that stand out in this station are the turquoise blue granite columns and the colourful ceramic wall art.

The wall art constitutes a series of abstract images which we assume is related to the works of Gafur Gulom.

8. Bodomzor

This station located on the Green line, has a very futuristic feel to it.

The most noticeable structure is the tall, mushroom-like lights in the centre of the main hall.  The ceiling is white with blue star-shaped patterns which house circular ceramic tiles inside them. The seats resemble several dice arranged in a circular pattern around the mushroom lights. 

7. Pakthakor

Located on the Red line, this means ‘cotton-picker’ in Uzbek. It is very hard to miss the blue, white and gold art splashed all over the walls of the main hall of the station.

The artwork on the walls depicts freshly puffed cotton flowers. Uzbekistan has one of the largest cotton industries in the world and cotton accounts for 17% of the country’s exports. Cotton is nicknamed ‘white gold’ in Uzbekistan

From Paktakhor, you can switch to the Blue line via an underpass to the Alisher Navoi station.

6. Alisher Navoi

Named after an influential 15th century Uzbek poet, this is one of the busiest stations on the Blue line.

Alisher Navoi is highly revered by the Uzbeks. Every city/town in Uzbekistan has a public park set up in his name.

The ceiling of the station domes are made to look like the mosques and madrassahs of Uzbekistan with their characteristic blue hue and intricate gold designs.

The wall art in the main hall of the station has blue ceramic tiles depicting themes from some of the poet’s works. The one below seems from a popular romantic poem titled ‘Layla and Majnun’.

If you’re intending to do the ‘hop-on, hop-off’ exploration of the Tashkent Metro like we did, you will definitely not miss this station.

5. Yunus Rajabiy

This station is located on the ‘Green line’ and links to its red line counterpart, Amir Temur station. This station has been named after and dedicated to one of the most famous Uzebk musicians and composers. Yunus Rajabiy had considered his life’s main goal to study and propagate the Shashmaqam music form to the rest of Uzbekistan (it was restricted only to Samarkand and Bukhara in the early 1900s). This music form later traveled to the West through the Bukharian Jews of Central Asia.

The station has white marble pillars that support massive crown-shaped lights. There is an impressive staircase in the centre of the main hall which gives you the feeling of being in a royal palace. 

4. Novza 

Located on the ‘Red line’, the characteristic feature of this station are its ceiling lights which are hexagonal and arranged in honeycomb patterns along the entire length of the main hall ceiling.

The station was previously named ‘Hamza’ after Hamza Niyazi who was a famous Uzbek poet and playwright. The name was switched to ‘Novza’ in 2015 and was met with opposition from the public.

First, because the change happened overnight and without any prior notice. Commuters were confused and missed their stop due to the ‘wrong’ name being announced. Second, they also felt that the revolutionary poet was being stripped off the respect that was due to him.

3. Mustaqillik Maydoni 

The name of this station translates to ‘Independence Square’ and it is located on the Red line between the Pakhtakor and Amir Temur stations.

The station is directly below the Independence Square of Tashkent which was previously named ‘Lenin square’ while under the Soviet rule until 1991. The statue of Lenin that stood on the square was dismantled in 1992 and was replaced by a golden globe that symbolized the ‘Monument of Independence of Uzbekistan’.

The first thought that comes to your mind when you see the station is – ‘Oh, so white!’. The walls of the station have really shiny surfaces that glisten. The pillars that support the station are made with really whiiite marble. In between the pillars are really white, huge chandeliers that hang from the ceiling (also painted white!) This is what heaven must look like.

2. Kosmonavtlar 

This is the one of the most unique metro stations in Tashkent. After all, it is rare that you come across a metro station that is designed to replicate the Milky Way galaxy! 

The penultimate station on the ‘Blue line‘, it has a characteristic black and blue theme that depicts the earth’s atmosphere. The ceiling has white lights with glass dangling from them, supposedly to give you the feeling of gazing up at the Milky Way on a clear night.

The station honours the Soviet cosmonauts and their contribution to space exploration during the Soviet era.

The wall has round ceramic murals of Valentina Tereshkova (the first woman in space), Yuri Gagarin (the world’s first cosmonaut) among others. 

There is also a mural with Mirzo Ulughbek, former sultan of the Timurid empire and a renowned Uzbek astronomer and mathematician during the 15th century.

1. Pushkin 

We were not planning on alighting at this station as we were very tired. However, when we passed it by, the Harry Potter fans in both of us were vigorously shaken awake and we just simply had to explore the station!

Named after Alexander Pushkin, a famous Russian poet and playwright, this station is the penultimate one on the Red line.

The fluorescent yellow lighting gives you the feeling of being inside the Great Hall and corridors of Hogwarts. Enough said for this to be listed as our most favourite Tashkent metro station.

This was our list of 10-must visit Tashkent metro stations. Given the chance to do this again, we would, in a heartbeat.

Reading about the stories behind these stations and the way they are designed makes you realise how vast and diverse cultures around the world are and how much more there is left to see and explore! If you enjoy this kind of exploring, we recommend setting aside one whole day in Tashkent for this.

Let us know which ones were your favourites. We agree that it is difficult to pick favourites but let us know anyway! 

OTHER UZBEKISTAN RESOURCES

Enjoyed this blog? Here are our other Uzbekistan-related blogs – 

The Complete Uzbekistan Travel Guide 2020

7 Best Things to do in Tashkent

10 Awesome Things to do in Samarkand

Pint it!

The post The 10 best Tashkent Metro Stations appeared first on The Hungry Wandering Konks.

Once a mystical hermit kingdom, Uzbekistan is slowly opening up to the world to showcase its beauty. Its vast landscape, diverse cultures and ancient mosques provide insight into a land that’s been around for thousands of years as a playground for traders, intellectuals, explorers and tyrants alike.

Our 15 day country-wide expedition of nearly 1500kms from Margilan in the East to Moynaq in the West took us to so many lovely people, beautiful monuments, great food and even eerie ships. It was a culturally immersive experience of a land of which we did not know the language, nor customs yet felt completely at ease.

In this blog, we try to provide quite an accurate description of our experiences of backpacking in Uzbekistan, which should help you in planning your own trip. These include suggested itineraries, top things to do, traveling between and around the cities, approximate costs, food to try as well as other details such as visas, insurance, and expenses.

Here’s a detailed Uzbekistan travel guide for any of you that’s looking to visit this once-mysterious land.

UZBEKISTAN – A PRIMER

What and Where?

Uzbekistan has been around for centuries, bang in the middle of the Silk Route, one of humanity’s oldest frontiers of communication and trade. Yes, the one way way before the computers, internet, Google, Facebook et al.

The history of the land goes as back as the 8th century BC and has been ruled over by Persians, Greeks, Arabs and Mongols amongst several others. Centuries ago, the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva were key trading centres and halt-spots for travellers from the East and West dealing in a variety of goods such as spices, livestock, slaves, pottery, jewels, fruits, fabrics, ceramics and silk, obviously.

History books say the trade started in as early as the 4th century BC, when the Chinese imported mighty horses from Fergana to Xi’an to boost their armies. From horses, the trade ventured out into other goods and the Silk Road expanded over the next few centuries.

In the West, it went through ancient Khorezm right upto the Caspian Sea, eventually out into Persia, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea which enabled trade with ancient Greece and Rome. In the East, trade flourished across Termez into norther Afghanistan and north India. Silk Road cities flourished immensely.

The most recent of foreign rule was of the Soviet Union, who had a stronghold in the region right unto the breakup of the USSR in 1991, which is when Uzbekistan was born, making it one of the youngest countries in the world. Today, it is one of 5 Central Asian nations, the others being Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. 

The Soviet hangover had remained for a good 25 years, till the death of the 1st President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov in 2016. Largely unknown to the outer world, Karimov had a poor human rights record and freedom of the press was limited under his rule. He, however, helped stabilise the nation post years of Soviet misrule.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, his successor, has bought with him a much more relaxed outlook. This has led to a loosening of a lot of rules, many of which encouraged tourism into the fabled land.

The camels of yore have been replaced by cars, and noisy bazaars today are souvenir shops. However, these cities still retain so many of the relics of ancient Islamic architecture with a multitude of influences, which have traveled far and wide over the centuries.

The major ethnic group in Uzbekistan are the Uzbeks themselves. However, you will find a lot of diversity across the country. The fertile Fergana valley is a melting potpourri of Tajiks, Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Karakalpaks, Russians and even 3rd generation Koreans (Stalin deported Koreans out of Russia into Central Asia in the 1930’s).

While Uzbek is the official language, you will find the accent change all the way from the capital Tashkent to the far reach of Karakalpakstan, which is inhabited by ethnic Karakalpaks. Russian, however is widely understood and read in the Cyrillic alphabet. You will rarely find someone who knows English.

Islam is the major religion. Uzbeks are quite moderate and don’t really follow a strict version – in fact the government frowns against it. Women dress freely in skirts and dresses and it is not mandatory for women to cover their heads even in religious places like mosques and madrassas. Needless to say, visitors are recommended to dress modestly.

When?

The best times to visit Uzbekistan are the periods from March-April and September-October. The period from November-February is the winter and it can get extremely cold in some places. The period between mid-April to August is when it starts to get extremely hot. However, these are also the periods when crowds are considerably less, and if you are okay with extreme temperatures, you should travel then.

Our trip was from mid-April when the winter was still shedding off to get warmer, with sprinkled showers throughout.

Why?

This is my favourite question to answer. Uzbekistan can mean something different to everyone, be it a history buff, a backpacker, a photogapher and even an anthropologist. Here are our top 3 reasons to travel to Uzbekistan – 

1. History – The country is teeming with history. From Samarkand, whose history goes as far back as the 8th century BC, to conquests of Alexander, to the seat of Tamerlane to the heart of the Silk Road right up to Soviet brutalism, the country has a rich history. The architecture (while being highly restored in some places) is diverse and mesmerising.
2. Food – The myriad plovs, soups, dumplings, teas and noodles made us fall in love with the country. The cuisine, while being slightly limited, is still quite unique and flavorful.
3. People – Our favourite part of the trip was getting to interact with locals. From getting free taxi rides to being invited to homes for a meal, Uzbeks are generally very friendly and curious people. Our trip was filled with many such memorable encounters. What’s great is they love Indians (not going to lie, we loved the attention) and they watch a lot of Bollywood movies. They refer to India as ‘Hindustan’ and we were asked for a lot of photos, making us feel like some sort of mini-celebs!

GETTING IN (FLIGHTS, VISAS, INSURANCE & REGISTRATION)

FLIGHTS

You can enter Uzbekistan by air, road or railway. We chose air and flew Uzbekistan Airways as we were traveling from Mumbai, India.

However, if you choose to enter Uzbekistan by train, you can do so from Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. If you choose to cross over by land, you can enter from Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. When doing land crossings, keep an eye out on opening and closing times of borders. The border nearing Andijan on the Uzbekistan side and Dostyk on the Kyrgyzstan side is famed for random closures.

The main international airport is in Tashkent – the Islam Karimov International Airport. The national carrier, Uzbekistan Airways connects Central Asia’s largest cities to most major airports in the world – Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Jeddah, London, Paris, New York, Seoul etc.

There are international airports in Samarkand, Urgench and Nukus too. However, these have limited connectivity. You can book your flight tickets directly on the Uzbekistan Airways website (which is now totally revamped from it’s previously agonisingly slow version). We did not find enough details of flights on Google Flights/Skyscanner etc., and the prices there seemed higher. Also, they took us to not-so-popular booking websites, which we weren’t sure was reliable. Hence, ideal to book directly with the airline. The website only accepts a Visa debit/credit card, so keep one handy.

VISAS

Apparently, till as recently as July 2018, getting into Uzbekistan wasn’t quite easy. You would need a letter of invitation via the embassy in your local country.

HOWEVER, since then things have changed for the better. Check out the new visa rules here. You can simply refer to the colored map at the bottom to see what kind of visa you need to travel to Uzbekistan.

Citizens of 77 countries, including India (Woohoo!), China and USA can apply for the e-visa which costs as little as $20 (₹1400/- approx.). You should ideally receive it within 7-14 working days. P.S – You can apply only if your travel plan is within the next 90 days. Here’s the link to apply for the e-visa – https://e-visa.gov.uz/main.

INSURANCE

We chose Policybazaar for our travel insurance, since it allows you to search by countries, and gives you a plethora of providers to choose from while buying your travel insurance. Our insurance covered stuff like loss of passport, loss of baggage, personal accident, possible hospitalisation etc., and cost us a total of ₹1400 for 2 people ($20).

REGISTRATION

At the time of checkout from every hotel/hostel you stay in – ensure to collect the registration slips. Registration slips are like a simple paper receipt (sometimes hand-written) of where you have stayed and on what dates for verification purposes when you exit the country, to ensure you haven’t been upto anything suspicious. Most places will diligently provide you one to account for your stay.

This seems more like a carry-forward from the stricter regimes and things are more relaxed now – you will most likely not be asked to produce them. That said, you never know. Deepali was asked for her registration slips only once – at the Nukus airport, prior to our flight to Tashkent and our slips were all in good order.

ITINERARY

Your Uzbekistan itinerary will usually depend on how many days you are willing to spare for traveling around the country. Right from the fertile Fergana valley all through the Silk Route to the dry Karakalpakstan region – Uzbekistan is massive.

However, the train system is quite excellent making it easy to travel from city to city. Within cities itself, you will find yourself hailing a mashrutka (a mini-van that can take around 15 people or a shared taxi or public transport like buses.

If you are still planning how many days to spend in each city, this rough breakdown should help you –

Fergana Valley (Kokand, Fergana, Margilan & Andijan) – 2-3 days
Tashkent – 2-3 days
Samarkand – 2-3 days
Bukhara – 2-3 days
Khiva – 2-3 days
Karakalpakstan (Nukus & Moynaq) – 2-3 days

If you have more days to spare, you could also consider visiting – 

Chimgan mountains and Charvak Reservoir (off Tashkent) – 1-3 days
Shahrisabz (off Samarkand) – 1 day
Navoi (between Samarkand and Bukhara) – 1 day

We will shortly publish a detailed blog on planning your own Uzbekistan itinerary. Here’s a route map of all of the above places – 

We had 15 days, and here’s how we spent them – 

TASHKENT

If you are flying into Uzbekistan, it is highly likely that your port of arrival will be Tashkent. We landed in Tashkent on a Wednesday night and left for Margilan in the Fergana Valley the very next day. However, we returned to Tashkent after completing the Silk Road cities for the final 2 days before departing for home.

Much of the city was razed down in an earthquake in 1966, and was rebuilt by the Soviets as a modern city with wide roads, numerous parks, spaced out buildings and bazaars.

Today, Tashkent is the modern capital of Uzbekistan, and honestly is much less touristy than the other Silk Road cities. However, there’s still plenty of stuff you can do. From taking in the sights at possibly the most beautiful metro stations in the world to tasting some really good plov, Tashkent has something for everyone. 

Read more about the 7 best things to do in Tashkent.

Places to visit in Tashkent

Chorsu Bazaar, Kulkedash Madrassa, Amir Taimur Square, Hotel Ozbekistan, Shastri Monument, Central Asian Plov Center, Tashkent Metro Stations

Getting Around Tashkent

The Tashkent metro is the easiest way to get around Tashkent for super cheap and it’s a great fun activity if you would like staring at beautiful underground Soviet styled metro stations.

Alternatively, you can get around by hailing taxis off the road or by booking a Yandex, a taxi-hailing app that works in Samarkand and Tashkent.

Getting in and out of Tashkent

If you are arriving by flight, it is highly likely you will land in Tashkent. In any case, it is connected to the rest of the country very well with the train network and flights. We flew in from Mumbai to Tashkent, via Uzbekistan Airways. Later, we took a domestic flight from Nukus to spend the last couple of days in the capital, before flying back to Mumbai.

If you are heading to Samarkand, the train journey will be about 3 hours, a shared taxi would probably take about 4 hours.

If you are heading to the Fergana Valley, Margilan/Andijan would take about 4-5 hours and Andijan will take about 6 hours. We took the 8:05AM train from Tashkent to Margilan.

Where to stay in Tashkent

Budget – Topchan Hostel (we stayed here), Art Hostel

Mid-Range – Hotel Hon Saroy (we stayed here)

Luxury – Ichan Qal’a Premium Class Hotel

FERGANA VALLEY (FERGANA, MARGILAN, ANDIJAN, KOKAND)

If you are short on time, then Fergana Valley will probably not feature on your Uzbekistan to-do list. HOWEVER, we would highly recommend it due to it’s non-touristy nature, the friendliest of locals and the thrill of exploring a place that very few backpackers/tourists will venture to.

The valley is one of the most fertile in the region, and hence also the most populous. 5 cities dot the Fergana Valley – Andijan, Fergana, Kokand, Margilan & Namangan.

Margilan houses the Yogdorlik Silk Factory, which weaves silk in the traditional manner, while in Kokand you can visit the Khudayar Khan Palace, the former seat of the Khanate of Kokand. In Andijan, the birthplace of the Mughal emperor Babur, spend time in the old town square of Eski Shahar and in Fergana, amble around wide (like, really wide) walkways. We will shortly publish a more detailed guide on the Fergana valley.

Come here with no agenda – these are no dream destinations, compared to the Silk Road Cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. The cities are quite modern, rich even. This off-the-beaten-track region is perfect to experience Uzbek friendliness and hospitality – you will be surprised at the number of kind locals inviting you to their homes for a meal or for a few drinks as well as being offered free taxi rides.

Places to visit in the Fergana Valley

Yogdorlik Silk Factory (Margilan), Babur Statue and Museum (Andijan), Devonaboy Maszhidi (Andijan), Jami Complex (Andijan), Khudayar Khan Palace (Kokand)

Getting Around the Fergana Valley

We made Fergana our base in the Fergana Valley (as it is equidistant to Kokand, Andijan and Namangan) and traveled to Andijan and Kokand in a mashrutka and local bus respectively, which you can catch from the main bus stand in Fergana. There are different halts for different places – so make sure to ask locals/policemen who will be happy to help. Avoid going in a taxi/shared taxi if you are on a tight budget. We were almost lead to paying a lot of money to take a taxi to Kokand.

Within the towns of the Fergana Valley – you can hop on to any vehicle that is going in the direction you want to for a small fee. Within Andijan, a ride from the bus stop to Eski Shahar for the two of us was as little as 3000 Uzbek Soum (₹20/$0.31). This is the cheapest and best way to travel, curious locals will want to interact with you. We even got a free ride back to the station in the evening, by a driver who was simply too excited to have Indians in his taxivan.

Getting in and out of the Fergana Valley

Fergana Valley is quite well connected to the rest of the country. We arrived at Margilan via train, and left from Andijan to Samarkand, again via train. Between cities in the Fergana valley, as mentioned above – mashrutkas, local buses and shared taxis are ideal.

Where to stay in the Fergana Valley

Mid-range – Valentina’s Guesthouse, Fergana (we stayed here), Sakura Inn, Fergana

SAMARKAND

Samarkand is a truly magnificent city and one of the oldest trading centres on the Ancient Silk Road. One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the region, with a rich history of nearly 3 millenia and having stood witness to countless sieges from the likes of Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan – Samarkand’s many sights and majestic tombs will leave you gaping.

While 2 days would really suffice to see the most important sights in Samarkand, 3 days will allow you to take things slowly and spend longer time at some of the sites, some of which truly are stunning.

The interesting Gur-e-Amir monument is the final resting place of Amir Taimur, who also made Samarkand his capital. His grandson, Ulugh Bek took a liking to astronomy and the Ulugh Bek Observatory is a very interesting place to visit. Not too far from here is the tomb of St. Daniel.

Registan, the symbol of Samarkand is a place where you can bid goodbye to a good 2-3 hours, while the magnificence of the Bibi Khanym Mosque will leave you gawking. Get a bit tipsy at Khovrenko Wine Factory before watching the sunset at the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis.

Read more about 10 awesome things to do in Samarkand.

Places to visit in Samarkand

Gur-e-Amir, Ulugh Bek Observatory, Mausoleum of St. Daniel, Bibi Khanym Mosque, Bibi Khanym Mausoleum, Siyob Bazaar, Registan Square, Hovrenko Wine Factory, Shah-i-Zinda

Getting Around Samarkand

The Yandex app works in Samarkand too. However, thanks to our shitty sim – we couldn’t make use of it. Nonetheless, always look out for yellow taxis that run by the meter instead of the normal cabs which will always charge you more.

Getting in and out of Samarkand

While Samarkand has an airport, you will most probably be arriving by train from Tashkent, Bukhara or even from the Fergana valley, like we did from Andijan which took about 11 hours, having left at 2-30PM in the afternoon. From Samarkand, Bukhara is just a 90 minute train ride away on a swanky Afrosiyob  bullet train. If you traveling to Tashkent, the travel time would be ~4 hours. If you wish to visit Shahrisabz, you will need to hire a taxi/shared taxi.

Where to stay in Samarkand

Budget – B&B Emir (we stayed here)

Mid-range – Jahongir Guest House 

BUKHARA

While Samarkand was majestic, it was Bukhara that truly stole our hearts. You will find men playing dominoes on a warm evening next to the Liyab-i-Hauz complex, women selling suzani silks and ikat jackets, unpaved roads on which Soviet cars ply. Bukhara still retains a lot of the old world charm in its narrow alleyways, empty madrasas and friendly people.

We spent a full 2 days in Bukhara, and managed to cover almost everything. However, a 3rd day would have allowed us to slow down and explore more of this ancient Silk Road City. The best part is everything can be covered by foot, as the old town is not very large.

A lot of the old town seems like time has come to a standstill. From the Chor Minor to the Ulugh Bek Madrasa, you will navigate through ancient alleyways. The Lyab-i-Haus will bring you tranquility, only to be woken up by calls of merchants at the nearby bazaar.

A short walk away is the Ark Fortress, which has a bloody past. This is right next to the Bolo Hauz complex, which is an uniquely constructed mosque. More interesting structures like the Samanid Mausoleum and the Chashma-Ayub Mausoleum (which is said to still house a well with water that has healing powers) lie right next to each other.

The symbol of Bukhara is definitely the Kalyan minaret, which looks great during the day, but stunning at night!

We will shortly publish a blog on top things to do at our favourite place in Uzbekistan, Bukhara.

Places to visit in Bukhara

Chor Minor, Ulugh Bek Madrasa, Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah, Lyab-i- Hauz square, Po-i-Kalyan, Ark Fortress, Bolo Hauz Complex, Markaziy Bozor, Samanid Mausoleum, Nadir Diwan Begi Madrassah, Abdulloxon Madrassah, Mir Arab Madrassah, Chashma-i-Ayub Mausoleum, Jewish Synagogue

Getting around Bukhara

The best part about Bukhara is all sights are within a walking distance of each other, we did not need to use public transport during our time here. You may want to use a taxi only to get to the newer parts of the city, which are quite modern.

Getting in and out of Bukhara

if you are arriving at Bukhara by train – you will arrive at Bukhara-1 station, which is situated at Kagan, a town on the outskirts of Bukhara.

It had rained heavily the day previously, and the road was full of sludge and it took us about 40 minutes to reach our hotel. The ride cost us 85k Uzbek soum (₹630/$9) and in hindsight, we should have haggled harder or asked a local to help arrange a taxi for cheaper. 

We arrived from Samarkand, by the super fast Afrosiyob – which covers a distance of ~280kms in 90 minutes. Onwards from Bukhara, we caught an early morning (4-22AM) train to Urgench, on our way to Khiva. We asked our hotel to arrange a taxi that early in the morning. Bukhara has an airport too, and is well connected by the railway network as well.

Where to stay in Bukhara

Mid-range – Hotel Al Bukhari (we stayed here)

KHIVA

The walled city of Khiva is the tiniest of the 3 Silk Road cities but still has so much to do in 2 days. We came across travellers, who decided to skip Khiva altogether as it is far away from most other places in Uzbekistan like Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand.

While Samarkand is distinctively blue, orange is the choice of hue in Khiva. Mosques, cute coffee shops, madrasahs, orange minarets, souvenir shops and mausoleums dot this ancient town. It’s small size, however, means you will either be bumping into a tourist or a local trying to sell you a souvenir.

Inspite of its bloody past, Khiva today has been restored to capture much of its past glory. You will be welcomed into the walls of the Itchan Kala by the stumpy Kalta Minor, which was supposed to be the tallest minaret in the whole of Uzbekistan. However, construction was halted in 1855 when the ruler of Khiva died.

The Juma Mosque has some really interesting wood columns while the Mausoleum of Pakhlavan Makhmud makes for an interesting visit. He was a poet and a wrestler back in the day, and had bouts with wrestlers from as far as India. The views at sunset and sunrise are excellent, if you are okay with a claustrophobic climb up the Islam Hoja minaret to a higher altitude.

We will shortly publish a blog on top things to do in Khiva.

Places to visit in Khiva

Itchan Kala, Islam Hoja Minaret, Kalta Minor Minaret, Juma Mosque, Mohammed Amin Khan Madrassah, Pakhlavan Makhmud Mausoleum

Getting Around in Khiva

Like Bukhara – you wouldn’t need public transport within Khiva either. However, if you wish to visit the ancient Khorezm fortresses which are about 100kms away from Khiva into the Karakalpak desert, you can negotiate rates with your hotel or you can also contact the tourist centre inside the Itchan Kala.

Getting in and out of Khiva

Of all the Silk Road cities, Khiva is not the easiest to get to. You will most probably arrive at Urgench railway station (took us a 6 hour train ride from Bukhara), from where you will need to hail a cab to Khiva – a 32km ride which takes approximately an hour. We struck a conversation with a local on the train, who then struck a deal for us with a driver. The trip cost us just 30,000 Uzbek soum (₹220/$3.14). 

From Khiva, our next stop was Nukus. Apparently, there’s a train from Nukus, but we couldn’t find one listed on the schedule. We decided to negotiate with our hostel owner to get us a taxi, who we had to haggle hard with to get the price from $100 to $40. To our luck, 2 Spanish dudes staying at the hostel also were looking for transport to Nukus. After some further haggling with the driver, he agreed on a price of $50 for all of us (bringing our per head cost from $20 to $12.5). The journey takes about 4 hours.

Note – Apparently from March 1, 2020 – the Khiva Railway Station is open to the public and there are regular trains from Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. This is great news, making Khiva more accessible.

Where to stay in Khiva

Budget – Khiva Alibek B&B (we stayed here), Islambek Khiva

KARAKALPAKSTAN – NUKUS & MOYNAQ

A 3 hour ride away from Khiva is the capital city of Karakalpakstan, Nukus. Developed by the Soviets, Nukus is a weird city with large pathways and buildings, albeit with so few people around. On the way, you can halt at the Chilpyk Dakhma, a tower of silence for Zoroastrians.

The main point of attraction here will be the world class Igor Savitsky Museum, where you will spend a great 3-4 hours learning so much about the Soviet and consequent Uzbek treatment of the autonomous region of Karakalpakstan as well as the vast collection of art ranging from paintings, to embroidery to pottery – most of which are from the general areas of Khorezm and Karakalpakstan.

If you have more time and energy while in Nukus, you should visit the Mizdakhan Necropolis, which is today a cemetery, but in it’s heyday was an ancient town.

Nukus will be your gateway to visiting Moynaq and the Aral Sea. Moynaq is a bumpy 4 hour bus ride away and while most will categorise it as disaster tourism, it definitely is incredible to see rusting ships in the middle of what is now a desert. If you wish to visit the banks of what is now the Aral Sea, you will need to arrange it with a tour operator in Nukus. Mind you, it is a bumpy 3-4 hour ride on desert roads.

We will shortly publish a blog on how you can spend time in Karakalpakstan.

Places to visit in Karakalpakstan

Igor Savitsky Museum of Art (Nukus), Mizdakhan Necropolis (Nukus), Chilpyk Dakhma (Nukus), Moynaq Ship Cemetery, Aral Sea

Getting Around in Nukus

To be honest, within Nukus – we did very little exploring. The day we arrived – we headed for the world famous Savitsky museum, and strolled around the general area. However, taxis are widely available and you can negotiate a price with them. You will most probably need to contact your hotel desk to arrange for a round trip to the Mizdakhan Necropolis, which is a 30 minute ride out of Nukus.

Getting In and Out of Nukus and Moynaq

You can reach Nukus either by road, air or train. We took a shared taxi from Khiva, which took a little more than 3 hours. There are 2 daily Uzbekistan Airways flights to and from the capital Tashkent – one around noon and one in the night. Trains, while being convenient and comfortable are still quite slow and journeys could last more than a day if you are traveling from Tashkent.

Since we used Nukus as a base to explore Moynaq, we had to figure out our transport options. Most blogs mentioned a bus service that runs every day at 9AM. However, the location of the bus stop quoted on those turned out to be incorrect. The bus stop has since moved, here’s the new location (Koyne Qala bus stop) – 42°27’00.8″N 59°33’55.2″E. Here, you will find a board that says ‘Muinak’. Ensure to reach around 8-30AM for the bus which leaves at around 9AM. It is usually packed, since there aren’t too many travel options to Moynaq. 

From Moynaq, we could either wait for the 2-30PM bus in the afternoon or hail a shared taxi back to Nukus. Our hotel owner was kind enough to drop us to the taxi stand in Moynaq, where we were able to get a shared taxi to Nukus for 50k Uzbek soum (₹350/$5.2) per head, which is not bad at all for a 2.5 hour bumpy ride.

Where to stay in Nukus and Moynaq

Mid-Range – Dosliq in Nukus (we stayed here), Hotel Muynak in Moynaq (we stayed here)

Luxury – Tashkent Hotel in Nukus, Jipek Joli Inn in Nukus (highly recommended)

MONEY

Expenses

Uzbekistan, inspite of being the most touristy country in Central Asia is still very very affordable if you manage to avoid overpaying for souvenirs and taxis.

If you are traveling on an extreme budget, you can accomplish your Uzbekistan trip at as cheap as $20 per head per day, like we did. Our total expenditure for 2 people was $585 (₹45,000) for 15 days. We stayed at hostels, used public transport at most places and yet managed to have some really good meals and sneak in a couple of stays at lovely hotels.

If you include some souvenirs and snacks that we purchased on the go and a couple of taxi rides which were on the expensive side – the total would rise up to $632 (₹48,000), which is still quite an affordable number for 2 people on a 15-day vacation.

Turns out our flight tickets from Mumbai to Tashkent (₹29,000/$395 per head) and back & Nukus to Tashkent (₹3940/$105) formed the chunk of our budget. 

For more information on expenses, check out our entire cost breakdown for a trip to Uzbekistan. This also includes a quick guide on how much money to carry etc.

How much to carry?

The currency in Uzbekistan is the Uzbek soum. You will need to get used to large currency notes of 500, 1000, 5000, 10000, 50000 and 100000, due to super inflation. 

While the number of ATM’s have increased over the course of 2019, we were prepared and had carried about $1500 for the course of 15 days between the both of us. We did not find too many ATM’s around the country and the ones that work only accept VISA cards. Note that the most popular currencies to exchange are USD, GDP and EUR. USD seemed to be the most preferred amongst these three currencies, and were also accepted at hotels.

We also read on a few blogs that you could exchange Uzbek soum in the black. However, we found only a couple of dealers near Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent who were picking out tourists and softly whispering the exchange rate in their ears. Best to avoid.

That said, if you carry cash – you should be able to easily exchange it banks. Most banks have a standard exchange rate which you can see on the board at the exchange counter. Always keep the exchange slip with you. Make sure to exchange at cities like Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Nukus etc. if you intend to make trips to lesser known places such as Charvak Mountains, Shahrisabz, Moynaq etc.

Theft and robberies are rare since Uzbekistan is a heavily policed state. However, it is best to err on the side of caution. We kept cash at multiple places in our bags and wallets. 

All our hotels accepted payments in USD – it’s ideal to pay in USD if that is the currency you used to book your hotel/hostel. Paying in Uzbek soum could end up being costlier, as hotels may impose their own exchange rate. If you are doing long distance taxi rides, the drivers accept USD as well.

Also, try to exchange only as much cash as you would need. On the last day, we were left with over $300 worth of Uzbek soum and were turned down by about 4 banks who refused to exchange it for USD. Apparently, only an Uzbek national with a valid passport or a foreigner residing/working in the country can do it. Luckily for us, our hotel exchanged it at a pretty competitive rate.

SAFETY

We were asked a lot of questions before and after our trip which were around safety and how safe it is to travel in Uzbekistan. Mind you, like every other country in the world – Uzbekistan does have its own set of problems. As recently as 2005, there was a massive unrest in Andijan which ended up in death of hundreds of civilians. Also, ‘Stan’ at the end of the name doesn’t do many favours for its cause.

That said, overall, we felt quite safe during our entire time in the country. There are a few blogs that mentioned that they were searched for and asked to pay bribes by the police. On the contrary, in our few encounters with the police – they were happy to give us directions or assist us. 

Keep a few copies of your passport, visa and original registration slips etc. handy in case you are asked to show your documents by the police at any time (rarely happens). They will usually be looking for a loophole and the fact that a tourist might just get nervous with a cop around in a foreign country. Maintain your calm, show that you have all the documents and move on. Never present your original document, just say you’ve left it at the hotel.

Uzbeks are generally very hospitable and you will get invited to homes. In general, we have found this to be quite safe. A few travellers we spoke to did get the full Uzbek house hospitality. We had a hearty meal at the home of a local in Bukhara too, and it was all very amicable.

Simple common sense such as not walking around with loads of cash, getting too drunk etc. will suffice. It is also ideal to stay away from political discussions, not that we got in any. Bringing in porn and pornographic material is banned too, so avoid at all costs!

While there aren’t too many driving rules, it was surprising to see that Uzbek drivers drivers are not too rash on the road. Maybe it’s because of all the old Uzbek/Soviet cars they’re driving? In any case, we didn’t have a bad experience on the road.

Till few years back, photography of Soviet officials was banned. Photography at certain sites and even the Tashkent metro was banned. Rules have obviously relaxed, and we weren’t asked to keep our cameras away anywhere. In any case, if you are a bit edgy about your photos, this guide shall be helpful to hide your photos on your systems, at the time of crossing borders.

FOOD

Uzbekistan is primarily a meat-eating nation, lamb being the most popular meat of choice. The most popular and the national dish is the plov. The plov is similar to Indian ‘pulao’, which is an amalgamation of spices and other ingredients.

Plov is the national dish and is available almost everywhere and is usually served with raisins, meat – chicken/lamb, eggs – quail/chicken and in some cases, horse meat as well. Read our detailed blog on where you can eat the best plov in Uzbekistan.

Apart from that, expect a lot of kobobs, samsas, noodle based dishes like Laghman and Shivit Oshi, soups such as Kucha Oshi and Shurpa, dumplings called Manti and Tikhum Barak amongst others.

Most meals are preceded by tea (green tea or lemon tea), served in Uzbek teapots, which you are supposed to drink out of a bowl. This acts as a great way to start a meal and wash it down as well.

Uzbek breakfasts consist of an assortment of cold cut meats and cheeses, something we found very commonly across the country. These are usually served with bread – sometimes soft and flavourful and at some places, hard to chew. At some places, you can also expect curds, dry fruits and sweet porridge as part of the breakfast.

During our bazaar visits, we would be mesmerised by the wafts of fresh bread baking. Some breads are the size of small tyres, and its common to see women carrying these in their hands to prepare for the evenings dinner. Some biscuits and cookies we purchased in Tashkent were really good, and these are sold in the loose. So, you can pick as much as you want, weigh it and pay on the go. Be sure to buy some excellent dry fruits ranging from apricots to raisins to cashews and almonds. Since these last for a long time, you can take a pretty good quantity.

September onwards is the melon season, and Uzbekistan is home to some of the sweetest melons. We, however get to taste some really awesome tomatoes and cucumbers. We are not big fans of cucumbers, but these were really succulent and we didn’t mind having these with almost every meal.

Keep an eye out for restaurants called ‘Milliy taomlar‘, which translate to ‘national foods’. You’ll usually find more local dishes here.

Tap water is not safe to drink in Uzbekistan. Always carry your own water bottle, and fill it when you head out from your hostel/hotel – all of which will have a portable water system. Be kinder to the environment and avoid buying plastic water bottles from the shops. If you have to buy, note that you will find both normal mineral water and sparkling water. Check the label before you make the purchase.

We will shortly put up a blog on all the dishes we tried and the places to eat them too.

TRANSPORT

From city to city, trains are the ideal way to travel in Uzbekistan. Not only are they comfortable and reasonably fast, they also provide a great chance to interact with locals who will go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and at home.

There are websites that sell train tickets, however charge a hefty commission too. Instead, you can book them yourselves on https://e-ticket.railway.uz/lang-en/index.html, which is the official train booking website. The site is mostly in Russian, even if you choose to use the English version of the website.

Some trains are older Soviet trains, while you might also get the chance to travel in the swanky new Afrosiyobs which are fast, comfortable and modern. We will shortly publish a detailed blog on planning, booking and traveling by trains in Uzbekistan.

You can also choose to travel between cities by shared taxis or mashrutkas (minivans), which turn out to be a much cheaper mode of transport. However, the journeys will be quite slow.

Mashrutkas can hold up to 15 people and usually wait to be fully filled up (can take upto 20-30 minutes on some days), but can cost as less as 7000 Uzbek soum (₹55/$0.75) per head for a 2 hour journey. This is a really cheap mode of transport, which we used extensively in the Fergana valley.

Shared taxis are another common mode of transport, though slightly costlier. These can range from 2000 Uzbek soum (₹25/$0.75) per head to 120k Uzbek soum (₹875/$12.5) for long distance trips.

Normal taxis for intra-city travel are available in plenty in Samarkand and Tashkent, where you’ll need it the most. Use the Yandex app or look out for yellow taxis to hail. You wouldn’t really be needing a taxi in Bukhara and Khiva, where most of the places can be covered by foot.

We will shortly publish a detailed blog on transportation in Uzbekistan.

INTERNET & SIM CARDS

The internet situation in Uzbekistan is at best patchy. There are four major local network providers in Uzbekistan – Beeline, UzMobile, Ucell and UMS.

We made the mistake of buying SIM cards at Tashkent Airport itself. The network was UMS. We were told it will activate itself in 30 minutes (which it did) as well as have 8GB data at 3G surfing speeds. However, the SIM card did not work from the following day all through the end of the trip and we had to rely on offline maps and Google Translate (I had pre-downloaded Russian). Avoid buying at the airport.

Instead, head to the city to buy a Beeline or Uzmobile sim (just look out for shop with these boards), which are more reliable than the others.

We had very okayish WiFi all over Uzbekistan, just about enough to send messages over Whatsapp, slow-load your emails and use Google Maps a little.

In any case, make sure to use the following apps in Uzbekistan – 

1. maps.me – Download the offline map of Uzbekistan. With location services on, you can use this map in offline mode and also mark pins on places you want to visit. We used this app the most during our time there.
2. Google Translate – Download ‘Russian’ as a language on Google Translate, makes it so much easier to communicate by simply typing out what you want to say in English and showing the translation to the locals. Note that there is no Uzbek (at least, not yet) but Russian is widely spoken and understood.
3. Yandex – We used this app to book taxis in Tashkent. You can use it to book a taxi in Samarkand too.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Let’s be honest – we couldn’t have planned in detail our entire trip to Uzbekistan without the help of some fellow bloggers and information websites. Listing some of the key resources below – 

Against the Compass is a great resource to plan out your itinerary – he explains in good detail how many days to spend at each place and how you can spend your time traveling through the country.

Trulynomadly is a great resource and one-stop guide to plan your Uzbekistan trips. Her blog was one of our initial inspirations to even plan for Uzbekistan.

Advantour – This is a travel agency that organised group tours etc., but also a very solid and reliable source of information for train timings and places to visit in each place.

Sudhagee – A very nicely written series of blogs on Uzbekistan with some unique details of visits to a synagogue in Bukhara, the Mizdakham Necropolis and the Chilpyk Dakhma included.

OTHER UZBEKISTAN RESOURCES

Enjoyed this blog? Here are our other Uzbekistan-related blogs – 

7 Best Things to do in Tashkent

The 10 best Tashkent Metro Stations

10 Awesome Things to do in Samarkand

Pin it!

The post The Complete Uzbekistan Travel Guide 2020 appeared first on The Hungry Wandering Konks.