Uzbekistan - a treasure of architectural monuments, the focus of the oldest cities, one of the centers of the legendary Silk Road .Here you can see the real ancient East - in Khiva, Samarkand and Bukhara .You can taste real Uzbek pilaf cooked according to a recipe, which is more than a thousand years old .Hotels here do not cost extra money, and dinner at the restaurant will not ruin even the most hungry tourist..Here flies dozens of direct flights from many Russian cities .So how to explain the small popularity of this extraordinary country? Perhaps, only selfish zeal of local customs officers and border guards, ready to "pinch" the tourist for an extra ten, not specified in the declaration .
The capital is Tashkent. Popular cities are Bukhara, Khiva, Termez and Samarkand. The Republic of Karakalpakstan is interesting.
For a full list of interesting cities to visit, visit the city page and resorts in Uzbekistan.
About when it is best to go to the country and what to do, is told on the page tours to Uzbekistan.
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How to get to Uzbekistan?
From Moscow to Tashkent there are many direct flights of Aeroflot, Transaero and Uzbek Airlines (approximately 4 hours in the air) .In Bukhara from Domodedovo "Transaero" flies ."Uzbek Airlines" fly from Moscow to Bukhara, Samarkand, Urgench and Fergana, and also connect direct flights to Ekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnoyarsk, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, Samara, Omsk, Tyumen, St. Petersburg and Ufa with Tashkent..In addition, the company has flights from St. Petersburg and Ekaterinburg to Namangan, from Kazan and St. Petersburg - to Samarkand, and from Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, Omsk and Tyumen - to Andijan .
The train Moscow - Tashkent goes through the day, the journey time is 68 hours. Trains to Tashkent also follow from Ufa and Saratov, the train Kharkov-Tashkent transits through the territory of Russia.
"Uzbek Airlines" also connect Tashkent with Kiev, Astana and Almaty. From Belarus there are no direct flights to Uzbekistan.
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Visa to Uzbekistan - $
Uzbekistan is a visa-free country for citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. To enter, you need only a passport valid for the whole stay.
Customs
Persons over 16 years of age are allowed duty-free import of 1000 cigarettes or 1000 gr. tobacco products, 1, 5 liters of alcoholic beverages and two liters of wine.
It is forbidden to import narcotics and strong medicines (a recipe is needed), weapons and ammunition, photographs, printed and video materials directed against the state system of Uzbekistan or the norms of Islam..All valuable products (jewelry, photo and video cameras, computers and so on) must be declared .For the export of precious metals and stones, furs, weapons and ammunition, artistic and historical values (any items manufactured more than 100 years ago), a special permit of the Ministry of Culture of the country will be required..
Import and export of foreign currency is not limited, but the declaration is obligatory.
Banks and exchange points
Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 17:30. You can exchange currency at the offices of the National Bank, specialized exchange offices and some hotels. Many hotels and transport agencies accept payment in USD or EUR.
Exchange in Uzbekistan, Russian rubles can only be on the black market (the rate at which, by the way, is more profitable than the official by 10-15%). Credit cards and traveler's checks will be used only in the capital and in major tourist centers.
The climate of Uzbekistan is
The climate of Uzbekistan is sharply continental, hot and arid. The average temperature in winter ranges from -8 ° C to +3 ° C, in mountainous areas it can drop to -16 ° C. In summer, the temperature in the northern regions of the country reaches +32 ° C, and in the south - up to not weak +42 ° C.
The best time to visit the country is spring (from April to June) and autumn (September-October). The period from the last decade of June to the first decade of August in Uzbekistan is called "chilla" (forty days). At this time, the air temperature during the day in the shade rises above +40 ° C, and at night does not fall below +30 ° C.
Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Uzbekistan for the next few days.
Safety of tourists
Local police are very strict with all kinds of violations of public order. It is recommended to always have a passport with you: this greatly facilitates the relationship with the police.
Despite the fact that tap water is chlorinated, it should not be used even for cleaning teeth or creating ice. Meat and fish should be consumed only after preliminary heat treatment. Vegetables must be washed thoroughly, and fruits - peeled. It is recommended to have sunscreen, light and spacious clothes made of fine natural fibers, hats and insecticides.
Before the trip do not forget to look at the current weather forecast in the cities of Uzbekistan.
| Mosque of Khoja Achor Vali |
| Panorama of Khiva |
| Mosque in Samarkand |
Useful phone numbers are
Embassy of Uzbekistan in Moscow: Pogorelsky per., 12; tel .: (499) 230-00-76, (499) 230-13-01 (consular department); website
Embassy of Russia in Tashkent: st. Nukus, 83; tel .: (71) 120-35-02, 120-35-04; website
Yellow Pages Help Phone Service: 059
Ambulance: 03
Codes of some cities: Andijan - 7422, Nukus - 61, Bukhara - 65, Navoi - 7922, Samarkand - 6622, Tashkent - 71, Urgench - 62, Khiva - 62, Shakhrisabz - 75.
Transport of Uzbekistan
Domestic flights are carried out by Uzbek Airlines, connecting almost all major cities of the country with Namangan, Ferghana, Samarkand, Bukhara, Karshi, Termez, Urgench and Nukus.
Railway communication in the country is limited to four areas: Tashkent - Bukhara, Tashkent - Urgench, Tashkent - Andijan and all the same Tashkent - Termez. Samarkand has its own fast express trains (4 hours on the way). In all cases, the cost of travel is not high, and in the latter case it also includes a light supper or breakfast.
Intercity bus communication between large cities is also quite frequent. For example, on the line Tashkent - Samarkand there are more than 20 buses a day. No less dense communication is established with Bukhara, Fergana, Karshi and Navoi.
City buses and minibuses are in all major cities. There are no air conditioners, so summer trips to them can be a very serious test for sweat glands. However, air conditioners do not include "private traders": they save fuel.
Taxis in the cities of Uzbekistan are relatively cheap, but local "chefs" often sin by cheating tourists and inflating tariffs. Still here, as well as in Russia, private transportation is developed. And with taxi drivers, and with private traders, you should bargain in advance and agree on a price.
Rent a car
In Uzbekistan, there is no car hire in the conventional sense - only a few companies that offer car rental with a driver. Such services can be ordered in large hotels. The range of cars offered for rent is limited to vehicles of Uzbek manufacture - Daewoo Matiz, Nexia, Lacetti, and also minibus SsangYong Istana.
Hotels in Uzbekistan
In large cities, a tired traveler will always have a choice between the Soviet dormitories in need of repair and the new private hotels of a good standard. In recent years, hundreds of private B & B boarding houses have opened in the country, especially in Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva.
Hot water is available in expensive hotels and only in large cities. In small private hotels, as a rule, boilers are installed. The voltage in the electrical network is 220 V, 50 Hz. Standard sockets of the "Eastern European" type with two round pins without grounding.
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Shopping and shopping in Uzbekistan
Shops usually work from 9:00 to 19:00. Markets are accepted to visit in the morning: the earlier, the better. In bazaars and in private shops it is customary to bargain - with a certain ability to bring down the price many times easily enough. In addition, bazaars are the best place to get acquainted with the country's unique life. There you can buy almost everything: from luxurious carpets, silk, fruits and spices to clothes and shoes.
Kitchen and restaurants
Uzbek cuisine has a long history in the "background", and the process of preparing its key dishes is a real ritual, each element of which is clearly regulated. In the north they prefer plov, fried meat, dough products and flat cakes. In the south, they prepare a lot of complex dishes from rice and vegetables, and also make excellent desserts. An important place on the local table is occupied by lamb, horse meat, soups with lots of vegetables, vegetables by themselves, sour-milk products and bread.
The main drink of the country is tea. He begins with him, and he ends the meal. Dry vintage wines of local production are pleasant with a good aroma and very inexpensive. The best products are Samarkand Wine Factory, as well as Marvarid and Omar Khayyam wines.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Uzbekistan
In Shahrisabz, Timur's hometown, it's convenient to go on a one-day excursion from Samarkand (arithmetic is simple: three to four hours one way, three hours there and 20 USD for a taxi) .The main attraction of the city is the ruins of the gates of the giant Ak-Sarai, the summer palace of Timur .On the square next to the ruins there is a statue of Timur himself, behind which there is Ipak-Yuly street (literally "The Silk Road") .It will lead to the Kok-Gumbaz mosque with the "proprietary" azure dome of the Timurid epoch and the mausoleum of Sheikh Shamseddin Kulyal, teacher of Timur, where, apart from the sheikh himself, the grateful pupil's father Amir Taragay is also buried..There is also Gumbazy-Seyidan - a burial vault, erected by Ulugbek for his descendants . Photos of Uzbekistan (50)