Uzbekistan Travel Guide and Budget Tips
How to Reach?
I flew from Delhi to Tashkent and honestly it wasn’t bad at all. The direct flight with Uzbekistan Airways took about 3 hours and cost me around 25,000 INR return if you book early. Air India and a couple other airlines also fly this route but the Uzbek one felt more straightforward.
From India it’s pretty easy now. No crazy visas anymore. Indians get visa on arrival or you can do the e-visa online which takes like 2 days. I did the e-visa just to be safe and it worked fine.
Inside the country I took the high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand. That train is actually really good. Clean, fast, and cheap. The journey is only about 2 hours and tickets cost less than 1000 INR. From Samarkand to Bukhara another train, then I hired a driver to Khiva because the train connections weren’t great. The driver cost me about 8000 INR for the day but we split it with two other travelers I met.
Flying between cities is also an option but ngl the trains are more fun and you see some of the countryside. The domestic flights are cheap too though, around 3000-5000 INR one way.
The airport in Tashkent is decent. Just don’t pre-book your taxi like the Lonely Planet says. Those guys will charge you double. I just walked out and got a taxi for 150,000 som which is about 1000 INR to my hotel. They tried to overcharge at first but I argued a bit and it was fine.
Where to Stay?
I stayed in a mix of places and honestly some were better than others.
In Tashkent I booked this small hotel near the Chorsu Bazaar for 3500 INR a night. The room was clean but the wifi sucked and the breakfast was basically just bread and tea. To be fair it was central and I could walk to most things.
Samarkand was my favorite stay. I found this family-run guesthouse for 4200 INR per night. The owner was this hilarious guy named Aziz who kept forcing second helpings of plov on me. The place had a nice courtyard and the beds were actually comfortable. Hot water worked most days.
Bukhara was a bit disappointing on the accommodation front. I paid 3800 INR for what looked cute online but the bathroom was tiny and there were ants everywhere. Seriously, I woke up with bites on my legs. The location was good though, right near the Lyabi Hauz pond area.
In Khiva I splurged a bit and stayed inside the old city walls at this restored caravanserai place for 5500 INR. It was worth it. The building was old and atmospheric without being too fancy. The staff didn’t speak much English but they were helpful.
Book ahead in summer because places fill up. In winter you can probably just show up. I stayed 3 nights in each main city and that felt about right. Don’t overdo the nights in Tashkent. Two is enough.
What to Eat?
The food is heavy but I actually liked most of it. Plov is everywhere. It’s rice with carrots, onions and meat. Sometimes the meat is good, sometimes it’s fatty as hell. I had the best plov in this random hole-in-the-wall place in Samarkand that only had like 6 tables. Cost me 1500 INR for two people including tea and salad.
Lagman noodles are my actual favorite. These hand-pulled noodles in a spicy tomato broth with vegetables and beef. I ate this at least 5 times during the trip. There’s a chain called Lagman House that was consistently decent and cheap.
Samsas are these pastry things with meat or pumpkin inside. Perfect for breakfast or when you’re walking around. I got addicted to the pumpkin ones. Only 30 INR each.
The bread is incredible. They have this round bread called non that comes out of clay ovens. It’s crispy and addictive. I bought one almost every day.
Now the honest part. The salads are usually just tomatoes and cucumbers with dill. After a week I was so bored of them. Also be careful with street meat. I got food poisoning in Bukhara from some dodgy shashlik and spent one full day in bed. Not fun.
Green tea is what everyone drinks. They serve it everywhere and it’s actually refreshing. Coffee is terrible though. Don’t expect good coffee unless you’re in fancy hotels in Tashkent.
I tried horse meat sausage once. It wasn’t bad but I wouldn’t order it again. The dried fruits and nuts are fantastic though. I brought back two kilos of them.
Best Time to Visit
I went in April and it was mostly nice. Days were warm, like 20-25 degrees, but mornings and evenings were chilly. The trees were blooming in Samarkand and it didn’t feel too crowded.
Summer is brutally hot. Like 40 degrees plus. I wouldn’t do it unless you love sweating through your clothes. Everyone says it’s miserable.
Winter is actually not bad according to the people I met. It’s cold but the cities look beautiful with snow and there are almost no tourists. Flights and hotels are cheaper too. If you’re okay with 5 degree weather then November to March is smart for budget travelers.
I think shoulder seasons are best. April-May or September-October. That’s when the weather is decent and prices aren’t crazy.
The spring flowers in Bukhara were honestly really pretty. But the pollen made me sneeze constantly so that was annoying.
Budget (Indian Rupees)
Let me break it down honestly for one week.
Flights from India: 25,000 return if you book smart.
Hotels for 7 nights: around 28,000 if you stay in mid-range guesthouses like I did. You can do it for 15,000 if you’re okay with very basic places.
Food: I spent about 1500 per day including all meals and tea. So 10,500 for the week. You can easily spend less if you eat more street food.
Trains and local transport: 6000 total. The high-speed trains aren’t expensive.
Entry fees to all the madrasas and mosques: about 4000 for everything. They add up but aren’t crazy.
Taxis and random stuff: another 5000.
Total for one person: around 80,000 INR for a week if you’re careful. I actually spent 92,000 because I bought too many souvenirs and took that driver to Khiva.
You can definitely do it for 60,000 if two people share rooms and taxis. The Lonely Planet tips about not pre-booking taxis and looking at regional flights are actually smart.
I met some backpackers doing it on 40,000 for two weeks by staying in dorms and eating only local food. Respect.
Tips for First-Timers
Don’t overplan. The trains sometimes get delayed and things don’t run on exact schedules. I had to change my plans twice and it was fine.
Learn a few Russian words. “Spasibo” for thank you, “pazhalusta” for please. Most younger people speak some English but older folks don’t. The Cyrillic signs are confusing at first but you get used to it.
Carry cash. ATMs sometimes don’t work and cards aren’t accepted everywhere. I brought dollars and changed them at the airport rates which were decent.
The silk road stuff gets repetitive after a while. After the third madrasa they all start looking similar. That’s normal. Don’t feel bad about skipping some.
Bargain in the markets but not too aggressively. I saw some tourists being rude about it. The prices aren’t that inflated anyway.
Download an offline map. Internet isn’t great everywhere and Google Maps works okay offline.
The women in traditional dresses will ask to take photos with you for money. It’s 1000-2000 som. I did it once and felt silly.
Drink lots of water. The food is salty and the air is dry. I got headaches the first few days.
Try to meet other travelers. I had dinner with a group from Kazakhstan one night and learned so much more than from any guidebook.
The toilets can be squat style in some places. Just be mentally prepared.
FAQ
Is Uzbekistan safe? Yeah it felt safe. I walked around at night in all the cities and never had any issues. The police are everywhere though.
Do I need to speak Russian or Uzbek? No but it helps. English is limited outside tourist areas.
Is the food vegetarian friendly? Sort of. You can get vegetable lagman and salads but it gets repetitive. Not the best for strict vegetarians.
How much Russian do I need? Very little. Just learn the alphabet so you can read signs.
Can I drink the tap water? No. Buy bottled. I didn’t get sick from it but better safe.
Are the mosques and sites worth it? Some yes, some no. The Registan in Samarkand is impressive. Many others feel similar after a while. Be selective.
Is it easy to travel alone? Very easy. I met solo travelers everywhere. The trains are comfortable and people are friendly.
Should I go to Khiva? Yes but only if you have time. It’s far but the old city is the most complete. Worth the effort.
How strict are they with dress code? Not very. Just don’t wear shorts in religious sites and cover shoulders. Normal clothes are fine.
Will I get bored after 5 days? Probably not if you like history and architecture. I stayed 9 days and was still happy.
The internet is slow. Get a local SIM. It costs like 800 INR for decent data.
Is it worth it compared to other countries? Honestly yes. The sites are impressive, costs are low, and it’s not overcrowded like parts of India or Thailand. The food isn’t the best but the people make up for it.
I went with pretty average expectations and came back impressed. The country surprised me in good ways. The negatives are real – the toilets, the repetitive food, the heat in summer – but none of them ruined the trip. I’d go back to see the parts I missed like the mountains in the east.
The whole Silk Road thing is a bit overhyped in marketing but the actual buildings and history are cool. Just don’t expect everything to blow your mind every day. Some days I was just happy sitting in a teahouse watching old men play chess.
If you’re into history, architecture, or just want something different from the usual backpacker trail, Uzbekistan works. Just go with realistic expectations and you’ll have a good time. I know I did.
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