We visited Uzbekistan in October 2023 and have been raving about the country ever since.
A place that stole our hearts thanks to its dazzling blue madrasas, warm and welcoming people and incredibly cheap prices, we think that everyone should be visiting Uzbekistan in 2024.
A destination predicted to be hit by a tourism boom in coming years, we hugely recommend visiting Uzbekistan sooner rather than later. For now, the country is still somewhat off the beaten track; a refreshing destination with a unique history and staggering architecture.
Oh, and its rock bottom prices are pretty great, too.
Below are our 9 reasons to visit Uzbekistan in 2024.
1. Uzbekistan is One of the Cheapest Countries in the World
First off, Uzbekistan is the ultimate budget destination.
The currency in Uzbekistan is the Uzbekistani Som and as a closed currency, is not available to buy outside of the country. We therefore recommend converting any British Pounds to dollars before travelling to Uzbekistan, and then changing your currency once there.
There were plenty of banks in Tashkent to convert our cash, which was a hilarious experience given the exchange rate. Withdraw more than £70 at a time and you’ll need a wheelbarrow to carry your new notes around in.
In terms of prices, during our week in Uzbekistan, I spent less than £100 on food and drink, which is pretty staggering in 2023.
I was prepared to find things a little steeper given that prices have risen due to the Russian/Ukrainian war. This has resulted in an influx in Russian residents, which has pushed up prices across the board. Despite this, however, Uzbekistan remains incredibly cheap – unbelievably so, in fact.
Examples of What Things Cost in Uzbekistan:
- Pot of tea: 50p
- Bottle of Diet coke: 60p
- Lunch: £1.50 – £2.00 (we recommend eating in the Tashkent food market for extremely cheap prices)
- Glass of wine: £3.00
- 4-hour train ticket: £15
- Stay in a mid-range hotel for a night: £15 – 20.
The most expensive meal I paid for came to £15, and this included a glass of wine, a starter, main and dessert.
In terms of buying gifts or local crafts in Uzbekistan, things were a little more expensive. For example, a tailored, original Uzbek coat cost £22 – although this is still incredible given the quality of the garments.
Obviously, getting to Uzbekistan isn’t doable via a budget airline – and so you’ll have to make an investment when it comes to your flights. However, if you’re researching mid-haul destinations that offer something a little different, then Uzbekistan is well-worth considering.
Top tip: When changing your bank notes, the banks were a little funny about crumpled notes. In fact, they can offer you worse conversion rate if the notes aren’t crisp and clean – be warned.
2. Uzbekistan is Easy to Travel Around
In terms of reasons to visit Uzbekistan, the ease in which you can travel around the country is definitely one.
Before visiting, we had no idea that Uzbekistan boasted such brilliant rail infrastructure, and travelling between the 3 main cities of Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand could be completed via high-speed trains (and cheaply, too).
If you’re visiting these three main cities, we recommend doing the following train route:
- Fly into Tashkent and explore the city
- From here, take the 4 hour train journey to Bukhara
- From Bukhara, travel the 2.5 hour journey back towards Samarkand
- Finally, from Samarkand, travel back to Tashkent (a further 2 hours).
As well as being incredibly comfortable, the trains in Uzbekistan are also brilliantly priced. For example, the four-hour train journey from Tashkent to Uzbekistan cost us just £15 per person.
Want to know more about train travel in Uzbekistan? Read our full guide to high-speed train travel in Uzbekistan.
3. Uzbekistan is Still Off the Beaten Track (for now)
Another reason to visit Uzbekistan (now), is to experience it before the inevitable tourism boom.
Recently recognised by Lonely Planet as one of the countries to visit in 2024 and with articles such as this one by The Telegraph declaring it a must-see, a spotlight has landed on Uzbekistan.
Not only is the country set to welcome more tourists over the coming years, the country itself is primed for change. With Tashkent welcoming an increasing diverse array of expats, and luxury hotels popping up across the country, there’s a risk that its authentic and quieter spots will be spoilt.
For now, however, Uzbekistan is a destination that remains off the typical tourist’s radar.
Although we certainly saw other visitors while we were there, the crowds around some of the key monuments were minimal compared to anything you’d see in a European city. I was actually surprised at how quiet cities such as Bukhara were, considering that we were visiting during peak-season (autumn).
Wandering this quiet, mesmerisingly beautiful city during the evening, we were shocked at just how peaceful and ‘authentic’ it felt. Feeling a million miles away from a tourism hot spot, we had the space and time to truly enjoy the city.
4. Uzbek People are Incredibly Friendly
One of the main reasons to visit Uzbekistan is for its wonderfully friendly and welcoming locals. In fact, we’d been told ahead of our trip that the people of Uzbekistan were some of the kindest in the world.
Given its vast history, Uzbekistan is a true melting pot of religions, cultures and ethnicities. As such, there’s a cosmopolitan sort of acceptance of everyone who passes through. We definitely felt this, travelling through the metropolitan Tashkent with barely a glance from locals.
Even in bustling food markets or bazaars, people remained respectful and there was no cat-calling or pestering.
Uzbekistan is a Muslim country, but is surprisingly relaxed when it comes to religious observation – instead choosing to put society, or the human, above theology. This refreshing perspective means that we didn’t feel uncomfortable (as though we were offending anyone) or overly vigilant, and both men and women were equally as kind.
5. The History of Uzbekistan Will Blow Your Mind
One of the main reasons to visit Uzbekistan is to immerse yourself in its ancient history – dominated by its role in the Old Silk Route. A hub of culture and trade for more than two millennia, Uzbekistan is unlike anywhere else we’ve ever visited before.
It’s a true tapestry of cultures – and with it, architecture, history and cuisine.
If you’re really looking to travel though time, head to beautiful Bukhara (our favourite city in Uzbekistan). Protected by UNESCO, Bukhara retains its authenticity, and this dusty city feels truly ancient and precious. At 2,000 years old, this is definitely the place to come to swat up on your history.
6. Uzbekistan is Incredibly Safe to Visit
Uzbekistan is incredibly safe for tourists and as a group of 16 women, we felt perfectly secure exploring the cities – both during the day and at night. In cities such as Samarkand and Bukhara, you’ll even see the Tourism Police, who have been specifically created by the Government to support those visiting the country.
Tashkent itself has a very low crime rate, although you do need to beware of pick-pockets on the Metro. As an incredibly modern and cosmopolitan city, however, we felt happy walking about at night – and even visited a few bars without any issues at all.
7. Uzbekistan Offers Diverse Travel Experiences
Uzbekistan offers a wildly diverse array of experiences.
From the European-like Tashkent, the ancient desert cities of Khiva and Bukhara, to rural, mountain communities, any traveller to Uzbekistan will be truly spoilt for choice.
If you wish to really make the most out of the country, we recommend 14 days in Uzbekistan. Unfortunately, our one week visit only allowed us to visit the three main cities, but we became slightly obsessed with also exploring Khiva and enjoying a rural stay in the mountains (in a traditional yurt).
Maybe next time.
8. Uzbekistan has the Most Beautiful Buildings in Central Asia
We have a confession – and not one we’re proud of.
You see, what drew us to running a female-only tour to Uzbekistan was not the country’s vast history or beautiful culture. Instead, what lured us was a Pinterest image of one of the blue, glittering mosques of Samarkand.
It was just so pretty.
Dazzled by the image of turquoise glittering turrets, we immediately researched Uzbekistan a little more; quickly realising that this was deemed the most beautiful country in Central Asia.
With ancient Muslim architecture, mixed with Soviet-style brutalism, make sure you have your camera in hand at all times when visiting Uzbekistan.
9. You Don’t Need a VISA to Visit Uzbekistan
On our list of reasons to visit Uzbekistan in 2024 is the fact you no longer need a VISA to visit Uzbekistan (a fairly recent change).
Now, the residents of 60 countries can visit Uzbekistan for up to one-month without requiring any additional documentation. These countries include the UK, European countries, New Zealand and Canada.
We found the process of arriving in Uzbekistan no different to that of arriving in any other European city. After disembarking the plane, we simply passed through passport control, were issued a stamp and went on to collect our luggage.
Easy.
This is a huge change compared to what visiting Uzbekistan used to be like – an experience that required complicated VISAs, letters of invitation and even having to register with your hotel each night.
2 comments
Thanks for this incredibly useful blog post. My two female friends and I checked it out before leaving for Uzbekistan last month and found your comments and tips helpful. We had already arranged our two week visit, but your packing tips and reassurance about safety and friendliness helped. Having now been there, I can say you were accurate. The people are gorgeously friendly, the history is astonishing, the lack of big tourism is appealing. We loved it.
Aww, this is so lovely to hear! So glad you had a great time!!