Hey everyone!
I just wanted to drop some tips from our trip in early October 2024. Huge thanks to all the previous posts that helped us plan! Now that we’re back, here are some notes that might be useful for anyone else looking for info. This isn’t a full trip report, just some key points in no particular order.
Trip Direction:
We kicked things off in Tashkent due to our flight schedule, then made our way to Samarkand, followed by Bukhara, and finally Khiva, flying out from Urgench on our last day. A lot of travelers seem to do it the other way around, starting from Urgench, but we were really glad we went this route. It saved us an extra internal flight, and if you can plan your last day to catch a direct flight from Urgench, I highly recommend it!
Itinerary:
We spent 2 nights in Tashkent, 3 in Samarkand, 3 in Bukhara, and 2 in Khiva. This gave us enough time to explore the main attractions and still relax a bit. If you’re in a hurry, you could easily cut a night in both Samarkand and Bukhara. For Khiva, one night might be enough depending on your arrival and departure times. We arrived at 5:30 PM and left at 8 AM, which is why we opted for 2 nights.
Sun Heliocomplex, Solar Institute, Parkent:
This was a highlight for us! We couldn’t find much info beforehand, but we had an amazing guide named Shovkat from Tours by Locals. He was super knowledgeable and spoke great English. His passion for Uzbekistan really shone through during our half-day tour. Highly recommend him!
Trains:
We took the Afrosiyob fast train from Tashkent to Samarkand (2nd class) and the slower Sharq train (1st class) from Samarkand to Bukhara. The Afrosiyob was fantastic, but if you only find tickets for the Sharq, don’t worry—it’s still a pleasant ride. Both trains have great luggage storage and helpful staff. We booked our tickets using the Uzbekistan Rail app, though I had a few hiccups with payment at first. Just keep trying at different times, and it should work out!
Traveling from Bukhara to Khiva:
We opted for a car and driver since the train schedules didn’t fit our plans. The drive is pretty long and can get a bit dull, but we made stops at three desert fortresses along the way, which broke up the journey nicely. Honestly, the train would have taken just as long, so it’s really a matter of preference. We loved Khiva—it felt different from the other cities and was a lot of fun! The travel agency we used was fantastic; I’d definitely recommend them!
SIM / eSIM:
I got an Airalo eSIM before leaving the UK, which worked fine for the first day, but then I ran into some issues. I ended up going to a Ucell store near our hotel and snagged a local SIM for just 62,000 Som for 44GB. It was super convenient since the store was just a short walk from the Ateca Hotel Suites where we stayed. We didn’t bother with a SIM at the airport due to long queues, and my Airalo seemed to be working okay at the time. I also had a Turkish SIM from our layover in Istanbul, which worked perfectly.
Taxis / Yandex:
I downloaded the Yandex Go app before our trip and registered with my email, so I didn’t need a local phone number. It worked like a charm—super efficient and affordable! We opted to pay cash during our rides.
Flights:
We flew into Tashkent from Birmingham via Turkish Airlines with a layover in Istanbul. The journey was smooth, and on our way back, we flew from Urgench to Istanbul with Uzbekistan Airways, which was also great. After a few days in Istanbul, we returned to Birmingham with Turkish again. All flights were booked directly through the airlines’ websites without any hassle.
Food:
We were a bit worried about the food options, but we were pleasantly surprised! It was easy to find delicious meals. Just a heads-up for vegetarians and vegans—there might be some challenges; we even saw a vegetarian accidentally served meat once.
Currency / Cards:
There are plenty of ATMs around, and we used Uzbek Som for most transactions, although some places accepted USD as well. All the ATMs we used charged a small fee (about 3%), but honestly, it wasn’t a big deal considering how affordable everything is. We also had no issues using our Visa and Mastercard at hotels and restaurants throughout the trip.
General Impressions:
We were genuinely amazed by how easy it was to get around Uzbekistan and visit all the tourist spots. It’s hard to believe that more people from the UK don’t flock to this stunning country! The rich history, breathtaking sights, and welcoming locals made our experience unforgettable. Plus, we were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness and quality of the hotels and restaurants. I’ll be posting more detailed reviews soon, so stay tuned!
I hope these insights help out future travelers. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences while we were planning our adventure!
Hey there!
I’m curious about your visit to the Solar Institute in Parkent. My son is super excited about checking out the solar furnace when we’re in Tashkent for two days at the start of March. This will actually be our second trip to Uzbekistan! Do you think half a day is enough for the visit?
I think half a day should be plenty! We had two full days in Tashkent and were really glad we made time for the solar furnace. We left our hotel around 8 AM, and it took just over an hour to get to Parkent if you go straight there. Our guide was awesome and showed us some interesting spots in Tashkent on the way, which added a bit of time but was totally worth it if you have the luxury.
When we got to the site, we saw a demonstration of the heat from the mirrors using a smaller parabolic mirror. It was incredible to watch—it could put holes in metal and ignite a fire brick in seconds! The scientist there gave us a fascinating overview of the history of the site, the structure, and the materials they’ve tested for space rockets and missiles, which was super interesting. We even climbed to the top of the structure (the lift was out of order, so we took the stairs).
There was a school group visiting while we were there, and the kids seemed to be having a blast! We spent about two hours at the site before heading back to Tashkent, and we got back to our hotel around 1:30 PM. If you’re short on time, you could definitely streamline the visit. Enjoy your trip!