Enter an enthralling place that is Uzbekistan
Please forgive my absence in the past two weeks as I have just returned from a trip to one of the countries I most want to see. Uzbekistan had been on my wish list for more than a decade. One of the first things that really intrigued me about Central Asia in general was a travel memoir written by an Indonesian journalist who had lived and worked in this region for a long time back when those countries (the “stans”) were still largely difficult for tourists to explore. Then, over the years the number of online articles and blogs about this part of the world, especially Uzbekistan, began to grow. The more I was exposed to images of its magnificent madrasas, each decorated with intricate patterns and colors unlike those of any other place I had been before, the more fascinated I became.
Getting to Uzbekistan, however, was not easy. In the past, the most logical options for me were either flying via Seoul (I wasn’t sure whether I had to get a transit visa beforehand or not) or Istanbul (no visa needed for me, but it would be a big detour since Turkey’s largest city is far to the west of both Jakarta and Tashkent). Then of course, getting the visa to enter Uzbekistan itself sounded like a complicated process, in addition to stories recounted by those who had been which often made me think whether the country was ready to welcome foreign visitors or not. But despite all this, I still firmly believed that making the trip there would really be worth the hassle.
James notified me of particularly good news in early 2018 when Uzbekistan scrapped visa requirements for Indonesian citizens, making the prospect of going there even more realistic. But just when I began to seriously plan the trip, the Covid pandemic happened, forcing countries across the globe to shut their borders. Luckily, in 2022 the situation improved, allowing us to start traveling overseas again. Then in 2023, Uzbekistan Airways announced that they would start flying nonstop from Tashkent to Jakarta once a week. I knew I had to act quickly, because no one knows for how long they will serve this rather unusual route. However, I also had to carefully plan around my annual leave since James and I agreed that we would need two weeks to give us enough time to see what we wanted to see. I had never left my current workplace for that long before, but I fortunately managed to get the green light from my director.
Once our return flights were booked, it was time to try to secure our seats aboard the Afrosiyob, the first high-speed train in Central Asia that takes passengers from the Uzbek capital to two ancient Silk Road trading hubs – Samarkand and Bukhara – much faster than before. If the camel-riding caravans traveling between these places centuries ago could get a glimpse of the distant future, they would definitely find it mind-boggling that one day it would only take a few hours for people to travel between these cities in modern-day Uzbekistan instead of days or weeks.
However, the promise of a fast and efficient journey required patience. First, I had to check the seating availability every day as they tend to sell out very quickly. Then, I had to create an account through the website of the O’zbekiston Temir Yo’llari (the national railway company) and tried to make the payment, which proved to be another issue. While I eventually managed to secure the Afrosiyob seats from Tashkent to the two ancient cities, I couldn’t get any for the journey back to the capital and had to resort to the Sharq, a slower train which turned out to be quite decent. Nevertheless, when I set foot in the country, I couldn’t help but feel very excited and grateful that I’d finally made it to a part of the world with so much history and incredible monuments from the past, which was largely closed to overseas visitors in the 20th century.
This trip took us to Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and the ruins of several ancient fortresses in Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in the far west of the country. The monuments we visited were even more impressive and imposing in person despite the many images we had seen of them online, and the local dishes more interesting than what we had anticipated. Prior to the trip, we had heard about how Uzbeks can come across as ‘cold’, probably a hangover from the Soviet times. But we also found out that if you make the effort to learn some words and phrases in the Uzbek language instead of using Russian, the local people will immediately brighten up and become very friendly. “O’zbekiston menga yoqadi,” was my magic phrase, which means “I like Uzbekistan.” It never failed to amuse the people we met, which was always followed by them speaking to me in Uzbek. Luckily, James learned the expression “tushunmayapman”, or “I don’t understand.”
Writing the blog posts about this enchanting country will take time. So, please be patient, and for the time being enjoy the stories from other places around Asia I was lucky to visit in the past year.
Walk among giant monuments from the past
Look up and be amazed
The country’s architectural styles come in many shapes
Some old trading spaces are still used just like in the times of the Silk Road
Uzbekistan is home to some well-preserved ancient cities
Gates from the past standing strong in the modern nation
Ancient fortresses remind visitors of the kingdoms that once ruled this land
The capital is home to some of the most beautiful metro stations I have been to
Uzbekistani traditional dishes were surprisingly interesting
Come to Uzbekistan and taste its sweet melons
What an Amazing World! 
Wonderful photos. My have to go on my list.
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You won’t regret putting Uzbekistan on your list.
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A traveller’s dream come true!
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Absolutely, Jo. I can’t believe it took me that many years to finally make it there.
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Karakalpakstan sounds interesting. Maybe it’s times I made a return visit. 🙂
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Hehe. Just realized I have been to Karakalpakstan. Had stayed in Nukus and explored the Khorezm forts. This is what happens when one travels too much and has serious FOMO issues. 😄
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Haha, no worries, Rama. Sometimes I too forget the names of some places I’ve been. I remember your photos from Ayaz-Kala, which looks stunning both online and in real life.
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Those fortresses are both magical and mystical. 🙂
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I couldn’t agree more.
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Omg when were you there? I was there from Sept 23rd for two weeks! lol. I too am struggling to write… just so many thoughts and ideas and a bit of post holiday blues to be honest.
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Anna! Yes, I realized that you just went to Uzbekistan from your comment on Rama Arya’s latest post. I was there from Oct 2nd, so we might have actually bumped into each other without realizing it, which is crazy if you think of it!
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Bama!!! We were in Tashkent on the same day!!! I flew out Oct 3rd! Omg! We could have met! From now on let’s report how travels to each other before we leave in case we go to the same place! lol
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Haha, my flight landed in Tashkent on the 2nd at night and the next morning I was already on my way to Samarkand. But you’re right, technically we were in the same city around the same time which is, again, crazy! This has happened to me before with other bloggers when I went to Jordan — I was literally a few days behind them. Sometimes, the world feels small indeed.
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The world is small indeed! I am so looking forward to your take on Uzbekistan, you write so beautifully! Meanwhile I’ll be lucky to get a post up by Xmas! 😂
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Haha, from the look of it, I think my next post on Uzbekistan will only come out probably in early January. I’ll take my time. 😄
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Looking forward to your posts on Uzbekistan. I was just in Mongolia from 1-10 October to catch the Golden Eagle Festival. Wasn’t that far from the “Stan” countries 😆
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Mongolia is also a place I want to visit. But how cold was it when you were there? I have this impression that apart from summertime, the country would be too cold for me. 😆
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10-15°C in the day and around 0-5°C at night when I was there. It does get colder out in the countryside, sometimes below zero. Wind wasn’t crazy but the wind chill can be really cold.
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That actually sounds manageable, as long as we bring the right jackets and other warm clothing. Look forward to your stories!
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I was fine with 3 layers- Base thermal, woolen sweater and windproof rain jacket. I was told that tourist season basically ends after Oct when winter starts and temperatures can reach -20°C.
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Good to know that. Thank you, Edwin.
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Now I am really jealous. We had a trip planned for the 5 Stans in September 2020 that obviously got cancelled and we haven’t been able to reschedule it since then. We really have to start thinking about it again. Looking forward to seeing more of this country through your eyes and stories. (Suzanne)
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It seems like almost everyone in the blogging world, including me, had their travel plans disrupted due to the pandemic. I hope you’ll get to visit Central Asia sooner than later, Suzanne. Going to all the five countries, including Turkmenistan which is the least visited, will definitely be epic!
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Wow, this is so fascinating, Bama. The country of Uzbekistan has a unique allure that has sparked my interest and motivated me to discover its wonders, yet I haven’t made it to it yet, therefore, I very much enjoyed reading about your journey through the country’s rich history of culture. I look forward to reading more about it as it is an undeniably beautiful country full of breathtaking architecture that has a lot of stories to tell. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Uzbekistan exceeded my expectations, and it is now among my favorite destinations. I saw a lot of other foreign tourists there, especially in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, so the country really is getting popular. It’s a lot easier to reach too today, so I hope you’ll get to see it yourself, Aiva. I have a feeling you will also enjoy it like I did.
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I have the same feeling, Bama, especially as the country’s architectural beauty does not come from Dubai-like skyscrapers or Gothic buildings of Europe, but instead, impresses with the array of ancient architecture based on religion and culture. Thanks for the healthy dose of inspiration, my friend and take care xx
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We inspire each other, Aiva. Some of the most striking elements in the ancient architectural style I saw in Uzbekistan are the patterns which I think are unique to this part of the world and also the colors. They’re so beautiful.
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It was absolutely great to have again had the possibility to cross Uzbekistan with its many marvellous sights! We, however almost always ate in private families for security sake! Many thanks, Bam.
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How cool it is that you went to Uzbekistan when it was only beginning to open up to international visitors! If you go back there today, I wonder if you’ll notice a lot of changes since your visit.
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Yes, exactly! I’m too old now, but I managed that great trip.
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I’m looking forward to the rest of your blogs about Uzbekistan. It’s our next destination in Central Asia.
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How nice that you’re also going to Uzbekistan, I.J. I’ve actually been thinking of Kazakhstan these days because of the blog posts you’ve shared.
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Central Asia is very interesting
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Can’t wait to read your posts. It’s been a destination on my radar too, but when I researched getting there a decade ago, it seemed almost impossible from where I live. Perhaps after reading your posts I’ll consider it again as I cannot forget its most beautiful architecture.
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Last night I re-read parts of that travel memoir written almost two decades ago, and it’s incredible to see how much the country has changed. For instance, back then when you entered Uzbekistan you had to declare every single thing you carried, including how many banknotes you had. And when you left the country, you must have less banknotes than when you came. The security situation has also definitely improved — I never felt unsafe during my stay there. You really should plan that trip, Mallee.
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I’ll wait and read your posts first. You know your posts on Kyoto inspired me to visit there so I probably will after learning your impressions as I’ve always been in awe of the architecture.
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Oh, I didn’t know that my posts on Kyoto did that to you. How lovely to hear that, Mallee. I hope you won’t wait for the entire stories from Uzbekistan to be published on my blog before you decide to go, though. The country really is embracing mass tourism. Its ancient cities are not overrun by tourists yet, fortunately. But I have a feeling the sooner you go the better.
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Incredible! Uzbekistan is high on my list of places to visit, as well as much of Central Asia! It’ll probably take me a few years to make it over there, but it’s awesome you finally got to visit the country you’d been dreaming about for a decade. Excellent and meticulous planning, and even better you got plenty of time off from work to make it happen. Can’t wait to read more about your time there, Bama! 🙂
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Some destinations are really worth the wait. I hope you’ll get to Central Asia sooner than later, Rebecca. It’s also easier now for US citizens to visit this part of the world as you don’t need to get a visa in advance or you can apply for an e-visa to visit most of them, except for Turkmenistan which requires literally everyone to get a visa beforehand.
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I am so thrilled to hear that you’ve made it to a place you’ve been dreaming about for so long, Bama. I just recently read an article about that highspeed train, and told Michael we should go now that it is quicker to travel around the main cities, as he doesn’t have the luxury of time like I do. Uzbekistan has been on my dream list for a long time, because of its incredible architecture, but it is one of the countries I’ve always been hesitant to travel to on my own. That and Morocco, another place that has been high on my dream list. And I must admit that I would love to visit Iran too, although I’m not sure that will ever happen.
I particularly love Islamic Architecture in all its forms and shapes, and am forever searching for remnants of that in Spain and Portugal for instance.
Looking forward to your posts, as I am sure that they will serve as extra motivation and inspiration for me to dream a trip there into existence. – Jolandi
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I read that they’re actually extending the high-speed railway to Khiva, so hopefully by the time you visit Uzbekistan, this will already be completed. And also, I hope by then booking the seats online will be a lot easier than how it is now.
Jolandi, Morocco and Iran have been on my wish list too. Just last night I watched a food video on YouTube and there’s this Iranian dish that looks really interesting. It’s sad and frustrating how things are looking right now. I remember about a decade ago the idea of traveling to Iran was something that became increasingly plausible.
It must be really interesting to look for the vestiges of the Islamic rule in the Iberian peninsula. I imagine some can be sitting in plain sight, while the others are probably more hidden.
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It would be great if there is an extension of the line, and a more user friendly booking interface, Bama. There are places in the world that can change so quickly, and move from being accessible to not, and vice versa. I definitely count every trip I’ve made as a blessing, and although I am dreaming of so many places, there are also a variety of things that have to fall into place sometimes before one can get there. Or not. Hope we can both at least get to Morocco one day!
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Very true, Jolandi. I went to Lebanon in April 2019, and because it was such an unforgettable trip the country is now my favorite destination. But later that year, this small nation plunged into an economic crisis, which was soon followed by a political crisis. Then things seem to keep spiraling down from there. I agree with you about how we should count every trip as a blessing. We should never take any single trip for granted.
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I’m glad you made it to Uzbekistan, Bama! It might not have the nature of the other Central Asian countries but it sure makes up for it with its people and cities. Bukhara holds a specia place for me…
Fabrizio
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Fabrizio, if you ask me, Bukhara is also my favorite city of all the places I visited in the country. The funny thing is that’s the one I least thought about prior to the trip.
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Bukhara is just amazing. The history behind it, the culture, the fact that (at least when I went in ‘18) it hadn’t, unlike Khiva, turned into a museum… what a place. Will you write more about your trip?
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Your descriptions of the Bukhara you saw six years ago sound very much like the Bukhara I experienced. I will certainly write more about this amazing country. I have so much to share.
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Amazing architecture! Looking forward to the blogs to come.
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Hi! Thank you for stopping by. I’m only starting to choose the photos for my future blog posts on Uzbekistan. It will take a while though.
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Welcome back!! Glad to hear you were able to get the time off work and cross Uzbekistan off your travel list. Even better that you managed to snag a nonstop flight. Thanks for the sneak peek. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!
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Thanks Linda. It was fantastic, but back to reality now, unfortunately. 😆 I read that one of the best ways to deal with the post-travel blues is planning the next trip.
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Wow, I had a feeling you and James were off an another adventure from your quietness on WP but Uzbekistan was not what I would have guessed. What an adventure and what a journey just to get there. I can see why you snatched up and seized the opportunity to do so! And glad it was worth the wait for you.
The photos you shared are amazing – the Metro station, the architecture and the tease of the local cuisine – and I can’t wait to read and see more of your adventures!
Welcome back! 😊
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Your feeling was right! We had always wanted to take time off from work for two weeks and go somewhere further away from Indonesia. Canada was supposed to be the first time we did this. But the trip was booked for October 2020, and we all know what happened that year. I’m glad in the end we were able to make the trip to Uzbekistan.
You will have to wait for that eventual post on the local cuisine though. First, I will be publishing stories about the country’s history and the magnificent buildings commissioned by ancient rulers when this country was an important part of the Silk Road. We ended up buying mixed spices to make plov, the most famous rice dish from Uzbekistan, although we don’t know how to make it. 😆
Thanks Ab!
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I look forward to your post about making plov. I’m sure there’s a YouTube video around that you can consult?
Hope you can make it to Canada one day!!!
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When the time comes, I think we will look up the internet — recipes, videos, articles, etc — to make sure that we use the mixed spices correctly.
I surely hope so, Ab. Montreal is high on my list!
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Very interesting. It’s a region that I’m starting to study more closely because, after seeing most of Europe, I’m planning to return to Asia, particularly Central Asia, where travelling wasn’t easy before.
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Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are particularly very easy to access now since more and more international airlines fly to both countries’ main airports. Once you’re there, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will be within reach. Turkmenistan, on the other hand, remains the hardest to get to.
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Thanks for the tips, these are country names that are starting to become familiar from reading travel blogs like yours.
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Yay!! You made it to Uzbekistan! I’m so happy for you and hope you loved it as much as we did. Can’t wait to read your posts and relive the trip with you. I already have goosebumps from your teaser pictures. Maggie
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Maggie, I have to thank you for your posts. They were very useful for planning the trip. They gave us ideas of the places to visit, including the tomb of Daniel in Samarkand which we would’ve otherwise not known about.
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Great, glad I could help 😊
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I can hardly wait to read more stories! I am already intrigued as it sounds like such a magical place. So cool too how you and James continue to travel so much. I will be patient! I am sure it will be worth the wait!
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We need to travel every now and then to relieve ourselves from the stress of work and to refresh our minds. Thank you in advance for being patient, Nicole. The posts on Uzbekistan will eventually come.
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Wow… I like that you describe some of the behind the scenes work of scheduling, arranging transportation etc… I can’t wait to read your stories. That dish with the green noodles looks so interesting.
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It was all worth it as Uzbekistan turned out to exceed my expectations. To be honest, I only expected the ancient monuments to be great. For sure, they were impressive — far more impressive than how I imagined them to be. But the people and the food really made this trip even more special.
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Beautiful, after reading Monkeys Tale blog post the Stans are high on our list.
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I think you would love Uzbekistan. And yes, Monkeys Tale blog posts are a good reference of the most interesting places in the country.
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We also loved Uzbekistan. We spent about 5 weeks in 2018 visiting along with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. We took buses, shared taxis/vans and flew to some places – in most cases it was pretty easy and people were very friendly and helpful. With the longer taxi rides they pass you off to another taxi after a certain distance. A little disconcerting when you don’t know what’s happening but all part of the excitement of travel.
Thank you so much for your wonderful posts. You are so fortunate to be able to travel while young.
Steve (I was too lazy to log Annie out and log me in!)
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Wow! Five weeks across three countries in Central Asia sounds like a great adventure! Did you have to take those multiple taxi rides to cross the borders? Or did you have to do it in Kazakhstan (the country looks so big compared to its southern neighbors, I imagine traveling around by car must have been quite exhausting)? Did you write about that trip on your blog? I tried to look for those countries under the ‘City/Country’ labels, but I couldn’t find them.
Anyway, thank you for sharing your story, Steve!
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Every year of our overseas travels beginning in 2013 through 2019 was a separate blog. If you open the present web version or use your computer you can scroll down to the 2018 trip (on the right side) and click on it. Then the search for any city will work. Since 2020 with covid we decided to just keep one blog going. bergersadventures8.blogspot.com or bergersadventures10.wordpress.com
That trip was about 4 1/2 months. But we were in our 60’s then so a piece of cake. Just ending a 2 month trip now.
Best regards from Tunisia,
Steve
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Got it! I’m re-experiencing my recent trip through your posts.
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I’m so excited to read your posts about Uzbekistan! It has been on my list ever since I stayed with an Uzbek family in Russia, many years ago, and what was a country I never thought much about before is now high on my list of places to visit one day! Can’t wait to read more about it!
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You should visit Uzbekistan sooner than later because it’s getting more and more popular. How nice that you got to stay with an Uzbek family! I imagine all the dishes they shared with you.
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Our trip to Uzbekistan is something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives – I’m so glad both of us had the chance to take two weeks off work last month! And how convenient it was that we could take advantage of the nonstop Jakarta-Tashkent flights and the country’s visa-free policy. Thank you for taking care of the train tickets while I was swamped with work deadlines in September! Next year I look forward to reading your take on the places we visited and the wonders we saw along the Silk Road.
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I don’t know how long Uzbekistan Airways will keep Jakarta as one of its destinations, so while it does, I thought we should go sooner than later. I hope in the future it will be easier for visitors from overseas to book train tickets through the country’s railway company’s website, especially once the government has completed the high-speed railway extension to Khiva. Can you imagine the ease of travel it will bring?
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If you think the Tashkent-Jakarta route is rather odd, you should know there are direct flights between Tashkent and Nha Trang 🙂 It’s an international airport but not the main gateway to Vietnam. Even unusual airlines like Turkmenistan Airways landed in Saigon.
Looking forward to reading your posts about this magnificent country (one of my dream destinations). The preview photos are awesome, Bama 😛
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Turkmenistan Airways! Given how closed off the country is, it’s surprising to know that their flag carrier flies to Saigon (and apparently Kuala Lumpur as well!).
I should be able to publish my next post on Uzbekistan in the first week of January. You would love this country, Len!
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Mas Bamaaaaa….
Aku memenuhi janji baca blog mas Bama tentang Uzbek (daaaan, yaaa ampuuun, udah banyak banget post yang aku dibaca! terutama itu lho Angkor😊) Back to Uzbek, duh itu rasanya sama aja yaa saat pertama kali menjejak di sana.
Percaya gak sih mas Bama, ketika balik dari Bukhara ke Tashkent, saya harus pesan tiket kereta Afrosiyob itu dari link-nya Kazakhstan karena coba dari link Uzbek gagal terus. Mana bahasanya kadang balik ke Kazakhstan padahal udah select English 😂Untung berhasil! Karena tiket pesawat juga habis. Lesson learnt buatku sih, prepare beneran hahahaha.
Anyway, foto-fotonya mas Bama luar biasa banget. Kebayang mas Bama dan mas James pasti berlama-lama kalo foto detil-detil itu yaah, sangking banyaknya. Sempat ke Shakhrisabz-kah? Yang jelas, foto-fotonya membuat aku terkenang lagi ke tempat-tempat itu, meski ga semuanya aku datangi. Seperti biasa deh, biar ada alasan balik kesana. Aku masih banyak hutang ke Stans yang lain, mudah-mudahan tahun depan bisa dilunasi.
Aku tunggu tulisannya mas Bama
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Emang bener-bener ya Afrosiyob ini menguji mental dan kesabaran pesan tiketnya. Tapi Mbak Riyanti hebat sih bisa kepikiran untuk pakai link Kazakhstan. Tapi bener banget mbak soal bahasa bisa tiba-tiba ganti. Saya juga alamin, di halaman sebelumnya masih Bahasa Inggris, di halaman selanjutnya tau-tau Bahasa Uzbek. 😂
Kami kemarin sayangnya gak sempat ke Shahrisabz. Jadi kemarin itu kami ke Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, dan Khiva. Sempet juga eksplor beberapa kota kuno di dekat Khiva (gak dekat juga sih sebenernya karena perjalanan ke sana butuh beberapa jam).
Semoga bisa balik ke Uzbekistan dan sekalian mampi ke negara Asia Tengah yang lainnya next time ya Mbak Riyanti.
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Reading your post has brought back some wonderful memories of my trip to Uzbekistan last year. The architecture and the warmth of the people there are truly unforgettable.
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I was also pleasantly surprised by the hospitable people I met in Uzbekistan. There were, of course, some who reminded me that the country was once a part of the Soviet Union. Glad this blog post brought back those fond memories of your trip!
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