Uzbekistan : Tashkent and Samarkand – A Short Guide

Central Asia is steeped in history. The Silk Road, the travels of Marco Polo through it, the origin of the Mughals all direct you to present day Uzbekistan. And sure enough it is a great country to visit.

To start off this blog, first things first, here are list of things that you need to do in order to travel to Uzbekistan

Visa – Indian citizens need to apply for an e-Visa. This requires two working days and basic information need to be provided. To apply for an eVisa, click here

Train tickets from Tashkent to Samarkand – Trains are the best mode of transport between Tashkent and the other cities. It is wise to book tickets in advance. For the bullet train, you need to book well in advance. For the normal slow trains which takes around four hours, one can still book at the last moment. To book train tickets click here

Taxi App – Download the Yandex App for quick taxi bookings. This works in Tashkent but not so much in Samarkand. To download from Google Playstore, click here

Currency – For a start carry some USD, which can be exchanged in for the local currency at the airport. Subsequently ATMs can be used to withdraw cash. ATMs are there at the airport in the arrival hall and mostly at all important locations in the city. Credit cards are accepted mostly at all places in Tashkent but not much in Samarkand. So be more cash rich at Samarkand. For Indians, the conversion rate is approx. 100,000 UZS (Som) = INR 680.

Local Sim Card – You need to purchase a local sim card which is a necessity. This can be done on arrival at Tashkent airport. Credit Cards are accepted. Beeline and Uzmobile are a couple of service providers.

So, now you are all set to travel to Uzbekistan and witness a slice of history.

TASHKENT

(Please check the main Tashkent page for detailed blog. Click here)

This is the capital city and the only international gateway. Two days is ideal for spending here. This is not only about historical places. It has got beautiful parks and amazing places to visit in the evening for food and fun.

Places of Interest 

This is a select list of things to do, places to visit that are recommended for a two-day stay in the city.

Amir Timur Museum, Minor Mosque, Hazrati Imam Mosque, Alisher Navoiy Theatre, Tashkent City Park, Magic City, Saigokh Street, Chorsu Bazaar, Tashkent TV Tower

SAMARKAND

(Please check the main Samarkand page for detailed blog. Click here)

Take the train to Samarkand from Tashkent. Its a four hour train journey and lesser than that if you get lucky to book tickets on the bullet trains. The ticket booking process is already mentioned at the start of the blog. As far as history goes, Tashkent was just the warm-up. Samarkand is where the slice of history lie. A part of the Silk Road, this place is a unique combination of history and modernity. Ideally one can stay for two or three nights in Samarkand.

Places of Interest

This is a list of prominent historic places to visit. There are lots of amazing restaurants and parks. But when in Samarkand it is all about the history

 Gur-I-Amir Mausoleum, Registan Square, Shahi Zinda, Hazrat Khizr Mosque, Siyob Bazaar, Bibi Khanym Mosque