Uzbekistan was my introduction to Central Asia and boy, what an introduction it was. Growing up, I adored ancient civilizations. The legendary tales of Marco Polo, Kublai Khan, the Seljuks, the Khwarezmians, etc, were among my favorite rabbit holes to fall into. In short, the Mongol Empire was my Roman Empire. En route to Uzbekistan, my Silk Road dreams and expectations were sky high. I kept reminding myself to temper my imaginings of sharpened scimitars and dusty bazaars. Don’t meet your heroes, right? Nah. In this case, our hero in question lived up to the hype. Call me Aladdin, because Uzbekistan showed me a whole new world on its flying carpets.

For those fascinated by obscure history, extravagant architecture, ancient cultures, and truly off-the-beaten-path experiences, Uzbekistan is a country overflowing with all of that. Despite its abundance of Silk Road cities, bustling bazaars, warm locals, and modern travel infrastructure, Uzbekistan somehow still gets criminally overlooked by travelers. As with most of my destinations, I didn’t research much before setting foot in Uzbekistan. Mentally, I was fully prepared to be roughing it. Like, crawling through the desert begging for water type beat.

Compared to its Central Asian neighbors, as I would later find out, Uzbekistan is leagues ahead in terms of infrastructure and modernity. No fighting off scorpions and heatstroke in the desert for this guy. In fact, I was actually living quite large considering my backpacker budget. Overall, it’s one of the best and most backpacker-friendly destinations that I’ve traveled to. Here is everything you need to know before traveling to Uzbekistan, from how to get there to the best places to visit.

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Table of Contents

• Things To Know Before Going to Uzbekistan
  • Visa and Entry Requirements
  • Cash, Currency & ATMs
  • Cultural Norms of Uzbekistan
  • Language & Language Barriers
  • SIM Cards, eSIMs
  • Travel Insurance
• Is Uzbekistan Safe to Visit?
• How To Get To Uzbekistan
• How To Travel Around Uzbekistan
• Budgeting for Uzbekistan
• Hostels and Accommodation
• Sample Itinerary for Uzbekistan
• More Travel Destinations
• Final Thoughts
• Buy Me A Beer!
• More on Central Asia

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What To Know Before Traveling To Uzbekistan

To my surprise, Uzbekistan ended up being one of the easiest, most hassle-free destinations that I’ve traveled to. I was expecting Central Asia to be a huge challenge and logistical nightmare. While some countries definitely are, Uzbekistan is modern, safe, and has great tourist infrastructure. It is leagues ahead of its neighbors, aside from maybe a few cities in Kazakhstan. Regardless, let’s get some quick tidbits out of the way to help get your feet set.

Visa Requirements to Enter Uzbekistan

Visa requirements to enter Uzbekistan can vary wildly depending on your nationality. As an American passport holder, I needed to apply for an electronic visa about a week prior to my arrival in Uzbekistan. I paid $20 for a single-entry visa.

But that was then, this is now! As of January 2026, American citizens no longer need to apply for a visa for Uzbekistan. Before, it was something like only Americans under the age of 55 needed a visa. Pretty wacky. Hopefully, it stays that way, but you can check here for the most up-to-date entry requirements for Uzbekistan.

Cash and Currency of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan uses the Uzbekistani som. U.S. dollars seem to be widely accepted, and it doesn’t hurt to have a stash of them around. A lot of the accommodation that I booked online would be priced in U.S. dollars, and preferred to be paid in U.S. dollars. Since I always paid in Som, they would pull out a calculator and type in an arbitrary exchange rate. It would vary anywhere from 12,000 to 13,000 som, which might not be a big difference, but can certainly add up to a few dollars lost here or there. I truly didn’t understand why I was getting shafted for paying with the local currency instead of the currency that I got shafted for exchanging at the currency exchange for the local currency. Say that five times fast, hey? Oh well, you win Som, you lose Som.

I didn’t have any issues finding ATMs or money exchanges throughout Uzbekistan. If you plan on sticking to the main tourist cities, you won’t have any problems either. However, if you find yourself exploring lesser-traveled destinations like Termez, Fergana Valley, or elsewhere, then you make sure you have enough cash handy before setting out into the villages.

Cultural Norms in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a predominantly Muslim country, although among the more relaxed Islamic countries that I have visited. It’s fairly common to see locals having a beer at any hour of the day and you are free to dress however you’d like when you’re out and about. Even in the mosques and mausoleums, dress codes didn’t seem to be heavily enforced. However, I’d recommend erring on the more conservative side regardless, especially if you find yourself in Uzbekistan’s rural areas, or less-touristed religious monuments.

Uzbeks are very forgiving of respectful and well-meaning foreigners. A little cultural sensitivity can go a long way, and will be paid back tenfold because hospitality is huge in Uzbekistan. Like many Islamic countries, guests are given a warm welcome and treated with great respect. It’s pretty common to be approached for a chat, which often serves as a gateway to being invited for tea, snacks, or a meal. Even the family-run guesthouses and locally-owned hotels always went above and beyond with their welcomes.

Language and Language Barriers in Uzbekistan

The language barrier in Uzbekistan is a pretty funny one. As a former Soviet state, Russian is the most common second language among the adults and older folks. However, most people growing up after the dissolution of the Soviet Union have opted to learn English. The younger population leans heavily towards English-speaking. Because of this, every business owner or family-run guesthouse had some random 7-year-old kid stashed away to serve as a translator whenever I said I didn’t speak Russian. Seriously, they would just magically summon a child who had learned English from YouTube videos and hey, it worked every time.

I didn’t have any issues traveling around Uzbekistan without knowing Uzbek or Russian. Yes, the language barrier exists, but Uzbekistan is safe, the people are friendly, and with technology these days, a simple translation app is all you need to fill in the gaps.

SIM Cards, eSIMs, and Connectivity

Mobile data and internet are cheap and widely available in Uzbekistan. Physical SIM cards from providers like Ucell or Beeline cost just a few dollars, and 10–20 GB of data may only run you $3–7. eSIMs are more convenient for short trips, but slightly more expensive. Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels and cafes in major cities, though rural areas can be slower.

Cell service is prevalent and reliable in Uzbekistan’s cities and towns. However, it is not reliable in the long stretches of desert between the cities. Prepare to go without internet for hours at a time when you are on those long-distance trains. Download some movies or audiobooks to pass the time, because it can be mind-numbing. Headphones don’t seem to exist in Uzbekistan, and my biggest qualm with the trains was having to listen to the chorus of literally every single passenger’s YouTube or Tik Tok brainrot du jour.

Travel Insurance For Uzbekistan

Is Uzbekistan Safe to Visit?

Absolutely. I can think of few countries where I felt as safe as I did in Uzbekistan. Crime is very rare here and I hardly experienced any of the usual tourist price-gouging that I was expecting. Uzbekistan is peaceful, welcoming, and overall, a stress-free destination. Every female traveler that I’ve spoken to has said the same, so I’m happy to go ahead and say that with basic street smarts and common sense, one won’t face any issues traveling in Uzbekistan.

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How To Get To Uzbekistan

Perhaps the main thing still keeping Uzbekistan fairly under-the-radar is the challenge of reaching it in the first place. While more and more flight routes are connecting Uzbekistan to the rest of the world, it still has a long way to go before being a major travel hub. Outside of other Central Asian countries, Istanbul, Seoul, and a handful of Middle Eastern cities are the few airports that offer direct flights to Uzbekistan.

The best airports to fly into would be either Tashkent or Samarkand. As the capital and largest city, Tashkent usually has more affordable flights, but occasionally, Samarkand has comparably-priced routes. Khiva, although small, could be a good starting point if you plan on traveling east to Tashkent and continuing onward to other Central Asian countries from there. Since I was starting and ending in Tashkent, I had to make the journey all the way to Khiva before retracing my steps back, adding almost a full day of travel.

Uzbekistan is also well-connected to other Central Asian countries by land. I mean, it is doubly-landlocked, so it doesn’t really have a choice. While I flew in and out of Uzbekistan, many travelers I met had easily crossed borders from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan without any issues. I can’t help you there, though, so go give another blog post some clicks for me. None of that ChatGPT business now, okay?

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How To Travel Around Uzbekistan

One thing that makes Uzbekistan so great and backpacker-friendly is its transit system. There are high-speed trains that connect most tourist destinations in the country. The train system is easy to use, and you can buy tickets at the train station or directly online through the official railway website. The website always worked for me, but some of my friends said they had issues. In that case, 12go or other transportation aggregator websites can work, although they add a little commission on top.

As Uzbekistan continues to become more and more popular, it is a good idea to book trains a few days in advance. During the high season, you might even want to book a week or two ahead of time to make sure you get your preferred departure time. A lot of the trains leave at awkward hours. I was fairly flexible, so I didn’t mind leaving whenever, but most early morning trains would be sold out by the time I got around to booking my ticket the night before.

The trains vary, accommodating to all types of travelers. Those spending a shorter amount of time in the country can opt for the high-speed Afrosiyab trains, while I was content taking the cheaper, slow trains. There are also sleeper trains, which I would recommend for the longer distances. They aren’t the most comfortable, but they are budget-friendly and they get the job done.

For shorter distances, I’d recommend looking into the marshrutkas. Samarkand, for example, has a few nearby villages that are popular for day trips. These will be serviced by local minibuses that don’t run on set schedules, but rather leave once they’ve filled up. They are more affordable than taking taxis, especially for longer distances of over an hour. I didn’t have to use any buses or marshrutkas in Uzbekistan. The trains were simply elite and I found no reason to switch things up. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Public transportation exists in most big cities, but I found the historic centers to be walkable and didn’t need to use them. The only exception was Tashkent, because if you don’t know it by now, I flippin’ love trains. The old Soviet-style metro stations are something to behold. I spent a day getting lost in Tashkent’s metro stations, trying to hop between as many of them as possible.

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Budgeting for Uzbekistan

Backpackers, rejoice. Uzbekistan is as budget-friendly as it gets. I was spending around $20 to $30 a day. Accommodation was around $5-10 for dorm rooms, or $15-20 for budget hotel rooms. A local meal could be as low as $1-2 for a plov set. Even higher-end dining could run you below $10 for a large meal. With most cities being easily walkable, especially in the historic districts, taxis and public transportation was a non-factor outside of Tashkent. Aside from the high-speed Afrosiyob train, tickets were very affordable. I was happy to spend an extra couple of hours in the slower trains to soak in the scenery and save a little cash.

Attractions can vary, but even the most magnificent of historical sites will be 100,000 som maximum, or about $8. The ones I visited ranged from 30,000 to 100,000 for the entry. Some cities, like Khiva, offer a bundle ticket that allows you entry into multiple attractions for one price. Uzbekistan’s affordability makes it an excellent travel destination for budget backpackers. I was living good in Uzbekistan, sleeping in nice hotels for less than $20 a night and feasting on all the shashlik I could dream of.

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Hostels and Accommodation in Uzbekistan

The hostel scene isn’t too prevalent around Uzbekistan yet. Most hostels are family-owned guesthouses that have a few spare rooms converted into dorms or private rooms. It makes for a cozy, intimate setting as you’ll likely be one of a small handful of guests. Meeting other travelers is easy and I met no shortage of fascinating folks in Uzbekistan. Central Asia definitely attracts a more adventurous type of traveler, and I met countless bikepackers, hitchhikers, and other quest-driven travelers. Never a dull day when backpacking through Central Asia.

Even if the hostels don’t look like much on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. There won’t be fancy swimming pools or modern co-working spaces, but each one has a soul and a local family home-cooking those free breakfasts and fostering a warm, social atmosphere. A few standout hostels for me would be:

• Art Hostel, Tashkent
• Registan Hostel, Samarkand
• Hostel Payraviy, Bukhara
• Central Park Hostel, Khiva
• Carousel Hotel, Khiva

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Two-Week Travel Itinerary For Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a country that can be done fairly quickly for a fast-paced traveler. Two weeks could suffice, or even less if you maximize train travel efficiency. I spent close to a month in Uzbekistan, but a major part of that was being too lazy to go out when it was a steady 100 degrees out all day. For a city that might take one or two days to fully explore, I would stretch it out to four or five since the hours of 10 AM to 6 PM were unbearably hot. Don’t judge me. Summer in Uzbekistan is a different beast, and I was more than content to laze away the middays in a choyxana‘s tapchan beneath a shady tree.

Anyway, if I was capable of moving faster than a glacial pace, here is how I would tackle Uzbekistan.

Tashkent: 2 Days

Welcome to Uzbekistan. Let’s kick things off in its capital and largest city, where most travelers fly into and begin their Silk Road adventures. While there isn’t much to do in Tashkent, it is a good place to find your footing and get settled into Uzbekistan. Some can’t-miss spots to check out include the Chorsu Bazaar and the Kokaldash Madrasah. Do a bit of museum-hopping, prioritizing the Timurid State History Museum and the Art Gallery of Uzbekistan. Take an evening stroll in Tashkent City Park, Magic City, Seoul Mun, or the Qardash Park.

Overall, two days should suffice in Tashkent, although if you are strapped on time, its highlights can be squeezed into one day. Next up, hop on board Uzbek Railways and make your way to Samarkand, perhaps the most famous of Central Asia’s Silk Road destinations.

Related: The Backpacker’s Travel Guide to Tashkent

Samarkand: 4 Days

Samarkand is the pearl of Uzbekistan, and where I spent the most time on my own trip. It will take at least two days to see all of the historic sites in Samarkand, such as the majestic Registan Square and the extravagant mausoleum of Amir Temur. Shah-i-Zinda is worth spending a few hours in, as are the mausoleums, mosques, and madrasas scattered throughout this historic city. Give yourself another day to visit Shahrisabz, then maybe spend another day museum-hopping or visiting the newer part of Samarkand, having a meal at the extravagant Restaurant Samarkand.

I enjoyed the garden-like feel of the entire city, especially with its walking streets and tree-lined avenues. The vibe of Samarkand truly sucked me in, and I spent over a week here. I like to move slow, and Samarkand was a place where I lingered a little longer beneath every ceiling and within every madrasa. However, three days is enough to hit the highlights.

Bukhara: 3 Days

Of all the cities that I visited, I enjoyed the vibe in Bukhara the best, despite it being smaller than Samarkand and not as reconstructed as Khiva. There was a charm to the city that made it stand out to me over Samarkand and Khiva. The city felt much more energetic, and had a “living museum” vibe to it. Blacksmiths still hammered away in their workshops, traditional music escaped into the streets from live musicians performing in cozy teahouses, and craftsmen and artisans of all sorts made the bazaars feel as vibrant as centuries past.

Khiva: 2 Days

I’m not sure if I just stopped being impressed by the architecture by the time I got to Khiva, but I was pretty underwhelmed. The walled city was undeniably beautiful, but everything felt a little too perfect and artificial. I got a little deja vu walking through the town and almost imagined myself walking through the Fabrika neighborhood of Mykonos. The groups of European women in flowy dresses having dinner in outdoor tables probably helped.

Ayaz Kala Desert Fortresses (Khiva Day Trip)

Ancient Khwarezmian fortresses that have been mostly eroded and buried by the desert. They might not seem particularly impressive, but the history behind them is incredible, though much of it remains a mystery. It’s easy to visit the desert fortresses as a day trip from Khiva. Hiring a driver is not too expensive, especially when splitting the costs with other travelers. I booked it through my hostel, Carousel, and they had a list of different itineraries that we could choose, depending on how many of the fortresses we wanted to visit.

And after that, head back on a train towards Tashkent. If you have a little more time, here are a few places to tack onto your itinerary.

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Other Places to Visit in Uzbekistan

I was fairly unmotivated to explore more of Uzbekistan beyond the four main hubs. Knowing that I was going to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan afterwards, I didn’t bother going out of my way to go hiking or find any national parks, which is very unlike me. Believe me, that 100+ degree heat all day, every day was unbelievably demotivating. And to be honest, its natural beauty is not where Uzbekistan excels.

While it is home to some beautiful environments, from deserts to rugged mountains, I wanted to prioritize Uzbekistan’s many historic Silk Road cities and its multitude of magnificent monuments. The only places that I am really bummed about missing is the city of Termez on the Afghan border and the Moynak Ship Cemetery, which is an absolute journey and headache to reach. Maybe next time, hey?

Here are a few more destinations to consider for your trip to Uzbekistan.

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Chimgan and Amirsoy

These mountains close to Tashkent are popular for hikers, skiers, or people simply looking to get away from the city. Although Uzbekistan’s mountains pale in comparison to its neighboring Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, this is a good escape into nature from Tashkent. The region is home to some beautiful lakes, mountains, and is easily accessible from Tashkent as a day trip. If you don’t have your own vehicle, I’d recommended joining a group tour as it takes away the hassle of public transportation between the attractions, which is very limited.

Muynaq Ship Cemetery

A graveyard of ships on the dried-up Aral Sea with a fascinating and tragic history. A monster of a journey to get to, but could be worth it for someone who wants to see surreal scenes that are truly out of this world.

Termez

Close to the border with Afghanistan lies the historic city of Termez, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Surxondarya region. It wasn’t even on my radar, but after meeting a father and son in Khiva from Termez, they really sold me on it. Alas, I did not have time to squeeze it in as I was on the tail end of my adventures in Uzbekistan. My friends who have visited have told me it’s a much different experience than the usual Silk Road cities, in large part due to its proximity and close connections with Afghanistan and its people.

Fergana Valley

The Fergana Valley straddles Uzbekistan’s border with its neighboring Central Asian countries. Honestly, I don’t really know anything about it, but travelers coming from Tajikistan and passing through Fergana raved about its rural lifestyle and friendly locals. It is definitely one of the places I’m looking most forward to visiting on a return trip to Uzbekistan.

These are just a handful of the places that caught my eye, and I’m sure as tourism to the country continues to grow, then more and more incredible gems of Uzbekistan will get uncovered.

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Closing Thoughts on Uzbekistan

We are over 4,000 words into this travel guide, do I really need to say anymore? Just go to Uzbekistan, y’all.

Buy Me A Beer!

If this post helped you out, show some love and support for the blog and help keep my adventures going by buying me a beer! My adventures are entirely self-funded, so any show of support is greatly appreciated, and allows me to keep writing helpful travel guides and creating travel content to help you all travel the world on a budget.

More on Uzbekistan

• The Backpacker’s Travel Guide to Tashkent
• The Backpacker’s Travel Guide to Samarkand
• The Backpacker’s Travel Guide to Bukhara