Uzbekistan Travel Guide

Uzbekistan was important place for Silk Road in the past and you can see lots of historic places when you visit. To get the visa needs little effort but it is not much difficult that everyone can get visa. Uzbekistan is the place you should visit one time in your life. Here you can check Uzbekistan Travel Information. If you want to know more about real Uzbekistan, you should read My Uzbekistan Travel Blog Here

1. Location and map
Uzbekistan is located in Central Asia. Uzbekistan shares boundaries with Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan.

2. Population
32,979,000 (2017)

3. Capital
Tashkent

4. Language
Uzbek

5. Ethnic groups
81.1% Uzbek, 5.4% Russian, 4.0% Tajik

6. Time Zone
UTC+05:00

7. Currency
Official Bank Rate $1 = 8,000 Som (In Sep 2017)
(Until 2017, there was black market which was two times more than official rate. But the government raises official rate and strictly prohibits black market. Also they makes new bills, 10,000 ($1.25) and 50,000 som ($6.25))

8. Money 
In the Capital, you can withdraw from some ATM. But it is quite difficult to find ATM for foreigners. In Bukhara, there was some bank giving USD with visa card at Lyab Hauz . The best way to travel is to carry enough USD and exchange at the bank.

9. Visa
* 30 Days Tourist visa
<What Needs for Applying Visa>
– LOI (Letter of Invitation) from a tour agency.
– Visa application on online and print it.
– Passport copy
– 2 Pictures
Fee for Visa
– 7days 60 Euros
– 15days 70 Euros
– 30days 80 Euros
– 90days 100 Euros
Process Time
– 1~2 days

<What Needs for Applying LOI(Letter Of Invitation)>
-Passport copy
-Employment certification (Or Certificate of graduation)
-For airport, copy of flight ticket (If you cross on the land, don’t need)
-Copy of the visa or stamp of the country where you are applying for Uzbekistan visa
Process Time
– 7~8 days

<Where to Get LOI>
Stantour
– $70 Lol fee+$15 Handling fee=$85
(+$6Western Union sending fee)
– Company answers in one or two days
– 7-10 days working time
– Company is in Kyrgyzstan.

<My Choice For LOI>
Arostar and Stantour are trustful company and they are kind.
But Arostar took less money and answered quicker that I used Arostar.

10. Accommodation
Very Cheap Hotel starts from $6 and Other Cheap hotel will start around $13

*Hotel Lists at Attractions

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10_1 Register Address
– You have to register the address every three days at the hotel.
– Hotel owners give the paper like above picture, which are registration paper.
– At the immigration, they will check your registration address paper. (Sometimes they don’t check detail date)

(Uzbekistan Attraction Map)

11. Attraction
* Samarkand
– Registan (Many historic buildings. Must See in Uzbekistan)
– Shah-i-Zinda (Blue tombs and Mausoleums with blue ceramic tiles)
– Gur Emir Mausoleum (Similar to Registant but smaller.)
– Bibi Khanym Mosque (Historic Mosque)
– Ulugh Beg Observatory (Visit only if you are interesting at astronomy)
– Central Bazaar (Feel local people)
* Bukhara
– Great Minaret of the Kalon (Best Site in Bukhara)
– Chor-Minor (Beautiful 4 Minerat)
– Ismail Samanid Mausoleum (Beautifully restored Mausoleum)
– Lyab-i-Hauz (Plaza with trees and fountains)
– Moschea Bolo-khauz (Nice Architect)
– Mir-i Arab Madrasah (One of the Must see sights)
– Arc Citadel (Unique citadel)
* Khiva
– Itchan Kala (Great historic site)
– Friday Mosque (Calming Mosque)
– Mohammed Amin Madrassah (Must see sight in Khiva)
– Citadel Kunya-ark (Beautiful monument)
* Tashkent
– Metro Taschkent (Wonderful elegant stations)
– Independence Square (Huge park area with beautiful gardens)
– Amir Temur Square (Large square)
* Greater Chimgan
– Nice panoramic view
* Charvak Reservoir

12. When to visit
March to May or Sept to Nov
In the summer, it is too hot like 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit)

13. Safety
People are friendly and they will help you if you need. It is quite safe to travel.

14. Politics
Local people avoid talking about politics that media is under control. Islam Karimov, first president, ruled the country for 25 years. After he died in 2016, new president was elected. The way he rules the country is similar to the first president.

15. My Cycling Route 

It is about 827 km (516 miles).