Uzbekistan

Once a hermetic country with very strict visa policies for foreigners, Uzbekistan is slowly opening its borders to show the world the majesty of what used to be the core and center of the ancient Silk Road, a country filled with impressive shrines, mosques and perfectly shaped old cities.

Guidebooks, travel blogs and most common wisdom suggests that the best places to visit in Uzbekistan are all about their exquisite architecture. That to be amidst nature or experience a unique culture, one must travel to its neighbors Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan. To some extent, it’s true.

The first thing you wanna do is explore the Mohallas of Tashkent. With its broad avenues, tree-lined walkways and busy streets, it feels like the Soviet influence has rubbed off on the capital. Yet turn into a small street and there are still old mohallas (traditional neighborhoods) with stone and mud houses (Tashkent literally means “stone place”) built around vine-covered courtyards, kids playing a game of marbles and curious faces eager to know what brings you to their country.

Along walnut orchards hiking, past gushing streams carrying chilled water from the mountain spring, waving out to locals relaxing or toiling in their summer mud homes in the village of Uhum in Uzbekistan’s little visiting Nuratau Mountains is truly mind boggling. Then scrambling up rocks to see petroglyphs – images carved in rocks by our ancestors, depicting their animals, rituals and life – recently evaluated by archaeologists to be nearly 2000 years old. A rare glimpse into the fascinating history of humankind. 

Next on the list, take in the grandeur of Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis in Samarkand at sunset. Although Registan is foremost on the list of “best things to do in Samarkand” and justifiably so, it was at the Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis (literally, the living king) that I felt the soul of Samarkand dwells. Between the 11th and 19th centuries, a series of exquisite, blue-tiled mausoleums with stunning ceilings were built here, including the tomb of a cousin of Prophet Mohammed. All afternoon, we watched worshippers and tourists alike, walk through the domes in awe, but at sunset, we found ourselves alone, with the grandeur all to ourselves, accentuated by the soft light of the setting sun.

If you happen to include your plan to visit Bukhara then you should Experience Sufi mysticism at Naqshbandh Sufi shrine. It takes a while to unearth the Sufi history of Uzbekistan, for like many of its neighbours, including Iran, there has been a backlash against Sufi mysticism in the country. Turns out though, present day Bukhara is the birthplace of the 14th century Sufi saint Bahauddin Naqshbandh Bukhari, founder of the revered Naqshbandhi Sufi order. A half hour drive from the old city of Bukhara sits the Naqshbandhi Memorial Complex, where believers come from across the country to pay homage to his shrine. In the golden light of sunset, you'll feel transported to another era as soulful Sufi chants filled the silence of the memorial.

One of my personal favorites, given the fancy cars that ply the modern streets of Tashkent, you'll never buy the hype about the Tashkent Metro – until you actually went underground. After an earthquake destroyed Tashkent in 1966, the Soviet sent their best artists to design the Tashkent metro, which also doubles up as a nuclear bunker! Each metro station has its own theme; two of my favorite stations are Alisher Navoiy – named after the Uzbek poet who wrote the epic poem Laila Majnun in the 15th century (there’s some controversy about the author though), with dome-shaped ceilings and poetic illustrations on the walls – and Kosmonavtlar – which translates to cosmonauts, and is designed to represent the galaxy. Its tunnel walls are dedicated to famous Uzbek and Soviet cosmonauts, including the first Russian woman to go space.

Given the fancy cars that ply the modern streets of Tashkent, I didn’t buy the hype about the Tashkent Metro – until I actually went underground. After an earthquake destroyed Tashkent in 1966, the Soviet sent their best artists to design the Tashkent metro, which also doubles up as a nuclear bunker! Each metro station has its own theme; two of my favorite stations are Alisher Navoiy – named after the Uzbek poet who wrote the epic poem Laila Majnun in the 15th century (there’s some controversy about the author though), with dome-shaped ceilings and poetic illustrations on the walls – and Kosmonavtlar – which translates to cosmonauts, and is designed to represent the galaxy. Its tunnel walls are dedicated to famous Uzbek and Soviet cosmonauts, including the first Russian woman to go space.

 I always feel like I haven’t really experienced a culture until I’ve lived somewhere remote with a local family – and so it was in Uzbekistan. So end up discovering an idyllic little Uzbek paradise deep in the stark, barren Nuratau mountains. Like many local families in Uhum village, hosts have a stone and wood summer house (and a second one in the village for winter), shaded by walnut trees atleast a 100 years old. Join different members of the family to splash in the icy stream, collect wild mulberries, climb the barren mountains, hear local legends, relax in the tapchan under the stars and try potent homemade vodka. If there’s only one offbeat thing you do in Uzbekistan, pick this.

Food in Uzbekistan is certainly meat-heavy, and by the end of your trip, you’ll likely be ready for some lighter fare. But while you are journeying along the Silk Road, you should embrace the local Uzbek cuisine. If you’re wondering what to eat in Uzbekistan, you’re in luck. We have compiled a list of 21 dishes you should sample during your Uzbekistan vacation. Yoqimli Ishtaha!

Plov (sometimes also called “osh”) is widely considered to be the national dish of Uzbekistan. It’s a hearty rice pilaf and you’ll probably notice that the word “plov” and “pilaf” are essentially the same.

Shashlik is simply skewered meat cooked on the grill. The word “shashlik”, in fact, is just the Russian word for “shish kabob”, and this style of cooking became widespread in Central Asia during the time of the far-reaching Russian empire.

Lagman (sometimes also spelled “lahg’mon”) is another extremely popular food in Uzbekistan. The most common way that lagman is served is as a hearty noodle stew that includes lamb, onions, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic.

Shurpa is an Uzbek lamb soup that you’ll find in almost every eatery in the country. In addition to chunks of lamb, you can expect thick slices of vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and onions.

Dimlama is a robust one-pot stew typically associated with harvest time in Uzbekistan. It’s full of meat (lamb or beef), potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, peppers, and garlic. To prepare dimlama, all of the ingredients are layered in a deep pan, covered, and simmered for several hours.

Another extremely popular food in Uzbekistan, manti (or “mantu”), are large steamed dumplings filled with ground lamb or beef. Extra fat is often added to the dumplings to enhance the flavor.

Chuchvara are simply smaller versions of Manti, and these delicious little dumplings can be served steamed (like manti), fried, or in a soup. 

Achichuk is a simple salad made from sliced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. You’ll see it as an option at every Uzbek restaurant, and you’ll surely end up ordering it a time or two during your trip.

Enough about food, when it cones to nightlife, Uzbekistan has thrived in recent years with the modern development of plenty of iconic bars and swanky clubs. Explore the city of Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara in Uzbekistan for amazing venues, cuisines, music, and great ambiance. The places like pubs, cafes, bars, restaurants, and discos are beaming with tourists as well as locals.

Before heading out to a pub or club in Uzbekistan, keep in mind a few Uzbekistan nightlife tips such as call up the bar and make reservations beforehand, there are many clubs which have a certain dress code – which are important to follow, don’t drink and drive, and last but not the least it is suggested not to accept any drinks from strangers as they might be spiked.

Hope this helped !!!