Uzbekistan

The region’s cradle of culture for more than two millennia, Uzbekistan is the proud home to a spellbinding arsenal of architecture and ancient cities, all deeply infused with the bloody, fascinating history of the Silk Road. In terms of sights alone, Uzbekistan is Central Asia's biggest draw and most impressive showstopper.

Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva never fail to impress visitors with their fabulous mosques, medressas and mausoleums, while its more eccentric attractions, such as the fast disappearing Aral Sea, the fortresses of desperately remote Karakalpakstan, its boom town capital Tashkent and the ecotourism opportunities of the Nuratau Mountains, mean that even the most diverse tastes can be catered for.

Explore Uzbekistan

Registan
This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas – a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well-proportioned spaces – is the centrepiece of the…
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
The beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum marks the final resting place of Timur (Tamerlane), along with two sons…
Shah-i-Zinda
Samarkand’s most moving and beloved site is this stunning avenue of mausoleums, which contains some of the richest tilework in the Muslim world. The name,…
Ark
The spectacular-looking Ark, a royal town-within-a-town, is Bukhara’s oldest structure, occupied from the 5th century right up until 1920, when it was…
Savitsky Museum
The Savitsky Museum houses one of the most remarkable art collections in the former Soviet Union. About half of the paintings were brought here in Soviet…
Kalon Minaret
When it was built by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan in 1127, the Kalon Minaret was probably the tallest building in Central Asia – kalon means ‘great’…
Tosh-Hovli Palace
This palace, which means ‘Stone House’, contains Khiva’s most sumptuous interior decoration, dense with blue ceramic tiles, carved wooden pillars and…
Kumtepa Bazaar
The fantastic Kumtepa Bazaar, 5km west of Margilon centre, is a time capsule full of weathered Uzbek men in traditional clothing exchanging solemn…
Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
This revered mausoleum, with its sublime courtyard and stately tilework, is one of the town’s most beautiful spots. Pahlavon Mahmud was a poet,…

Registan
This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas – a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well-proportioned spaces – is the centrepiece of the…
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
The beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum marks the final resting place of Timur (Tamerlane), along with two sons…
Shah-i-Zinda
Samarkand’s most moving and beloved site is this stunning avenue of mausoleums, which contains some of the richest tilework in the Muslim world. The name,…
Ark
The spectacular-looking Ark, a royal town-within-a-town, is Bukhara’s oldest structure, occupied from the 5th century right up until 1920, when it was…
Savitsky Museum
The Savitsky Museum houses one of the most remarkable art collections in the former Soviet Union. About half of the paintings were brought here in Soviet…
Kalon Minaret
When it was built by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan in 1127, the Kalon Minaret was probably the tallest building in Central Asia – kalon means ‘great’…
Tosh-Hovli Palace
This palace, which means ‘Stone House’, contains Khiva’s most sumptuous interior decoration, dense with blue ceramic tiles, carved wooden pillars and…
Kumtepa Bazaar
The fantastic Kumtepa Bazaar, 5km west of Margilon centre, is a time capsule full of weathered Uzbek men in traditional clothing exchanging solemn…
Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
This revered mausoleum, with its sublime courtyard and stately tilework, is one of the town’s most beautiful spots. Pahlavon Mahmud was a poet,…

Latest Stories from Uzbekistan

History See Uzbekistan’s architectural gems captured in stunning detail
Jun 18, 2020 • 2 min read
A new photography project on the Silk Road has captured the stunning, detailed architectural gems of Uzbekistan.
Sports Could Uzbekistan become Central Asia’s first Shangri-La for skiers and snowboarders?
Mar 6, 2020 • 4 min read
A new resort could be the first step in an ambitious plan to make Uzbekistan the next big name in the world of skiing.
Story The best cities, countries and regions to visit in 2020, according to Lonely Planet
Oct 21, 2019 • 3 min read
With the new year just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning your 2020 adventures.
Art A must-visit list of incredible Silk Road sights in Uzbekistan
Apr 8, 2019 • 5 min read
Desert citadels, crumbling mud fortresses, mosaic-adorned medressas and busy market bazaars. For many centuries, the Silk Road was the world’s…
Story Uzbekistan underground: inside Tashkent's ornate Soviet metro
Feb 4, 2019 • 3 min read
On a busy weekday morning, trains arrive and depart and passengers stream through Alisher Navoi to the interchange between the central Uzbekistan and…
Festivals & Events Uzbekistan's Stihia Festival: riding sound waves in the vanished Aral Sea
Sep 18, 2018 • 4 min read
It was probably the biggest thing to have happened in Moynaq since the waters of the Aral Sea started to recede in the 1960s. Hundreds of curious locals…
Art Why now is the time to visit Uzbekistan
May 31, 2018 • 5 min read
Uzbekistan's gems have long been known to adventurous explorers. The Silk Road cities of Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva hold some of the world's most…
Art Easy Uzbekistan: the Silk Road by high-speed train
Nov 6, 2017 • 6 min read
Uzbekistan: the name conjures images of far-away mosques and blue-tiled domes, camels and caravanserai, mosaics and medressas. It’s true that Uzbekistan…
Art A photographer has spent 15 years documenting these amazing Soviet-era bus stops
Apr 4, 2017 • 2 min read
Photographer Christopher Herwig first discovered the unusual architecture of Soviet-era bus stops during a 2002 long-distance bike ride from London to St…
Sports Goat-carcass polo and sheep-bone marbles: Central Asia's traditional sports
Feb 22, 2017 • 5 min read
A crowd roars as a favourite local wrestler pins his opponent for the championship. A rumble of shock as a single horse-and-jockey fall to the back of a…
Festivals & Events Celebrating Nowruz the Central Asian way
Mar 17, 2016 • 4 min read
Framed by the snowy peaks of the Tian Shan mountains on the southern horizon, two teams of horsemen gather at centre field in Bishkek's Ak-Kula Hippodrome…
Road Trips Two-week traveller: adventures across Central Asia
Aug 3, 2015 • 5 min read
Once the realm of Silk Road merchants and Great Game spies, the Heavenly Mountains and Black Sand deserts of the 'Stans, as the five countries of Central…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Uzbekistan.

See
Registan
This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas – a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well-proportioned spaces – is the centrepiece of the…
See
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
The beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum marks the final resting place of Timur (Tamerlane), along with two sons…
See
Shah-i-Zinda
Samarkand’s most moving and beloved site is this stunning avenue of mausoleums, which contains some of the richest tilework in the Muslim world. The name,…
See
Ark
The spectacular-looking Ark, a royal town-within-a-town, is Bukhara’s oldest structure, occupied from the 5th century right up until 1920, when it was…
See
Savitsky Museum
The Savitsky Museum houses one of the most remarkable art collections in the former Soviet Union. About half of the paintings were brought here in Soviet…
See
Kalon Minaret
When it was built by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan in 1127, the Kalon Minaret was probably the tallest building in Central Asia – kalon means ‘great’…
See
Tosh-Hovli Palace
This palace, which means ‘Stone House’, contains Khiva’s most sumptuous interior decoration, dense with blue ceramic tiles, carved wooden pillars and…
See
Kumtepa Bazaar
The fantastic Kumtepa Bazaar, 5km west of Margilon centre, is a time capsule full of weathered Uzbek men in traditional clothing exchanging solemn…
See
Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum
This revered mausoleum, with its sublime courtyard and stately tilework, is one of the town’s most beautiful spots. Pahlavon Mahmud was a poet,…

Guidebooks

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