Uzbekistan is a truly remarkable travel destination, and it’s also largely undiscovered by travellers who often haven’t heard of the country, despite its startling Silk Road heritage, delicate architecture, thriving bazaars and reputation for warm, welcoming hospitality.
In terms of aesthetics, Uzbekistan is impossible to forget, with the Central Asian country full of gorgeous madrasahs, or schools, covered in gold mosaics, soaring minarets that reach towards the sky, and mosques with their traditional turquoise domes.
Guests looking for a holiday offering endless culture, delicious cuisine, and multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites are welcome to contact the Baltic Travel Company for more information about our Uzbekistan tours. In the meantime, we’ve summarised some of the best things to see and do.
What to Expect From Uzbekistan’s Mix of Ancient History and Modern Culture
Uzbekistan naturally appeals to historians, but its bustling, modern capital, Tashkent, brings old and new together. The city has wide leafy streets and contemporary cafes, art galleries, museums and theatres that stand alongside ancient architecture and traditional restaurants.
We’d recommend trying plov, a lamb and rice dish, clay oven-baked bread, and the sweet, dried fruits you’ll find at every local market, a sensory shopping experience in itself. Visitors booking our Highlights of Uzbekistan package can:
- Purchase gifts, crafts, textiles, spices and nuts at the many markets, including the Chorsu Bazaar in the heart of Tashkent.
- Travel to architectural marvels and authentically preserved towns, including Samarkand and Itchan Kala in Khiva.
- Visit workshops and displays where artisans create silk paper, ceramics, hand-woven carpets and rugs and embroidery, or see traditional crafts in the Museum of Applied Arts.
Depending on your selected tour, we’d also suggest taking a day trip to the Chimgan mountains, with the breathtaking Charvak Lake reservoir offering rental boats and a cable car that takes you up the slopes to the Amirsoy Resort.
Travelling to Uzbekistan for its Silk Road History
Uzbekistan was an integral part of the Silk Road. These historic and often dangerous trade routes linked Europe and China and were used for centuries to transport caravans of precious metals, spices and silks, creating diverse architecture in their wake.
Today, visitors travelling on our 11-day Silk Road Tour who are interested in learning more about this period of history, or seeing the authentic Silk Route for themselves, can visit stunning cities, including Tashkent, the capital, and the ancient walled city, Khiva, with its blue-tiled minarets and mud brick towers.
Alongside time in Bukhara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its ancient mosques and caravanserais, roadside inns, guests also head to Samarkand, the jewel of the Silk Road, where Registan Square is an iconic site and one of the most famous in the Islamic world.
Excursions can be adapted to your preferences and range from a scenic drive through the Ugam-Chatkal National Park to reach a mountain retreat, a visit to the Magok-i-Attari Mosque, one of Bukhara’s oldest buildings, an excursion to the Islam Khodja Minaret and Madrasah in Khiva, with staggering views from the top, and a tour of the Sitori-i-Mokhi Khosa Palace, a royal summer residence.
Safety and Travel Tips for Travellers in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a safe, respectful country and is often considered one of the safest for tourists in Central Asia, with growing tourism infrastructure, local guides with in-depth knowledge of the country’s history, and a culture that prides itself on hospitality.
As with travel to any country you’ve not visited before, the easiest option is to attend a curated, well-planned tour with escorts who can translate, offer insights and deal with all the logistics on your behalf.
Guided tours ensure you can learn about Uzbek traditions, meet new people, explore the culture and way of life, and participate in tea-drinking traditions, with relaxed visits to genuine tea houses, called chaikhana.
Despite its size and the distances between the larger cities in Uzbekistan, there is a high-speed rail network that enables visitors to travel smoothly between key attractions like Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, with domestic flights organised for extended itineraries to minimise time spent travelling.
Our Uzbekistan packages are designed to ensure you enjoy every moment of your experience, with international flights, transfers, accommodation, transport between locations, entry tickets, train journeys and ATOL protection included as standard.
When to Visit Uzbekistan and What to Pack
As you might expect, Uzbekistan’s continental location means the country has long, hot summers and cooler winters. We often suggest visiting in the spring, between April and June, and in the autumn, from September to October, when the temperatures are mild without being stifling.
If you’re travelling in the warmer months, we’d suggest:
- Bringing breathable, lightweight clothes
- Packing layers for the evenings when temperatures drop
- Comfy walking shoes that can cope with ancient city streets
- A shawl or scarf to cover your shoulders when visiting religious sites
- A hat, sunglasses and a high SPF sunscreen to protect your skin
Guests who would like more guidance about what to wear when travelling around Central Asia are, of course, welcome to speak with our team, who can offer more insight into the customs and cultures.
Reasons to Consider Uzbekistan for Your Next Adventure
Uzbekistan is undoubtedly a special place to visit. Although we have seen significant upticks in guests enquiring about holidays to less conventional destinations, it remains uncrowded, ensuring visitors can explore the grandest architecture and most exciting sites without queuing.
However, what makes Uzbekistan unique is its scale and the sharp contrasts between lively cities and untouched rural landscapes, providing opportunities to rest and reset after busy days visiting the colourful markets and touring intricate Islamic architecture.
Uzbekistan holidays with the Baltic Travel Company ensure you benefit from well-designed itineraries that take in all the most famous and noteworthy sites, while providing support throughout your journey to help you explore Central Asia without needing to navigate language differences or local transport connections.
Please get in touch to learn more about our packages to Uzbekistan or browse the full inclusions and schedules via our dedicated pages on the website.
This entry was posted on Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 10:15 am; on the subject of Uzbekistan.