Uzbekistan is a fabulous country

. Finally, a dream came true and we visited Uzbekistan. This is a magical, fabulous country. A thousand and one nights in full glory. Now in order.
As we have seen several times, it is necessary to find a local travel agency - it is always cheaper, and most importantly, you can specify any additional costs. conditions.
For Uzbekistan, we successfully found the travel agency "Turan Travel Service". Convenient form of payment + picked up the beginning of the tour at our request. There are not 20-30 people in the group (if you buy a tour from a tour operator who will collect you all over the country and resell to the same travel agency), but only 2-6! ! ! The tour is organized perfectly: meeting at the airport, accommodation in comfortable hotels, a local guide in each city, an escort who takes care (actually takes care) of you throughout the tour! And we were doubly lucky, and our escort was the director of the travel agency Anatoly. A huge special thank you to him. The hotel in each city is unique, but they are united by the preserved local flavor.
They are located in former caravanserais, supplemented only by modern amenities, which does not violate the harmony of antiquity. In Bukhara it is Khurjin. In Khiva Qosha Darvoza. Delicious breakfast, home comfort, friendliness of the staff - you feel like in a fairy tale.
Guide in Samarkand Popova Galina special thanks. So much knowledge that she brings to you in an intelligent, pleasant form, you want to listen and listen. And all around such beauty and power, it takes your breath away. You can touch all this oriental beauty. This is very important: not just to look from afar, but to touch what was created by ceramics masters six centuries ago! Mosques, madrasahs, mausoleums are majestic and grandiose. Yes, many were destroyed, restored only in our time, but this does not spoil the impression at all.
The surviving buildings in Shakhrisabz give the impression of power, grandeur and leave the thought of the participation of the cosmos in their unearthly origin.
Guide in Bukhara Mastura, a real colorful Uzbek. I don’t even know what is more important: her patriotism or Uzbek charm)) Of course, Bukhara is different from Samarkand. Its buildings are not so bright, but they are assembled into complexes, the surrounding territories have been ennobled, which is more conducive for walking. Khiva is a separate country with its own color, customs and people. You find yourself in a city from the past, seemingly untouched by time. You can spend a whole day in it, just walking and looking around. A special impression is made by the view from the minaret, which we advise you to climb without fail.
Food in Uzbekistan is a separate topic that can be savored endlessly, but let's be brief.
Pilaf in Samarkand, in the plov house is beyond praise, it is impossible to describe this yummy, just TRY! ! ! In Bukhara, the most memorable meal in Lyabikhauz. Take cold cuts and honey vodka - consider the evening a success. The price tags are magical, it is difficult to spend more than 1.000 rubles for two, unless you burst from gluttony. You need to order meat, meat and meat + vegetable salad)) The service is fast and convenient. Any problem is solved quickly, with a smile. It is also convenient that the tip is included in the cost of the check.
About the language - no problems, plus the goodwill of the local population and you generally feel comfortable. The heat is not annoying, the lack of humidity helps to endure it much easier. 38 for us in Uzbekistan, like 28 for us. You need to exchange money not at an exchange office (it will turn out half as much), but at the market, in a hotel, ask for a guide in the end. Don't change too much at once.
For $ 100, you will get about 800 thousand soums, they mostly have thousand-dollar bills, so think about what a huge LOT they will roll off for you. A backpack for money will not hurt)) On the market you can pay in rubles and dollars, so if anything, negotiate. Souvenirs are better to buy in Bukhara and cheaper and the choice is richer. But it’s better to stock up on alcohol in Samarkand, because it’s difficult with alcohol in Uzbekistan. We definitely recommend visiting the winery in Samarkand. The balm is purely Viagra, invigorates not like a child. The tasting expert is a true professional!
"In Bukhara it's Khurjin. In Khiva it's Qosha Darvoza." Yes, you ran right in the footsteps of my last year's trip)). Uff, I remembered Uzbek cuisine, swallowed my saliva. How much does this tour cost, if not a secret?
And tourists would probably have been taken to Andijan and the other Ferghana Valley, if not for the difficulties of logistics (it takes a long time to drive through the pass with unstable weather and the border zone).
"В Бухаре это Khurjin. В Хиве Qosha Darvoza." Да Вы прямо по следам моей прошлогодней поездки пробежались)). Уфф, вспомнила узбекскую кухню, сглотнула слюну. Сколько тур такой стоит, если не секрет?
А в Андижан и прочую Ферганскую долину туристов бы возили, наверное, если б не сложности логистики (ехать долго через перевал с нестабильной погодой и приграничной зоной).
Yes, Uzbekistan is an enchanting place. And quite different.
Samarkand - the population with Tajik roots prevails and the Tajik language is used, in general the place is open, friendly, secular. Even when our ancestors with stone axes in animal skins ran through the forests, there were gigantic buildings and a powerful civilization in Samarkand.
Other places at the other end - Andijan, for example - are others, more closed and religious, to complete the picture, I advise you to call in if possible, to feel the contrast. Tourists are not taken there, unfortunately.
I envy you, I would very much like to go but it doesn’t work out.
Да, Узбекистан - фееричное место. И довольно разное.
Самарканд - преобладает население с таджикскими корнями и в ходу таджикский язык, в целом место открытое, доброжелательное, светское. Еще когда наши предки с каменными топорами в звериных шкурах по лесам бегали, в Самарканде были гигантские постройки и мощная цивилизация.
Другие места в другом конце - Андижан, например - другие, более закрытые и религиозные, для полноты картины советую при возможности заехать, прочувствовать контраст. Туда туристов не возят, к сожалению.
Завидую Вам, очень хотелось бы съездить да никак не получается.
"In Bukhara it's Khurjin. In Khiva it's Qosha Darvoza." Yes, you ran right in the footsteps of my last year's trip)). Uff, I remembered Uzbek cuisine, swallowed my saliva. How much does this tour cost, if not a secret?
And tourists would probably have been taken to Andijan and the other Ferghana Valley, if it were not for the difficulties of logistics (it takes a long time to drive through the pass with unstable weather and the border zone).
"В Бухаре это Khurjin. В Хиве Qosha Darvoza." Да Вы прямо по следам моей прошлогодней поездки пробежались)). Уфф, вспомнила узбекскую кухню, сглотнула слюну. Сколько тур такой стоит, если не секрет?
А в Андижан и прочую Ферганскую долину туристов бы возили, наверное, если б не сложности логистики (ехать долго через перевал с нестабильной погодой и приграничной зоной).
It is the complexity of logistics that makes Eastern Uzbekistan a unique area, inaccessible to tourists. In winter there can be snow blockages and then that area is cut off from civilization for weeks; yes, because of the border zone on the pass, there are several checkpoints with machine gunners who check documents, but then you find yourself in a region inaccessible to tourists.
Still, Samarkand is an oasis of pop, like Las Vegas in the USA, you can’t judge the whole country by it.
Именно сложности логистики делают Восточный Узбекистан уникальным районом, недоступным для туристов. Зимой могут быть снежные завалы и тогда та местность отрезана от цивилизации на недели; да, из-за погранзоны на перевале несколько блокпостов с автоматчиками которые проверяют документы, но зато вы попадаете в недоступный туристам регион.
Все-таки Самарканд - это оазис попсовости, как Лас-Вегас в США, по нему нельзя судить о всей стране.
It is the difficulties of logistics that make Eastern Uzbekistan a unique area, inaccessible to tourists. In winter there can be snow blockages and then that area is cut off from civilization for weeks; yes, because of the border zone on the pass, there are several checkpoints with machine gunners who check documents, but then you find yourself in a region inaccessible to tourists.
Still, Samarkand is an oasis of pop, like Las Vegas in the USA, you can’t judge the whole country by it.
Именно сложности логистики делают Восточный Узбекистан уникальным районом, недоступным для туристов. Зимой могут быть снежные завалы и тогда та местность отрезана от цивилизации на недели; да, из-за погранзоны на перевале несколько блокпостов с автоматчиками которые проверяют документы, но зато вы попадаете в недоступный туристам регион.
Все-таки Самарканд - это оазис попсовости, как Лас-Вегас в США, по нему нельзя судить о всей стране.