I am pleased to introduce you to a new voice today. Sarah is a member of the Solo Travel Society, a photographer and experienced solo traveler who is passionate about all things Asian and Middle Eastern. She loves traveling with a camera and is particularly inspired by vivid colors in photography, as well as art, culture, and eastern religions. Please enjoy her gorgeous photos and evocative writing style as she shares her story of solo travel in Uzbekistan.
Stunning architecture, sumptuous silks, and a rich and fascinating history: solo travel in Uzbekistan is guaranteed to awaken your senses. Cocooned between the wild and remote frontiers of the “Stans”–Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan was once the cultural hub of Central Asia and part of the famous Silk Road. With romantic images of turquoise domes, golden deserts, and markets full of spices and vibrant textiles in mind, I found myself drawn to the pure escapism of Central Asia, which was exactly what I found in Uzbekistan.
I started my trip in Tashkent, a surprisingly leafy metropolis with a pleasant, unhurried atmosphere. Rows of classically-inspired buildings in shades of peach and magnolia unite with dramatic socialist-realist statues and modernist concrete cubes. The most noticeable thing about Tashkent is that it lacks the relentless traffic or hordes of people of any other capital city I’ve visited, and is actually a great place to unwind. Wide pavements are perfect for an evening stroll and I was amazed at the perfectly manicured parks and gardens, dotted with bright flower beds, benches, and fountains. Despite the intense summer heat (nearly 107 degrees in August), the sprinklers kept the grass as dense and springy as a thick carpet and cooled the air, refreshingly scented with basil, grown everywhere in pots.
First on the agenda in Uzbekistan has to be changing money, which is done on the black market. Hearing about the huge stack of cash you are given, I was a little apprehensive about getting ripped off and also about walking around with that much money. My taxi driver, an elderly but spritely man called Rubin took me to see a very large babushka lady who sat sweltering under the shade of a tree, surrounded by pounds of cash. Her eyes lit up when she spotted my brand new, crisp dollar notes and handed me large clumps of som–1.25 million in total ($200).
It’s impossible to count out notes as quickly and accurately as the Uzbeks, so you’ll just have to trust you’ve picked an honest money dealer. Once I got back to my hotel, I found I had exactly the correct amount of money, right down to the last som. Solo travel in Uzbekistan is very safe. Rubin asked me if I was alone, to which I often make up a story, but I explained that, yes, I was alone, and the challenge of finding travel partners. Sagely nodding, Rubin confidently stated, “Don’t worry, no one will touch you here.”
Tashkent still has a strong Russian flair. Its totalitarian history is visible in landmark concrete structures, such as the Lenin Museum and the much-photographed Hotel Uzbekistan, a classic example of 1970's Soviet modernism. In the north of the city, Chorsu Bazaar is a farmer’s market housed under an enormous spaceship-like blue dome. Inside are hundreds of counters where fresh produce is being sold and outside are sprawling mini-markets offering everything from bedspreads to bananas. Women with shiny gold teeth sell freshly baked enormous circles of naan bread piled up in prams. It’s a colorful, exhilarating place where traditional Uzbekistan meets modern city life, easily accessible on Tashkent’s Metro.
Down in the Metro, where despite the lack of English, I found it simple to buy a token at the “Kassa” office, you’ll find next to no commuter crowds and wonderfully ornate Moscow-style stations. Try to get off at Kosmonnavtlar, which is designed around the theme of space exploration, with the ceiling resembling the Milky Way. The police checked my bag at the Metro entrance in Tashkent, but I didn’t experience any ID shakedowns like you might read about online.
These days, as there is no need to go by camel, I took a brand new bullet style train called the Afrosiab to Samarkand. Sitting in the back of a taxi, I closed my eyes as we whizzed past the Registan, not wanting to lose the impact of my first viewing of this long-awaited sight. When I arrived later that afternoon on foot, I was not disappointed. Emerging from the mulberry trees, the Registan is immense, unique, and completely awe-inspiring. It symbolized Samarkand at the peak of its power under the 13th-century ruler Timur, whose descendant Babur founded India’s Mughal Empire in 1526.
I spent hours wandering through the interlinking courtyards of the three madrassas, admiring geometric tiles delicately patterned with tulips, lotus, and iris, fluted domes and soaring arched doorways. Everywhere I looked, there were couples having their wedding pictures taken and I was surrounded by brides in huge balls of white taffeta or flowing ikat silk trains. As the sun set and the moon rose, the buildings became slowly illuminated and glowed against the warm velvet skies. It was an unforgettable experience.
Samarkand is full of beautiful architecture and I spent five days visiting Bibi-Khanum Mosque, the Shah-i-Zinda compound, and the Gur-Emir mausoleum, as well as souvenir hunting in the many shops that flank the pedestrianized streets. I took a slower, more traditional train to Bukhara which crawled along past Navoi due to engineering works. One of the things I would recommend when you solo travel in Uzbekistan is booking your train tickets before you go, as it cuts out an extra trip to the station. I found this saved me valuable time to spend exploring the cities.
After checking in at Minzifa Inn (simply collect your registration slips from hotels or guesthouses and retain them in your passport), I headed out into the winding alleyways of old Bukhara. I emerged at the 16th century Lyab-i Hauz (meaning “by the pond” in Persian), still the central meeting point for locals who gather in open air cafes to drink green tea or beer. Bukhara has a smaller, cozier feel than Samarkand and it’s safe to wander through the cavernous trading domes at night.
Colorful ceramic plates are artfully arranged for sale alongside shaggy sheep hats, old military clothing, and yards of vibrant ikat materials. Bukhara has its own Registan, called Po-i-Kalyan, where you can find the tallest building in Central Asia, the Kalyan Minaret. The enormous walls of the Ark Fortress are also a must and the famous bug pit inside, where two British soldiers, Connolly and Stoddart, were held captive by the Emir of Bukhara in the 19th century during the height of the Great Game.
Moving onto Khiva is the point at which most travelers who are pushed for time head back to Tashkent. I had a ticket for an overnight train to Urgench, but I made the assumption the pesky engineering works might mean I wouldn’t make my midnight connection at Navoi, so I opted for the ubiquitous early morning shared taxi (most hotel managers are happy to arrange a pick-up). It was just me, the driver, and three silent Uzbek men in the back, so I was initially a little bit anxious about driving a whole day, just me and a car full of guys, across a remote desert. But my guesthouse manager personally assured my safety and kept ringing the driver’s mobile to check that we were doing okay. The men were all very chivalrous and we stopped for regular tea—when you solo travel in Uzbekistan you will discover that hospitality is a constant.
On arrival in Urgench, the driver urged me to get out of the taxi. I was a bit confused until I spotted a foreign woman sat on the curb. I discovered she was Sandra from Utah and that she had actually been waiting for me to arrive so I could join her taxi to Khiva, about 35 km from Urgench city. That’s how the shared taxis work in Uzbekistan—a network of drivers calling ahead. It’s a long journey, but worth doing one-way for the experience, although you can fly between Tashkent and Urgench for around $100.
Khiva’s ancient walled city is a living museum, protected by UNESCO. Previously a famous Silk Road trading post, these days it’s still very much a working town housing thriving Uzbek family businesses. Khiva’s beautiful mosques and minarets have all been carefully restored and the town is famous for its spectacular bird’s eye views. At sunset, when flocks of swallows swoop overhead, climb up one of the two dizzying minarets or the look-out over the West Gate entrance and marvel at Khiva’s outstanding beauty.
Uzbekistan is probably one of the safest and most laid back places I’ve visited, but it’s not your average travel experience. If you enjoy unusual destinations, then this astonishing country will captivate you and leave you feeling that you’ve experienced something completely unique.
You can see more from Sarah in Solo Travel Destination: Bangladesh.