As we were planning to end the year with one last memorable trip, the biggest question for us was which countries should we head to. Till now, we have explored and experienced the diverse cultures and cuisines of the Southeast Asian region. It was time for us to move to the beautiful central Asian region, of Uzbekistan.
In case you don’t know who we are……
We call ourselves Travel Freaks……
1. Why Central Asia?
Ever since we started studying history in high school about the Silk Route and how people used to travel from Asia to Europe by road, we were fascinated back then to visit the region someday. Central Asia has also made it to our long bucket list in due course.
Now we were inclined to experience something new and unique. What better option would be than to explore the rich architectural, and cultural heritage, silk route and nomadic traditions of Central Asia? In this blog series, we will be highlighting the main tourist attractions of Uzbekistan.
This region has varied landscapes ranging from the rugged mountains to the vast steppes. Do not forget to try out the local cuisines namely, Plov, dairy products, kurt, bread and rice. Till then fasten your seat belts as we take you all on a virtual tour to this beautiful part of the world.
Before we start anything, you might wonder……..
2. How did we end up planning Central Asia?
Just a few weeks back we were confused about the next destination. A sudden thought came across our mind when we were travelling we glanced through a magazine highlighting some of the breathtaking images of a few monuments of Uzbekistan. We were so thrilled to see those snaps that we planned to visit Uzbekistan.
Now another question that might come to your mind…
3. What is the best way to reach Uzbekistan?
There are many direct flight options from Delhi to Tashkent or Almaty. You can always check for good deals and plan accordingly. There are no such complications while travelling to this beautiful part of the world.
For us, we even started our journey to Tashkent from Delhi. We always suggest taking the flight during weekdays over weekends or public holidays, you might get a good deal. We were no different either, our flight was on Friday. We reached late at night in Tashkent. The flight was around 10:30 PM from Delhi and it was a 2.5 hours duration flight.
Now that we have reached it, you might want to know……
4. Is Travel Insurance mandatory while travelling to Uzbekistan?
Though travel insurance is not mandatory to enter Uzbekistan, we strongly recommend getting one as it provides coverage in case of unforeseen circumstances such as medical emergencies, baggage loss, trip cancellation, etc.
There are many online options available to choose from. Most of them are pretty affordable. You can check out various options at Policy Bazaar. We have taken Care Health Insurance, which was sufficient per our requirement.
Next comes…..
5. Things to keep in mind before you book your Stay
We have chosen our stay considering the below points. Also, for budget travellers, these will be helpful.
- Check out the stay options, which provide complimentary breakfast, as it saves you a lot.
- Do not forget to check out the distance of your hotel from the main tourist attractions and the city centre, of course.
- Staying in hostels can save you a penny if you travel solo.
- Look out for the food options nearby. Also, you can explore various street food options.
- Plan for the travel attractions in advance and book the train and activities tickets online as these tend to sell out fast. Also, it will save your time waiting in the queues.
6. What is the best time to visit Uzbekistan?
Typically the best time to visit Uzbekistan is during Spring (April – June) and Autumn (September – October). As the summers can get very hot in these regions while winters can be freezing. We wanted to enjoy the winter hence we chose the month of November and what could be a better way to end the year than visiting the marvellous architecture of this region.
Now, you might want to know…
7. How to get a Uzbekistan Visa?
One of the main reasons of travelling to this part of the world is its easy and simple visa application procedure. You will get an Uzbekistan e-Visa within 5 working days and that too with ease. A single-entry visa costs 21.5 $ and there are multiple entry visa options. The official site is here.
Returning to our story, the immigration was also quite smooth when we landed in Tashkent. It was around 1:05 AM (local time) when we reached the Tashkent Airport.
Now a common notion while travelling to Tashkent…
8. How was the weather in Tashkent?
Generally, people are sceptical when they plan to travel to this part of the world. The main area of concern is the weather. We were worried about the weather as our travel dates were also close to winter. As we deboarded the plane, we found the weather quite chilly despite the online temperature showing 5 degrees Celsius. It felt below the freezing point. We hurriedly entered the airport complex to collect our baggage.
As we were waiting we saw a grand welcome ceremony which was being prepared for the Uzbekistani sportsmen. In some time the sports persons arrived and there were many people to receive them.
We sat there in the warmth of the airport for a while as we queried about…..
9. Currency exchange at the airport
We got a currency exchanger just after the immigration area at the airport. We converted just enough to reach our stay in Samarkand. You can see from the image, the exchange rates we got at the airport.
We always carry US Dollars while travelling to foreign nations. Now the next query….
10. What about the SIM card?
Well, we took a U-Cell SIM card for around 50000 Som (approximately 350 INR). It had 20 GB data options for a week. Apart from U-Cell, there are other sim card operators such as Beeline, Mobi.uz, etc to name a few. Check your convenient plan and choose one.
Despite we chose a U-Cell SIM card, we would not recommend taking this operator’s sim as the network connectivity was poor.
Now coming to the most important part of the blog series…..
11. Places we visited during the Trip
A. Samarkand
Plan a Perfect Trip to Samarkand in 2024 With These Insider Facts
B. Tashkent Part I
Plan a Perfect Trip to Tashkent in 2024 With These Insider Facts-Part 1
C. Tashkent Part II
Plan a Perfect Trip to Tashkent in 2024 With These Insider Facts-Part 2
12. Budget breakup for the Trip
Stay options:
In both Tashkent and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, we chose to stay near the Railway station for the best commute options and due to its good connectivity with most of the city attractions. You can get hostels or hotels as low as 800 – 1000 INR per person for a double bed.
Food: Average meal cost for local delicacies can cost around 200 – 700 INR per person. For more details on must have in local delicacies , refer to Food Options section above.
To & Fro Flight from Delhi India to Tashkent Uzbekistan: 22000 – 25000 INR per person.
Transport
Rental scooters can cost somewhere around 400 – 700 INR per day. However, you could also choose from various online options available. Refer Local transport section above for more details.
The Central Asia Trip for Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan cost us around 55000 – 60000/- INR per person for 7 days 6 nights.
Aren’t you curious about…
12. What was our plan after reaching Tashkent?
As we reached Tashkent, we waited in the airport for a couple of hours and booked a Yandex Cab to the Tashkent Railway Station. It was hardly a 10-minute ride from the airport to the station.
Tip: Download the Yandex App while travelling within the Central Asia Region. It’s a helpful app while travelling in and around the major Central Asian Cities. You can also book multiple cabs from a single app.
After reaching the station, we had to wait for over 2 hours. We booked our train tickets from here. Book the tickets well in advance before your arrival dates to get the preferred seat and train of your choice.
There was a ticket checking before entry to the station complex and also before entry to the station. The best thing was that nobody without valid ticket could enter the railway station premises. The waiting room was also comfortable, there were many food stalls and room heaters were installed to make your waiting time comfortable.
We ordered coffee with cookies and waited patiently for our train.
13. What happened next?
Just wait for the next blog of this series. A new day and a new journey awaits. We would like to end this blog with a curiosity about our journey experience and where we were travelling to next.
Do follow us for the next part of this Uzbekistan blog series.
Wait! We are not going anywhere without this last question……
14. What kind of help are we going to provide?
Let us inform you that we prepare itineraries not only for anywhere in India but also for Asia. We have been travelling since we were toddlers. So here in our blogs and stories, we will give you a glimpse of our journey and help you plan your trip.
Read about our Uzbekistan blogs.
Read about our Kazakhstan blogs.
Read about our Singapore blogs.
Read about our Vietnam blogs.
Read about our Cambodia blogs.
Read about our Bali blogs.
Read about our Kuala Lumpur blog series.
Read about our Sri Lanka blogs.
Read about our Nepal blogs.
Read about our Char Dham blogs.
Read about our Ladakh blogs.
Read about our day trip to Hyderabad.
Read about our Madhya Pradesh blogs.
Do follow our Instagram handle @mindfulllofvacations and watch for the next destination story of a new place. For any query related to any trip, drop a mail at @mitkau007@gmail.com.
by mitkau