Uzbekistan – in photos

Uzbekistan had always been on my bucket list. Not having known much about the country prior to my visit, I am really pleased on the places I choose to see and spend time in.

The minute we entered Uzbekistan, I was humbled by the hospitality. The first taxi driver we used, stopped and bought us a watermelon to welcome us to Uzbekistan – not something I can say I have experienced commonly.

Khiva – my absolute favourite

The downside of travelling a lot is that the novelty of exploring wears out. However, Khiva was one such place that made me gasp in awe.

It is an open air museum that transports you back into a different time the minute you enter the walled city.

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Samarkand

My second favourite city in Uzbekistan was Samarkand. It is a bustling metropolitan city with huge avenues and enormous stunning structures.

A few more photos from Samarkand..

Bukhara

In all honesty, Bukhara was a destination I could have easily left out of our itinerary. The main reasons being over tourism and lack of charm. Due to this, getting the feel for the authentic Bukhara was challenging.

That being said, there were some quaint sites.

Final thoughts

• Khiva – we spent 4 days here. It is a charming place and even better when all the day tourists leaving and you have the city all to yourself in the evening.
• Trains – the trains in Uzbekistan are super affordable and comfortable. I recommend economy. You will have to make reservations at the train station itself.
• Currency – the Uzbeki som is one of the lowest denomination of currency I have ever used. At the time of my travel, one British pound was about 18,000 som. With the infrequent use of credit cards, we were carrying millions of som at a time.