© Lonely Planet Publications 186 lonelyplanet.com UZBEKISTAN •• Highlights 187 HIGHLIGHTS HOW MUCH? Uzbekistan Samarkand ( p223 ) The breathtaking Registan leads a formidable cast of larger- Snickers bar US$0.40 than-life Timurid architectural gems. 100km bus ride US$1 Узбекистан Bukhara ( p236 ) Exquisitely preserved holy city boasting stunning 15th-century One-minute phone call to the US/UK medressas, awesome B&Bs and fascinat- US$1.05/0.95 ing history. Internet per hour US$0.50-0.80 No country in Central Asia seems to have it so good, yet at the same time have it so bad, Quirky Cultural Gems Carmen for a dollar Uzbek skull cap US$2-4 as Uzbekistan. The region’s cradle of culture for more than two millennia, it is the proud at Tashkent’s Alisher Navoi Opera & home to a spellbinding arsenal of architecture and artefacts, all deeply infused with the raw, Ballet Theatre (p207) and Central Asia’s 1L of bottled water US$0.40 fascinating history of the country. But as students of that history know, it’s also sprung a greatest art collection in Nukus’ Savitsky Domestic beer (bar) US$0.75-1 UZBEKISTAN Museum ( p259 ). few bad apples over the years. Tyrants enamoured by the country’s physical bounty have Domestic beer (store) US$0.50 Khiva ( p252 ) The last independent khanate run the territory we now call Uzbekistan since time immemorial. frozen in time amid the desert. Shashlyk US$0.30-0.50 Crafty Uzbekistan Silk in Margilon ( p220 ), 1L of petrol US$0.50 Concentrating on the good, if there was a Hall of Fame for Central Asian cities, Uzbekistan UZBEKISTAN UZBEKISTAN ceramics in Rishton ( p221 ), suzani (silk would own the top-three entries: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. The names practically epitomise and cotton coverlets) in Shakhrisabz the region, conjuring up images of knife-twirling dervishes, serpentine desert caravans and ( p232 ) and everything under the sun in should head south to the archaeologi- architecture that blends with the sand. Bukhara ( p246 ). cal oasis of Termiz before flying back to Tashkent for some museum hopping, Seen in person, the Big Three do not disappoint (the occasional overzealous restorative ITINERARIES good food and a night or two on the effort notwithstanding). Alas, they sometimes overshadow the country’s other attractions, Three days Start in Bukhara, either with town. Bazaar lovers should consider the a domestic flight from Tashkent or Fergana Valley instead of Termiz. which include dazzling bazaars, ancient desert fortresses and an impressive array of largely overland from Turkmenistan. Wander One month All the above sights can be unsung natural attractions. around Lyabi-Hauz, tour the Ark, and seen in a month at a more relaxed pace. gape at the 47m Kalon Minaret and the You can hit both Termiz and the Fer- All of that is enough to eclipse the bad memories evoked by names such as Jenghiz Khan, stunning medressa ensembles. Pamper gana Valley and devote more time to Timur, Nasrullah Khan and Stalin. The country’s long-serving current leader, Islam Karimov, yourself in a bodacious B&B, then zip to exploring Uzbekistan’s natural wonders: is no saint either. Despite it all, the Uzbek people remain good-spirited and genuinely hos- Samarkand the next morning to explore including hiking, rafting or skiing in pitable – yet another prime attraction in this oddly endearing country. the four pearls of Timurid-era architec- Ugam-Chatkal National Park, and camel ture: the Registan, Bibi Khanym Mosque, trekking, hiking and community-based Shah-i-Zinda and Guri Amir Mauso- tourism near Lake Aidarkul and the Nu- leum. On day three exit to Tajikistan, tak- rata Mountains. ing a detour on the way to Shakhrisabz or the Urgut bazaar (Sunday and Thursday CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO FAST FACTS only). Large areas of Uzbekistan are desert. Summer Area 447,400 sq km One week Fly to Urgench from where it’s is long, hot and dry; spring is mild and rainy; a short shared-taxi ride to the ‘museum autumn has light frosts and rains; and winter, Capital Tashkent city’ of Khiva. Spend a day wandering although short, is unstable with snow and Country Code %998 around the walled old city, Ichon-Qala. temperatures below freezing. Famous For Plov, tasty pomegranates, The next day travel by shared taxi to From June to August average afternoon Samarkand, Timur (Tamerlane), being Bukhara and Samarkand, giving each temperatures hit 32°C or higher. The aver- Borat’s neighbour place an extra day. On your last day in age annual maximum temperature is 40°C in Tashkent catch an opera and a museum June. Most rain falls in March and April. Languages Uzbek, Russian, Tajik, or two. The summer furnace of 35°C days lasts 40 Karakalpak Two weeks Fly west to Nukus and spend days from mid-July to the end of August. The Money Uzbek sum; US$1 = 1238S; a half-day appreciating Central Asia’s worst of winter lasts 40 days from Christmas €1 = 1628S greatest art collection in the Savitsky to the first week of February; see also the Cli- Phrases Salom aleikum (Hello); Rakhmat Museum. Head south to Khiva via the mate Charts, p446 . (Thank you) ancient ruined fortresses of Elliq Qala. In this chapter, the high season is spring Around Bukhara, take a time-out from (mid-March to the end of May) and autumn Population 25.2 million architecture with a yurtstay near Lake (September to the beginning of November). Aidarkul. After three days covering Sa- Summer is from June to August, and winter markand and vicinity, history buffs is from December to February. © Lonely Planet Publications 186 lonelyplanet.com UZBEKISTAN •• Highlights 187 HIGHLIGHTS HOW MUCH? Uzbekistan Samarkand ( p223 ) The breathtaking Registan leads a formidable cast of larger- Snickers bar US$0.40 than-life Timurid architectural gems. 100km bus ride US$1 Узбекистан Bukhara ( p236 ) Exquisitely preserved holy city boasting stunning 15th-century One-minute phone call to the US/UK medressas, awesome B&Bs and fascinat- US$1.05/0.95 ing history. Internet per hour US$0.50-0.80 No country in Central Asia seems to have it so good, yet at the same time have it so bad, Quirky Cultural Gems Carmen for a dollar Uzbek skull cap US$2-4 as Uzbekistan. The region’s cradle of culture for more than two millennia, it is the proud at Tashkent’s Alisher Navoi Opera & home to a spellbinding arsenal of architecture and artefacts, all deeply infused with the raw, Ballet Theatre (p207) and Central Asia’s 1L of bottled water US$0.40 fascinating history of the country. But as students of that history know, it’s also sprung a greatest art collection in Nukus’ Savitsky Domestic beer (bar) US$0.75-1 UZBEKISTAN Museum ( p259 ). few bad apples over the years. Tyrants enamoured by the country’s physical bounty have Domestic beer (store) US$0.50 Khiva ( p252 ) The last independent khanate run the territory we now call Uzbekistan since time immemorial. frozen in time amid the desert. Shashlyk US$0.30-0.50 Crafty Uzbekistan Silk in Margilon ( p220 ), 1L of petrol US$0.50 Concentrating on the good, if there was a Hall of Fame for Central Asian cities, Uzbekistan UZBEKISTAN UZBEKISTAN ceramics in Rishton ( p221 ), suzani (silk would own the top-three entries: Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva. The names practically epitomise and cotton coverlets) in Shakhrisabz the region, conjuring up images of knife-twirling dervishes, serpentine desert caravans and ( p232 ) and everything under the sun in should head south to the archaeologi- architecture that blends with the sand. Bukhara ( p246 ). cal oasis of Termiz before flying back to Tashkent for some museum hopping, Seen in person, the Big Three do not disappoint (the occasional overzealous restorative ITINERARIES good food and a night or two on the effort notwithstanding). Alas, they sometimes overshadow the country’s other attractions, Three days Start in Bukhara, either with town. Bazaar lovers should consider the a domestic flight from Tashkent or Fergana Valley instead of Termiz. which include dazzling bazaars, ancient desert fortresses and an impressive array of largely overland from Turkmenistan. Wander One month All the above sights can be unsung natural attractions. around Lyabi-Hauz, tour the Ark, and seen in a month at a more relaxed pace. gape at the 47m Kalon Minaret and the You can hit both Termiz and the Fer- All of that is enough to eclipse the bad memories evoked by names such as Jenghiz Khan, stunning medressa ensembles. Pamper gana Valley and devote more time to Timur, Nasrullah Khan and Stalin. The country’s long-serving current leader, Islam Karimov, yourself in a bodacious B&B, then zip to exploring Uzbekistan’s natural wonders: is no saint either. Despite it all, the Uzbek people remain good-spirited and genuinely hos- Samarkand the next morning to explore including hiking, rafting or skiing in pitable – yet another prime attraction in this oddly endearing country. the four pearls of Timurid-era architec- Ugam-Chatkal National Park, and camel ture: the Registan, Bibi Khanym Mosque, trekking, hiking and community-based Shah-i-Zinda and Guri Amir Mauso- tourism near Lake Aidarkul and the Nu- leum. On day three exit to Tajikistan, tak- rata Mountains. ing a detour on the way to Shakhrisabz or the Urgut bazaar (Sunday and Thursday CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO FAST FACTS only). Large areas of Uzbekistan are desert. Summer Area 447,400 sq km One week Fly to Urgench from where it’s is long, hot and dry; spring is mild and rainy; a short shared-taxi ride to the ‘museum autumn has light frosts and rains; and winter, Capital Tashkent city’ of Khiva.