Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan lies at the heart of the historic routes that connected East and West for centuries. Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva developed as major centres of trade, learning and culture, and today they preserve some of Central Asia’s most important architectural ensembles.

Travel here often revolves around the great historic cities, but the experience goes well beyond monuments. Behind the madrasas, mosques and mausoleums, everyday life continues in bazaars and workshops, through food traditions, bread-making, silk weaving and ceramics. The Fergana Valley is especially known for its craftsmanship, Khiva and ancient Khorezm shape the west, while the south of the country reaches into much earlier layers of Central Asian history.

Uzbekistan works equally well as an introduction to Central Asia or as part of a deeper journey through the region. Several historic cities can be combined within a single route, with opportunities to add food, craft traditions and places beyond the best-known cultural centres.