Americans Should Not Hesitate to Travel to Uzbekistan
My friend and I took a 12-day trip to Uzbekistan using Silk Road Treasure Tours and could not have been more delighted. We visited the capital city of Tashkent, the ancient desert walled city of Khiva, well-preserved museumlike city of Bukhara, and green and bustling Samarkand. Throughout the trip we had an excellent guide, Farukh, who was knowledgeable, professional, flexible and fun; as well as a professional, local driver in each city. All the accommodations were excellent, each one different with a local feel. Everyone we met was friendly, helpful, interested and interesting. The service providers in the hotels seemed proud of their work and happy to have foreign tourists. Central Asia has a burgeoning tourism trade, but still not many Americans go there. Everyone speaks English (because they learn in school starting in first grade) and they were happy to practice with us, especially the young children.
Before we left the US, we were concerned about physical safety and food- or waterborne diseases, but we never had one problem. We were probably safer there than at home! While we could not drink the tap water and therefore had to be careful with ice and uncooked foods, we were aware and able to enjoy all the traditional dishes without any issues. The food was wonderful!
Our contact at Silk Road Treasure Tours, Zulya Rajabova, and her team, gave us all the information we needed to prepare for the trip, including a reading list so we could understand the history of Central Asia a little better. The more you prepare for the trip, the more you will get out of it. Zulya was in contact with us periodically to make sure things were going well and her in-country staff were very caring and helpful. They coordinated with our guide daily and took care of all our needs.
Uzbekistan is a country with a rich religious and cultural history. It has been invaded and ruled by many different conquerors over the centuries and was a central point on the silk road trade routes. It gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has had a more progressive ruler since 2017. You will find a fascinating combination of the old and the new throughout the country. In many places, people still practice the ancient crafts of their forefathers, and we were able to watch some of them in action. Skills such as wood carving, embroidery, weaving, and blacksmithing were all on display. We went from city to desert to mountains to the steppes during our short visit. We travelled by car, plane and bullet train.
In sum, if you want to go somewhere that hasn’t been overrun with tourists (although there are plenty), that is a little off the beaten path but safe and hospitable, and full of history, try Uzbekistan with Silk Road Treasure Tours!
Jill Clements, Washington DC , USA , April 2025.
