Rebecca Hamilton’s best Uzbekistan Textile tour experience 

As a travel enthusiast who suffers from incessant wanderlust, Uzbekistan had been on my bucket list for several years.  As an avid textile collector, I have traveled around the world collecting indigenous textiles so Uzbekistan was an obvious location of interest to me.  I have, for years, been collecting Atlas silk and Uzbek chapans which I have donned on many social occasions.  As I searched the internet for travel companies that specialized in custom/textile tours of the country, I stumbled across Silk Road Treasure Tours.  After communicating with the founder, Ms. Zulya Rajabova, I decided to pursue a customized tour of the country which allowed me to visit the important cultural/historical sights in addition to visiting the local textile institutions scattered throughout the country.  In April/May of 2024, I embarked on a customized 3 ½ week journey of the Silk Road.  It was an amazing experience and the staff of Silk Road Treasures was wonderful!  I toured the breathtaking cultural/historical sights of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva and I was able to immerse myself in the smaller communities in the country including Namangan, Rishtan, Fergana, Kokand, Urgut, Shakhrisabz and Nukus. In addition to having my appointed company guide who accompanied me on the entire journey, Silk Road Treasure Tours worked with several local guides who were able to provide me with in-depth information on the lesser tourist traveled areas on my itinerary.  

Because my tour was catered to my interests, I was able to visit specific textile-related entities on my journey. I visited a family workshop of suzani artisans in Namangan and watched, in amazement, as the young women sat on the concrete porch creating an intricate, traditional suzani textile on a low table, with one hand above the surface of the textile and the other hand working below the table.   And I was subsequently thrilled to be able to purchase several fantastic textiles from the shop located at the family’s lovely home.  I stood in awe at the Atlas Yodgorlik Factory in Margilan watching the silk worms munch on mulberry weaves while the workers spun the silk thread from the wet cocoons. My mind reeled as I watched the women artisans intricately weaved the gorgeous silk threads on individual looms in the weaving center.  I could have stayed in the silk factory all day. I watched weavers at the loom and artisans dye the silk fabric at a local silk factory in Fergana. At the Margilan Kumtepa Sunday Bazaar, I was able to find both hand woven and machine made silk material by the meter.  Outside Samarkand, my driver and guide accompanied me to the Urgut Bazaar, adjacent to the majestic mountains of Tajikistan,  which offered many new and vintage suzani textiles, chapans and vintage attire from Tajikistan.  The Urgut Bazaar is massive and the vintage textiles were located at the very back of the bazaar.  Although the number of vendors was limited in number (approximately fifteen), the products were spectacular!  Luckily my driver carried all of my (heavy) purchases back to the vehicle.  In the stunning, ancient city of Bukhara, Ms. Rajabova accompanied me to one of her favorite suzani stores which sold the most intricately made, jaw dropping suzanis that I had ever seen.  I was fortunate enough to purchase a stunning suzani coat which I will forever treasure. I attended a fun fashion show in Bukhara in which traditional Uzbek musicians and instruments provided the background to a fashion show which showcased traditional materials and attire in updated, modern ways.  I wanted to buy everything that came down the aisle.  Also in Bukhara, I was able to shop for material at the local market.  There, I purchased several meters of different silk ikat fabrics which were incredibly reasonably priced as compared to similar material offered in the more tourist-heavy areas.  Silk Road Treasure Tours set me up with a local seamstress in Bukhara who created long silk coats and dresses after having met with her on a few occasions.  Supporting the local economy and working with local artisans is so important to me, so I was thrilled to have been able to purchase the silk material directly from a local market vendor and pay a local seamstress to create original, beautiful clothes specifically for me.  In Nukus, I traveled to a local artisan’s home and learned about the traditional wedding attire of the local women and was able to purchase textile items from her home-based workshop and classroom.  

Uzbekistan is a magical country.  I dream of walking through the Shah-i Zinda at night and running my hands down the endless bolts of silk ikat fabric. I feel lucky to have fulfilled the dream of experiencing this country.  I would not recommend traveling without the support and infrastructure of a travel company.   Working with Silk Road Treasure Tours was easy and seamless.  Communication before, during and after my journey was direct, easy and professional.  The drivers were professional and safe.  My appointed guide, Mohigul Isomova, was lovely.  She was patient, compassionate, educated, curious, kind and warm.  I consider her a dear friend and think of her often.  Although the country has eased into the current times, the ancient history is on full display.  Getting off the traveled tourist paths will provide the traveler with a unique experience to more closely interact with the warm Uzbek people and witness their customs and practices. I look forward to my next adventure with Silk Road Treasure Tours!

Warm Regards,

Rebecca Hamilton

Florida, USA May 2024