I’ve been dreaming about the Silk Road for a long time and hope to visit Uzbekistan next year with my husband and son (11 years old). Late April to early May.
I’m planning a very classic itinerary: Tashkent - Samarkand - Bukhara - Khiva - Tashkent.
I checked the Uzbekistan Railways website, but it seems you can only book tickets three months in advance?
Otherwise, I’ve seen some people in other discussions suggest booking through Uzrailway. Are these the apps below? Are they reliable?
I really don’t want to go through a travel agency—I’d prefer to organize everything myself—and it seems the only hurdle is booking the trains. I was thinking of taking the train from Tashkent to Samarkand, then to Bukhara, and finally to Khiva, before flying back from Urgench to Tashkent with Uzbekistan Airways (is that a bad idea?🤪). What do you think?
Since we’re traveling with a child, I’d rather book and organize everything in advance to avoid any potential hassles. I tend to plan my trips much more now than I used to😏.
Would you have any great accommodation recommendations (not luxury, but not a youth hostel either)? We prefer places with charm, friendly owners, and a nice setting...
Also, I speak several languages but not Uzbek or Russian🤪... Is English widely spoken these days?
Hello! I’m so excited to be back on this forum—it’s helped me so much in the past! I need your expert advice for our next trip, which will take us to Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
We have a month, and here’s the itinerary I have in mind:
Arrival in Tashkent – 2 days
Bukhara – 2 days
Samarkand – 3 days
Panjakent – 1 day
The Seven Lakes + Iskanderkul – 3 days
Khujand – 2 days
Fergana Valley – 3 days
Song Kol Lake – 2 days
Issyk-Kul Lake – 3 days
Charyn Canyon – 1 day
Kaindy Lake – 1 day
Altyn Emel Park – 1 day
Almaty – 1 day and departure
I know the travel times, especially in the mountains, can be long, but I’ve tried to optimize it so we can rest after the long drives. Our family includes three kids aged 5, 13, and 17. We’re used to backpacking.
But I have *so* many questions:
-Will it be extremely hot in Uzbekistan, but manageable in the other regions on my itinerary?
-I’ve read conflicting things about trains in Uzbekistan: is it possible to book train tickets in advance from France?
-For the Seven Lakes and Iskanderkul, do I need to hire a driver? Is it easy to find one? Since there are five of us, we’d need a large car… or is it possible to rent a car in Panjakent and drop it off in Khujand?
-What’s worth visiting in the Fergana Valley?
-I’d prefer to avoid domestic flights, so I planned to break up the Osh-Issyk-Kul Lake route by stopping at Song Kol Lake and taking a horseback ride. Is that realistic? Again, do I need to find a driver, or can we do it independently?
-Where’s the best base for Issyk-Kul Lake? The main goal is to relax and swim (is it acceptable for women to wear swimsuits in these regions?)
-For the last part of the trip—Charyn Canyon and Kaindy Lake from Issyk-Kul—is it doable, or do I need a driver once more?
-Is Altyn Emel Park doable in the summer, or is it too hot? The idea is to see the views and do a short 3-hour hike.
Thanks so much for any firsthand tips or experiences you can share!
I’m just starting my research for Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara...
I’m not sure I’ll manage to organize everything with the train or find a driver every time I need one.
I don’t want a packaged tour.
Can you tell me if everything needs to be booked well in advance?
I’m also looking for fun activities for my teens (other than museum and mosque visits).
We’ll be traveling in October.
Thanks for your tips!
