Oezbekistan, het hart van de zijderoute

Uzbekistan lies at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, the legendary trade route that once linked China to Europe. This fascinating country is home to three of the Silk Road’s most important cities, including the capital city of Tashkent, the most populated city in Central Asia. Visitors can look forward to exploring a dazzling array of Islamic architecture and ancient cities, as well as numerous grand mosques, desert citadels, magnificent palaces, bustling market bazaars, minarets and mosaics. Don’t miss a trip to the Nukas Museum of Art, which houses over 82 0000 items and is home to the second-largest collection of Russian avant-garde art in the world. Other attractions include the country’s diverse natural habitats of lush forests, snow-capped mountain ranges, rivers and lakes, as well as arid deserts and the famous shrinking Aral Sea.

Currency 

The currency of Uzbekistan is the Uzbek Sum (UZS; symbol лв) = 100 tiyn. Notes are in denominations of лв1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 3 and 1. Coins are in denominations of лв100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 3 and 1 tiyn.

Banking

Banking hours: Monday-Friday 09h00-18h00 and some banks are open on Saturday 09h00-15h00.

Credit cards are acceptable in some of the major hotels in tourist centres. Uzbekistan has said that it intends to introduce its own Visa card in the near future.

Travellers' cheques have very limited acceptance, especially outside of the capital. Be sure to list your travellers’ cheques on your customs declaration form or you won’t be able to cash them.

The only reliable means of travelling into the interior is by air. Uzbekistan Airways flies to all the major towns and cities in Uzbekistan on a regular basis. Destinations include Andijan, Karshi, Namangan, Navoi (which is 45 minutes by bus from Bukhara), Nukus, Samarkand, Tashkent and Termez.

As with most Central Asian countries, most taxis are unlicensed, so always negotiate a fare before getting in and have your destination noted in Russian or Uzbek. 

Also typical of the region is the shared taxi phenomenon. At taxi ranks or bus stations, drivers will have a destination city marked on board, or will be calling the name out. Negotiate a rate, check with others what to pay, but as a tourist, you may pay more. The car only leaves when full. Try to get the front passenger seat or a window – it can get very hot in Uzbekistan and not all cars have air conditioning.

There are railways linking Termez, Samarkand, Bukhara, the Fergana Valley and Nukus. There are two railway stations in Tashkent. The Trans-Caspian Railway traverses the country from Chardzhou in Turkmenistan via Kagan (near Bukhara), Samarkand and Dzhizak, where the railway branches off to serve the capital, Tashkent. 

Uzbek food is similar to that of the rest of Central Asia. During the summer and autumn, there is a wide variety of fruit: grapes, pomegranates, apricots and honeydew and watermelons which you will see in huge piles at markets and on roadsides. Unlike other Asian cuisines, Uzbek food is not spicy and tends to be quite bland. Uzbeks pride themselves on the quality and variety of their bread that is often decorated with patterns and sometimes colours too. In general, hotel food shows a strong Russian influence, soups, cold cuts, cheeses, yoghurt and meat is generally served, and unless sweet, nearly all plates will be sprinkled with dill. There are a number of restaurants that serve both European and Korean food. Beer, wine, vodka, brandy and are all widely available in restaurants.

It is usual to tip 5 to 10% in restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Restaurants in international hotels usually include service in the bill. 

Uzbekistan has an extreme continental climate. It is generally warmest in the south and coldest in the north. During the summer months, temperatures can climb to 45 degrees Celcius with low; while the winter months reach well below zero. The best time to visit is during the spring and autumn, with September being the absolute optimum month. 

Electrical sockets in Uzbekistan are one of two electrical socket types: Type C (CEE 7/16 Europlug) and Type F (CEE 7/4 Schuko). If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it's crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for all types.

Electrical sockets in Guyana usually supply electricity at 220 volts AC / 50 Hz frequency. If you're plugging in an appliance that was built for this electrical input, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need. If your appliance isn’t compatible with 220 volts, a voltage converter will be necessary.