What’s it like to visit Uzbekistan in January?

Uzbekistan part 3: the Nuratau Mountains and Kyzylkum Desert

January 2022

Ancient palaces, madrassas, mosques, mountains and desert fortresses: the Silk Road destination of Uzbekistan has plenty to offer. Before the Covid pandemic Uzbekistan drew almost 7 million foreign visitors a year. When Nicole and I travelled here in January 2022, locals told us tourists were starting to come back. One guest house we stayed at was already fully booked for the Spring 2022. Yet as it was still low season, we were some of only a few foreigners visiting. Tourists generally avoid the tough Uzbek winter. Was it a bad idea to come here in January? Here’s how we experienced winter in the Uzbek cities, the Nuratau Mountains and the Kyzylkum Desert.

The cities during winter

The historical cities are the major draw to Uzbekistan. Nicole and I landed in the capital Tashkent (read part 1 of this blog) and visited Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva (part 2 of this blog). The weather didn’t prevent us from enjoying the cities. We had to wear many layers of clothes though, because temperatures ranged from plus 18C and sunshine in Samarkand to minus 15C at night in Khiva. Temperatures vary between inside and outdoors too, as people tend to put the heating on tropical levels. The fact that it was low season wasn’t an issue. Hotels, restaurants, museums and sights were still open, and many times we had magnificent places to ourselves. Only in smaller Khiva some places were closed, though we could still visit the highlights. We found the weather more challenging once we left the cities.

The Nuratau Mountains

About a 5 hour drive from Samarkand and Bukhara are the Nuratau Mountains. Few people live here, therefore it seemed unlikely buses would head that way. A tour agency got us a driver and arranged a guesthouse in the village of Asraf. We were warned there isn’t always electricity here, and that was the case when we arrived. It was a cosy place though, with a fire, friendly people and great food. The next day I realized how lucky we were with the weather. We hiked with a guide, starting in the fog. As we climbed towards several viewing points the sun came through. The rough landscape was stunning. We spotted many eagles and saw petroglyphs on the way back. The trip was spectacular, but hiking wouldn’t have been possible if the fog had stayed. Hanging around the village while it’s freezing isn’t recommended either. Visiting the Nuratau Mountains during winter is a bit of gamble, but worth the shot.

The Kyzylkum Desert Fortresses

Spread around the Kyzylkum Desert are a number of ancient fortresses. They have UNESCO World Heritage status and date back as far as the 4th century BC. The fortresses are about a two hour drive from Khiva in the West of Uzbekistan. We hired a driver to visit the three most famous ones: Ayaz Kala, Toprak Kala and Kizil Kala. Ayaz Kala is the oldest and most spectacular one, built on a hilltop overlooking the desert. When we arrived we only met one other visitor. Our driver told us it gets more busy in summer when the tour buses come here. It’s interesting to see the desert in winter, as the sand and rocks are partly covered by a layer of snow. The weather changed from dense mist to blue skies. As long as you wear thermals and appropriate shoes, the fortresses are a great daytrip on a good Winter day.

*Snow coverd sand, on the background is Ayaz Kala Fortress, Kyzylkum Desert*

The verdict

Visiting the historical cities of Uzbekistan is fine in January. Most sights are open, and there are few other tourists. Having beautiful places all to yourself is a fantastic experience. Wear multiple layers to deal with the weather differences. It’s worth noting that we travelled as a couple. Though we met other people, I can imagine that the low season is less fun for solo travellers. Activities outside of the cities are more limited during low season, but visiting the Nurata Mountains and Desert fortresses was possible. The measures against Covid and weather didn’t prevent us from enjoying Uzbekistan. It’s a wonderful country to visit.

Practical info on traveling here

Entering Uzbekistan: As a Dutch-Irish couple we could visit Uzbekistan without a visa. Check online if your nationality requires a visa. What we needed to enter were our passports and, at the time, a negative Covid PCR test result. As long as there is a pandemic it’s best to ask a local friend or travel agency about the latest rules to be sure.

Flying out of Uzbekistan: We needed a Covid PCR test to fly home as well, and booked one through our hotel in Khiva (Arkanchi Hotel) before flying to Istanbul through Tashkent. When switching from a domestic flight to an international flight in Tashkent, keep in mind that you need a taxi to get from the domestic to the international terminal. A helpful guard told us it should not cost more than 20.000 Som.

Getting around cities: Yandex Taxi works only in Tashkent, Uber doesn’t work anywhere in Uzbekistan. There is a metro in Tashkent as well. When hauling a taxi on the street make sure to agree on a price before leaving. In Samarkand we used taxis, Bukhara and Khiva can be mostly explored on foot.

Traveling around Uzbekistan: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are connected by rail. We booked train tickets with the app of Uzrailway. The app is in Russian. Make sure to take a screen shot of your seat number before you finish the booking. The online ticket only shows a QR code, but we noticed conductors can’t always read the QR code and ask for seat numbers instead.

Guided tour in Tashkent and visiting the Nuratau Mountains: we booked a guided tour around Tashkent through Advantour (advantour.com). They gave us helpful information on Covid entry requirements before our visit, picked us up from the airport and arranged a nice guided city-tour. Later during our travels we booked a trip to the Nurata Mountains with them as well.

Visiting the Desert Fortresses: Our hotel in Khiva (Arkanchi Hotel) arranged a driver to the Desert Castles.

Former Soviet States, Central AsiaArjan MookMarch 21, 2022