BLOG

Stories from the Silk Road

Field notes, cultural deep-dives, and language lessons, for travelers who want to arrive a little less lost.

Money in Uzbekistan: Cash, Cards & ATMs

How money in Uzbekistan works: the som and big-number cash, where cards actually work, an ATM strategy, and the scams to skip. A practical 2026 guide.

July 14, 2026 Read post →

TRAVEL

Taxi in Uzbekistan: Yandex Go & Avoiding Overcharge

How to get a taxi in Uzbekistan without overpaying: use Yandex Go for fixed prices, understand fair fares, and stay safe from Tashkent airport onward.

Jul 14, 2026 taxi · transport

TRAVEL

Uzbekistan eSIM vs SIM Card: The Traveler's Guide

Should you get a Uzbekistan eSIM or a local SIM card? Compare Ucell, Beeline and Uzmobile prices, coverage and whether you need mobile data at all.

Jul 14, 2026 esim · sim card

PLAN

Uzbekistan Tours vs. Independent Travel: How to Choose

Deciding between uzbekistan tours and going solo? Here's the honest trade-off on trains, cost, language, and when a guided trip actually earns its price.

Jul 13, 2026 planning · uzbekistan tours

FOOD

Uzbek Bread (Non): The Loaf You Don't Cut

A short culture guide to uzbek bread: the tandoor, the chekich stamps, heavy Samarkand loaves, and the taboos every traveler should know.

Jul 7, 2026 food · culture

TRAVEL

Flights to Uzbekistan: How to Get There in 2026

Booking flights to Uzbekistan? Here are the main hubs, carriers, when fares dip, and your first steps out of Tashkent airport, with SIM, cash, and taxi tips.

Jul 5, 2026 flights · planning

Rusting fishing boats stranded on cracked seabed near Moynaq, with yurts and a tiled facade under a warm desert sky.

TRAVEL

Karakalpakstan: The Aral Sea, Moynaq & Nukus

A traveler's guide to Karakalpakstan: the Moynaq ship graveyard, the shrinking Aral Sea, the Savitsky museum in Nukus, and yurt-camp logistics.

Jul 3, 2026 karakalpakstan · aral sea

A plate of golden triangular samsa beside steamed white manti and a bowl of lagman on an ikat cloth, a turquoise-domed skyline behind.

FOOD

Uzbek Samsa, Manti & Lagman: The Everyday Trio

Beyond plov: what uzbek samsa, manti dumplings, and hand-pulled lagman actually are, their fillings, and where to find the best at bazaars and tandoors.

Jul 1, 2026 food · uzbek samsa

A sleek high-speed train at a platform with rails toward a domed skyline.

TRAVEL

Tashkent to Samarkand Train: The Afrosiyob Guide

The Tashkent to Samarkand train (Afrosiyob) takes about 2 hours. How to book tickets, classes, the station drill, and onward to Bukhara, with no Russian needed.

Jun 29, 2026 trains · samarkand

TRAVEL

Registan Samarkand: A Deep Dive

Registan Samarkand guide: the three madrasas, the famous tiger mosaics, best visiting times, the evening light show, and the astronomer-king's story.

Jun 25, 2026 samarkand · registan

CULTURE

Religion in Uzbekistan: A Traveler's Guide

Religion in Uzbekistan is mostly secular Sunni Islam with Sufi roots. Here's what it means for mosque etiquette, dress, Ramadan, and the great monuments.

Jun 24, 2026 religion · culture

Courtyard of a restored-madrasa boutique hotel in Uzbekistan, with a tiled blue dome, cushioned seating, and a teapot on a carved low table.

TRAVEL

Hotels in Uzbekistan: Where to Stay by City

A practical guide to hotels in Uzbekistan: restored-madrasa stays, family guesthouses, and which neighborhoods to pick in Samarkand, Bukhara, and beyond.

Jun 23, 2026 accommodation · hotels

Tea poured from a painted choynak teapot into a piyola bowl at a choyxona.

FOOD

Uzbek Tea & the Choyxona: A Traveler's Guide

Uzbek tea is the heart of every social moment. Learn the choyxona, the three-pour ritual, green vs black, the piyola, and how to accept a cup politely.

Jun 21, 2026 uzbek tea · choyxona

TRAVEL

Khiva Uzbekistan: A Guide to Itchan Kala

Khiva Uzbekistan travel guide: how the single ticket works inside Itchan Kala, sunset from the walls, getting there via Urgench, and whether one night is enough.

Jun 19, 2026 khiva · itchan kala

TRAVEL

Is Uzbekistan Safe? An Honest Traveler's Guide

Is Uzbekistan safe for tourists? Yes, with normal precautions. Here's the honest take on scams, solo and female travel, heat, photography, and registration.

Jun 18, 2026 safety · planning

TRAVEL

Things to Do in Bukhara: The Walkable Old Town

The best things to do in Bukhara: the Poi-Kalyan ensemble, the Ark fortress, Lyab-i-Hauz, the trading domes, and Chor Minor, all on foot.

Jun 17, 2026 bukhara · places

LANGUAGE

Essential Uzbek Phrases for Travelers

Learn 20 essential uzbek phrases for greetings, taxis, bazaars and restaurants, plus how to read the Latin script and the tricky o' and g' sounds.

Jun 16, 2026 uzbek phrases · uzbek language

A desert road winding toward a Silk Road skyline of turquoise domes.

PLAN

Uzbekistan Itinerary: 7 & 10 Days by Fast Train

Two ready Uzbekistan itinerary routes along the Tashkent–Samarkand–Bukhara–Khiva line, with per-day plans, where to sleep, and high-speed train tips.

Jun 15, 2026 itinerary · planning

Samarkand's turquoise Timurid domes and madrasah portals above a market stall and ikat textiles.

TRAVEL

Things to Do in Samarkand: A 2-Day Plan

The best things to do in Samarkand over two days: the Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym, and Siyob Bazaar, with timing for good light.

Jun 14, 2026 samarkand · itinerary

FOOD

Uzbek Plov: The National Dish Explained

What uzbek plov really is, the qozon and oshpaz ritual, regional styles, and where and when to eat it on your trip. A traveler's guide to osh palov.

Jun 12, 2026 plov · uzbek food

PLAN

Uzbekistan E-Visa Explained: Who Needs One

Confused about the Uzbekistan e-visa? Here's who's visa-free, who applies online, and how the process works. Always confirm your nationality on the official portal.

Jun 11, 2026 visa · planning

The turquoise dome of Chorsu Bazaar over a leafy Tashkent square at golden hour.

TRAVEL

Things to Do in Tashkent: A 1-2 Day Plan

The best things to do in Tashkent in 1-2 days: Chorsu Bazaar, ornate metro stations, Hazrati Imam, Soviet squares, plus arrival tips for your first Silk Road stop.

Jun 10, 2026 tashkent · itinerary

Samarkand’s Registan domes glowing at golden hour across the seasons.

PLAN

Best Time to Visit Uzbekistan: A Month Guide

The best time to visit Uzbekistan is spring and autumn. Here's Uzbekistan weather by month, plus when to visit Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva.

Jun 9, 2026 uzbekistan · travel planning

An overhead spread of plov, non bread, samsa and tea; Uzbek cuisine.

FOOD

Uzbekistan Food: 13 Dishes to Eat (In Order)

A traveler's guide to Uzbekistan food: plov, somsa, lagman, shashlik, manti, non, and tea. What each dish is, where to try it, and one ordering tip each.

Jun 7, 2026 uzbekistan food · uzbek cuisine

TOPICS

Browse by topic

Jump to posts grouped by what you're curious about.

Stories from the Silk Road

Money in Uzbekistan: Cash, Cards & ATMs

Latest from the team

Taxi in Uzbekistan: Yandex Go & Avoiding Overcharge

Uzbekistan eSIM vs SIM Card: The Traveler's Guide

Uzbekistan Tours vs. Independent Travel: How to Choose

Uzbek Bread (Non): The Loaf You Don't Cut

Flights to Uzbekistan: How to Get There in 2026

Karakalpakstan: The Aral Sea, Moynaq & Nukus

Uzbek Samsa, Manti & Lagman: The Everyday Trio

Tashkent to Samarkand Train: The Afrosiyob Guide

Registan Samarkand: A Deep Dive

Religion in Uzbekistan: A Traveler's Guide

Hotels in Uzbekistan: Where to Stay by City

Uzbek Tea & the Choyxona: A Traveler's Guide

Khiva Uzbekistan: A Guide to Itchan Kala

Is Uzbekistan Safe? An Honest Traveler's Guide

Things to Do in Bukhara: The Walkable Old Town

Essential Uzbek Phrases for Travelers

Uzbekistan Itinerary: 7 & 10 Days by Fast Train

Things to Do in Samarkand: A 2-Day Plan

Uzbek Plov: The National Dish Explained

Uzbekistan E-Visa Explained: Who Needs One

Things to Do in Tashkent: A 1-2 Day Plan

Best Time to Visit Uzbekistan: A Month Guide

Uzbekistan Food: 13 Dishes to Eat (In Order)

Browse by topic