Uzbekistan

Understand

The meaning of the name Uzbek is disputed. One version is that it is derived from Turkish 'uz/öz' ('good' or 'true') and 'bek' ('guardian'). Unlike the neighbouring Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, but like their close cousins the Uyghurs, the Uzbeks were mostly a sedentary people, building impressive cities along the old Silk Road

There is a large population of people in Uzbekistan that speak Tajik (or other dialects of Persian), owing to historic communities in the region. Some of those people consider themselves Uzbek while others consider themselves as Tajik/Persian and living in Uzbekistan. There are also plenty of people who come from mixed Uzbek-Tajik families.

Get in

thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of Uzbekistan, with countries in shades of green having visa-free access; and countries in blue having e-visa.

See

Uzbekistan, a republic in the former Soviet Union, is one of the cradles of culture in the Central Asia region. The country offers an array of semi-arid landscapes and ancient sites, steeped with a history along the Silk Road.

Eat

When you go to restaurants, always ask for menu or price if they do not provide one. While some of the well-established restaurants provide surprisingly good value by European standards, some of the random or less popular restaurants try to take advantage of tourists by overcharging up to five times the normal price. thumbnail|Plov

Bread - Uzbeks eat lots of bread (non in Uzbek). Round bread is called lepioshka in Russian. You can buy it anywhere, in the bazaar it costs around 1,000-2,500 so‘m. It is delicious when freshly baked and makes a good snack by itself. Samarkand is very famous for its bread. The characteristic Samarkand bread obi-non is traditionally baked in clay furnaces. Bread is served with every meal. Chocolate - Not something you associate with Uzbekistan, but the country produces some very good chocolate cake. A slice of rich moist cake can cost 10,000 to 25,000 so‘m in a cafe or restaurant. However, if you purchase in a cake shop expect to pay 4,000 to 5,000 som per slice. A slice can cost even less if you are able to charm one from a seller in the wholesale section of the market. Individually wrapped chocolates are also available by the kilogram from mix and match bins in the markets and also in some convenience stores. Chuchvara - similar to ravioli and stuffed with mutton and onions (aka 'pelmeni' in Russian). Lagman - thick soup with meat, potatoes, spices, vegetables and pasta. By right, it should include 50 ingredients. Often carrot, red beet, cabbage…

Drink

There are two national drinks of Uzbekistan: tea and vodka (result of more than a century of Russian domination of the land). Tea is served virtually everywhere: home, office, cafes, etc. Uzbek people drink black tea in winter and green tea in summer, instead of water. If tea is served in the traditional manner, the server will pour tea into a cup from the teapot and then pour the tea back into the teapot. This action is repeated three times. These repetitions symbolize loy (clay) which seals thirst, moy (grease) which isolates from the cold and the danger and tchai (tea or water) which extinguishes the fire. If you are being served tea in an Uzbek home, the host will attempt at all times to make sure your cup is never filled. If the host fills your cup, it probably means that it is time for you to leave, but this occurs really rarely, because Uzbeks are very hospitable. The left hand is considered impure. The tea and the cups are given and taken by the right hand. A mind-numbing variety of brands of wine and vodka are available almost everywhere. thumb|Uzbekistan is probably not the first country you'll think of when you hear "wine", but it's certainly produced here

Since the Republic of Uzbekistan is a secular state, the sale/purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages are allowed and absolutely free, as for example in Turkey or Russia. Previously, alcohol was sold in any stores, but now the laws allow selling alcoholic beverages only to those stores that have a licens…

Stay safe

thumb|Uzbek police in Samarkand The areas of Uzbekistan bordering Afghanistan should be avoided for all but essential travel. Extreme caution should also be exercised in areas of the Ferghana Valley bordering Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. There have been a number of security incidents in this region, as well as several exchanges of gunfire across the Uzbek/Kyrgyz border. Some border areas are also mined. Travellers should therefore avoid these areas and cross only at authorized border crossing points.

For the most part, Uzbekistan is generally safe for visitors, perhaps the by-product of a police state. There are many anecdotal (and a significant number of documented) reports of an increase in street crime, especially in the larger towns, particularly Tashkent. This includes an increase in violent crime. Information on crime is largely available only through word of mouth - both among locals and through the expat community - as the state-controlled press rarely, if ever, reports street crime. As economic conditions in Uzbekistan continue to deteriorate, street crime is increasing.

Normal precautions should be taken, as one would in virtually any country. Especially in the cities (few travellers will spend much time overnight in the small villages), be careful after dark, avoid unlighted areas, and don't walk alone. Even during the day, refrain from openly showing significant amounts of cash. Men should keep wallets in a front pocket and women should keep purses in front of the…

Stay healthy

Uzbekistan's health care is not up to Western standards. There is often a shortage of medicines and medical supplies. Travellers should take the necessary medicines (including prescriptions, see section on laws and practices) and supplies with them. Local hospitals should be used with caution.

Drink only bottled water. Tap water should be boiled before drinking and ice cubes should be avoided. Hygiene should also be taken into account when preparing food and peel fruits and vegetables.

Air quality in the Karakalpakstan and Xorazmi regions is particularly poor due to salt, dust and toxins emitted from the Aral Sea.

Uzbekistan has not implemented a no-smoking policy in bars and restaurants, unlike many Western countries. Consequently, enclosed spaces can be very unpleasant for non-smokers, especially in the cold weather.

Fruits and vegetables should be peeled before consumption. Avoid drinking home-brewed vodka and brandy. These are highly likely to contain methanol, the risk of which should not be taken lightly. One moderately famous and high-quality vodka is Qarataw.

Visitors should consider tap water to be unsafe to drink in regions, while in capital of Uzbekistan the water is safe for drinking. In any case drinking bottled water is advised.

Respect

In Uzbekistan, and in Central Asia in general, elderly people are greatly respected. Always treat the elderly with great respect and be deferent to them in all situations.

Also be polite with females. Traditionally it is not welcomed to flirt openly with women. If you are a male and there is an option to address a male with the question instead of female, choose it. But likewise use caution if seeking out a same-sex conversation on a romantic level, as LGBT rights aren't a thing in Uzbekistan but rather still criminalized.

This might strike you as a quirk, but it really is not: bread is sacred in Uzbekistan. Do not waste it, and if you do: do not do so visibly. Don't worry, you are not obliged to eat all the bread you get served in the restaurant, but if you are carelessly throwing away a half a loaf in the street you will get some mean looks. Either way, Uzbek bread is among the best in the world, so you'll probably enjoy it until the last crumb.

Connect

Mobile connection works in most parts of Uzbekistan and the services are cheap. The mobile service providers are Beeline, Mobiuz, Ucell, UzTelecom (a.k.a. UzMobile). Also Perfectum, which mostly uses CDMA technology, useless for visitors as of March 2026. In Tashkent only, they have 5G.)

Global or third party eSIMs essentially all use the Beeline network only (as of March 2026, despite some claiming additional ones), which is fine in cities but not as great coverage elsewhere.

In the Tashkent airport arrivals area (before customs), there are kiosks for several networks - Beeline, Mobiuz, Ucell, UzTelecom - where you can get a SIM or eSIM.

Generally, a foreigner can get a SIM card after showing his passport. For activating the cell phone connection a person has to be registered. Some vendors are not aware of the law and refuse to sell to foreigners. (In the airport this would not be a problem.)

If you plan to travel around to the countryside, the Ucell network has the best coverage according to locals (2024). You can get the SIM, with 24 Gb, calls and some SMS for 40k per month in the official shop at the center of Tashkent. There are bigger packages available; an eSIM is available for an extra 500, as of May 2024.

You can find Internet cafés in most of the cities. Speeds can sometimes be fast but generally speed is relatively slow.

Some restaurants offer WiFi.