Uzbekistan is nice but at times I found it irritating to travel around independently and on a low budget. The other thing you have to understand is that in Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva there is very little authenticity left. Go there expecting city-museums with impressive architecture rather than lively streets and wild markets – that way you won’t be disappointed. See my blog posts on Uzbekistan (in chronological order):
Accommodation
My main problem was finding cheap accommodation. It’s not a problem in Samarkand, Khiva or Bukhara and to some extent Tashkent but outside these cities it can be hard to find anything beyond $40/night hotels. Hard but not impossible. There are usually cheap options if you know where to look so here are some recommendations. On average I spent $9/night on accommodation.
Please email me at comments@borderhopper.net is you have any updates to this information or further recommendations.
Thank you for such a helpful blog. How did you manage to register your stay there? Did you get your passport registered at places which you have mentioned in this blog or did you have to go to police station?
Thank you very much for your help.
I just got the places I stayed to register me. One night I wasn’t staying anywhere official (just with a local) but it wasn’t a problem not having the slip. They only checked them briefly at road blocks and not at all at the airport.
A fascinating account with great photo’s that give me a flavour of what to expect. When you give the price for accomodation in US $ does that mean you had to physically pay in $ because the ‘hotels’ would not always accept UZ SOM from a traveller? Great up to date info, happy trails and safe journeys in the future . Al Cave
Thanks for the comment. You can pay for hotels in UZ som or US dollars – the occasional place will only take UZ som if they’re not catered to tourists. The reason I quite prices in dollars though is that the prices are more stable in dollars. The som amount tends to vary as the exchange rate fluctuates.
Also I would highly recommend that you change dollars into som at the black market rate. Moneychangers on the street will do this but ask at a budget hotel or something for the current blackmarket rate just to be sure. Occasionally you will find a hotel that quotes a price in dollars but when you ask the amount in som they will convert at the official rate which means you can save a lot of money by paying in som if you have changed your money at the black market rate. Worth a go…
Thanks for the useful Blog, just a short question regarding accommodation in Uzbekistan. Would you recommend to pre-book them in general or just give them a call the day before? I will be travelling there in May 2013.
Thank you very much and spasibooo!!!!
Thanks for your comment. My advice is to call the day before if you get a chance (and know where you want to stay) but otherwise just turn up and you should find something easily enough.
Thanks, for your advice and always safe travels