Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and has some incredible architectural wonders to offer. The people here speak primarily Russian and the city consists of a mixture of modern and old buildings and architecture. Four days is hardly enough time to explore downtown Tashkent and see every point of interest.
You can first visit the Amir Timur Museum, which exhibits manuscripts, weapons, and other relics from the Timurid dynasty. Afterward, you can go to the ancient monuments of the city: don't forget to visit the theatres and exhibition halls, the Chimgan Mountains, Beldersay and parks. Of course, you also have to try the delicious local cuisine – you won’t regret it!
Sleep at one of the local hostels and get a bed in a 6-person dorm for €10 a night.
Fergana Valley
Once you’ve seen everything in Tashkent, it’s time to head to Farghana. The train fare will only cost €10. If you prefer to fly, you should book two months in advance. In Farghana, you can visit the local
museum, which exhibits the history of the people, works of art, handicrafts, photographs, and the infamous old blood-eye theater of General Mikhail Skobelev. Before the end of your 4-day trip, you should also take a trip to see the beautiful landscape of Farghana.
The Farghana Valley is of great cultural and historical importance, as the Syr Danya River makes this valley especially fertile. It is about 80,000 square meters and is located between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the legendary city of Rishan, famous for its stylish ceramics, the Chudoyar Khan complex, and other magnificent buildings. Don't worry about accommodation, you can find some cheap ones on-site. You can get a single room in a guesthouse for €20 a night.
Samarkand
Our next stop is Samarkand. You can reach your next destination by train for about €29. The city is full of picturesque sights of historical importance, but how long should you stay?
With a four-day tour of Samarkand, you might get a good impression of what the city has to offer. The best place to start your tour is the legendary Ulugbek Observatory. Then you can go to Registan Square with the three large madrasahs on either side, which is the center of Samarkand. The oldest tourist attractions in the city are the Chidr Mosque and the Gur-Emir Mausoleum, which is also the burial place of Timur Lenk.
Do you want to visit one of the biggest mosques in Islamic history? Today’s your luck, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque is located in Samarkand. You can also visit the Rukhabad Mausoleum and the Afrosiab Museum. We have a very special tip for wine lovers: At the Hevrenko Wine Factory, you can taste freshly made wine. Doesn’t this sound great?
After your tour, you can relax in a comfortable bed at one of the local hostels. You’ll get a bed in a 6-person dorm for €11.
Bukhara
You’ll travel to Bukhara by train for €20. There, you’ll find many stunning castles and historical buildings. Bukhara has beautiful hotels and guesthouses, but for your backpacking trip, you should book a room in a hostel and get a bed in a 4-person dorm for €12 a night. It’s truly a miracle that the medieval buildings of the old civilization in Bukhara are still intact!
You can start your tour at the Kalan Mosque, which has a capacity of 12,000 people. It is the same height as the Bibi-Khanym mosque, with the only difference being its architectural style. Other architectural curiosities of Bukhara include the Mir-i-Arab Madrassah, the Lan-i-Hauz complex, and the Bukhara Fortress, also known as the Arch of Bukhara.
Khiva
There are probably thousands of reasons why your next stop should be Khiva. Besides the fact that it has a rich cultural heritage that you can see for free, it is home to magnificent madrasahs, mosques, galleries and traditional Uzbek food.
Uzbek cuisine is sure to make your mouth water. The tourist attractions in Khiva are all located in Itchan Kala. You should also plan a visit to the great palaces built by Alla-kulli-khan.
We recommend staying at one of Khiva’s hostels, where you can get a bed in a 4-person dorm for €12.
Nukus
Nukus is the sixth-largest city in Uzbekistan. It will cost you about €22 to travel by train from Khiva to the city. It’s best to book a room in one of the local guesthouses, where you can get a bed in a 3-person dorm for €15 a night. In Nukus, you should stay at least three days to really enjoy your stay and visit everything.
There is an archaeological site in Nukus that is a perfect starting point for your tour. The Savitsky Museum exhibits the most remarkable work of the Soviet Union – the work of the avant-garde. Savitsky is also home to thousands of paintings and artifacts, but only a few of these are exhibited. Another must-see is the Mizdakhan necropolis, an archaeological site that houses the remains of ancient civilization, the Karakalpak State Regional Museum, and much more. The Aral Sea is located in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan and is a good example of the impact of climate change and water pollution.
There is a lot more that Nukus has to offer, but you will discover most of it on your backpack tour.
After an incredible, eye-opening time in Uzbekistan, you have to return to Tashkent where you started your tour. The best way to do this is to take the train; the trip from Nukus to Tashkent costs about €100. Once in Tashkent, you can stay at a local hostel and get a bed in a 6-person dorm for €10 a night and spend your night reminiscing about all the good times you’ve had on this trip. Get some rest before having to catch your flight back home the next morning.