Uzbekistan Uncovered

Most Inspirational Moment

Strolling around the beautiful streets of Khiva at night - hardly anyone else around and very atmospheric.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader Barbor was very proud of his country, and certainly knew his history. However, he was not the best at handling or organising a group, and I feel that our tour did suffer because of this - it felt like we had a lot of wasted opportunities. For example, instead of using the long bus journeys to explain what we would be doing that day, and the approximate timings and activities, he would wait to tell us everything on arrival, wasting valuable time. In addition, he was often vague about the sequence of sites and visits. This was particularly relevant in Samarkand when we lost the opportunity to visit the bazaar, which then turned out to be closed the next day when we had some free time. He would also sometimes "disappear" when we most needed him (e.g., on our first day in Tashkent when we were told we had 30 minutes for lunch but had no idea how to find it [especially given we had just arrived on a late night flight]). I feel that with another guide we could have had a richer experience. As it was, the tour was just ok.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is easy to change money from dollars/pounds on the first day - we found that $200 each for the whole trip was just enough. It is almost impossible to use your credit card anywhere you visit apart from Samarkand, so you will need cash. Enjoy the bullet train from Samarkand to Khiva. I is a real treat and it was fun getting to 231 km/hr - beat that! Walking around at any time of day or night felt completely safe, and the tourist police (in Bukhara) are especially helpful even if it is just o ask directions. Buy any souvenirs in Bukhara or Khiva - Samarkand surprisingly does not have the same opportunities. Organise your own final group dinner in Tashkent or, perhaps better still, have it the day before in Samarkand. We ended up at the Gabrielle hotel in Tashkent were we were staying, the service is awful and the food expensive (perhaps why the tour leader chose not to stay and eat).

Suggestions

No

Most Inspirational Moment

Gur-i Amir at night in Samarkand

Thoughts on Group Leader

Encyclopaedic knowledge of the country and it's history.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As with any tour the local agency make changes to the itinerary. In this case the camel ride (Day 8) was just 10-15 minutes shortly after we arrived at the Yurt camp (Day 7). The trip notes highlight a 10 to 11 hour drive on bad roads (Day 4) but it doesn't advertise the 6 hour drive under similar conditions on Day 8. Unfortunately the vehicle used throughout did not have suitable air-con so in the 38-40C we all struggled a bit. Day 10 "we have a farewell dinner..." states the trip notes. If you want a farewell dinner you have to arrange it yourself as the local company doesn't do it. Having said that after the journey from Samarkand to Tashkent you arrive back at the hotel at 20:45 and several did not want to eat at that hour knowing we had an early start for the airport the next day.

Suggestions

The trip was advertised as 'Leisurely' and it certainly was though the early mornings on Day 1 and 2 are a bit brutal coming immediately after the 7 hour flight from London. The 'Free morning' on Day 10 is, because of the absence of trains, a Free Day! Having covered all the main sights the previous day the group generally passed the time looking in shop windows and drinking tea/coffee. Ultimately this is a wasted day.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kudos must go to our guide, Dilshod. He was superb – even rearranging personal evening plans a few times to help the group out ordering dinner, etc and on the long bus trips was full of knowledge, history and jokes, keeping everyone entertained.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Nope - just book it and go! You won't regret it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The unexpected ‘wild swim’ in the lake and visiting the beautiful Shah-I-Zinda on the day families were celebrating Eid are both magical memories.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely fantastic! Dilshod’s knowledge of ancient and modern history, the architecture, crafts and culture in each city was phenomenal; and his willingness to share his own stories of recent history put this trip right up with the best.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you have a problem with pillows try and take your own travel pillow!

Suggestions

I would have the yurt stay a little more remote from parked cars, coaches and motorbikes! I was woken by a motorbike starting up!

Most Inspirational Moment

I absolutely loved swimming in Aidarkul Lake and the desert scenery on the way to and from the yurt. I also loved Samarkand and particularly Shah-i-Zinda.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Shakh appeared to be inexperienced, he lacked friendliness at times and he showed a complete lack of interest in the fact that I was very badly ill twice. I had arrived a few days earlier (as a solo female traveller) and the day before I met the group I suffered sickness and diarhoea. On first meeting Shakh at the group meeting I mentioned this to him and I could not believe the almost complete lack of interest. In fact, I thought this so unusual, that I repeated myself in case he had not heard. We later went on our tour of Tashkent and I very nearly fainted (as I had not eaten due to the bug). Again Shakh was barely interested, pointed to a door where I could reach the outside and left me to it. Only when the other members of the group asked me if I was OK did Shakh very briefly check on me. A few days after that the bug returned and I was up all night with the worst illness I have ever encountered. The next day I again mentioned this to the guide and he was still uninterested (and no offers of pharmacy stops were made). Other problems with Shakh were:- not having sufficient water for our group in the first few days of the trip (at the desert fortresses we had run out of water completely in the heat and we also run out of water in the morning at Khiva). In fact, at the desert fortresses, I asked Shakh where the water was and he snapped back that he had not picked up the 10 litre bottle yet. As we had driven from the airport at Nukus there had been plenty of opportunity to pick up water. After that I no longer trusted Shakh to provide water and just bought my own to make sure I always had a supply. I have been on 5 other Exodus trips and on all those trips the guide has eaten with the group and the guides have been good/fantastic. This guide did not eat with us on the first night in Tashkent nor the first night in Samarkand and on around 4 or 5 other occasions. He was not always very friendly or smiley, which I think is the requirement of a guide. In fact one time we passed him in the street during our free time and he did not even smile or acknowledge us. The restaurant chosen for our final lunch in Samarkand was appalling in terms of service and again Shakh sat at a neighbouring table. Some of our food took an hour and a quarter or more to arrive and no complaints were made by him, to my knowledge. Then when the bill came the prices had changed markedly, for example the soup price had increased by over 50% and all the other prices had changed. This situation was awful and was handled very badly by the guide. The coach was not always asked to collect us, e.g from right outside the airport, so we were left with quite long distances to drag our cases. This was not really a problem for me as I had a rucksack (albeit a heavy one) but some of the other travellers were in their 70's and I am sure they would have benefited from being picked up. Shakh gave out his mobile number in case of emergency, with instructions NOT to ring him at night. Whilst I am sure most people would not ring the guide at night, emergencies can of course happen at night. On a more positive note Shakh was very knowledgeable about the history and geography of Uzbekistan and I very much enjoyed his commentaries, especially when he told us about his wedding. He also improved as the 11 days progressed (except for the final lunch incident). However I think being completely uninterested in the health of your travellers is completely unacceptable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sadly a number of people in our group were ill. Take plenty of rehydration salts. The bread is at least delicious, so you can survive on that! Do get out for a walk in the area around the yurt. I had a couple of little walks and it was so peaceful and the wildlife great.

Suggestions

The itinerary is great for this trip with a lovely combination of nature and cities. I would however definitely check on who is the guide.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arriving in Khiva and seeing the Silk Road monuments for the first time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Shah is a young man fairly new to the industry. He is very knowledgeable but lacks some of the finesse and inter-personal skills that come with experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Uzbekistan is far easier to enjoy than imagined. Outside Tashkent English is widely spoken, particularly in the tourist industry and amongst the young. With a stay up to 15 days now visa free for tourists from a large range of countries including the UK this is the time to travel before too many people start making their plans and prices start rising.

Suggestions

The final 24 hours was wasted time which was a pity. The hotel in Tashkent was near the airport but 7 or 8 kilometers from the centre. There is no direct public transport between the two and with no Uzbek or Russian language skills travel could have been fraught, particularly as the return journey would be time critical. It would be far better to secure an hotel close to the city centre for the one night.

Most Inspirational Moment

The city of Khiva was the highlight for me. Still relatively unaffected by mass tourism and the locals were pleasant (as they were throughout) and interested to learn about their visitors.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, well informed and concerned for the welfare of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go now before mass tourism makes its mark.

Suggestions

The trip notes seemed ‘generic’ and need updating

Most Inspirational Moment

The city of Samarkand was full of wonder and genuine WOW moments

Thoughts on Group Leader

A fantastic and informative tour leader. Very informative and knowledgeable. Exodus are lucky to have him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not miss out. Uzbekistan is a hidden jewel

Suggestions

Uzbekistan is a very safe place to visit and Uzbeks are genuine, friendly and helpful

Most Inspirational Moment

Dinner & a cold beer on a roof top terrace with a fabulous view over Khiva as the swifts whirled overhead and the sun set!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Full of knowledge and always ready to help.

Advice for Potential Travellers

See Summary

Most Inspirational Moment

Visit to see the Othmani Qur'an in Tashkent was a great privilege. This Qur'an written in about 646 CE was awe inspiring. Ragistan Square in Samarquand is incredible. The jaw-dropping moment came when we entered the the mosque in the Tilla-Kari Madressa. I could not take my eyes away from the amazing decorations of the ceiling. The ceiling is flat (so they say) but the the master craftsmen have done such an amazing work that it actually appears to be dome shaped. My highlight of the the whole trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide Dilshod was very informative, caring and sensitive to the needs of a diverse group. He is a brilliant guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Please go as soon as you can. strongly recommend this trip and holiday