Uzbekistan Uncovered

Customer Reviews

• MZ

  miriam

  · September 6th, 2023
  I liked the trip very much. Our tour guide was great and the tour plan was very educational
  

  Exodus Adventure Travels commented on this review

  We are so happy you enjoyed Uzbekistan Uncovered tour. We hope that you will continue to tell others about your amazing adventure and we hope you will choose Exodus for the next one! -Exodus Travels
  Trip date: August 2023
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  Alison Telfer

  · November 5th, 2013
  A wonderful, rewarding holiday in a country that is just waking up to tourism but has so much to offer with lovely, friendly people and mind blowingly fabulous buildings and cities. Be prepared to take the rough with the smooth - the hotels are basic but clean and (usually) the showers work. Food is tasty if sometimes repetitive and costs are reasonable.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Like most, I went expecting Samarkand to be fabulous (and it was) but Khiva was a real surprise.  Beautiful, calm, quiet and understated it was a joy to simply wander around.  No pressure, no overt-tourism, simple but lovely accommodation (and cold beer!) it felt safe, gentle, authentic and undiscovered.  A lovely old city right outside the door or our hotel, much to explore and a real gem of a discovery.What did you think of your group leader?Dilshod Khaitov (of Asia Adventures used by Exodus) was probably the best Guide and Tour Leader I have experienced over many years of worldwide travel.  Always there, willing and helpful, never intruding, full of knowledge and eager to share, he is a diamond among leaders.  I cannot enough praise the contribution he made to the success of the holiday and his advice was always accurate and timely.However, ladies - you may need to ask him specifically what is best to buy where as, like most men, his appreciation of retail therapy could be worked upon!  However, remembering that, he will quickly advise what is best to buy where and will give advice to prices (i.e., the amount to be bargained down). Do you have any advice for potential travellers?There is a complete lack of ATMs so you will need to take US$ in cash, in a body belt.  However, at no time did I feel under threat as a "rich tourist" for mugging, etc and even when I needed to access the body belt in a shop, there was no worry about theft.  You will be subject to the usual small children selling postcards etc,but considerably less than other countries.  Bring your postcards home to post if you really want them to arrive but with advice from you guide as to what to buy where, you should end up with some lovely, unusual (if not unique) souvenirs.   Toilet paper is thicker than anything I have ever pasted on a wall (apart from Tashkent) so something moist from home will be appreciated. Hand gel is mandatory, due to the dust and whilst showers usually work (sometimes even with warm water!) be prepared for shortages.  In other words, pack a sense of humour!Is there anything else you would like to add?Enjoy this wonderful land.  Be laid back and prepared for what comes, don't delve too deep into the politics and human rights etc issues.  Remember this is a country still struggling to modernise after so many years as part of the Soviet Union and things take time.Read up well before you go - Peter Hopkirk's books on The Great Game and others relating to the Silk Road and other elements of its history are invaluable.  Take plenty of camera memory - 2000 photos was average amongst our group!Have a wonderful time, relax and enjoy a holiday like nowhere else. 
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  Trip date: November 2013
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  Bettina Vonhornhardt

  · October 4th, 2011
  A very good trip, with the right balance of sights, free time and experiencing the culture. The monuments were impressive and it was interesting to see how Soviet rule still cast a shadow 20 years after independence. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Overall the most striking experience was to see how friendly the people were.  Happy to chat to visitors, have their photo taken or just smile and wave.  The two days in Khiva were probably the highlight of the trip, specially wandering around the town after the official sight seeing.  The locally produced art and crafts were impressive, good choices and reasonable prices.  What was noticable was that stall holders didn't hassle potential customers too much.What did you think of your group leader?The tour leader was very knowledgeable and gauged the mood of the group well.  He was flexible to meet the group's or individual's needs and adapt the schedule, when it became necessary (e.g. delayed flights)Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Great place to visit, take plenty of cash for those souvenirs and pack a few cereal bars - food was a bit repetetive...Is there anything else you would like to add?Visit now before it becomes too touristy!
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  Trip date: October 2011
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  Paula Sullivan

  · June 26th, 2011
  Great trip, my only regret being that I wished I'd taken it a little earlier in the year when it wouldn't have been quite so hot, but wouldn't have missed it for the world!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?It's incredibly hard to pick out anything above everything else - highlights include the women's hammam (heaven itself after the previous day's long bus ride!), getting used to a wodge of local currency and just the whole 'wow factor' of most of the places we visited. Even after days of mosques, mausoleums and madrassahs, Uzbekistan still seemed to have something to make you take a mental step back!What did you think of your group leader?Having read a previous review, I'd had some qualms about what this trip would be like, but our group leader was more than up to the challenge - nothing was too much trouble for him, which was no mean feat for a group where a third of the people were vegetarians in a resolutely meat-eating culture! He always seemed to strike the right balance between being involved enough in what the group was doing but also letting people go their own way at times, while still being there for an emergency translation when our haggling skills fell apart...Do you have any advice for potential travellers?The trip notes do not lie when they talk about long bus rides and anyone taking this trip needs to realise what's involved - the longest one is a bit of a killer mostly because of the poor condition of a significant portion of the road, though our driver was excellent and it never felt unsafe. Vegetarians should resign themselves to a limited menu and fill up on the first course salads (which are usually fantastic) when they can! Approaching this trip with a flexible attitude towards food is key. Is there anything else you would like to add?Going on this trip has made me determined to brush up on my Russian as various other Central Asian countries still await, but I can easily see myself heading back to Uzbekistan at some point!
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  Trip date: June 2011
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  Nicholas Corble

  · May 11th, 2011
  Some amazing sights punctuated with some fairly long bus journeys. Hotels better than I expected, although food was at times a bit of a challenge.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?A lot to choose from, but the desert fortresses were much better than I'd expected (monumental in a desert landscape) and the silence and brilliant skies and solitude of the yurt camp were to be savoured.  The blue tiled architecture is fantastic against a blue sky - the photographers in our group had a field day.  There's a lot of history here and very little evidence of the nastier sides of the regime picked up on in pre-holiday reading (no soldiers/tanks etc). What did you think of your group leader?I think we may have been both lucky and unlucky here.  Our leader had excellent knowledge (mentioned by name in the Lonely Planet guide) but wasn't used to leading groups - she'd been given the gig at the last moment and was struggling with it a bit e.g. there was never a welcome meeting as she felt uncomfortable with holding one, but that meant she never really found out the temperature of the group and what it wanted.  As a group we needed more advice on places to eat and she didn't seem to acknolwedge that lunch existed!  Pretty clear she wasn't one of the usual leaders though so probably (?) not representative.  It didn't spoil the holiday but was a frustration for some.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Veggies really should stock up on supplies or reconsider Uzbekistan, it is a concept that doesn't really compute!  Otherwise, just the usual safety stuff - no one on our trip was affected by tummy troubles, but we were all taking sensible precuations, and take plenty of entertainment for the long road trips.Is there anything else you would like to add?Don't expect quick service.  My advice is go for the smaller family run eateries where they take you into the kitchen and show you what's cooking rather than bigger restaurants where they cater for the big coach-sized trips and won't be bothered about smaller groups.  Better to support smaller operations anyway I reckon.  Ask locals where they eat (one of the best places we went to we were shown to by a man selling postcards).The Uzbekis seem to just love having their photos taken, especially with Westerners.  We are as much of a curiousity to them and they are to us, which is great!
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  Trip date: May 2011
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  Howard Horsley

  · April 9th, 2008
  We are widely travelled but in terms of sheer value for money this was undoubtedly the best holiday we have ever had ! Although I had read widely about the area and prepared myself for the trip nothing could adequately prepare for the visual feast of architecture which was nothing less than absolutely stunning.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Khiva, as an architectural and historical ensemble, seemed incomparable until one reached Bokhara. Bokhara was not only a delight to the eye but also a historical gem.  However, Samarkand was beyond every expectation and for staggering wow factor the interior of Tamerlane's Mausoleum must be hard to beat anywhere on the planet, while the Registan Square is just stunning in its symmetry and beauty.What did you think of your group leader?The overall group leader was excellent in terms of wit and wisdom as well as organisational and diplomatic skills. We also had brilliant local guides particularly in Khiva and Bokhara.  In Samarkand the guide was hampered by the limited time for an unlimited itinerary. Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Easter was a great time to visit, before it gets too hot.  The summer heat must be more than a little testing.Is there anything else you would like to add?It would be much better to visit the ancient sites at Ayaz Kala and Toprak Kala straight from the airport at Urgench. This would reduce the return coach trips between Urgench and Khiva to one rather than two and would save a couple of hours.  It would also set the proper historical context.  The visits to the desert sites would be earlier in the day and cooler.  There was nothing gained by going straight to Khiva as we were not able to get into out hotel rooms on arrival.
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  Trip date: April 2008
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  Gillian Blackgrove

  · April 8th, 2008
  an awesome experience - stunning scenery and architecture. A wonderful guide and great travelling companions.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?browsing the bazaars in Bukharanight time in Registan Square, Samarkand - magic and so atmospheric!petroglyphs in Sarmysh Gorge - the journey there was fabulous.shame about the camel trek - I got 10 mins on a camel and the whole thing only lasted an hour, with 5 camels for the 12 of us.What did you think of your group leader?superb - kind and helpful and a great organiserDo you have any advice for potential travellers?pack for various weathers drink botttled water and pack the immodium and diorlite!Is there anything else you would like to add?this is my second Exodus trip and I have found the staff hugely helpful, the oranisation efficient and the people on the  trips really friendly and fun.  For a single woman traveller, it is a very positive experience.
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  Trip date: April 2008
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  Alan Ashman

  · September 5th, 2013
  A brilliant tour. Even the August heat didn't put us off, it just made it better.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Seeing all the amazing holy sites spread across the whole country and realising the amount of effort and money the Soviet regime had expended in restoring them to something like their former glory.What did you think of your group leader?Dilshod, our tour guide was amazing.  His knowledge of the culture and history of his lovely country was encyclopaedic and almost made our guide book unnecessary.  He was friendly and helpful whenever we needed his support, which was quite often.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Check see if there are any upcoming festivals which might impact on your holiday dates, either positively or negatively.  Also, bear in mind that the 'average' temperatures in August are just that, average.  Be prepared for temperatures in the mid 30s Celsius and even higher in early August.  But the heat is a dry heat so it is quite bearable and makes for a great time!Is there anything else you would like to add?We only had one complaint.  That was the occasion of the Samarkand Intenational Music Festival which was to take place 2 weeks after our tour.  This meant that we couldn't get the classic panorama shot of Registan Square that everyone was looking forward to, having seen it in all the books.  The square was largely occupied by a stage and grandstand together with the associated lighting and sound gantries.  Access to the square was restricted to 3 hours in the middle of the day but, fortunately Dilshod arranged visits to other sites, taking this into account, so that we still saw pretty much everything.  As the festival is bi-ennial there is no reason why Exodus shouldn't have known about it and been able to put a warning in the trip notes.  Travellers on tours following ours may not have had any access at all which would have been a real shame.
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  Trip date: September 2013
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  Ainsley Thomson

  · July 13th, 2013
  A fantastic trip, full of history and sightsWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The whole trip, every day there was something new to see and inspire you, whether it be climbing the minaret of kiva, treking through the desert to an amazing fresh water lake for a swim, visiting places alexander the great made it to or just meeting local peopleWhat did you think of your group leader?Are trip leader dilshod was a great man to know, he was very knowledgeable about all the sites and more importantly he new everything and all the right people with the right connections.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Your us dollar goes a long way, you`ll need a big wallet or a bag just to pay for lunch in the local currency. $50 means you get a pile of about 125 notes thick in there highest denomination notes.[ tip 2] fill out 2 customs decleration forms after passport control at tashkent airport, you`ll need 2 to hand to the customs officer.Is there anything else you would like to add?Just enjoy yourself.
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  Trip date: July 2013
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  Alison Smith

  · June 18th, 2013
  Uzbekistan is a real undiscovered gem, if you book this tour your friends, family and work colleagues will look at you as though you have gone mad..."your going where?"...but the last laugh will be on them. The people are truly open and welcoming, the historic sites are mind blowing. This is a great introduction to the famous silk route.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?It sounds trite but there were so many! The view of Khiva from our hotel, with the sun glinting off the ceramic tiles covering dozens of minarets and domes. Eating Plov (the national dish) in a locals house - delicious and then washing it down with Uzbek cognac (very nice). Having a group of older Uzbek ladies ask for our photos to be taken with them so they could show their grandchildren in the village they all came from. Standing next to Ulebeg's observatory in Samakand and staring in bewilderment at the sheer beauty of Tamerlane's mausoleum.What did you think of your group leader?Our tour leader Dilshod was fantastic. His enthusiasm for his country was infectious. Nothing was too much trouble. He shared his experiences of being an ex soviet citizen, as well as stories of his own family which all helped to get a better understanding of the Uzbek culture and history.     Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Take a sleeping bag liner (silk if you can stretch to it) for the Yurt stay, as although bedding was clean it did get very warm in the yurt and so this allows you to regulate the temperature. We all brought warm fleece, hat and gloves for the yurt stay in May as per trip notes, but it was warm at night and we didn't need them.Bring some toilet paper from home for toilet stops, as the local stuff is more akin to tracing paper.The Uzbek currency is the Som, but the largest note is 1000 and with the exchange rate you will find you have to carry around a brick size wad of notes just to cover expenses for a day. As you can't get this amount in your purse or wallet take a sealable sandwich bag to keep it in, in your bag. You cannot get rid of any unwanted Som in the airport at the end of the holiday, as they only take euros and dollars in the airport shop.The sun is fierce in Uzbekistan, so take high SPF suncream because you will burn in minutes, I have come back with a nice light tan and I was diligently using SPF 50! The Uzbeks drink tea so if you are a coffee drinker I advise you to bring either coffee sachets or coffee in a bag for breakfast, as the only thing they had was unpalatable Nescafe coffee powder in tins. Bring swimwear and a quick dry towel, the opportunity to have a bathe at the lake by the Yurt camp after the hot and dusty (but enjoyable) camel trekking was bliss!     Is there anything else you would like to add?Just book it...you won't regret it!
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  Trip date: June 2013