Review: Uzbekistan Adventure with Intrepid Travel
A 9-day journey to ancient Silk Road cities and remote desert dunes
TLDR: Why go on Intrepid’s Uzbekistan Adventure tour?
The legend and lore of the Silk Road? Check. An up-close view of rich artistic and architectural traditions? Check. A picture-perfect itinerary, smooth logistics, and a not-too-big-but-not-too-small cohort of 9 fellow travelers? Check, check, check.
All of these factors alone would have us signing up for Intrepid’s Uzbekistan Adventure itinerary again in a heartbeat – but what really took this tour from good to outrageously great was our guide, Richard. He was, in a word, exceptional: ultra-knowledgeable (on topics ranging from 7th century Sogdian politics to contemporary Uzbek marriage customs), ultra-attentive (constantly tracking everyone’s food and drink orders, and immediately alerting the servers of any missing drinks or empty bread baskets), and ultra-communicative (we never had to ask when the next bathroom break or snack stop would be – Richard had already told us exactly when and where we’d be stopping and what the toilet setup was).
Keep reading for our in-depth review of Intrepid’s Uzbekistan Adventure tour, covering: our first impressions along with thoughts on the itinerary, our guide, group dynamics, accommodations, packing, logistics, food and drink, and why Uzbekistan should be on every art and design lover’s bucket list.
Set the scene. Give us your first impressions.
Our arrival in Tashkent was a whirlwind: we’d landed in the middle of the night after 24 hours in transit, breathed a sigh of relief when immigration didn’t ask any questions about our medications (IYKYK), taken a taxi to our hotel, and immediately passed out for as long as our jet lagged bodies would allow.
We spent our first day in Tashkent adjusting and exploring: drooling over the colorful suzanis on display at the State Museum of Applied Arts, refueling with horse brisket sandwiches from a boho-chic speakeasy, and browsing the high-end ikats on display at Teplo Store (for details, dive into the Tashkent city guide). As the day wore on, we became increasingly excited – and a little nervous – to meet the rest of our tour group.
Promptly at 6pm, we headed down to the hotel lobby to meet our guide, Richard, and our fellow travelers. By the time everyone had introduced themselves and Richard had walked us through the logistics for the next day (including a 4:30am departure to catch a 6am train to Bukhara), we breathed a sigh of relief: everyone in our group seemed nice and normal (to the point where we kept asking ourselves, “Are we the oddballs?”).
Our first group dinner – a spread of eggplant salads, flatbreads and lamb kebabs at a charming outdoor bistro – went off without a hitch, complete with flowing conversation, BYOB beers from a nearby convenience store, and a system of overzealous cooling misters that made us feel like grocery store vegetables. We left dinner feeling well-fed, relaxed and ready to crawl into bed ahead of our early wakeup call.
Tell us about the itinerary.
Our itinerary covered a lot of ground in 9 days: 1 night in Tashkent, 2 nights in Bukhara, 1 night at a yurt camp in the Kyzylkum desert, 1 night at a guesthouse in the Nuratau mountains, 2 nights in Samarkand, and 1 final night in Tashkent. We also added an extra night in Tashkent at the start of our trip, knowing that our flight was scheduled to land in the middle of the night.
This itinerary struck the perfect balance between Silk Road must-sees in Bukhara and Samarkand and off-the-beaten-path excursions to the desert and the mountains (“the adventure portion of the tour,” as Richard described it). We had exactly the right amount of time in each location, too: our sightseeing visits were well-paced (read: not rushed) and still left plenty of time for solo exploration, shopping and resting. For design-forward recs for each city, check out our guides for Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand.
Our only regret? That we didn’t make it to Khiva, another Silk Road destination known for its well-preserved medieval walled city. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to add on a stop in Khiva: because it requires either a 14-hour overnight train or 90-minute flight from Tashkent, we would have had to add at least 2 extra nights to our already-lengthy itinerary.
On a scale from 1 to exceptional, how was your guide?
Richard was an absolutely outstanding guide – but don’t just take it from us. Several of our traveling companions were serial tour travelers, and even they repeatedly commented that Richard was one of the best guides they’d ever encountered.
Perhaps even more impressive? Richard is a relative newcomer on the Uzbek tourism scene, having only begun leading tours after the pandemic. But lucky for us, he led our tour like a seasoned industry vet, which meant:
- Taking us on in-depth guided tours of all manner of historical sites: mosques, madrasas, mausoleums, museums, palaces, and even a silk paper factory
- Anticipating our hyper-specific questions on everything from what to wear in the desert to exactly how many som to have on hand for bathroom attendants at specific rest stops
- Teaching us Uzbek customs for everything from child-rearing to plov-making to tea-drinking (including a tea time ritual where the youngest person at the table is responsible for pouring tea for the others)
- Effortlessly translating every Uzbek menu, sign and question into English
- Arranging porters to help us with our luggage at the train station in Samarkand, and personally supervising as they found secure spots to stash our bags
- Giving spot-on advice (to do our souvenir shopping in Bukhara rather than Samarkand for the best selection and best prices, for example)
- Taking picture-perfect group photos and sharing them in the group WhatsApp
So, would we travel to “World/Space/Other” with Richard again? A thousand times yes.
What were the group dynamics like?
One of our favorite things about Intrepid tours is the small group size: most tours max out at 12 – 14 travelers, which is small enough that you get to know everyone and large enough that you can branch out a bit. Our Uzbekistan Adventure group was 10 in total, including my sister and me.
The only other folks traveling together were a 70-something husband-and-wife duo from England, who charmed us all with their knitting (hers) and unexpected one liners (his). The others were all solo travelers from all walks of life, including: a 20-something Canadian air force pilot, a Scottish humanitarian aid worker, a Swiss travel agent, and a retired English garden conservationist, among others.
Our group was perfectly pleasant, with everyone checking the boxes for both interesting and interested. In fact, the conversation was still flowing when we embarked on our final train ride from Samarkand back to Tashkent. Richard laughed when he checked in on our compartment of 6: he was stunned that, even after spending a full 9 days together, we’d still managed to chit-chat for the entire 4 hour ride back to Tashkent.
Tell us about the accommodations. How did you sleep?
On the whole, the accommodations throughout the tour were perfectly acceptable: clean, quiet and comfortable. Keep reading for our specific takes on each property.
Central Palace Hotel (Tashkent): A modern property in the heart of central Tashkent; our rooms were clean, quiet and well-appointed (if a bit drab design-wise). Our favorite part? The gigantic breakfast boxes that the staff prepared for us ahead of our early morning train – stocked with meats, cheeses, yogurt, toast, olives, apricots, walnuts, and raisins.
Suzangaron Boutique Hotel (Bukhara): A charming caravanserai (inn for travelers) located just steps from Bukhara’s main sites. We loved the traditional Uzbek design details – geometric carved railings, intricate tile work, and open-air rooftop terrace – that gave the property an inherent sense of place.
Yurt Camp (Kyzylkum desert): What the yurt camp lacked in creature comforts (namely, comfortable beds and privacy), it made up for with stunning scenery and pure novelty. It’s hard to top sitting around a crackling bonfire and stargazing to the dulcet tones of an Uzbek dutar player (and a rowdy group of tipsy Russians). Pack earplugs (as you’ll be sleeping 4 to a yurt) and flip flops (for the shared bathrooms and showers).
Yahshigul Guesthouse (Nuratau mountains): This guesthouse is a true oasis, situated in a lush, verdant valley sandwiched between barren desert mountains. We felt as though we’d walked into an enchanted fairy tale forest: chirping birds, burbling brooks and ancient, vine-draped trees. Come prepared to hike – our hosts took us on a mostly-flat 3 mile trek through the valley – and to help with the plov-making dinner demonstration. Be prepared to sleep up to 4 per room (if the property is fully booked up – it wasn’t when we visited) and for shared bathrooms and showers.
Hotel Billuri Sitora (Samarkand): A family-run hotel in a residential neighborhood about a 20-minute walk from Samarkand’s historic city center. Interiors were neat, clean and well-appointed, if somewhat forgettable design-wise (leaning more global contemporary than authentically Uzbek). The interior courtyard with a small pool was the perfect place to relax with a beer after a long day of sightseeing.
What were the most useful items you packed?
Uzbekistan is a Muslim-majority country, and you’ll visit your fair share of sacred sites throughout the tour. That’s why we packed:
- Scarves to cover our hair (though many mosques have loaners you can borrow)
- Lightweight joggers, perfect for exploring in the heat without looking sloppy
- Socks to slip on when we needed to take our shoes off as a sign of respect
Don’t skimp on sun protection, either – the Central Asian sun is no joke. You’ll also want to pack:
- A wide-brimmed sun hat (I never travel without my Sungrubbies Classic Fedora, and this trip was no exception)
- Plenty of sunscreen (and remember to reapply frequently)
- A UPF parasol – one of our fellow travelers brought one, and it was hugely helpful for both staying out of the sun and managing in the midday heat
Finally, for the “adventure portion” of the tour (read: the yurt camp and the guesthouse stay), make sure to have:
- A small backpack or tote bag, which you can load up with your essentials for 2 nights. Both the yurt camp and the guesthouse require a short walk over uneven terrain to reach the accommodations from the road – so it’s much easier to pack a lightweight overnight bag than to schlep your larger roller bags or duffels around. Your larger luggage will be safe and locked up in the bus overnight.
- Earplugs, an essential when you’re sleeping in close quarters with others (and yes, you will hear every snorer in the yurt camp without them)
- Flip flops, for the shared bathrooms and showers at both locations
- Headlamp, a nice-to-have when you’re making your way to the bathroom in the dark
- Cash, as ATMs are scarce outside of major cities and you’ll want small bills on hand for snacks, drinks and tips; 500,000 som (roughly $40 USD as of this writing) is plenty
On a scale from 1 to ultra-smoothly, how did the logistics run?
From start to finish, the logistics for our tour went off without a hitch (no small feat, especially in the developing world!). Trains ran exactly on time, our sweet bus driver always knew exactly when and where to pick us up (thanks in large part to Richard’s orchestration) and we never had to wait in line for sites or meals. Richard also made a point to help us with small-but-stressful tasks like making change for small bills and splitting the lunch or dinner tab amongst our large group.
Our experience in Uzbekistan was on par with other Intrepid tours, too: our guides have consistently been consummate professionals, working nonstop behind the scenes to avoid even minor inconveniences. That’s part of why we’ve grown to love traveling with a tour group; it’s a great way to avoid the hassles of figuring out how to get from point A to point B, navigating language barriers and problem-solving when hiccups arise.
Tell us about the food and drink situation.
One thing’s for certain: you won’t go hungry on this tour. We started each day at the hotel breakfast buffet, which varied by property but was typically a mix of hot dishes (eggs, meats and occasionally potatoes), cold cuts (think cheeses, more meats, and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers) and sweet treats (baklava, puff pastries, and other delicacies). For those mornings when we had to catch early trains, Richard arranged for our hotels to pack hearty boxed breakfasts for us.
Most days, we’d stop for lunch around noon at one of Richard’s go-to restaurants, which ranged from the must-visit Lyabi-Hauz in Bukhara, to a surprisingly charming rest stop off the highway somewhere between the Nuratau mountains and Samarkand, to the top-floor terrace at Emirhan in Samarkand and the Besh Qozon Central Asian Pilaf Centre for plov in Tashkent. Because most lunch stops were not included in the cost of our tour, Richard played accountant to help us split the bills (no small feat, when traveling in a group!).
My favorite lunch stop – which was included in the cost of the tour – was at a family-run ceramics studio in Gijduvan, about an hour outside of Bukhara. Before lunch, we were treated to a tour of the studio, which is run by 6th-generation ceramicists Abdulla and Alisher Narzullaev (and supported by the resident donkey, who plays an integral role in grinding the powder used to create the studio’s signature glaze). After the studio tour, we feasted on a multi-course spread of classic Uzbek dishes: cold noodles and cucumber salad as an appetizer; followed by honim, steamed dumplings with lasagna-style filling as the main course; and a Rice-Krispie-like dessert.
Dinners were a similar affair: some were included in the cost of the tour (including a visit to Laziz House in Bukhara, along with dinners at the yurt camp and mountain guesthouse), and for others we were left to our own devices. Our group most often opted to eat together, even for meals that were not included; Richard was always quick to make sure we had recommendations and in many cases, reservations that he booked ahead on our behalf.
Because we ate 3 substantial meals a day, we didn’t often feel the urge to snack. It’s easy to stock up on light bites (like lamb kebab-flavored potato chips) at the train stations or convenience stores in the major cities if you have the munchies.
Budgeting-wise, plan to spend no more than $10-$15 USD per not-included meal, including drinks (and note that most restaurants are cash-only).
Anything else we should know?
While this tour is marketed as an “adventure” itinerary, we were pleasantly surprised at the number of activities that seemed tailor-made for art, architecture and design lovers. The mosques, madrasas and mausoleums that you’ll visit as part of the formal itinerary offer a stunning introduction into Islamic architecture and its evolution over more than a millennia (we visited religious sites dating back as early as the 10th century and as recent as the 19th century).
And the optional stops didn’t disappoint, either. Our group opted to add on the following excursions, too:
- Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace, summer home of Emir Said Alim Khan (the last Emir of Bukhara, who went into exile when the Red Army invaded in 1920). The palace and its grounds feel a bit like an East-meets-West fever dream: think architecture that blends traditional Islamic designs with the Victorian styles that were in vogue at the turn of the 20th century, a harem-turned-handicraft museum, and resident peacocks strutting about.
- Meros Paper Mill outside of Samarkand, where you’ll learn the once fiercely-guarded secrets of silk paper production that helped Samarkand become an intellectual hub during the Middle Ages. The setting is picturesque, with tree-lined canals and light-filled open-air workshops, and the gift shop is well worth a browse for silk paper treasures.
- Afrosiab Museum in Samarkand, which is home to a set of well-preserved 7th century murals that bring the politics of the Silk Road to life in stunning detail (and which were recently featured in the British Museum’s blockbuster Silk Roads exhibition).
While entry fees for these visits are not included in the cost of the tour, they certainly won’t break the bank; plan to spend $10 USD or less per site.
For more musings on why Uzbekistan is a paradise for art and design lovers, check out our Uzbekistan design diary.
The verdict: Would you take Intrepid’s Uzbekistan Adventure tour again?
Absolutely. We left convinced that every art and design lover should visit Uzbekistan – and soon, while it still flies under the average tourist’s radar.
More Uzbekistan tips, tricks & recs
- Country guide: Uzbekistan for practical know-before-you-go tips
- Design diary: Uzbekistan for field notes on the art and design scene
- City guides: Tashkent, Bukhara & Samarkand for design-forward recs along the Silk Road
- Review: Uzbekistan Adventure with Intrepid Travel for an honest review of our 9-day itinerary
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