Organize your stay Uzbekistan
Money Uzbekistan
The national currency is the Uzbek soum (banking code UZS), which is currently non-convertible outside the country. Denominations are 100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000 soums. There were also smaller denominations, which have all but disappeared from circulation. Given the current exchange rate, you soon find yourself with large bundles of bills (the largest denomination - 100,000 soums - is worth around €7/8...).
Payments are made in soums, except for plane tickets, which must be paid for in foreign currency. Other currencies are used, such as US dollars for hotel payments, or euros for souvenir purchases in tourist towns like Bukhara and Khiva. The regularization of exchange rates has made things simpler: rates are the same everywhere, and the black market is no longer attractive enough to justify taking the risk of changing money illegally.
ATMs are everywhere, including in stations and hotels. Credit card payments are becoming the norm in recently opened restaurants and the growing number of coffee-shops. However, always carry soums with you for the toilet (2 or 3,000 soums) and to buy goods in the markets.
The exchange rate in September 2024 was 1 € = 13,906 UZS, 1 USD = 12,626 UZS, 1 CHF = 14,578 UZS.
Budget & Tips Uzbekistan
The following budgets are per day and per person. They have been established to help you plan your expenses according to the type of trip you are planning.
Budget: around €70. For backpackers, one night's accommodation in the most modest B&Bs (although there are fewer and fewer of these) or hotels from the Soviet period, meals at the bazaar (kebabs, samsa, soups, baklava, pomegranate juice...) and travel by public transport. Admission to most monuments costs between €1.50 and €3.
Comfort budget: €90 to €140. Charming hotels and at least one meal a day in a nice restaurant or chaikhana. You can travel by cab and budget for visits to the country's main monuments and museums, or take the first-class train.
Luxury budget: from €250. That's what you'll need to pay to stay in a luxury hotel and travel by private car with driver and/or accompanied by a guide. The fine restaurants of Tashkent and the luxury hotels of Bukhara and Samarkand will enhance your memories.
Passport and visas Uzbekistan
Canadian, Belgian, French and Swiss nationals no longer need a visa to enter the country since October 5, 2018, provided the stay is less than 30 days. Beyond that, you'll need to leave the country or have previously obtained a visa (which can only be applied for outside the borders).
Check the expiration date of your passport, which must be valid for at least six months after the date you plan to leave the country.
For further information, visit www.ouzbekistan.fr.
Driver's license Uzbekistan
It is now possible to drive in Uzbekistan, provided you hold an international driving license. But if you're on a leisure trip, we strongly advise against this option. Make your life easier with public transport, cabs or trains.
City traffic (especially in Tashkent) is dense and as sporty as in the world's major capitals. Hiring a chauffeur-driven car won't necessarily cost you much more, and you'll certainly feel more like you're on vacation.
The road network is constantly improving, speed cameras are everywhere (indicated by signs), and Uzbeks are quite respectful of traffic regulations. They even honk their horns when they're on the move!
Health Uzbekistan
Here's a checklist to help you put together the perfect kit:
- Disinfectant, sterile compresses and bandages, and "double skin" if you're planning long nature walks.
- Aspirin for headaches.
- Gastric dressings and anti-diarrhoea treatment, as well as an intestinal disinfectant.
- An antihistamine for insect bites.
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics.
- Sunscreen for the desert and mountains.
- Biafine®-type cream for burns.
- Mosquito repellent.
- Moisturizing lip stick, useful in the mountains and desert.
- Condoms.
- Tweezers.
- Plastic bags in case you get sick in transit.
- As a general rule, for long-distance travel, solid medications (pills or capsules) are preferable to heat-sensitive liquid mixtures.
- If you are undergoing long-term treatment or need to use syringes, be sure to take the relevant prescriptions with you.
Mandatory vaccination Uzbekistan
Vaccinations against hepatitis A and B are strongly recommended before embarking on a trip to Uzbekistan. If you plan to travel independently, off the beaten track, a rabies vaccination will also be welcome. Despite eradication campaigns, cases of rabies are regularly discovered, particularly in the steppe around Djizzakh, where stray dogs are a common sight. For hikers, up-to-date vaccinations against typhoid and encephalitis are recommended.
Malaria treatment is not necessary.
Security Uzbekistan
Travelling in Uzbekistan, even outside a tourist structure, presents no security problems (including for women travelling alone). Theft and aggression are not part of the population's mentality. As far as pickpockets are concerned, this phenomenon is still very marginal in Uzbekistan, where petty crime is much less rampant than elsewhere, compared with our Western capitals.
On the bus or train, there's not much to fear, and as long as you get to know your neighbors, you can leave your bags under their supervision. During stops, bus and cab drivers make a point of locking and guarding their vehicles, especially when tourists' belongings are on board: their reputation is at stake!
For the latest information on local safety, consult the "Conseils aux voyageurs" section of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/voyageurs. Be aware that the site provides an exhaustive list of potential dangers, which sometimes gives an alarmist picture of the real situation in the country.
Single women. Even though the country is Muslim and its name ends in "stan", women are welcome in Uzbekistan, and it's very easy to travel alone.
Dress code is free but must be classic: long pants or skirts, no plunging necklines, cro-ctops or thin straps... A short-sleeved T-shirt or the absence of a headscarf won't shock anyone in tourist towns, where people are used to seeing tourists of all nationalities and styles. You'll find that in Tashkent, miniskirts and high heels are commonplace.
An important detail: women are not required to wear a full veil. While some cities, such as Namangan and Andijan, may seem a little more traditionalist, the look on the visitor's face is no more aggressive. Only a handful of mosques will remain closed to you.
As for hospitality, there's no reason why you shouldn't enjoy it as much as the men. Many of the country's women are left alone when their husbands or sons have gone off to find work in Russia, and many of them work in the markets, run souvenir stalls and go out in groups. They love to communicate and take photos with you.
With children. You can travel with children in Uzbekistan, but we advise against doing so in desert areas because of the risk of dehydration (diarrhea and heat), as the risk of sunstroke is high (children dehydrate much faster than adults), and in high altitudes to avoid possible altitude sickness.
If little ones' stomachs have trouble getting used to the cottonseed oil used in cooking (increasingly replaced by sunflower oil), take advantage of meals in B&Bs, where staff are more familiar with Western eating habits. In small chaikhanas (off the main tourist routes), rich dishes are not always suitable for sensitive stomachs.
- To get around town, electric tuk-tuks with 4, 6 or 8 seats are becoming increasingly common. In Bukhara, you'll also find rosalia where you can take the whole family.
- Seatbelts are not compulsory for car passengers, but remember to fasten your child's seatbelt.
- A child can always get lost in an Uzbek bazaar or mahalla. You'll find many whistles for sale, often used by younger children. Equipping them with a little whistle around the neck can make it easier to find a child who has let go of your hand in a crowd.
As for the rest, traveling with children will open many doors for you, and greatly facilitate contact with the local population.
Time difference Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is in the GMT + 5 time zone, 3 hours more than Paris in the summer and 4 hours more during winter hours.
Spoken languages Uzbekistan
Uzbek is the official language, but Russian is commonly spoken throughout the country. Otherwise, numerous dialects are spoken in this country, which boasts over a hundred different ethnic groups.
Uzbek belongs to the Turkic language family, as do Kyrgyz, Kazakh and Turkmen. If the traveler landing in Tashkent has learned a few words, he'll have to learn new ones in Tajik (Tajik does not belong to the Turkic-speaking sphere, but to the Iranian-speaking one) to make himself understood in Bukhara and Samarkand, before moving on to Karakalpak, relatively close to Kazakh, if he pushes the discovery as far as Karakalpakia.
Very little English or French is spoken outside the cities and main tourist areas. But you'll be amazed at the agility with which shopkeepers in the madrassas juggle from one language to another (French, Italian, Spanish, German...). In the villages, you may even come across a former foreign language teacher speaking a few words.
Learn the language. If you want to learn a few words on your own, you can do so directly on the Internet.
Communication Uzbekistan
It is advisable to purchase a local SIM card (approx. 150,000 soums) and recharge it during your stay. You can get one as soon as you get off the plane (baggage hall in Tashkent). Telephone and 4G coverage is good in major cities and secondary towns, but more uncertain in small villages, or as soon as you move into more isolated areas.
The Uzbeks you meet will give you their phone number via Whatsapp, and sometimes two phone numbers. They are often customers of two operators to ensure they are always in a coverage zone.
Most hotels and B&Bs, as well as cafés and tea rooms, offer free but unsecured Wi-fi connections.
Electricity and measurements Uzbekistan
Electricity throughout Uzbekistan runs on 220 volts, with a frequency of 50 Hz. You'll have no trouble recharging your appliances.
For weights and measures, Uzbekistan uses the metric system as in France: we measure in meters and weigh in kilograms.
Luggage Uzbekistan
In summer, pack light clothes. This can be a sweltering season, both in the Ferghana Valley and in the desert, not to mention the Termez region in the south of the country. For excursions into the wilderness or visits to tourist towns, you can wear Bermuda shorts or short-sleeved T-shirts, even for women. In more remote areas of the country, or off the main tourist routes, this light clothing may be offensive. Always wear something to cover your shoulders and arms (and a headscarf for women) when visiting mosques or pilgrimage sites. Finally, for long bus or train journeys through the desert, a washcloth soaked in water will keep you cooler in summer.
In spring and autumn, pack a light raincoat and sweater for cooler evenings, especially in the deserts, where daytime and night-time temperature variations can be considerable.
In winter, temperatures drop very quickly, and snow is not uncommon. Good, warm, insulated footwear, a warm jacket, hat and gloves will come in handy, even in Tashkent. Winters here are generally milder than elsewhere, but temperatures still hover around -10°C.
Accessories not to be forgotten: a good pair of sunglasses, a pair of binoculars and a wide-brimmed hat to keep you in the shade. Swiss Army knife, alarm clock, sewing kit, high-protection sun cream, small pharmacy, sanitary tampons, condoms to NF standards. A flashlight and spare batteries, as well as candles, will be particularly useful in the event of power cuts (very frequent) or when visiting poorly-lit sites.
The inhabitants of remote areas are poor, and gifts of clothing, fabrics, stationery or food will help them. All these items can be found in bazaars at ridiculously low prices. Cosmetics, especially French ones, are very popular gifts.
