Travel - Private Guide in Tashkent

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Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital, shows its shimmering roots as a Silk Road city even today. The 2,000 year-old-city is a major exporter to Eastern Europe of silk, cotton and textiles, as well as oil, coal, copper, sulfur, rice and manufactured products such as television sets, automobiles and tractors.

Yet, this city, whose name means “Stone Fortress” -- a title adopted in the 11th century, though Tashkent’s roots date back to the dawn of the first millennia A.D. -- has the look of a modern metropolis. Little remains of the old city, thanks to a leveling April, 1966, earthquake and the subsequent Soviet rebuilding.

Tashkent became a Muslim city in the 8th century AD, and was an important commercial center during the Middle Ages. Wars and natural calamities have swept most of the buildings dating back to the time of the ancient city. Among the survivors are: The Kukeldash Madrassah (XVII c.), the Sheikhantaur Ensamble (XV c.) and the Khazrati- Imam Complex (XVI c.). The city encountered many invadors: in 1220 the city became part ofthe empire of Genghis Khan and later in 1865 part of the Russian empire.

Accomodation - Hotels and Bed and Breakfasts

During the past few years, luxurious hotels were built in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, which are managed by western hotel operators. In addition, there are a number of licensed independent hotels and B&B's that provide suitable accommodation at much lower price. It is necessary for visitors to obtain a registration during the stay in Uzbekistan, which is usually provided by the hotel that you will stay. Most tourist hotel rooms have a shower, private bath, air conditioning, telephone, satellite TV with international channels like CNN, BBC, ESPN.

Making reservations:

To ensure that your choice of departures, tours and hotels will be available, we highly recommend an early reservation, especially during the busy seasons, which run from mid April through mid June and from end of August through late October. To enable us to deliver you the best experience we keep our group sizes small, usually no more than 10 to 15 participants per guide and tour leader. You can make an online reservation using our online reservation form.

Weather:

Uzbekistan has an extreme continental climate. It is generally warmest in the south and coldest in the north. Temperatures in December average -8°C (18°F) in the north and 0°C (32 °F) in the south. However, extreme fluctuations can take temperatures as low as -35°C (-31°F). During the summer temperatures can reach 45°C (113°F) and above. Humidity is low. Spring (April to June) and Fall (September through October) are in general the most pleasant times to travel. In Fall it's harvest time, and the markets are full of fresh fruit. If you're interested in trekking, then summer (July and August) is the best time, because summers are almost dry. In recent years Uzbekistan was notably affected by the global warming and dry-out of the Aral See, which turned snowy cold winters to mild with less precipitation by allowing to travel in the wintertime.