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Central Asia travel guide

Practical, up-to-date advice for planning a trip: visas and borders, seasons, money, transport, food, culture and safety.

Crenellated walls of Ichan-Kala looking towards Kalta MinorVisas & permitsVisas for Central Asia: country-by-country guideWhich Central Asian countries are visa-free, which need an e-visa, and what Turkmenistan’s letter of invitation involves.

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26 articles

Crenellated walls of Ichan-Kala looking towards Kalta Minor Visas & permitsVisas for Central Asia: country-by-country guideWhich Central Asian countries are visa-free, which need an e-visa, and what Turkmenistan’s letter of invitation involves.
The three madrasahs of Registan Square, Samarkand, at sunset Visas & permitsUzbekistan visa 2026: who needs one, the e-visa and registrationVisa-free entry, the official e-visa, hotel registration, customs and what to carry at the border, kept up to date from Khiva.
Registan Square in Samarkand under a blue sky When to goBest time to visit Uzbekistan: month by monthWeather, crowds, festivals and what each month is good for, from a team that lives through every season in Khiva.
Wide river valley and snow-capped ridges in Kyrgyzstan When to goThe best time to visit Central AsiaSpring and autumn for the Silk Road cities, summer for the mountains: a month-by-month guide.
Kalyan minaret above the rooftops of Bukhara at sunset PlanningHow many days do you need in Uzbekistan?What fits into 5, 7, 10 and 14 days, with the routes our planners actually use and the mistakes that cost time.
Kalyan minaret and the old trading domes of Bukhara MoneyMoney, cards and currency in Central AsiaFive currencies, how far cards will get you, ATMs and exchanging money.
Kalta Minor minaret and the Muhammad Amin Khan madrasah lit at blue hour ItinerariesUzbekistan itinerary: 7 days from Tashkent to KhivaA realistic one-week route through Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, with transport times, where to sleep and what to skip.
PlanningSIM cards, eSIMs and internetStaying connected: local SIMs, eSIMs, Wi-Fi and where you will be offline.
Poi Kalyan ensemble in Bukhara lit up at night ItinerariesUzbekistan itinerary: 10 days with the desert castlesTen days that add the clay castles of Khorezm, a night in a yurt camp and Shakhrisabz to the classic Silk Road loop, at a pace that leaves room to breathe.
Getting aroundUzbekistan trains: Afrosiyob, routes, classes and ticketsThe high-speed Afrosiyob, the trains to Khiva and the Fergana Valley, classes, booking and the mistakes to avoid.
Getting aroundGetting around Central AsiaFlights, trains, private drivers and 4×4s: how to cover the distances.
Routes & bordersLand border crossings in Central AsiaThe main crossings travellers use between the five countries, and what to expect.
Aerial view over the old city of Khiva Getting aroundUrgench airport to Khiva: taxi, transfer and trainHow to get from Urgench airport (UGC) to Khiva, how long it takes, late-night arrivals and travelling on to Bukhara or Nukus.
Safety & insuranceIs Central Asia safe? A practical guideCrime, road travel, altitude, heat, food and water, and photography rules.
Stone pool and minaret in Bukhara old town Safety & insuranceIs Uzbekistan safe for tourists? A local viewCrime, scams, roads, police, health, heat, solo and women travellers and LGBT+ travellers, from a team that lives and works in Uzbekistan.
Safety & insuranceTravel insurance for Central AsiaWhat your policy should cover, especially for mountains, trekking and remote areas.
Kalyan minaret and the old trading domes of Bukhara FoodWhat to eat in Central AsiaPlov, samsa, lagman, beshbarmak and the dishes worth travelling for.
Kalta Minor rising over the courtyards of Ichan-Kala Culture & etiquetteLocal etiquette and cultureHospitality, dress, bread and tea, mosques and photographing people.
Kalyan minaret and the old trading domes of Bukhara Culture & etiquetteUzbek phrases for travellers: a pocket phrasebookFifty useful Uzbek words and phrases with an easy pronunciation guide and the Russian alternative, from greetings to the bazaar.
PackingWhat to pack for Central AsiaClothing for mosques and mountains, layers for yurts, and the small things that help.
Kalta Minor minaret and the Muhammad Amin Khan madrasah lit at blue hour Culture & etiquettePhotography tips for Central AsiaWhen to shoot the monuments, how to photograph people, and what not to photograph.
ItinerariesDay trips from Khiva: desert castles, Nukus, Turkmenistan and moreEvery trip worth taking from Khiva, compared by drive time and effort, from the clay castles of Khorezm to the Aral Sea.
Crenellated walls of Ichan-Kala looking towards Kalta Minor SightsIchan-Kala, Khiva: monuments, tickets and the best routeEvery major monument inside Khiva’s walls, how the ticket works, the route our guides walk and when the light is best.
Kalta Minor rising over the courtyards of Ichan-Kala FoodKhiva food guide: shivit oshi and the dishes of KhorezmThe dishes that make Khorezm cooking different from the rest of Uzbekistan, and how to find them in Khiva.
Rooftops and minarets of Ichan-Kala, Khiva, in evening light ItinerariesKhiva in 1 or 2 days: an itinerary from local guidesHour-by-hour plans for one day, two days and three days in Khiva, timed around the heat, the crowds and the light.
A carved wooden door opening onto a tiled madrasah courtyard Where to stayWhere to stay in Khiva: inside or outside the wallsInside Ichan-Kala, just outside the gates or in the newer town? What each area is like, the types of hotel, and how to choose.

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