Silk Road Mountains & Monuments, Uzbekistan reviews
Read holiday reviews by Mountain Kingdoms travellers.
Everyday was a new adventure from breath-taking architecture to meeting locals who made us feel at home especially in the home stays. The walking element of this trip whilst graded gentle/moderate was made more challenging because of the high temperatures we experienced. This trip is not for the faint hearted there is not a lot of down time but if you want an immersive experience then this is the way to do it.
Good holiday, despite the hot temperatures. Probably liked Bukhara the best, but Khiva & Samarkand also good. However, the mountain walks were the best bit, and the friendliness of Nurata was not to be missed. Saw lots of interesting birds including bee-eaters, rollers and a blue whistling thrush.
This was a very enjoyable trip combining the cultural highlights of the famous Silk Road cities interspersed with the slightly more relaxed pace of moderate walks in two different mountain areas, where the local families hosting us were very welcoming. The standard of accommodation and quality of the meals was better than we expected. We would recommend going out a day early as the pace of the trip over the first few days is pretty full on.
Uzbekistan is an amazing country with stunning old cities, fascinating history and a great variety of scenery. We saw all the best bits: flat deserts, snow capped Himalayan peaks and beautiful architecture. This a great trip, combining culture and nature, with good accommodation and a great group of fellow travellers.
We loved the contrasts of the historic monuments and the more modern history, as well as the varied topography of the country. From deserts to mountains, from ancient to modern cities, all accompanied by first rate guides. The ex-Soviet train ride was exciting, but for us the highlight was staying with a village family. Conditions were very basic, but we had the warmest of welcomes, ate very well, and experienced a slice of real rural Uzbek life. The flora & fauna of the hikes was unforgettable too. The Silk Road monuments blew us away! We highly recommend this unique holiday.
We most enjoyed: periods spent in mountain meadows; sight and scent of flowers and herbs, as much as gained views (despite abscence of tulips and irises). Friendliness of Uzbekistanis and of our expert guides (and happenstance of friendly helpfulness of our group members). Visits to ancient Silk Roads cities including museums etc as well as incredible architecture of mosques and madrassas.
What an amazing holiday! Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand are fascinating cities and we learnt much about their history and culture thanks to the knowledgeable, engaging and friendly guide. The mountain areas are spectacular, and it would have been lovely to have done more walking.
This holiday was a really great mix of the cultural gems of Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand coupled with hiking in beautiful mountains and getting an insight to both city and rural living in Uzbekistan.
Loved everything! The trip was exactly what it said on the tin - a really good mix of seeing the best of the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan & moderate level walking in two quite different (and beautiful) mountain areas. Nowhere was a disappointment & I was pleasantly surprised by the low numbers of overseas tourists (apparently the benefit of being at the end of the season). The Registan was indeed the highlight of the trip, not at all crowded and quite stunning!
Uzbekistan is truly remarkable. The architecture of the Silk Road cities is uniquely spellbinding and the opportunity to see the landscape of mountains, steppe and desert make for a memorable trip. The balance between walking in the mountains and cultural tours really makes it, giving you the chance to recharge and refresh between cities.
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