18 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Uzbekistan - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Uzbekistan

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

The Avenue of Mausolea is a series of grand palatial tombs.

Muynak District, Uzbekistan

Moynaq

Once a bustling fishing port, this semi-ghost town is now more than 90 miles away from the shore.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Ulugh Beg Observatory

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.

Xiva, Uzbekistan

Walls of Itchan Kala

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Kalyan Minaret

This "tower of death" has acted as an observatory, a religious hub, and an executioner's lair.

Beruni, Uzbekistan

Elliq-Qala

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.

Kokand, Uzbekistan

Khan's Palace

Final palace complex of the last of 29 Kokand rulers.

Kantubek, Uzbekistan

Vozrozhdeniye Island

Former island in the Aral Sea used to be a top-secret Russian bio-weapons facility.

See All 18 Things to Do in Uzbekistan See All 18 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in Uzbekistan

Kurt

These cheese balls have fueled Central Asian nomads for centuries.

Morkovcha

The Soviet-Korean carrot salad is a sweet-and-sour testament to a diaspora's resilience.

Shivit Oshi

Once an important Silk Road stop, a fortified Uzbek city specializes in bright green noodles.

Sumalak

A sweet and simple pudding traditionally made in a joyous, spring ritual.

See all 5 things to eat in Uzbekistan See all 5 things to eat in Uzbekistan

Atlas Obscura Trips

Silk Road Cities of Central Asia

Explore Uzbekistan

Launch Map

Uzbekistan Leaderboard

Places Added

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Uzbekistan Activity

muffboom wants to go to Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

aislingoster wants to go to Ulugh Beg Observatory

perugbestsurgeon1992 has been to Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis

samanthahale wants to go to Walls of Itchan Kala

gee1717gee wants to go to Fergana Valley

Stories
About Uzbekistan

Two fishing vessels nestled in the sands near the former seaport city of Moynaq, Uzbekistan.

Why It's So Hard to Study the Toxic Dust Blowing From Earth's Youngest Desert

It all comes down to something scientists call "ground truth."

by Jonathan Carey

Koryo Saram meal, photographed in Ushtobe, Kazakhstan.

How Survivors of Stalinism Created a New Korean-Fusion Cuisine

When the Koryo Saram were forcibly relocated, they forged new identities.

September 10, 2018

Two vendors at the Bukhara bazaar sell melons.

Tracing the Overlooked Legacy of the Silk Road's Fruits and Nuts

A new archaeobotanical study is helping shift the historical record.

August 16, 2018

Lists Featuring
Uzbekistan