Uzbek-Travel Reviews 7

What an outstanding service I received on my recent trip to Uzbekistan. My trip was planned in January and over succeeding months Elena was always available to provide local information and responded very quickly. The itinerary I asked for was exactly as booked. For example I took the 13 hour sleeper train to Urgench rather than fly although I suspect this seemed like a strange choice for a 1,000 km journey. However no attempt was made to change my plans - very professional - and suggestions were made as to things I could include en route (most helpful).

In-country I travelled by train and private taxi and those arrangements ran absolutely smoothly with drivers turning up on time with their Uzbek Travel signs. They were all very friendly and some used Google translate to help with communication as we lacked a common language. If you do travel overland between places like Khiva and Bukhara, do be prepared for a long trip as some of the roads cannot be driven safely at speed!

I chose budget accommodation but that did not mean low standards. My places were family-owned guest houses with a very friendly welcome. The breakfast in Bukhara was the best as far as I was concerned: lovely fresh bread, a variety of cheese and a selection of jams. In Khiva I stayed in the old city, minutes away from the sites. In Bukhara the same and in Samarkand only 20 mins walk from the Registan. I just didn't use transport in these key places as walking was very accessible.

I didn't book guided tours anywhere, as I prefer to do my own thing, but I have no doubt that their tour guides would be at the same standard as everything else.

On arrival in Tashkent I was met by Elena for a full briefing and having picked up a local SIM card at the airport was able to stay in touch throughout the trip. There was really only one query and her response was immediate and issue sorted.

Finally, if you do go by train, ask for the ViP class on the Afrosayib electric train which ran at up to 220 kph. Impressive comfort and enormous windows to enjoy the view (n.b. not available on all routes I think).

Wherever you plan to travel in Uzbekistan, you can be confident that Uzbek Travel will do their best to make your trip a success. I'd like to take this opportunity to Thank, once again, my agent Elena who did such a superb job.

My spouse and I made a rather last-minute decision (less than two weeks in advance) to add a week in Uzbekistan to our ongoing travels. I contacted Uzbek Travel for assistance when I had difficulty buying train tickets on the railway website and also asked for assistance finding guides who speak excellent English and could inform us about life in Uzbekistan beyond the monuments and history. Elena was extraordinarily responsive, organized, and effective. Despite the last minute nature of my requests, she managed to get everything we needed and it was all excellent. If we decide to return to see additional areas, I would plan it with Elena and Uzbek-Travel. And I would recommend the agency for anything from piecemeal (as we did it) to full tours.

We used Uzbek Travel to arrange our recent trip to Uzbekistan. Elena and the team were extremely helpful throughout the process of organising our trip and were only too happy to accommodate our various requests. The whole trip was extremely smooth - everything was organised well including transport, hotels and guides at our various destinations. Uzbekistan is a beautiful country with stunning scenery and architecture. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Uzbek Travel if you are visiting Uzbekistan or elsewhere in Central Asia.

We booked a short tour of the Fergana Valley via Uzbek-Travel. We generally found standards of service and hospitality in Central Asia to be very much higher than their equivalent in the West. But even judging by these very much enhanced standards Elena at Uzbek-Travel delivered a superb service and wonderful trip.
The Fergana Valley tour surpassed our expectations. Its a lovely fertile area and we really enjoyed all the historical and cultural information our delightful guide provided. We also thoroughly enjoyed his company and the very interesting discussions we had. Seeing the countryside from a taxi on the way and the train on our return to Tashkent added to the variety of this very worthwhile trip on which we learnt so much about the silk and ceramic industry plus Uzbek culture. It gave us a far greater understanding of what we went on to see and experience throughout Uzbekistan.
Elena's organisation was immaculate and we so enjoyed meeting her. She always did just a little bit more than was strictly necessary. She even contacted us, when we were travelling independently, prior to our arrival in Samarkand where there had been an International Summit, to confirm precisely when we would be able to gain access to the city. You can be assured that any trip she books will more than meet your expectations.

We just returned from a 7 day personalised tour of Uzbekistan arranged through Shahina Travel (the website is called Uzbek-travel.com). I had done my research on line in advance regarding which travel companies to use for the tour and this company was always given good reviews so i decided to go with this company.

The tour included days in Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara (plus a 1/2 day trip to Shakhrisabz) and Samarkand. The whole tour was arranged at short notice due to potential covid uncertainties and everything went very well. The hotels were perfectly located in each of the cities, especially as the hotels in Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand were in the old town. I have to say that the organisation was amazing and the service level was immaculate with all of our needs taken care of easily and professionally. I would like to gave a special shout out to Aliya who arranged everything behind the scenes and provided us with excellent guides and superb drivers for the tour. I cannot thank the team enough for the trip. I am already looking at arranging future trips with Uzbek Travel and i would highly recommend the company to anybody who is thinking of visiting any of the stan countries especially Uzbekistan.