Category: Useful info
Top things to know and to do before planning a trip to Uzbekistan COVID. Know about Uzbekistan tourism safety, the rapid PCR test places, hotel registration, baggage loss, Uzbekistan visa requirements, tips for hiring a car, the traditional dress code in Uzbekistan, and more.
Travel preparation checklist COVID-19 Uzbekistan
Traveling to another country during covid-19 requires slightly more careful preparation because the traveling, entry & exit regulations vary from place to place and they may change at any moment. Having your own COVID-travel-kit (masks, sanitizers, etc.) is a must but not enough.
Things to prepare before traveling to Uzbekistan
1. Uzbekistan Travel Advice & Emergency Numbers
The most important thing to do before booking any trip should be to be sure that you will be safe in that destination. Check out for travel advice and warnings. Every government has its own travel policies designed for citizens’ safety and due to that, you have to know about threats or other conditions that could cause risks to your life. In specific areas, even some travel insurances do not take responsibility for covering your costs if you travel to countries that are advised against traveling.
Though Uzbekistan is definitely a safe country you can note some emergency numbers in Uzbekistan.
2. Emergency Numbers and helpful travel websites in Uzbekistan
Ambulance – 103
Police – 102
Fire – 101
Country code – 998
United Nations in Uzbekistan: www.un.uz
The World Bank: www.worldbank.org/
Official Government website: www.gov.uz
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.mfa.uz
3. Passport
The second important thing is to know the requirements (entry, exit, travel) in the country that you will be traveling to. Make sure that you have a valid passport. For Uzbekistan, your passport must be valid for not less than 3 months by the date of your entry to the country.
4. Visa & Stamps
Make sure if you need a visa for Uzbekistan. Check out our visa page to have detailed information about Uzbekistan visa regulations. If you have an electronic visa, you will not have a sticker on your passport and you will only have a stamp when you enter Uzbekistan. Make sure that your passport is well stamped according to the dates you enter the country and you leave. And make sure that you leave the country before your visa expires.
5. Entry & photo tickets
In Uzbekistan, each time you visit a monument you will need to pay for an entry ticket and for having the right to take photos. In some places (Khiva, Bukhara) you can have 1 ticket for the whole city which makes your visits easy. If you get a ticket for all monuments of the city, check the monuments listed on your ticket. Some monuments/museums may not be included.
6. Embassies and Consulates
Find out if there is an embassy of your country in Uzbekistan and if not know where the nearest one is. This information is doubtlessly essential. See the Consulates and Embassies of foreign countries in Uzbekistan and the Embassies and Consulates of Uzbekistan abroad.
7. Driving in Uzbekistan & Hiring a Driver
For your transfers in Uzbekistan, you can hire a car with a driver but if you’ll be driving, you’ll need a valid driver’s license. You should be careful with road signs and overspeeding. You may not always see the traffic patrol but there is a good number of cameras controlling everything on the roads.
8. Taxi with Methane Gas
Most of the cars in Uzbekistan run with Methane Gas. The Methane Reservoir occupies about 40%-60% of the space in the luggage room and you may not have enough space for your suitcases, though the methane cars are cheap. We recommend you avoid these cars especially during the hot days of the summer.
9. Flights & Baggage Loss
Reconfirm your flights before arriving in Uzbekistan. Your return flight from Uzbekistan does not need to be confirmed. When they are bought they are considered as confirmed. Travelers are always recommended to prepare hand baggage with some of the most essential items. That will be helpful if baggage loss or baggage delay happens. It's rare but it's better to be ready.
10. Hotel Registration & Travel Documents
In Uzbekistan, travelers are required to be registered in the places where they stay. If you stay in a hotel/hostel, etc. you will be registered automatically by the hotel. When you leave the hotel, they give you a printed copy of your registration. You are recommended to keep these papers of registration until the end of your trip. If you decide to camp or stay with your friends, you will need to do the registration on your own by using the online platform EMEHMON. Note: the travelers are not required to have a registration for a stay of fewer than 72 hours.
Besides, prepare printed copies of all your travel documents.
11. National Holidays & Festivals & Ramadan
Search if there are any National Holidays, Special Days, or Festivals during your Uzbekistan trip. Some of these events may become the highlight of your trip. It is absolutely fine to visit Uzbekistan during Ramadan. Though the population of Uzbekistan is mostly Muslim, Uzbekistan is a secular country, and all businesses (hotels, restaurants) and attractions will be open during Ramadan.
12. Medicaments - Dorixona
Prepare your medicaments depending on your health condition. Keep the prescriptions of your doctor (if available). Don’t take too much of them as there will be pharmacies everywhere in Uzbekistan. Pharmacy in the Uzbek language is called “Dorixona” or “Apteka” in Russian.
13. Business Hours in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan has only one standard timing zone - GMT +5 hours. Generally, the country has 6 working days a week and only Sunday is accepted as a weekend. This regulation is proper for all local and governmental businesses except Banks. Most of the international companies also follow the 5working day regulations.
The Uzbek companies are open from 09:00 to 17:00 and the lunchtime is from 13:00 to 14:00. Airports and Train Station are open all day round. The public transport (bus, metro…) is available from 6:30 to 23:00. Nearly all cities have a good number of drugstores that are open 24/7. Grocery stores stay open from 08:00 to 22:00 and the restaurants from 10:00 to 23:00, sometimes until midnight. In each city, there are several stores which are open 24/7.
The working days are from Monday to Saturday. Even if the majority of Uzbeks are Muslims on Friday all businesses stay open.
14. The Unpredictable Weather and Clothing
Check the weather. Never prepare your luggage just because you think that it will be hot or cold. Check the weather carefully and then do your decision. The climate of Uzbekistan is totally unpredictable and the temperature may change drastically during a few hours.
There are almost no cultural or religious Dress Code regulations in Uzbekistan. You can pick comfortable clothes according to the weather. There are only a few places in Uzbekistan where female travelers are recommended to cover shoulders/knees: the mausoleum Pakhlawan Makhmud in Khiva, the necropolis Naqshbandi and Kalon Mosque in Bukhara, the necropolis Shakhi Zinda in Samarkand. Female travelers can just have a scarf in their bag and use it before entering these monuments.
Loose clothes, cotton trousers, shirts with long sleeves, sunglasses against the sun are just great for walking in Uzbek cities and villages and they protect you from the sun too.
15. Speak Uzbek
Learn a bit about the language spoken by the local people, it will save you much. The easiest and most essential phrases to learn in Uzbek:
Assalam Alaykum (Salam) - hello
Khair - goodbye
Rahmat - thank you
16. Uzbekistan by Night
Walking in the streets of Khiva & Bukhara in the evening is a must. Making a Samarkand by night can be one of the highlights of your Uzbekistan tour. Just go to see the Registan & Gur-emir after dinner.
17. Tipping a Tour Guide and Driver in Uzbekistan
Tipping a local Tour Guide or Driver in Uzbekistan highly depends on if you liked their services or not. However, guides & drivers consider the tips as a part of their salaries. In general people tip in Uzbekistan $2-$5 per person, per day for a private driver, and $5-$10 dollars per person and per day for a private tour guide. Tipping in Us Dollars or Euros is appreciated.
In the end, take a deep breath, and be well prepared for one of the most colorful travels you have ever done!
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