 Urgench is a crossroads when traveling towards Khiva. Beyond this asset, the city has no particular appeal.

Asia

Assalomu alaykum! Welcome to Uzbekistan, an epicentre for many civilisations, a place steeped in world history and tradition, and home to rare, untainted landscapes. Once a witness to the grandeur and decadence of the Mongol and Persian Empires and a privileged step of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan still has countless treasures from its multicultural past. From the Bukhara Madrasas to the gems of Timurid architecture, we come to the Khanate of Khiva in the heart of the desert, which seems almost timeless . You can feel the weight of history pervading the whole area. The country also offers great excursions, on foot and by camel, and the opportunity to discover wildlife which, despite the drought, remains as varied as it is exotic. During walks in the steppes and mountains, you will have the opportunity to observe gazelles, scorpions, lynx, mountain sheep and even snow leopards in their natural habitats.

Uzbekistan

Urgench

Khiva is a small, fortified town located in the middle of the Uzbek desert. The town is an open-air museum with an enormous number of Islamic religious monuments that are open to visitors.

Khiva

 Bukhara is considered to be the holiest city in Central Asia. It's a key stop on a  trip to Uzbekistan between mosques, madrassas (Islamic schools), and even mausoleums that have been here for thousands of years. 

Bukhara

Tashkent is a nice city to visit - Uzbekistan has some economic development here, far from the traditions of the East and very touristy cities of the West.

Tashkent

The country's second city, Osh, has retained relatively little of its three millennia of history, but it nonetheless remains a pleasant place for a brief stopover.

Kazakhstan

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Turkmenistan

Europe

Central America

Africa

North America

South America

Middle East

Oceania

After the <a href="/kyrgyzstan/">journey across the center of Kyrgyzstan</a>, where the occupants are mainly yurt-dwellers and horses, I particularly noticed the change of atmosphere in the crowded streets of Osh. You're near to Uzbekistan, and you can feel the difference: the oppressive heat, the number of sun-kissed fruit stands, and the sluggish street vendors who populate the marketplace. And, talking of the marketplace, for me it's the Osh's number 1 attraction : massive, with an extremely eastern atmosphere, and high quality products. I spent half a day there, enjoying the super atmosphere and wandering among the rows of traditional knives, instrument makers' workshops, and little restaurants. The day after the market, I went to the Throne of Solomon at 1 p.m., and going out at that time of day was a huge mistake. It wasn't far off 40 degrees Celsius in the sun, and unfortunately there wasn't much shade on offer during the climb. The place itself is lovely, the view is stunning: just make sure you go there in the morning or the evening!

Once we had arrived in Osh, we had crossed the cultural border between the highly "nomadic" north and the more densely populated south, which is closer to Uzbekistan, both geographically and culturally.

Och is also the country's oldest city, having been founded over 3000 years ago. It has always been a city of some significance, both along the Silk Road and due to it's age-old past and history. Don't get too excited though: despite its existence spanning millennia , Osh doesn't really have any specific places of interest. The city's central zone is fairly typical of a Central Asian city, with its concrete boulevards, and a few ancient mosques that co-exist alongside colourful, highly animated bazaars.
Despite the lack of obvious destinations for tourists, it was a pleasant place to be in my experience, with hospitable locals, a more multicultural atmosphere than anywhere else, and an ideal location in terms of your ability to enter or leave neighbouring countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan or even China. Overall, it's an ideal destination for those looking to learn the history and charm of <a href="/kyrgyzstan/">Kyrgyzstan</a>.

The country's second city, Osh, has retained relatively little of its three millennia of history, but it nonetheless remains a pleasant place for a brief stopover.

Osh Vacations

Osh: How to get there?

Osh: See when to go ?

Osh: For how long?

Osh: What to see nearby?