Author: Dilshod Karimov, Cultural Heritage Specialist and Travel Guide

I used to think Soviet architecture was all about grey concrete blocks and miserable housing complexes. Then I stumbled into the Palace of Friendship of

I used to think deserts were just empty. Then I stood at the edge of Sudochye Lake in Khorezm, Uzbekistan, watching thousands of flamingos turn the water

The turquoise dome hits you first—this brilliant, almost unsettling blue against Samarkand’s dusty sky that makes you wonder if someone cranked up

I’ve walked through a lot of historic sites, but Shah i Zinda hits different. The necropolis sits on a hillside in northeastern Samarkand, basically

I used to think getting around Uzbekistan would be straightforward—trains, buses, maybe a taxi or two. Turns out, the reality is messier and way more interesting.

I’ve stayed in maybe a dozen places across Samarkand over the years, and here’s the thing—budget doesn’t always predict charm.

The first thing that hits you isn’t the sight—it’s the smell. Cumin and coriander and something else I can never quite place, maybe dried apricots

The first time I stepped into a traditional hammam, I wasn’t prepared for the heat—or the intimacy. Anush Khan Bathhouse sits tucked within the labyrinthine

I used to think budget travel meant sacrificing comfort entirely, but Uzbekistan changed that assumption pretty quickly. Why Your Dollar Stretches Further

The first time I stood in Registan Square at dusk, I didn’t expect to cry. But here’s the thing about the sound and light show that unfolds