Motorcycle Travel Guides
UZBEKISTAN

Budget

Cheap: £10 - £25 per day
Mid: £25 - £40 per day

Money:

Uzbeki Som, money has to be exchanged once in the country. Most banks change USD into Som easily and at a good exchange rate.

Card is rarely accepted.

ATMs can be found in main cities and towns but are often broken or not working. We found the best method is is exchanging USD at the bank. So carry enough. 

Currency: Uzbekistani Som лв

Food: Street food/ Kabab £0.50 – £3, Restaurant £3-£8.

Accommodation:
Easy to wild camp. Dorms and home stays £2-£9. Mid-range hotel £8-£30

Petrol: £0.39 litre 

When to go

Spring: April - June
Autumn: Sep - Oct

High: July – Aug. Extremely high temperatures, not recommended for riding or sightseeing. 

Mid: April – June and Sep – Oct are the best times to visit. The skies are clear, it’s sunny and cool.

Low: Nov – March. This is cold season and temperatures can drop to -20C. 

Paperwork

Visa: Visa free
Carnet required: No

Visa: Uzbekistan has a 30-day visa-free policy for 65 countries. 

Carnet: Not needed.

Temporary Import: Sorted at border. 

International Driver’s Permit: Not needed.

Insurance: Unclear. We haven’t heard of people buying insurance though. 

Check out the Central Asia Visa Guide for more information. 

Facts

Capital: Tashkent
Country code: +998

Emergency: 101 Fire, 102 Police, 103 ambulance

Language: Uzbek 

Time: GMT/UTC plus five hours

Land Mass: 448,978 km²

Don't miss

Aral Sea
Khiva

If you’re entering Uzbekistan from Kazakhstan in the north west, then there’s absolutely nothing to do for hundreds of miles other than visit the Aral Sea. It’s a man-made disaster and worth the ride. 

Khiva was once the world’s most brutal and deadly slave trading city and is a must for anyone riding in Uzbekistan. 

Check out both in the Top 5 Uzbekistan Guide

Getting in/out

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan

You can enter and exit Uzbekistan easily from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. 

If you’re coming from Kazakhstan then it’s likely that you took the Caspian Sea Ferry from Azerbaijan. Check out the Ferry Guide here.

You can also enter from Turkmenistan. This is a more difficult route due to Turkmenistan’s strict visa rules. 

Uzbekistan was once the heart and jewel of the Silk Road. It’s home to architectural wonders, ancient slave trading cities and sand seas. It’s a seriously harsh place to ride through if you don’t plan it well, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be missed. It’s an incredible country full of stunning history and motorcycling through can be both hard and eye opening.