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Home About Uzbekistan NewsNational Geographic invites its readers to visit Uzbekistan: “6 reasons to visit Khiva, the tourist capital of the Islamic world for 2024”

National Geographic invites its readers to visit Uzbekistan: “6 reasons to visit Khiva, the tourist capital of the Islamic world for 2024”

04 April 2024

Famous Channel National Geographic posted an article dedicated to Uzbekistan, specifically Khiva.

According to the author, Sophie Ibbotson, it is the best time to take a trip to Khiva, which offers its visitors UNESCO-listed architecture and diverse cultural events.

The publication writes that this ancient city of Uzbekistan and the Great Silk Road, Khiva, is known to be an open-air museum due to the well-preserved streets, ancient mosques and madrasahs, and of course, the magnificent fortress walls, known to be “Ichan Kala”.

The announcement of Uzbekistan’s Khiva as the Tourism Capital of the Islamic World in 2024, competing with Abu Dhabi, Lagos, and Urfa cities.

The author then lists the reasons for those traveling to Uzbekistan to take a tour to Khiva, among which the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List is, where Khiva has been included. Particularly, Itchan Kala (Inner fortress), which is called an open-air museum has been recognized as UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The reason for that is Itchan Kala's staying so well-preserved, that as soon as you step through the gates of the fortress, you find yourself dwelling in the ancient Silk Road times of 2500 years back. Wondering along the labyrinth of the ancient streets of Khiva, you will enjoy the dozens of unique historical monuments, most of which date from the 14^th to the 19^th centuries.

“Khiva’s architectural highlights include the 185ft-high Islam Khoja Minaret, with its alternating rings of glazed blue tiles and sand-colored bricks; the 160-room Tash Khauli Palace, built for 18^th-century ruler Allah Kuli Khan; and the simple yet exquisite Juma Mosque, the roof of which is supported by 213 elm columns, each carved by a different craftsman” – writes the author.

Another reason for traveling to Khiva according to the publication is the colorful cultural festivals hosted by the city throughout the year.

Of course, enjoying your stay in a unique ancient monument, which was delicately converted into a hotel or a guesthouse, is another reason to stay in Khiva. The hotels and guesthouses offer pleasant accommodation to the guests, while preserving the décor and spirit of old times, creating all necessary conveniences for your comfortable and unforgettable accommodation while staying in Itchan Kala.

Last but not least good reason to travel to Khiva while taking a tour to Uzbekistan, is the convenience of flight connection to Urgench, located just within 25 minutes of drive from Khiva’s Itchan Kala.

Moreover, more than 90 nationalities of the world can visit Uzbekistan with visa-free conditions today, so traveling to Uzbekistan has never been easier and more fun. The extended list includes all UK and EU passport holders, allowing these citizens to stay in Uzbekistan for up to 30 days upon one visit.

Additionally, 50 more nationalities can travel to Uzbekistan with an electronic visa, or, so-called, e-visa, making a trip to Uzbekistan hassle-free and prompt.

On our behalf, we invite international travelers to take an unforgettable tour to Uzbekistan not only for its historical sites such as Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand, but also cultural tours and gastronomy tours, where you can get to know the Uzbek culture and delight in delicious Uzbek cuisine.

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Did you know?

Uzbekistan is one of only two countries in the world to be ‘double landlocked’ (landlocked and totally surrounded by other landlocked countries). Liechtenstein is double landlocked by 2 countries whilst Uzbekistan is surrounded by 5!

Did you know that Uzbekistan lies in the very heart of Eurasia, the coordinates for Uzbekistan are 41.0000° N, 69.0000°

Uzbekistan is home to the Muruntan gold mine, one of the largest open pit gold mines in the world! The country has 4th largest reserves of gold in the world after South Africa, USA and Russia

Uzbekistan is the world capital of melons. They have in excess of 150 different varieties, which form a staple part of the local diet, served fresh in the summer and eaten dried through the winter.

It is Uzbek tradition that the most respected guest be seated farthest from the house’s entrance.

Tashkent’s metro features chandeliers, marble pillars and ceilings, granite, and engraved metal. It has been called one of the most beautiful train stations in the world.

The Uzbek master chef is able to cook in just one caldron enough plov to serve a thousand men.

When you are a host to someone, it is your duty to fill their cups with for the whole time they are with you. What you must not do, however, is to fill their cup more than half-full. If you do that as a mistake, say it is a mistake immediately. Doing it means you want them to leave. Wow! Amazing, right?

To Uzbeks, respect means a whole lot. For this reason they love it if, even as foreigners, you endeavour to add the respectful suffix opa after a woman's name; and aka after a man's. Example: Linda-opa and David-aka. You could also use hon and jon respectively.

Having been an historic crossroads for centuries as part of various ancient empires, Uzbekistan’s food is very eclectic. It has its roots in Iranian, Arab, Indian, Russian and Chinese cuisine.

Though identified with the Persia, the Zoroastrism probably originated in Bactria or Sogdiana. Many distinguished scholars share an opinion that Zoroastrianism had originated in the ancient Khorezm. Indeed, today in the world there were found 63 Zoroastrian monuments, including those in Iran, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Thirty-eight of them are in Uzbekistan, whereas 17 of these monuments are located in Khorezm.

One of Islam's most sacred relics - the world's oldest Koran that was compiled in Medina by Othman, the third caliph or Muslim leader, is kept in Tashkent. It was completed in the year 651, only 19 years after Muhammad's death.

Tashkent is the only megapolis in the world where public transport is totally comprised of Mercedes buses. And due to low urban air polution it is one of the few cities where one can still see the stars in the sky.

You would be surprised to know that modern TV was born in Tashkent. No joke! The picture of moving objects was transmitted by radio first time in the world in Tashkent on 26 of July 1928 by inventors B.P. Grabovsky and I.F. Belansky.

Uzbekistan is the only country in the world all of whose neighbours have their names ending in STAN. This is also the only country in Central Asia that borders all of the countries of this region

Uzbeks are the third populous Turkik ethnicity in the world after Turks and Azeris (leaving both in Azerbaijan and Iran)

Did you know that there was silk money in Khiva? Super interesting right? Of course, but the best part of having silk money was that it could be sewn into your clothing.

Famous Islamic physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna in the Latin world) who was born near Bukhara was the one of the first people to advocate using women’s hair as suture material – about 1400 years ago.

Uzbekistan has a long and bloody history. The most notorious leader of Uzbekistan was Timur (or Tamerlane) who claimed descent from Genghis Khan. His military campaigns have been credited for wiping out some 5% of the world’s population at the time.

If you have thought that some of the Islamic architecture in Uzbekistan resembles that from Northern India, then that is because Timur’s great great great Grandson, Babur Beg, was the founder of the Moghul Empire that ruled much of India for almost four centuries! Babur’s great great Grandson was Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal.

Uzbekistan was once a rum producig country. There is still a real arboretum in Denau (city near Termez on the border with Afghanistan), grown from a selection station that studied the prospects of plant growing in the unusual for the Soviet Union subtropical climate of Surkhandarya region: only here in the whole of the USSR sugar cane was grown and even rum was produced!

Uzbekistan has been ranked one of the safest countries in the world, according to a new global poll. The annual Gallup Global Law and Order asked if people felt safe walking at night and whether they had been victims of crime. The survey placed Uzbekistan 5th out of 135 countries, while the UK was 21st and the US 35th. Top five safest countries:

Singapore
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Uzbekistan

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