Extending your visit
If you are interested in seeing more of Uzbekistan, you may venture to the Fergana Valley, known as the Pearl of Uzbekistan. This valley is an arid region of the country southwest of Tashkent that is almost completely surrounded by two major mountain ranges. The highlights include the city of Kokand with its famous Khudoyarkhan’s Palace, the small city of Margilan housing Central Asia’s only factory still that produces silk fabric by hand, and the village of Rishtan famous for its skillful potters.
For those looking to explore other Central Asian countries, you may extend your visit to include a stay in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. Located here is the ornate Orthodox Cathedral, still a functioning cathedral today. This is one of the few tsarist-era buildings that survived the devastating earthquake in 1911 despite being built entirely out of wood and constructed without nails. It is one of the eight most unique wooden buildings in the world.