The 6 Best Village & Countryside Tours in Uzbekistan

1.Village Tour with Plov Cooking Class & Home Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 8 hours · from $59Our pick

Leave Samarkand with an English-speaking guide such as Asrorbek, Javokhir, or Bekjon, shop for plov ingredients at a local market, then visit a village family home. Help prepare plov, non bread, salads, and possibly other farm foods before eating together. Expect a relaxed day of conversation, rural views, and a short walk.

“Asrorbek picked me up on time and was very friendly and helpful. He took us to his village and explained many details about Uzbek culture and life. At the village we cooked and learned the secret recipe about cooking great pilaf. The pilaf was very tasty, and the experience was overall amazing. Thanks again Asrorbek about your kindness and your support.”

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2.Uzbek Cooking Class in a Village Home

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · 5.5 hours · from $52Best value

Leave Samarkand for a village home with guide Bekjon and his family. Help prepare plov over a wood fire, shape mantu dumplings, meet farm animals, explore the garden, and share tea and food. The 5.5-hour outing includes hotel, station, or airport pickup, ingredients, village touring, and return transport.

“This is a wonderful activity. I loved discovering life on the Uzbek countryside and learning how to make their famous plov. Bakjon is a great guide. His English is very solid and we had lots of interesting conversations about Uzbek history and culture.”

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3.Beyond the Walls: Countryside Tour with Transport and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $89

Travel beyond central Bukhara with a private guide and driver, visiting the Naqshbandi Mausoleum, Sitorai-Mokhi-Khosa Palace, Fayzulla Khujayev House, and Chor Minor. Finish with lunch at The Plov, a top-rated local restaurant. Guides such as Shakhnoza, Malika, Nasiba, Nargiz, Lola, and Sheki have led this tour.

“Not really a countryside tour. Two of the sights were in the old town. One of which we had already visited on a city walking tour. The out of town mausoleum was superb. The summer palace interesting. The guide was excellent and interesting. Overall was over priced, and a visit to the mausoleum with a taxi would have sufficed”

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4.Hiking tour to Hayat, Uhum and Asraf villages – 4 days

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $380

Travel from Bukhara into Uzbekistan’s Nuratau Mountains, hiking between Hayat, Ukhum, Asraf, and Eski Forish over four days. You’ll stay in local homestays, eat included meals, visit petroglyphs, irrigation channels, a watermill, and fortress ruins, then finish at Samarkand’s Gur Amir Mausoleum. The group is limited to 12 people.

“The hiking your in Nuratau mountains was excellent, I could not hope for a better experience. From the pick up, to the guide, the guesthouses, the food, everything was excellent. You have the chance to see how the locals live, interact with Read more”

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5.Cooking Class in the Village with Local Family in Samarkand

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $65

Begin with hotel pickup and a visit to a Samarkand bazaar, then head to a village home to prepare Uzbek dishes such as plov, manti, dolma, shashlik, and samsa. Hosts including Goli, Navruz, and Gulrux share family customs, while stops may include the Konigil paper factory, an oil meal workshop, and pottery production.

“We had a great time. The experience was exceptional and atmosphere was very nice. One of the best ways to get to know the culture is through the local cuisine.”

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6.Bukhara Countryside Private Tour with Transport

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $99

Leave Bukhara’s old town for three important sites: the Palace of Moon-like Stars, the Bakhautdin Naqshband Mausoleum, and Chor-Bakr necropolis. Your private guide, possibly Shakhnoza or Bekhruz, explains the religious and royal history while private transport handles the road. The tour lasts about 3 to 5 hours, with lunch available for $10 per person.

“Again everything was organized perfect and a feeling, that the local people are always very warm welcome you as their guest. In general i have to tell that uzbek people are one of the most friendly people i have ever met on my holiday so far. Read more”

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