The craft heartland · Uzbekistan
Fergana Valley
Silk, ceramics and the most fertile valley in Central Asia.
The Fergana Valley is a green bowl ringed by the Tien Shan and Pamir-Alay ranges, shared by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is the most densely populated part of Central Asia and the home of its finest crafts: silk ikat in Margilan, ceramics in Rishtan, knives in Chust.
Travellers come less for monuments than for workshops, bazaars and everyday life. A train through the mountain tunnel from Tashkent makes it an easy addition to a classic route.
- Time needed
- 2–3 days
- Best time
- April–May and September–October
- Getting there
- Trains run from Tashkent through the mountains to Kokand, Margilan and Andijan in about 4–5 hours.
Plan your visit
Fergana Valley guides
- Fergana Valley foodWhat to eat in the Fergana Valley, from Fergana plov and rich patyr bread to Kokand halva, samsa and the valley’s famous fruit, plus how meals work and where to eat.
- Fergana Valley itineraryDay-by-day plans for two and three days in the Fergana Valley, from Tashkent over the Kamchik pass to Kokand, Rishtan, Margilan, Fergana, Andijan and Namangan.
- Fergana Valley weatherAverage temperatures and rainfall in the Fergana Valley month by month, how the surrounding mountains shape its climate, the seasons of fruit and silk, the Kamchik pass in winter, what to pack and the best time to visit.
- Getting to the Fergana ValleyHow to travel from Tashkent to the Fergana Valley by train through the Kamchik tunnel, by road over the Kamchik pass or by air, how to get around the valley, and the nearby borders.
Don’t miss
Highlights
- 01
Margilan silk workshops
Watch ikat being dyed and woven by hand.
- 02
Rishtan ceramics
Masters’ workshops producing the famous blue-green glaze.
- 03
Kokand
The Khudayar Khan palace and Juma Mosque.
- 04
Kumtepa Bazaar
A traditional market near Margilan.
In this region
Places in Fergana Valley
Nearby
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