New and Old Tashkent city & Food Tour

Discover old and new Tashkent in one private city and food tour. Explore the historic Hazrati Imam complex, wander through a traditional Uzbek neighbourhood, taste your way around Chorsu Bazaar, watch plov being cooked in giant cauldrons and ride the famous Tashkent metro. The tour is fully private, so we can customise it to your interests.

Itinerary

1 hour – Hazrati Imam complex and the old city

We start in the spiritual heart of Tashkent. Walk through a traditional old Uzbek neighbourhood (mahalla) and visit the mausoleum of the city’s first imam, the Barakhan Madrasah with its souvenir workshops, and the Muyi Muborak library, home to one of the world’s oldest Qurans. We also see the new Centre of Islamic Civilization.

1 hour – Chorsu Bazaar

Under the great blue dome of Chorsu Bazaar, we visit the dried fruit and spice section, the tea market and the bread market, where you can join a short masterclass and learn how to make traditional Uzbek bread. In the food bazaar you can taste a little of many local foods, and there is time to browse the souvenir shops.

1 hour – Central Asian Plov Centre

Plov (pilaf) is the national dish of Uzbekistan. At the plov centre you will see how it is cooked in huge cauldrons that feed hundreds of people at once – a true Tashkent experience and a great place for lunch.

Tashkent metro

We finish with a ride on the Tashkent metro, often called one of the most beautiful in the world. We visit three stations: Kosmonavtlar, with its space-themed design; Alisher Navoi, decorated in honour of the great poet; and Pakhtakor.

Why take this tour

• See both the historic and the modern sides of Tashkent in one day
• Taste real Uzbek food where the locals eat
• Private tour with a licensed English-speaking guide
• Flexible route – we can customise the stops to your interests
• Hotel pickup, with airport or train station pickup possible

This tour is perfect on your first day in Uzbekistan, or as a relaxed city day before continuing to Samarkand and Bukhara.

Know before you go

• Not wheelchair accessible
• Not stroller accessible
• Not suitable for pets
• Infants must not sit on laps
• Infant seats unavailable
• I usually pick up travellers from their hotel, and sometimes from the airport or a train station. I inform the hotel reception of your full name, and at the airport or train station I meet you with a name board. We can stay in touch on WhatsApp or Telegram.