When to visit Uzbekistan: seasons and weather

Spring: March to May

Spring is the favourite season of most travellers. Days are pleasant — around 20–28 °C in May — the hills are green and the gardens bloom. Navruz, the spring new year, is celebrated on 21 March with music, games and sumalak, a sweet wheat pudding cooked all night. Book early: April and May are the busiest months.

Summer: June to August

Summers are dry and hot. In Bukhara and Khiva it is often 38–42 °C in July. Sightseeing is still possible: start at sunrise, rest in the afternoon and go out again in the evening, when the old towns come alive. Summer is the best time for the mountains and the Seven Lakes, and the fruit — melons, peaches, apricots — is wonderful.

Autumn: September to November

September and October are as good as spring: warm, sunny and calm, with grape and pomegranate harvests in the bazaars. November turns cool, and the tourist crowds are gone.

Winter: December to February

Winter is cold — often around 0 °C, sometimes with snow on the domes of Samarkand. It is the quietest season, with the lowest hotel prices and the monuments almost to yourself. The ski slopes of Amirsoy near Tashkent are open.

What to pack

• Comfortable walking shoes — old towns are best seen on foot.
• Sun protection — hat, sunglasses and sun cream from April to October.
• A light scarf or shawl — useful for mosques and shrines, and for cool evenings.
• A warm layer — nights in the desert and the mountains are cool even in summer.