Fergana Valley
Quick facts
- District
- Fergana region
- Recommended stay
- 2-3 days
- Difficulty
- easy
- Typical cost
- $
The lush Fergana Valley is the heartland of Uzbek craft traditions. Famous for ikat silk weaving, hand-forged knives and exquisite ceramics.
Why visit
The Fergana Valley is Uzbekistan's craft heartland and its most fertile ground. Margilan has produced silk for more than a thousand years, Rishtan potters still fire the ishkor blue glaze, and Kokand's Khudayar Khan palace recalls the valley's own khanate.
Tour Highlights
- ✦ Margilan silk factories
- ✦ Rishtan ceramics
- ✦ Kokand Khan's Palace
- ✦ Chust knife workshops
- ✦ Valley landscapes
What you can do
Watch ikat being tied and dyed at the Yodgorlik silk factory in Margilan, throw a bowl with a Rishtan master, walk Kokand's palace and see the Friday market in Kuva.
Where to stay
Mid-range city hotels in Fergana and Kokand, plus a growing number of craft-family homestays in Margilan and Rishtan where guests eat with the household.
Food
Kokand-style plov, valley apricots and pomegranates, and non baked with sesame. Homestays will cook vegetarian and, with notice, vegan meals from garden produce.
How to get there
The road from Tashkent crosses the Kamchik pass in about 5 hours; trains through the Qamchiq tunnel reach Margilan in roughly 4-5 hours. Fergana and Namangan have domestic airports.
When to visit
April to June and September to October. The valley is milder than the desert cities but humid in high summer.
Transport
Shared taxis link Fergana, Margilan, Rishtan and Kokand cheaply and frequently. A private driver is worth it for a workshop day.
Practical information
The valley is conservative in dress compared with Tashkent. Craft workshops generally welcome visitors on weekdays; Sunday is quieter.
Safety
Safe and hospitable. The Kamchik pass road can close briefly in winter snow, so allow buffer time in December to February.
360° Virtual Tour
Coming soon
We are filming this place ourselves. The 360° tour will appear here once it is ready, we do not publish tours we have not made.
Related experiences
Frequently asked questions
Which town should I base myself in?
Fergana city is the most convenient base, with Margilan 15 minutes away and Rishtan and Kokand within an hour.
