Fergana Region

Overview

The Fergana Valley is a wide, fertile basin enclosed by the Tian Shan and Pamir-Alay ranges. Within Uzbekistan it is split between three regions: Fergana in the south, Andijan in the east and Namangan in the north. Each has its own guide page.

Fergana Region holds many of the valley's well-known sights. Kokand has the palace and mosques of the former khanate, Margilan is the centre of hand-woven silk, and Rishtan has been making blue-glazed ceramics for centuries. Fergana city is a calm, green base with hotels and good road links.

This is a working, densely farmed part of the country rather than a museum landscape. Much of the interest lies in workshops, bazaars and everyday street life between the monuments.

History

The valley has been settled and irrigated since antiquity, and towns such as Kuva and Margilan stood on caravan routes between China and the west. Rishtan's clay and Margilan's silk were known well beyond the valley in the Middle Ages.

In the 18th century Kokand became the capital of an independent khanate that controlled much of the valley and lands beyond it. The Russian Empire annexed the khanate in 1876 and founded a new administrative town, Novy Margelan, which later became today's Fergana city.

In the Soviet period the valley was turned towards cotton and industry, while family crafts survived quietly in the old towns. Since independence many of these workshops have reopened to visitors.

Getting there

From Tashkent the railway crosses the Kamchik pass through a long tunnel and continues into the valley, with trains stopping at Kokand and Margilan. Check the current schedule and buy tickets in advance through Uzbekistan Railways.

Fergana airport has domestic flights to Tashkent and some international routes. By road, the highway over the Kamchik pass takes you from Tashkent to Kokand; shared taxis leave from Tashkent and agree the price before departure.

Getting around

Fergana, Margilan, Rishtan and Kokand are connected by good roads, and shared taxis and minibuses run between them throughout the day. Margilan is very close to Fergana city, so many visitors stay in Fergana and make day trips.

For a full day covering several towns, hiring a car with a driver is the simplest option. Inside Fergana city, ride-hailing apps and ordinary taxis are easy to find.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. In spring the orchards blossom and the valley is green; in autumn bazaars are full of fruit and the heat has eased.

Summer is hot in the lowlands, though the mountain side valleys stay cooler. Winters are short but can be cold and grey, and some workshops slow down.

Food

The valley's plov is made with its own local rice and is usually cooked in large kazans for weddings and family gatherings; ask at a teahouse which day it is served. Samsa, lagman and fresh flatbread are everywhere.

Kokand is known for halva and other sweets sold in its bazaars. From late spring to autumn the markets are full of apricots, cherries, grapes, melons and pomegranates grown across the valley.

Crafts

Margilan weaves atlas and adras, the bright ikat silks and half-silks of the valley. At the workshops you can follow the process from cocoons to dyed threads and finished cloth.

Rishtan potters work with local red clay and a blue glaze made from plant ash, and many family workshops welcome visitors. Kokand has a tradition of wood carving and painted ceilings, visible in its palace and mosques.

Good to know

Kokand, Rishtan and Margilan can be combined in one long day by car, but two days let you spend proper time in the workshops.

The Shakhimardan exclave is surrounded by Kyrgyzstan, so reaching it means crossing an international border; check the current state of the crossings before you plan a trip. Dress modestly at mosques and madrasas, and ask before photographing people at work.