EnsemblesTermezUNESCO World Heritage
Termez
Uzbekistan's southernmost city on the Amu Darya, one of the oldest in Central Asia, with Buddhist ruins, early Islamic shrines and the site of Old Termez.
Surkhandarya
Uzbekistan's far south, on the Amu Darya: Buddhist monasteries and Kushan cities around Termez, the shrines of Sufi scholars, and the mountain villages of Boysun.
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Guide to Surkhandarya
Overview
Surkhandarya is the southernmost region of Uzbekistan. The Surkhandarya river flows down from the Hisar range to the Amu Darya, which forms the border with Afghanistan. Between the river valleys and the mountains are cotton fields, orchards and long stretches of dry hills.
The region is less visited than Samarkand or Bukhara, and that is part of its appeal. Around Termez you can walk through Buddhist ruins from the Kushan period and visit medieval shrines that still draw pilgrims. To the north, the Boysun mountains hold old villages, caves and gorges.
History
The Amu Darya crossing near Termez has been used since antiquity. In the first centuries AD the area was part of the Kushan Empire, and Buddhism spread here from the south; monasteries and stupas were built at Kara Tepe, Fayaz Tepe and Zurmala. Further up the valley, Dalverzin Tepe and Khalchayan were Kushan towns with palaces and workshops.
After the arrival of Islam, Termez became a centre of learning. The scholar Al-Hakim at-Termizi lived here in the 9th century, and the Termez sayyids, a family that traced its line to the Prophet, built the Sultan Saodat ensemble. The old city was destroyed by the Mongols in 1220, and a new town later grew up nearby. Modern Termez developed around a Russian garrison from the end of the 19th century.
Getting there
Termez airport has flights from Tashkent, which is the quickest way to reach the region. There is also a train from Tashkent to Termez, including overnight services with sleeping berths.
By road, the main route from Samarkand and Shahrisabz runs south through Guzar and over the hills past the Derbent defile into the Surkhandarya valley. It is a long drive, so many travellers split it with a night in Shahrisabz or Boysun.
Getting around
Termez is spread out, and the archaeological sites lie on its edges, so a taxi or a driver for the day is the easiest way to see them. Several sites, including Kara Tepe, Old Termez and the shrine of Al-Hakim at-Termizi, are close to the Afghan border. Access to the border area can be restricted, so check access before you go and carry your passport.
Shared taxis link Termez with Denau, Sherabad and Boysun. For the mountains, Teshik-Tash or the villages around Boysun, hire a local driver who knows the roads.
When to go
Surkhandarya is the hottest part of Uzbekistan. Summer days in Termez are very hot, and walking around open ruins in July or August is hard work.
Spring, from March to early May, and autumn, from late September to November, are the most comfortable times. Winters are mild in the valley, while the Boysun mountains can be cold and snowy.
Food
The warm climate makes the region known for early vegetables, citrus, pomegranates and dates, as well as melons and grapes. In season, the bazaars in Termez and Denau are good places to try local fruit.
Plov, shurpa and tandir-baked meat are everyday dishes. In the mountain villages, meals are simpler and based on bread, dairy and mutton; if you stay with a family, you will usually eat what the household cooks that day.
Crafts
Boysun is known for its folk culture, which UNESCO lists as intangible cultural heritage: songs, rituals, embroidery and costume that have been kept alive in the mountain villages. A spring folklore festival is held there in some years.
Across the region, women embroider suzani and smaller pieces, and villages weave carpets and flat-woven rugs. Ask in Boysun or Denau whether you can visit a home workshop rather than buying from a stall.
Good to know
Near the Amu Darya you are in a border area. Carry your passport, do not photograph military posts or the bridge to Afghanistan, and check access before you go to any site close to the river.
Shrines such as Sultan Saodat and the mausoleum of Al-Hakim at-Termizi are places of pilgrimage. Dress modestly, women should cover their hair, and keep your voice low inside.
Must-see in Surkhandarya
- Ensembles
ArchaeologySherobod districtUNESCO World Heritage
Zarautsoy Rock Paintings
Ochre paintings of hunters, bulls, gazelles and wild goats in a rock shelter of the Zarautsoy gorge, Sherobod district, from the Mesolithic or Neolithic.
ArchaeologyTermez
Fayaz Tepe
The excavated walls of a Kushan-era Buddhist monastery outside Termez, with a stupa that now stands under a protective dome.
ArchaeologyOld Termez
Kara Tepe
A Buddhist monastery complex cut partly into a sandstone hill on the edge of Old Termez, close to the Amu Darya and the Afghan border.
ArchaeologyTermez
Zurmala Stupa
A tall, weathered mud-brick tower on the plain near Termez, the remains of a Kushan-era Buddhist stupa.
FortressesTermez district
Kirk-Kiz Fortress
A square early medieval mud-brick building with corner towers outside Termez, whose original purpose is still debated by historians.
Things to do in Surkhandarya
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