Travel guide
The Fergana Valley: silk, ceramics and Kokand
Uzbekistan's most populated region is also the home of its best-known crafts. Here is how to see them.
Getting there
The Fergana Valley lies east of Tashkent, over the Kamchik mountain pass. By car, Tashkent to Kokand takes 3.5–4 hours (from $125), and Tashkent to Fergana 5–5.5 hours (from $140), per vehicle. Trains also run through the Kamchik rail tunnel.
Kokand
The first valley town after the pass, Kokand was the capital of the Kokand Khanate. Its best-known sight is the Palace of Khudayar Khan. It is an easy stop on the way to Fergana.
Margilan: silk
Margilan, next to Fergana city, has been a silk town for centuries. At the Yodgorlik silk factory you can follow the whole process — from cocoons to dyeing and weaving ikat on hand looms.
Rishtan: ceramics
Rishtan is famous for its blue-and-green glazed ceramics. Family workshops welcome visitors to watch the potters at work and buy directly from them.
Planning
Base yourself in Fergana and visit Margilan and Rishtan from there, or ask for a stop in Kokand on the way. For a day of workshop visits, a car with driver is the easiest option. Namangan and Andijan are also fixed-price transfers from Tashkent.