Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the 1990s the valley gave birth to Islamic
extremism in Central Asia. President Kari-
mov's brutal crackdown on alleged extrem-
ists eventually came to a head in the form of
the Andijon Massacre in 2005, the memory
of which still haunts the region today.
The post-Andijon crackdown has in-
creased the police presence in the valley, but
it's not something that's likely to affect most
tourists as long as they keep a low profile.
The valley's people remain among the most
hospitable and friendly in the country. Other
attractions are exceptional crafts and several
kaleidoscopic bazaars.
This was the capital of the Kokand
khanate in the 18th and 19th centuries and
the valley's true 'hotbed' in those days - sec-
ond only to Bukhara as a religious centre in
Central Asia, with at least 35 medressas and
hundreds of mosques. But if you walk the
streets today, you will find only a polite, sub-
dued Uzbek town, its old centre hedged by
colonial avenues, bearing little resemblance
to Bukhara.
Nationalists fed up with empty revolu-
tionary promises met here in January 1918
and declared a rival administration, the
'Muslim Provincial Government of Autono-
mous Turkestan' led by Mustafa Chokaev.
The Tashkent Soviet immediately had the
town sacked, most of its holy buildings des-
ecrated or destroyed and 14,000 Kokandis
slaughtered.
Traditionally conservative Kokand is
changing fast. The central squares, streets
and parks have been given massive make-
overs in recent years, giving this ancient
town a surprisingly modern feel that you
can escape from in the backstreets.
1 ¨Sights
Khan's¨Palace¨ PALACe
( % 553 60 46; http:museum.dinosoft.uz; istiklol 2;
admission 3000S, guided tours 60000S; h 9am-
5pm) The Khan's Palace, with seven court-
yards and 114 rooms, was built in 1873,
though its dazzling tiled exterior makes it
look so perfect that you'd be forgiven for
thinking it was as new as the modern park
that surrounds it. Just three years after
its completion, the tsar's troops arrived,
blew up its fortifications and abolished the
khan's job.
The Khan in question was Khudayar
Khan, a cruel ruler who had previously
been chummy with the Russians. Just two
years after completing the palace, Khudayar
was forced into exile by his own subjects,
winding up under Russian protection in
Orenburg. As his heirs quarrelled for the
throne, the Russians moved in and snuffed
out the khanate, in the process breaking a
promise to eventually return Khudayar to
the throne. The homesick khan later fled
Orenburg and embarked on an epic odyssey
through Central and South Asia before dy-
ing of disease near Herat.
Roughly half of the palace used to be
taken up by the harem, which the Russians
demolished in 1919. Khudayar's 43 concu-
bines would wait to be chosen as wife for
8 Dangers¨&¨Annoyances
Standards of dress are a potential source of
misunderstanding in the valley. except perhaps
in the centre of Russiied Fergana town, too
much tourist lesh will be frowned upon, so dress
modestly (ie no shorts or tight-itting clothes).
Women travellers have reported being harassed
when walking alone in cities such as Andijon,
especially at night.
Security is tight compared with other parts of
the country and all foreigners entering the Fer-
gana Valley must register at a major roadblock
west of the tunnels separating the valley from
Tashkent. The police are friendly enough, just
keep your passport at the ready, be agreeable
when being questioned, and be sure to get a reg-
istration slip for each night you're in the valley.
8 Getting¨There¨&¨Around
There is no public bus service between Tashkent
and the Fergana Valley - buses aren't allowed
on the scenic, winding road through the moun-
tains, which is best negotiated by shared taxi
as opposed to wobbly looking Daewoo Damas
marshrutkas.
The few slow trains that lumber between
Tashkent and the Fergana Valley go through
Tajikistan. Do not board these without a Tajik
transit visa and a double-entry Uzbek visa.
Within the valley, slow local trains link Kokand
and Andijon, but most travel is by shared taxi,
marshrutka or bus.
Kokand (Qo'qon)
% 73 / POP 200,000
As the valley's first significant town on
the road from Tashkent, Kokand is a
gateway to the region and stopping point
for many travellers. With a historically
interesting palace and several medressas
and mosques, it makes for a worthwhile
half-day visit.
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