Good Time to Visit
Weather
Uzbekistan has an extreme continental climate: it is generally colder in the north and warmest in the south. During the summer, temperatures can climb to 45°C (113°F) and above. Winter temperatures average 0°C (32°F) in the south and -8°C (18°F) in the north, although extremes as low as -35°C (-31°F) are sometimes experienced.
For more information on the Uzbekistani weather, see Climate in Uzbekistan.
Festivals
Uzbekistan holds many festivals and religious holidays throughout the year. The biggest festival is the Navrus (New Days) Festival on 21 March. It consists of renewal celebrations involving traditional games, drama, street festivals and fairs.
Other festivities include Toi, Uzbek family parties where foreigners are welcome to enjoy the fun. The Uzbekistanis celebrate Independence Day on 1 September by crowding into what used to be Lenin Square (now named, appropriately enough, Independence Square) to enjoy a carnival of celebration.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Uzbekistan:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 8 March | International Women's Day |
| 21 March | Navruz (Persian New Year) |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 9 May | Day of Memory and Respect |
| 1 September | Independence Day |
| 8 December | Constitution Day |
| Variable* | Birth of the Prophet |
| Variable* | Hait (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Qurban-Hait (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.
