Homestays: A unique cultural experience

The best way to experience a culture is by actually staying with a local family! NTE's Homestay families offer you just this opportunity. The Kyrgyz and Uzbek cultures are incredibly hospitable. People love to invite guests over and lavish them with meals, tea, coffee, shashlik, and pastries. With NTE's Homestays, you'll have this and much more to look forward to.

Your host family will entertain you, answer questions, and show you what life is like here. If desired, small workshops will be organized for you, where families specializing in local trades will share with you their lives and livelihoods.

A Homestay does not mean you'll be staying home though. There is much to experience in the lively bazaar, and you may even want to take part in a government mandated seasonal community project, like working in the cotton fields, or even try honing your skills at silkworm breeding.

An important aspect of any culture is the food. Uzbeks are proud of their national dishes. They will all love you if you want help learning their cooking skills, such as the preparation of "lagman", the Central Asian spaghetti, or "osh", the national dish from which descended Russian pilaf.

Men on the other hand love to play "Narda", the local backgammon like game, and partake in the arduous haggling over livestock at the bazaar.

A visit here isn't finished without a trip to Sulaiman mountain which actually rises out of the center of the city. This regionally famous mountain is associated with numerous legends and local beliefs. Another point of interest at Sulaiman mountain is the Historical and Archaeological Museum, located right at the base. Here is also where NTE Travel's office is located.
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