Andijan (also written Andijon / Andijan) is one of the oldest and most populated cities of the Fergana Valley in eastern Uzbekistan. It is known worldwide as the birthplace of Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire in India, and for its modern role as a strategic industrial center.
Here you’ll find Islamic heritage, Timurid memory, lively bazaars, family parks and modern factories. It’s a vast, living city, proud of its past and highly influential in the identity of eastern Uzbekistan, close to Kokand, Fergana and Namangan.
In this guide you’ll find: recommended tours, Andijan’s deep history, the legacy of Babur, the architectural value of the Jami Madrasa, the city’s industrial face, and spiritual excursions around it. We’ll also show you how to fit it into your journey along the Silk Road in Uzbekistan.
A typical guided tour in Andijan includes:
• The Jami Madrasa, a religious and educational symbol.
• The Babur Museum / commemorative birthplace of the
founder of the Mughal Empire.
• A walk through the central bazaar, where the real life
of the eastern valley is felt (fresh fruit, tandoor bread, spices,
embroidered clothing).
• Stops in modern squares and parks that showcase the city’s current face.
You can also arrange themed routes: Timurid & Mughal history, Islamic heritage, or even modern industry (emblematic factories of the valley).
If you want to combine Andijan with Kokand, Fergana and Namangan, we can help with private transfers with a Spanish-speaking driver across the Fergana Valley. Contact us via contact.
Tip: international tourism here is lower than in Samarkand or Bukhara, so interactions with locals tend to be more natural and direct—pure gold if you want an authentic trip.
Andijan has over two millennia of documented urban life. Set at the eastern end of the Fergana Valley, it was a key node on the Great Silk Road, connecting Central Asia with routes toward China and the eastern mountains.
During the Samanid and Timurid periods, Andijan stood out as a first-rate commercial and cultural center, rivaling other strategic cities in the valley like Kokand. Its silk production, ceramics and agricultural goods drew caravans, scholars and diplomats.
In 1902 an earthquake destroyed much of the historic city. Many old structures were lost, but a key part survived: the Jami Madrasa, today Andijan’s architectural pride.
Soviet times brought industrialization: roads, machinery plants and later automotive factories. That modernization shaped the city’s present character.
Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur was born in Andijan in 1483. A Timurid prince, poet, chronicler and strategist, Babur would go on to found the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent— one of the most influential dynasties in world history.
In Andijan you can visit the commemorative birthplace of Babur, now a museum. For many travelers from Central and South Asia, this place is almost a cultural pilgrimage.
Learning Babur’s story here, in his homeland, means understanding how a prince from eastern Fergana founded an imperial superpower that would leave its mark on cities like Agra, Delhi and Lahore centuries later.
If Babur interests you, Andijan isn’t optional—it's essential.
The Jami Madrasa is Andijan’s historic heart: a religious and educational complex including a madrasa, a mosque and a tall minaret.
This ensemble survived the devastating 1902 earthquake, making it a time capsule: it preserves the scale, layout and architectural language of the late 19th century. Walking its courtyards is to touch the valley’s living Islamic memory.
Andijan’s architecture isn’t identical to that of Samarkand or Bukhara: you’ll see more structural sobriety, less Timurid imperial monumentalism, and more religious/educational functionality.
Beyond the Jami Madrasa, you’ll find neighborhood mosques, venerated mausoleums and madrasas still in use. Dress respectfully (shoulders and knees covered) and ask permission before photographing people in prayer.
Andijan is one of eastern Uzbekistan’s economic engines. It concentrates automobile factories, machinery plants, textile and food companies, and a logistics network connecting the rest of the Fergana Valley and routes to Tashkent.
This industrial dimension gives the city a different feel from classic Silk Road stops like Khiva or Bukhara. Heritage here coexists with truck-lined roads, technical students, mechanic workshops and expanding suburbs.
By late afternoon, parks fill with families, ice cream in hand, and strolling youth. It’s an easy time to interact, practice a few words of Russian or Uzbek, and feel the valley’s spontaneous hospitality.
The surroundings of Andijan are special if you’re interested in ancient history and local spirituality.
• Ershi: identified as the ancient capital of the state of Davan—an important historic center of old Fergana.
• Imam-Ota: a spiritual pilgrimage site associated with Sufi traditions and popular reverence.
• Teshik-Tash and Shirmanbulak:
places tied to local lore, regional archaeology and popular religious practice.
These visits show another face of the valley: not only trade and factories, but sacred memory, oral legend and cultural continuity.
Andijan sits at the far eastern end of the Fergana Valley, close to the Kyrgyz border.
• From Tashkent:
depending on season, there may be domestic flights; there are long-distance trains and private car routes crossing the mountains that link the capital with the Fergana Valley.
• From Kokand and
Fergana:
shared taxis and marshrutkas criss-cross the valley’s fertile plain.
• From Namangan:
a short, very local ride through farms, villages, roadside bazaars and fresh-fruit stands.
Within Andijan you can move by local taxi or on foot in the central area (Jami Madrasa, bazaars, parks).
Want to end your trip in Andijan after visiting Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and then head east? We can design an itinerary that finishes in the Fergana Valley to experience everyday, less-touristic Uzbekistan. Write to us via contact.
The best times to visit Andijan and the Fergana Valley are generally spring (March–May) and autumn (September–October): mild temperatures, markets full of fruit and beautiful evening light.
Summers are hot with strong sun—use a hat, sunglasses and carry water. Winters can be cold, especially at night.
The Fergana Valley is traditional and religious. Respect active mosques, dress modestly in sacred places and ask before photographing people at prayer.
Uzbekistan is considered safe for travelers, and Andijan is no exception. Still, use common sense: mind your belongings in the bazaar and agree taxi prices calmly.
A little Uzbek (“salom” = hello, “rahmat” = thank you) or Russian goes a long way— you’ll be surprised how quickly you’re invited for tea.
