Public Holidays in Uzbekistan
Statutory public holidays in Uzbekistan, with the dates that give people the day off, how the calendar is set, and what it means for travel, cities and culture.
Uzbekistan at a glance
Uzbekistan’s public holidays centre on Navruz at the spring equinox in March, alongside Independence Day in September and Islamic observances. Navruz runs for several days.
Several dates are lunar or equinox-based, so the calendar shifts slightly from year to year.
Uzbekistan public holidays 2026
Uzbekistan has 17 public holidays in 2026 – the statutory days off. The table below lists those public holidays; observances and other non-statutory dates are not part of the total.
| Holiday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1Thu | National |
| Additional day off by Presidential decree | Jan 2Fri | Bank |
| Women's Day | Mar 8Sun | National |
| Women's Day (observed) | Mar 9Mon | Substitute |
| Eid al-Fitr (estimated) | Mar 20Fri | National |
| Nowruz | Mar 21Sat | National |
| Nowruz (observed) | Mar 23Mon | Substitute |
| Day of Memory and Honor | May 9Sat | National |
| Day of Memory and Honor (observed) | May 11Mon | Substitute |
| Eid al-Adha (estimated) | May 27Wed | National |
| Additional day off by Presidential decree | May 28Thu | Bank |
| Additional day off by Presidential decree | May 29Fri | Bank |
Showing 12 of 17 public holidays for 2026.
Major cities in Uzbekistan
The urban centres that anchor most trips to Uzbekistan.
Tashkent
A capital of broad tree-lined avenues, Soviet mosaic metro stations and bazaars.
Samarkand
A city of turquoise domes and vast Timurid monuments around the Registan.
Bukhara
A remarkably complete medieval city of madrasas, domes and trading halls.
Khiva
A mud-brick walled city in the Kyzylkum desert, preserved almost whole.
Fergana
A green city in the fertile Fergana valley, known for silk and ceramics.
Top attractions in Uzbekistan
The places that draw most visitors to Uzbekistan.
Registan
Samarkand's ceremonial square framed by three vast madrasas.
Gur-e-Amir
The ribbed turquoise dome over the tomb of Timur.
Itchan Kala
Khiva's inner walled city of minarets, palaces and a tiled minaret.
Bukhara Historic Centre
A dense core of trading domes, madrasas and the Kalyan minaret.
Shah-i-Zinda
A street of tiled Timurid tombs climbing a hillside in Samarkand.
Chimgan Mountains
Pine-clad hills east of Tashkent with skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
Festivals, food and getting around Uzbekistan
What the calendar looks like on the ground, and how to move through the country around it.
Festivals behind the holidays
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🎉
New Year
Falls on Jan 1
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🎉
Defenders of the Motherland Day
Falls on Jan 14
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🎉
Ramadan Start
Falls on Feb 18
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🎉
International Women's Day
Falls on Mar 8
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🎉
Eid al-Fitr
Falls on Mar 20
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🎉
March Equinox
Falls on Mar 20
Food & drink
Getting around
The high-speed Afrosiyob train links Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, making the Silk Road cities easy to combine.
Travelling around Uzbekistan’s holidays
What the dates mean once you are there.
Book around the peaks
Transport and hotels in Uzbekistan tighten around major holidays; reserve early for the busiest weeks.
Check opening hours
Museums, banks and government offices usually close on statutory holidays, and often on the nearest Monday.
Carry local currency
Small vendors and rural businesses frequently take cash only, especially on holidays when banks are shut.
Expect crowded transport
Long weekends produce the year's heaviest road, rail and air traffic. Build in extra travel time.
Confirm the official list
Uzbekistan's holiday dates are confirmed by government announcement; check the year page for the final arrangement.
Plan the long weekends
Pairing a holiday with adjacent weekends gives the longest breaks of the year — and the busiest.
Uzbekistan public holidays: common questions
How many public holidays does Uzbekistan have?
Uzbekistan has 17 public holidays in 2026, counting every date typed National, Substitute or Bank in our calendar. Observances, religious dates and regional holidays are listed separately and left out of the total, because they are not days off across the whole country.
Where can I find the full 2026 list?
The complete 2026 calendar for Uzbekistan is on the year page, with every recorded date in order.
Are Uzbekistan's public holidays paid?
Statutory national holidays are generally paid leave for employees. Observances and commemorative days are usually not.
Do holidays move if they fall on a weekend?
Where a holiday falls on a weekend, Uzbekistan typically observes it on the nearest weekday. Check the year page for the confirmed arrangement.
Are there regional holidays in Uzbekistan?
Some holidays are observed only in certain regions or by certain communities. The year page lists what applies nationally.
Which years are covered for Uzbekistan?
Calendars are published for 2026, 2025.
School holidays in Uzbekistan
School term dates in Uzbekistan
School calendar data last updated 10 Sep 2026. Dates come from education ministries and local education authorities; always re-check with the school before booking travel.