Mubarek: the gas capital of Kashkadarya

Hardly anyone plans a holiday around Mubarek. But if you are travelling from Qarshi to Bukhara or back, this town will almost certainly be on your way, and it is worth knowing what it is. Mubarek is one of the youngest towns in Kashkadarya, built in the steppe around a large gas-processing plant. Its story is the story of how Uzbekistan became a gas-producing country in the second half of the twentieth century. Here is how the town works, where to eat and how to use it on your route.

Where Mubarek is

Mubarek lies in the north-west of the Kashkadarya region, about 70–80 km from Qarshi on the road towards Bukhara. The drive from Qarshi takes around an hour. Bukhara is not far from Mubarek either, roughly another hour and a half depending on the road.

Around the town stretches the Qarshi steppe: flat and wide, green in spring and scorched by the sun in summer. Parts of the steppe are irrigated by canals and covered with fields, but much of it remains semi-desert pasture.

How the town appeared

As late as the middle of the twentieth century the site of Mubarek was mostly pasture and small villages. Everything changed when gas fields in the area began to be developed. In the 1970s a gas-processing plant was built here, and a settlement grew up around it, followed by a town with apartment blocks, schools, a hospital and a stadium.

The name Mubarek means "blessed", and locals like to joke about their good fortune, since gas brought jobs and development here. Today the plant is still the main employer, and the town is home to families of engineers, workers and specialists from all over the country.

Important: the plant and gas facilities are secure sites. Do not photograph them or approach the fences.

What to see in Mubarek

Mubarek has no historic monuments, but it has its own points of interest:

• Soviet town planning. Wide streets, blocks of prefabricated housing and a square with administrative buildings make it a typical company town of the era, interesting to see in itself.
• Parks and avenues. In a steppe town every tree was planted on purpose, so the green avenues are especially valued.
• The bazaar. Small but well stocked with vegetables, fruit, dairy products and meat from nearby farms.
• The surrounding steppe. In spring, around April, the steppe is covered with grass and flowers, a good time for photos.

Where to eat on the road

For travellers, Mubarek is above all a convenient lunch stop. Teahouses and roadside cafes operate on the highway and in town. What to try:

1. Plov: served at lunchtime almost everywhere.
2. Tandir gosht: meat slow-baked in a tandoor oven; Kashkadarya does it especially well.
3. Shashlik: lamb, liver or beef skewers.
4. Samsa: hot, straight from the tandoor.
5. Katyk and sour milk: refreshing on a hot day.

Tip: if you travel in summer, plan lunch an hour or two earlier than usual so you are not on the road during the hottest part of the day.

Mubarek as a stop on your route

Mubarek works well as an intermediate point:

• Qarshi – Mubarek – Bukhara. The classic trip between the two regions. A stop in Mubarek breaks up the journey and gives you time for lunch.
• Kashkadarya – Navoi. You can also cross the steppe towards the Navoi region.
• Business trips. Many people travel to Mubarek for work at the plants, and a convenient link with Qarshi matters to them.

If you are travelling around the south of the country, set aside time for Qarshi itself: the Odina Friday mosque, the Kok Gumbaz mosque and the old brick bridge over the Kashkadarya river.

When to go

The best seasons are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Summer in the Qarshi steppe is very hot, sometimes above 40°C, while winter is windy and cool, occasionally with frosts.

How to get there

Minibuses and taxis run from Qarshi to Mubarek. A convenient option is a shared ride: on the Mubarek – Qarshi route drivers post trips on Yo'ldosh, and you can book a seat at a convenient time, in the morning or evening. It is cheaper than hiring a whole taxi, and drivers state the departure time and number of free seats in advance. For people who travel this route often for work, shared rides cut costs noticeably.

Practical tips

• Carry water in summer: on some stretches of the steppe highway petrol stations and cafes are few and far between.
• Do not photograph industrial facilities or guarded areas.
• Cash is easiest in small cafes.
• If you are leaving late in the evening, agree on a meeting point with your driver in advance, as lighting on the outskirts is poor.

Mubarek shows that even an industrial town can be a convenient and friendly point on a travel map. To get there and back easily, check trips on the Mubarek – Qarshi route, and find other connections across the south under all routes.

Cover photo: Bgag, CC0, Wikimedia Commons.