KOOKLES in Samarkand (authentiek plattelandsleven, 2 maaltijden +)

If you want to get to know the country AND people, this tour is a very good opportunity. You got an insight away from the tourist hotspots. Akram and his family welcomed me very openly and kindly, and we had very interesting conversations and exchanges. Thank you Akram for letting me be your guest!

We had an amazing experience with Akram and his family. The atmosphere was really pleasant, you get to see the local culture and to interact with local people. We could discover a lot about the country and the habits of the people by discussing and hearing stories from Akram. His English level is perfect. We cooked 2 delicious meals (we could choose out of a long list of options) having the guidance of his talented wife. We went to buy some ingredients from the local market in Samarkand and this activity was nice. He offered by himself to take us to visit the local carpet factory where we could learn about the handmade manufacturing process. We highly recommend you to book this activity if you want to be close to the Uzbek culture. With Akram we did as well one day trip to 7 Lakes in Tajikistan and this was more than amazing. He organized everything including pickup, transportation, nice pictures 😊 and good food. Pickup and dropping off was included. Thanks a lot, Akram.

Akram was an amazing host and guide. We got to check out the local bazaar, cook food at his place and eat amazing wonderful local Uzbekistan food. We also had to time to check out the silk carpet factory and a local place where they made Samarkand non at the end too! Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to try out this experience. You will not regret it.

The food was great and I learnes a lot about the Uzbek cuisine. The lady that was the guide & cook was also very friendly!

So much more than a cooking class! You are driven from your hotel to the bazaar to shop and haggle, whisked to the unique bakery where they freshly bake the local bread in tandoors, and then driven to the host's village, where you get the unique pleasures of joining his family to cook local dishes, get spoiled in a feast, and enjoy the village culture. In his residential complex there's a cow, goats, cats, rabbits and a large garden of potatoes. It was fun, comfortable, unique and yummy. I'd recommend this excursion for all kinds of groups, including families and the elderly.

My home cooking tour with Akram and his family was the highlight of my trip! Although the initial plan was to choose two dishes from a selection of 10-13 we ended up preparing three incredible traditional meals. The food was absolutely delicious—I left completely full and even had enough leftovers to take back with me. The best part, however, wasn't just the cooking; it was the cultural exchange. We spent hours sharing thoughts on our respective countries and lives. If you're looking for an authentic way to interact with locals and want an experience that goes beyond the typical tourist path, I cannot recommend this enough.

Miss Rushana and Akram are great and generous hosts! Akram is knowledgeable with the historical sites as a guide to our tour, had the best deal for our princess moment in Registan Square and then we continued on with the cooking class in their lovely home. They showed and taught us how to cook the Plov and we ate it afterwards, it was truly delicious! We are grateful they even sent us to the train station. Book them, you will definitely learn a lot and appreciate more of the life in Samarkand.

This is a cooking experience in a large traditional house where Akram (male in his late 20s) and his wife, children, parents and siblings' family of 11 live. I also cook, but they served me many other meals, and I was able to relax. The menu is what I want to make, so I requested Manti and Mastava. I was also taken to the naan factory, and it was a really difficult experience to have warm exchanges with ordinary families, not just sightseeing spots. Yusuf, a 2-year-old boy, was very friendly and cute.

If you're even thinking about doing this, BOOK IT! Akram and Roxshana are incredible hosts. Their generosity and hospitality cannot be beat. Being invited into their home is a special glimpse into local life. They truly want to share their culture (via food and interesting conversation) and are curious about yours. They will ask you in advance what you want to make, and we highly recommend doing the dumpling soup. One of the best soups of our lives! The offerings are plentiful - much much more than you can imagine eating in one sitting. Don't worry if you're not good in the kitchen; it is as hands-on or hands-off as you want it to be. (We tried to do everything... but just for a few minutes as Roxshana was so much faster and more skilled!) We highly recommend booking with Akram.

Just had the most beautiful welcome to Samarkand thanks to Akram and his wife. Akram immediately sent me a message when I booked asking which 2 dishes we would like to make, which was nice that we got to choose 2 (we chose Manti and Plov, but there’s so many options!) Then he coordinated with us and started the trip by picking us up from our hotel. He took us to the Siyob bazaar where he showed us the vibes there and bought the ingredients necessary before we headed to his home for the experience. All throughout, he was teaching us so much about Uzbek culture and lifestyle, and giving us many tips for our travel here. Then when we got to his home, we started with eating some Uzbek bread alongside a stew called Halisa or Halim - it was incredible. Then, we started the experience, where him and his wife guided us through every step of cooking the meals, and gladly stepped in if anything ever got too difficult or stressful. They grow their own fruits and vegetables at home, so it was a really cool experience - we made our plov with carrots that we got from their garden! We cooked the plov outside in the big pot over a fire Akram and I made and had a great time. The food came out absolutely incredible!! Everything tasted so good and they fed us so much food - Alhamdulillah. We ate and then he graciously dropped us back off at our hotel as well! All-in-all, was an amazing experience and I wholeheartedly recommend! Akram and his wife are great people, and his flexibility, grace, and genuineness truly made the experience a great one!! We actually fell asleep in a food coma right when we got back haha. Katta rahmat 🤲🏽