How Uzbekistani Farmer’s Family is Developing Fig Tourism in Tamerlane’s Garden

In the ‘Bog’i Baland’ («Garden on the Hill») mahalla of Samarkand, a unique corner of nature has survived, the only one of Tamerlane‘s (Amir Temur) twelve gardens where figs are still cultivated today.

Covering some 40 hectares, the orchard is tended by several families from the local community. More than 10,000 trees grow here, some of which are over three hundred years old.

Farmer Rustam Muinov, who has dedicated 43 years to this work, shared with Kursiv Uzbekistan the story of the garden and explained how tourism has transformed life for local residents.

Figs, Tourism and New Jobs: Story of One Mahalla

August and September mark the peak tourist season in the mahalla. This is when figs ripen, becoming the community’s main symbol and its distinctive tourist brand.

For Rustam and his neighbours in Bogi Balandi, this is a special opportunity: their orchard is unique not only in Samarkand but across the entire country.

Rustam’s family has cared for this garden for three generations. The site was mentioned in the Baburnama by Zahiriddin Babur, the grandson of Amir Temur. The best agronomists of the time spent a long time searching for suitable land, as figs thrive in moist soil. Eventually, the orchard was planted near the Zarafshan River.

Three years ago, when the mahalla was granted tourist-zone status, the lives of residents changed significantly. The 40 hectares of land were divided among 72 families, and today Rustam’s orchard has become one of the most popular attractions for both foreign and Uzbek visitors.

«Every day at least 50–60 people come here. Farmers’ incomes have started to rise. Personally, my profits have doubled,» says Rustam Muinov.

At first, not everyone supported the idea of turning the mahalla into a tourist destination. Locals doubted that their fig orchards would attract guests. They believed tourists were only interested in historical monuments, not ordinary mahallas.

«I liked the idea. I tidied up my farm, bought ceramic dishes, traditional wooden daybeds (tapchans) and mattresses,» recalls Rustam.

How a Family Grows Figs and Builds Mahalla’s Future

Figs are a demanding crop that need constant care: the soil must be loosened, unwanted shoots removed, branches pruned and trees watered regularly. It is heavy work, and Rustam is supported by his entire family — sons, daughters-in-law and grown-up grandchildren. His wife Khadicha is in charge of the farm’s finances and household records.

Today Rustam’s orchard is one of 27 agritourism sites in Uzbekistan. The authorities plan to develop another 135 rural areas to create jobs in regions where unemployment is felt most acutely.

The Travel Uzbekistan programme is also helping to promote domestic tourism. To make it work, the government has introduced tax breaks for guesthouses, cafés and other venues catering to visitors.

Every year 200 bn soums ($16 mln) will be allocated for the development of mahallas. Entrepreneurs will also be able to take preferential loans for the construction or renovation of tourist facilities.

Guesthouse, Teahouse and Masterclasses

Uzbekistan’s fig tourism season is short, and Rustam-aka has decided to change that. In greenhouses he planted seven new varieties imported from Turkey, China and Italy, and this year he harvested the first crop. Thanks to the greenhouses, tourists will be able to enjoy fresh figs until December.

Most guests come from regions where figs do not grow, though many Russian tourists also visit. For now the harvest is not enough, so Rustam plans to cultivate more productive varieties.

He believes that to keep attracting visitors, the mahalla needs guesthouses, built in traditional style but offering modern comforts.

Rustam himself dreams of opening such a guesthouse with carved balconies and an inner courtyard. For this, he needs a 1,000-square-metre plot (about a quarter of an acre) outside the orchard so as not to disturb the centuries-old trees. He has repeatedly asked the authorities for land but without success.

His plans also include a teahouse where tourists can relax and sample local dishes, as well as workshops on greenhouse fig growing. With these initiatives, Rustam hopes not only to extend the fig tourism season but also to make the mahalla more appealing to visitors.

Rustam knows the mahalla’s future does not rest on him alone. He is counting on the next generation to take his work forward and find modern solutions.

«I rely on my sons, who see this business with fresh eyes. There are opportunities here: it’s affordable, natural and eco-friendly. But we must think about what else can be developed in the fig business,» says Rustam-aka.

In this way, the farmer ties his family’s future to the mahalla’s development and believes that figs will become not only a symbol but also the foundation of the region’s prosperity.

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