night temperature in the desert (darwaza/urgench)

Hi,

Were doing an overlanding trip through Turkmenistand and Uzbekistan in July and our itinerary includes several nights wild camping near Darwaza and Urgench. Were trying to plan what clothing and kit we need and I cant seem to find any info on the temperature at night. Appreciate its desert so will obviously be cooler than the 32 degrees C plus that seems average for the day, but how much colder? want to make sure we bring warm jumpers/blankets/sleeping bags etc if we will need them but not if totally unnecessary.

Any help much appreciated, google has failed me on this one!

Turkmenbashi->Baku ferry situation

Hi all!
Do somebody know how reliable is the ferry service these days? I am going to travel to Turkmenistan in September/October from Iran to Asgabat, then jump to Turkmenbashi and cross Caspian See to Baku (hope to get a transit visa for this trip).
I wouldn't have so much time for that iteratory, so need to make sure that the Turkmenbashi->Baku part, will take no more than 3 days. Is it possible? If not, what would you suggest instead?

Thanks & Best Regards
Maciek

budget tour operators?

Hello,
As anyone who has looked into a trip to Turkmenistan will know, the visa situation is not very advantageous.
As an American citizen, the option of getting a transit visa on to Iran would only bring upon more visa issues, and the other transit options seem pretty impractical. So, the remaining option is a tourist visa requiring the accompaniment of a tour operator.
However, as a budget traveler, I have not found any tour that is within a reasonable price range. Most of the tours offered online or the email responses I have seen are offering tours in the neighborhood of 220-250 dollars per day. (of course, being a lone traveler does not improve my price options).
Does anyone know of a tour operator that is willing to do cheaper tours? For example, they could book much cheaper accommodation, even homestays?
OR:
Is anyone interested in around a 10 day travel to Turkmenis... more »

Turkmenistan - Visa Support & Visa Process

Hello,

I am planning a trip to Turkmenistan (in fact I have bought my tickets).

I initiated my visa process and came to know that the Visa Support process for getting a tourist visa is very tough and there is a high probability of rejection.

Can folks please share their visa success experience? Which travel/tour company did you use?

Some tour companies are suggesting that I apply for a transit visa. However, I am flying directly into Ashgabat via Istanbul and fly out the same route. Hence, technically my trip is not a transit trip. I am not sure if I can get cheeky with a transit visa.

My trip is very short and is only 5 days long,

Will be very helpful if I can get to know some guidelines that can help me avoid getting rejected for the visa support letter.

Thanks!
Sharad Y

Cycling central asia: transit visa turkmenistan application

Hi there,
I will soon be cycling across Turkmenistan from Uzebkistan to Iran with a friend. We are already half way across China and would like to get our Turkmenistan visa application underway to save time. We have already obtained Uzbek and Iranian visas.

Is it possible to apply by mail in Beijing or perhaps another embassy, sending all the relevant copies of documents by mail and then picking up the visa in Tashkent?

If not, can we start the process in Tashkent and pick up in another town closer to the border or perhaps at the border?

I know this is all a little bit complicated but we're on a tight schedule and would love to avoid the 5 days wait in Tashkent. At worst, is it possible to expedite the application in Tashkent for a fee?

Thanks for any help with this!

Getting Turkmen Visa At Tashkent @ Dushanbe

I will be visiting Central Asia starting 22nd May. I shall start in Tashkent, then to Almaty - Bishkek - entering Tajik - reenter Uzbekistan, and I want to enter Turkmenistan via Farab border. There is no Turkmen embassy in my country (Malaysia), and it seems that the only place for me to get Turkmen visa is either at Tashkent or Dushanbe. I hv emailed Turkmen Embassy in Tashkent and Dushanbe, but they didnt reply. Has anyone get their Turkmen visa at either these places? I need infos on:
1. Can I apply for a transit visa when I am entering Turkmen from Uzbek, and after that reenter Uzbek again? Getting a tourist visa is expensive bcos of the LOI (I hv asked Stantours about this), and I need to hv a guide to visit Turkmen.
2. How much is the visa fee and how many days needed to process it (in Tashkent @ Dushanbe)?
3. What are the requirements?
4. Do I need to leave my passport at... more »

Travel Report – Turkmenistan July 2012 €“ Ashgabat, Dashoguz & Turkmenabat

Hey everybody,

I just visited with some friends Central Asia in summer (July 2012) and we visited Turkmenistan for four days. Now I want to take the chance to share my experience with you.

Due to Turkmenistan is not a normal tourist destination; I want to provide some advices for your preparation of your next journey through this really interesting country.

Travel arrangements:

At first, we obtained our visa in the Turkmenistan embassy in Berlin, Germany. The procurement was without hassle; we got a Transit Visa KZ-TM-UZ (Actually we travelled UZ-TM-ZU).

The demand for public transport in Turkmenistan is really high and it necessary to book trains and flights in advance to avoid short notice time wasting arrangements.

Our first stop in Turkmenistan was Turkmenabat and we booked the Hotel Jeyhun in advance via Ayan Travel. The Travel Agent (headquarted in Ashgab... more »