25 days in Central Asia

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metraveladvice
metraveladvice

Hi all - would be great to get a bit of up-to-date advice from recent travelers to the region, as it appears I've seen conflicting stuff online (including at the great Central Asia resource Caravanistan), especailly concerning visas! I have around 25 days and would love to do each of the ex-Soviet Stans, though I think I'll skip Tajikistan to make it (only marginally!) a bit more relaxed. I am currently thinking ~8 days Kazakhstan (entering overland from Russia), ~6 days Kyrgyzstan, ~8 days Uzbekistan, ~3 days Turkmenistan (leaving overland to Iran). Does this sound reasonable?

I am currently on a RTW trip and plan on coming into Central Asia via the Trans-Siberian Railway. As a UK citizen, I believe I am ok to enter Kazakhstan under the recently relaxed tourist visa rules for several countries - the plan is to come in on the train/bus from Omsk/Novosibirsk to Astana - would like to spend a few nights here before moving down to Almaty to visit friends (and maybe do a day trip to Shymbulak). 2 nights Astana, 1 night travel, 4-5 nights Almaty, then travel to Kyrgyzstan (whilst here, we would try and pick up Uzbekistan visas ... 4-5 days sound possible for this?).

Any advice? Am I glaringly missing something for a short itinerary such as 7-8 days?

The plan, unless advice is better!, is to go to Kyrgyzstan for 5-6 days. I'd like to see** Issyk Kul** and head there straight from Almaty, but I have read on this forum (albeit in 2008) that foreigners can't get passports stamped at the Pereval Ozernyy border ... anyone know if this is true? After 2 nights at Issyk Kul (I guess Cholpon Ata??), the plan would be to visit Bishkek for 2 nights. From there, I could definitely do with some advice! It appears that the best way into Tashkent is via Shymkent ... anyone know if the KZ visa waiver passport holders can re-enter the country under the same programme, even if it's only for a day? If not, can anyone suggest any alternatives to get to Uzbekistan?

Whilst in Tashkent, we'd love to have a go at applying for a Turkmenistan transit visa ... so I suppose we'd get that out of the way early and then need to return to Tashkent to, hopefully, pick up a passport with a visa in it! So perhaps 2 nights in Tashkent, 2 nights in Samarkand/Shakhrisabz, before looping back to Tashkent (which I believe takes around 4-7 hours, depending on transport mode) to try and get visa. Anyone only had to wait 4-5 days for a Turkmenistan transit visa in Tashkent? Suppose, if not, I would extend Uzbekistan trip into the Ferghana Valley. From here, the plan would be to go to Turkmenistan ...

I have read some conflicting things about the transit visa for Turkmenistan - hopefully some recent travelers can clear it up! If I get the visa, I'd love to see Ashgabat and, ideally, have a night at the gas crater ... but I understand that there may be a strict route you cannot go off, if you have a transit visa (ruling out the gas crater?). Ideally, it would be fly from Turkmenabat to Ashgabat, where I'd spend a night. Then spend a night at the gas crater, before another night back in Ashgabat. Then heading off to Iran, via the Bajgiran border. Plausible?

Thanks for reading, if you got this far! Any advice on any leg would be appreciated...it's a bit whistlestop, 25 days, but seeing a little bit of everywhere would be nice!

Thanks!

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diegou
diegou

I can provide limited insight since I will be travelling in a couple of weeks, but I can tell you what I intend to do, since I am going for a 23-day trip in TM, UZ, KG and Almaty :).

  • I'm crossing the TM-UZ border at Nukus-Hojeli. This makes the Darvaza gas crater on the way to Ashgabat. That allows me to visit Bukhara and Khiva, but of course it would be very bad if you need to pass through Tashkent twice to collect visas :/
  • I'm not risking it with a transit visa for TM and going for a tourist visa with an agency (Travelnotoria), even if it will just be a 3-day trip. They asked for a LOI for me, and with it I am picking up my visa at the airport (fingers crossed).
  • To travel from Tashkent to Bishkek (I am going in the opposite order to you), I am doing Tashkent - Osh by shared taxi, then Osh - Bishkek by plane (~$20, bookable online). For the first leg, I also contemplated doing Tashkent - Andijon by plane then Andijon - Osh by shared taxi, given that internal flights are so affordable.

Have a good trip!
Diego

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mvbergen
mvbergen

For a Turkmen transit visa, you need to show the visa for the next country, currently Iran but, as British, you need to have a guide or a tour because the DIY is not allowed.
It's important to have it before going to the embassy of Turkmenistan.
Your travel is more a road trip than a travel where you can visit (more) properly but it's your choice.

Michel

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metraveladvice
metraveladvice
In response to #1

Hey Diego, thanks for the input! Let me know how it goes! That sounds promising, re: Tashkent-Osh-Osh-Bishkek, rather than going through Shymkent...I'll keep that in mind.

Would love to hear how your Turkmenistan experience goes as well!

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metraveladvice
metraveladvice
In response to #2

For a Turkmen transit visa, you need to show the visa for the next country, currently Iran but, as British, you need to have a guide or a tour because the DIY is not allowed.
It's important to have it before going to the embassy of Turkmenistan.
Your travel is more a road trip than a travel where you can visit (more) properly but it's your choice.

Michel

Yep, this is more of a roadtrip as the rest of the trip will be more travel, including Iran where I'd be spending a month or so. I've read online that the Iran tour for UK citizen is not like North Korea per se, but more of an expensive hoop you have to jump through in order to get in the country (like the bribe I had to pay last time I visited!) ... so I'm sure I'll have to pay for the tour but it will be DIY once in Iran. Unless you're aware of any recent cases where this wasn't the case, mvbergen? Thanks for your input.

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mvbergen
mvbergen

You can deal with an agency or a guide to book a "tour" for few days and stay (much) more on your own. The "issue" is the visa but the DIY is possible when the visa is issued.
I can't say more because as Belgian I was able to go there on my own.

Michel

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