We want to visit Samarkand. Bukhara and Khiva (starting from Taskent) in August and to save hassles (visas, transport, speak only English) we are tempted to book a tour company. ( Has anyone had experience of Advantour? Do they provide a good deal? Any alternative suggestions? Is it better to travel to Samarkand by train rather than by road?
1
ainsan
In case of traveling in Uzbekistan you are to stay in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva at usual places where all the foreigners stay and you are to eat at the well know restaurants and cafes where all the foreigners eat. Local guides and drivers are working with all the local and foreign travel agents. To say the truth it doesn't matter what the travel agency to choose. The difference is only in the way how your money will come to that well know places and people (for example for German speakers - Furkhad in Samarkand or Mother of Marina Alloyarova in Khiva, in Bukhara - Galina etc). From this point of view I can't see any real difference between Advantour, Orexa, Asia Travel / Travel Asia, Uzbektourism or Tourismuzbek etc/cte. Some of them charge more for their reservation duties, some of them charge less but the difference is not so big.
To arrange a tour in Uzbekistan it is a very easy task (just to book hotels, guides and cars in time over-phone or through E-mail) and Uzbeks are not drinking Vodka actually they are some kind of local Japanese in CA, therefore any failures could hardly ever happen.
If you still can't make your choice among Uzbeks, then try Stantours. Actually any Russian speaking person having Internet connection and LP guide book can substitute any Uzbek travel agency with 100% success (I'm considering ordinary SS tours).
In your case dare give you advice - take fast trains Registan or Shark to Samarkand, the road is boring if you go by car. Too long way (350 km - since Kazakhs closed the shorter 270 km road across Kazakh territory) and 11 traffic police check-points !!!!!!!!!!!. But sometimes to go by car is better. It depends on what you would like to do on the way. To say the truth mixing with traffic police 11 times and to drive 350 km - 8 hours it is also some kind of really intersting cultural adventure / clash of civilizations 11 times one by one. I did it many times since 1989 just for fun (from Almaty to Samarkand 1200 km and at Soviet Time it was 10 hours way by car, now 2 days at least).
Package of tickets booked through any CA travel agent:
Two tickets SV ( 2 berth compartment) Tashkent - Bukhara
Two tickets SV ( 2 berth compartment) Bukhara - Samarkand
Two tickets Samarkand - Tashkent (4 berth compartment)
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Costs 150 USD in average. Direct price of Uzb R/W is much cheaper of course but I myself, for example, would pay and book in advance nevertheless.
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