Photos -- Silk Road and Central Asia (the 'Stans)
 

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In late May, I traveled into Almaty (Kazakhstan) and then traveled overland into Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to end in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. I would be happy to answer any questions about this particularly interesting, but less traveled, part of the world. I only encountered sizable groups of otehr tourists in Samarkand and Bukhara.

Michael: here I am wasting my last few minutes at work poppnig over to a forum I never use only to see your title --I knew it had to be you since you mentioned your "'stans" trip on the Africa board. So I had to look.

Anyway, great pics, so much beauty and art in the buildings. Your trips are always seem particularly unusual--were you adventurous enough to try any of the meat on the skulls (are they cow or horse?) you photographed?

Out of curiosity, how did you do the planning for these trips--on your own or through agents or contacts?

Thanks for sharing!

For this trip, I worked with an agent, which is rare for me. I worked with Mir Corporation, based in Seattle, and while I largely designed the itinerary, they made some suggestions and booked all lodging and transport, which was key -- I never would have been able to manage this trip, especially the border crossings, as efficiently by myself.

While the food was great, I didn't eat any of the heads (I found them in the various markets, and I ate all my meals in restaurants, so I never went grocery shopping).

Thanks for the pix - Samarkand & Bukhara look as beautiful as I would expect, but I loved the license plates! I guess nothing much has changed since Turkmenbashi died, since his statues are still there?

Glad to hear the food was good - Lonely Planet makes it sound pretty grim. And what kind of border problems did you have? I've been considering doing Central Asia at least partly on my own, sounds like you wouldn't recommend that. Did you contact any local agents, or just MIR? Thanks.

I worked only with MIR, and they contacted local agents (all of whom were great). The only tricky border is the land crossing between Bukhara and Turkmenistan. It took around 90 minutes or so, and that was with preferential treatment -- they were very happy to have a tourist. But the Uzbeki guards went through my luggage. After leaving Uzbekistan, its about 2km to the Turkmen border post, and it was very hot. Fortunately, an old jalopy/taxi picked me up, and drove me the 2km; otherwise, I would have had to walk.

The other borders (Kazakh/Kyrgyz and Uzbek/Tajik) were no different than other overland borders.

From what I was told, though, 90 minutes to make it through the border is quick -- the Iranian truck drivers wait 2 to 3 DAYS to cross.

Michael

I enjoyed your photos. Thanks for sharing. I think I was reading about a trip you took to Dubai and surroundings. Do I have the same person?

Lead me to your trip report if you have one anywhere. Thanks.

I did post photos from a trip to Dubai, Oman and Bahrain.

I didn't do a trip report for this trip because I don't think there's a lot of interest, but I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Some questions re your Stans trip.

How long were you gone? What were the highlights that you would recommend-the not to be missed? Which is the least interesting-could be skipped. Did Mir chose all your accommadations or did you chose and they arrange? What was the appeal of these destinations to you? As you traveled, did you have any flexibility to stay longer somewhere or skip or otherwise modify as you went along (my problem with 'tours'!) How long did you stay in each place and would you change that any?
Thanks.

Wonderful photo journal. It brought back many memories. I am a tea exporter and visited the region in 1993 with an official trade delegation from Sri Lanka. This was in the early days after the break up of the Soviet Union and things were very difficult then. We arrived Tashkent by plane and then we did Samarkand and a long road journey from Tasknet via Khyrgistan to Almaty. Is that first picture of yours the Hotel Kazakstan in Almaty? I remember seeing wild horses along the route. The islamic art and mosaic works were stunning and you have recorded it really well. The landscapes also were exhilarating.

Thanks for the answer. I don't mind (too much) having my luggage searched, and I can cope with waiting (although I'd rather do it on a train), but I have problems dealing with a need to bribe the guards.

I notice you went to Merv - did you think it was worthwhile, or was it just too ruinous? Like wintersp, I'd be interested in hearing about the places you slept, and also any stand-out place to eat.

It looked like you didn't spend much time up in the mountains. Any special reason?

To answer some of your questions (and note, I was not on a traditional tour with other guests, but traveled by myself, with separate car, driver and guide in each country.

How long were you gone? About two weeks

What were the highlights that you would recommend-the not to be missed? Uzbekistan, especially Bukhara and Samarkand, are obvious highlight

Which is the least interesting-could be skipped. Frankly, I was underwhelmed by Merv, a UNESCO site in Turkmenistan (but I found Ashgabat very interesting, so I wouldn't completely skip Turkmenistan)

Did Mir chose all your accommadations or did you chose and they arrange? We worked together (I know that I wanted to stay in Sasha & Sons in Bukhara, which is one of MIR's preferred lodgings -- I disagreed with one of their suggestions due to location and they made the change. They will book you wherever you want)

As you traveled, did you have any flexibility to stay longer somewhere or skip or otherwise modify as you went along (my problem with 'tours'!) I was traveling by myself, so I had some flexibility, but all of these countries require visas that specify exit and entry dates, so I did not have the same flexibility as if I had been traveling in Europe

How long did you stay in each place and would you change that any? Only around 1 to 2 days in each place, which I thought was ample (I could have spent more time in Samarkand and Bukhara, both of which are very rewarding)

<<I don't mind (too much) having my luggage searched, and I can cope with waiting (although I'd rather do it on a train), but I have problems dealing with a need to bribe the guards.>> I was never asked for a bribe, and I also don't mind have my luggage searched. But the inspector was mystified at some everyday items, like contact lenses, which I needed to open and discard to show him what they were, and prescription medicine (which I had to mime swallowing). He was a very young inspector, and it was comical, not intimidating, but it was lengthy.

I notice you went to Merv - did you think it was worthwhile, or was it just too ruinous? Frankly, I was unimpressed with Merv -- its enormous, and you drive from site to site, and there's not much to see.

Like wintersp, I'd be interested in hearing about the places you slept, and also any stand-out place to eat. I stayed mostly at the top places recommended in Lonely Planet (although I refused to stay at a Hyatt or Sheraton -- personal choice, but I prefer a local, non-chain hotel overseas). I also ate at most of the top places recommended in LP.

It looked like you didn't spend much time up in the mountains. Any special reason? Not enough time -- that would be a separate, dedicated trip

Thanks so much thit - there's so little info on Central Asia here. Forgot to ask, how much help did you get from Mir with the visas? How long did it take you to get all five?

MIR referred me to a company in Washington, and they arranged all the visas, but it probably took around two months. During the first month, they obtained three visas, then they sent the passport back since I needed it for another trip, and when I returned I sent it back for the final two visas.

Thanks, Michael, for the information, as well as the photos.
Polly

I am in the process of planning a trip to Uzbekistan with MirCorp, but am having difficulty getting decent airline prices with satisfactory connections. I don't want to spend 10-12 hrs in the Moscow airport. Which airline did you use?

I flew Lufthansa into Almaty and back from Ashgabat, in both cases with only a very short layover in Frankfurt. But, I don't believe they fly into Tashkent. Uzbek's flag carrier flies from New York, with one stop, but that would be your quickest option.

Michael

Wow, thanks for sharing your photos of this mush less traveled part of the world. Facinating!
I especially enjoyed the market photos and the one of the overloaded car.
Tell me, was the camel's milk served cold?

I called Uzbek Air two weeks ago and they did not yet have their schedule for October. I'll try again on Monday.

Turkish Air has good connections, but the flight is almost $4,000 from New York. Both Aeroflot and Delta are about #1,200 but have 10-13 hr layovers in Moscow. Unless Uzbek Air has something satisfactory, we have decided to find another destination. That would be too bad.

I'm sure we spoke to the same agent at Mir who I found not particularly helpful with the air arrangements.

evelyn - have you tried the consolidators? onetravel.com will fly you Delta+Turkish via Istanbul for around $3,000 in Oct. If you're willing to take longer and go via Seoul they'll get it down to $2,685. If you're willing to make two changes instead of one you can get it down to $1,384, but you'd have to fly Aeroflot (but with a shorter layover in Moscow). I'd also look at airtreks.com.

If I were doing this I'd look for the cheapest fare into Istanbul, spend a couple of days there and then fly Turkish to Tashkent, but I have more time than money.

I recently spent a good deal of time in Istanbul so don't want to do that again. I'll see what Mir and Uzbek Air offer tomorrow and if not satisfactory, I'll try the consolidators that you suggested. Many thanks.

I used frequent flyer miles for my Lufthansa trip (it was only 50,000 United Miles into Kazakhstan and back from Turkmenistan -- United counts the Stans as Europe for mileage redemption purposes).

If you can schedule guided tours of different parts of Moscow, you can make good use of those nice layovers -- Uzbekistan is certainly interesting enough to tolerate a lenghty layover. Or you could build an extra day into the Moscow stop -- there's plenty to see.

We are still trying to get information from Uzbek Air.

Michael, I checked you photos and they are wonderful. Other than the mosaics and architecture, what else did you find especially interesting in Uzbekistan?

Also, which hotels did you choose and were you pleased?

In Uzbekistan, I only visited Samarkand and Bukhara, so I only have a very limited basis to form views of Uzbekistan, but the two cities, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are exotic, with beautiful buildings, excellent food, very friendly people and exceedingly safe to wander -- they are a joy to explore, and I wandered all day, stopping for tea and shaslik (shiskabob) from time to time. Unlike more popular European and Asian cities, they were not overrun with tourists (there were a few, but not disruptively so as I encountered most recently in Dubrovnik).

In Samarkand, I stayed at the President (a generally anonymous hotel, reported to be the best in town, and its only a 10-minute walk from the Registan and the center of town). The room and breakfast were OK, but nothing especially remarkable about the hotel. Most of the groups also used the hotel.

In Bukhara, I stayed at Sasha & Sons, which is great -- a lot of charm and sense-of-place. Its a historic building that was coverted into a hotel, and its preserved its character. Its also well located and you can walk everywhere.

So I can book Uzbek Air going but they will not have the schedule for Nov 3 until Sept. How can anyone make plans based on last minute air commitments? I'm losing faith that this trip will happen. Round trip on Uzbek Air would be about $1,200 which is the same as Delta and Aeroflot. Uzbek Air flies direct from NY with a fuel stop in Riga, unlike the 10-12 hour Moscow layover with the other two airlines.

I'm only in the very early planning stage for CA (for about the third time!), but I have the feeling this is the kind of destination for which you have to plan in some slack time, and be willing to go with the flow.

Our trip is looking better. MIR said we could wait until Aug to make final arrangements and get visa, etc. Uzbek Air doesn't fly every day, but it does keep to its schedule and MIR would adjust accordingly. We spoke to a different MIR person this time who seemed to be much more effective and reassuring than the previous one.

Michael, I hesitate to use names but did your contact begin with an A or an M?

J

Micheal and anyone else who has been to Central Asia

I'm just beginning to plan a trip to Central Asia for this Spring. We tried to go a few years ago but the whole thing was scuppered by SARS. Turkmenistan wouldn't issue a visa, apparently because I was a danger coming from California!

Anyway the whole thing looks like it might be back on as part of a longer itinerary this Spring. We were considering Merv but after looking at the pictures online and thinking about how far we'd have to go I'm thinking of leaving it out.

So the basic question is....beyond Samarkand and Bhukara was there anything you wouldn't have missed? We're planning on 14 days but we could take some more time and make it out to Kyrgystan and Khazakhstan. However the current plan is to focus on Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, Ashgabat, Kunye Urgench, Khiva, Samarkand, Bhukara and Tashkent. Did you make it to the market in Ashgabat or Osh?


Thanks!

PS loved the pictures, especially the liscense plate, very evocative.

welltraveledbrit, for me, Bukhara and Samarkand were the obvious highlights, and I also enjoyed the day trip to Penjikent, Tajikistan, but that involves a Tajik visa and Uzbek double-entry visa. While the ruins at Penjikent were not that exciting, I did enjoy the town's photogenic market.

I did visit the market outside Ashgabat (my link includes several photos), which is also very photogenic, with a large section devoted to animals (especially camels and oxen), but I did not make it to Osh (although I did visit the main market in Bishkek, which is named Osh Bazaar).

I also found Merv underwhelming, but its a good stop on the primary overland route between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Ashgabat is also fascinating, in a sort of insane dictator sort of way.

Thanks so much. We're planning to see the market in Ashgabat I think we'll go north from Ashgabat which means we'll miss Merv but will see Kunye Urgench and cross into Uzbekistan at Khiva.

Was there anything you wished you had brought? Or any other general advice you think would be helpful?

Thanks again, where are you heading next?

I can't think of any helpful items that I neglected to bring, but I travel frequently and very lightly, so I'm (as my mother would say) an "experienced packer." All in all, its a very straightforward trip, and the overland border crossings were, for the most part, simple (the Uzbek/Turkmen border was slow, with a wide no-mans' land in between, but I fortunately was picked up by a shuttle that drove me the 2km from the Uzbek border to the Turkmen border station for around US$2.00 or so).

I just returned from NZ, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands (I just posted photos on the Australia branch) and some upcoming trips include Nicaragua (March); Tahiti and Easter Island (May); Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia (August); and Mexico's Copper Canyon (October). I'm watching the calender so that I can use my frequent flyer miles to book a trip for December to Guan, Palau and the Philippines.

I'm sure you'll like Armenia, the churches are spectacular, particular some of the very out of the way monasteries. It was one of the friendliest places we're been, especially when you get out into the countryside.

The whole post-Soviet decay is quite startling but I'm sure you've seen it elsewhere. particularly in towns where their industrial base seems to have disappeared overnight.

I also enjoyed Nicaragua but I was there a while ago, right before the Sandanistas lost the election, I think it was 1989!

I envy you the Pacific trips, it's an area we haven't seen at all. I look forward to checking out your pictures.

Thanks again

My husband and I just looked at your slide show. Your pictures are beautiful! What kind of camera did you use?
We are considering a trip to the Silk Road in 2011 and are starting to think about how it would be best for us to go. We are considering taking the organized Mir tour to the Five Stans, or using a company called Bestway, who does a similar tour. What made you opt to travel there individually rather than take a tour? The skies looked perfect. What is the average temperature in May? I didn't see people wearing jackets. Did you have guides? If so, did they speak English clearly? We are from the US.

partypoet, I'm from the US, too. I used a Nikon digital camera -- I have upgraded since that trip, and I don't recall the model, but it was a midlevel Nikon SLR.

I travel frequently and independently, at least with respect to more unusual destinations -- that way I am only beholden to my own interests. MIR does a tour to the five 'Stans, and I used that as a base, but then adapted it to my own interests. It was a bit more expensive, but allowed me to go exactly where I wanted when I wanted. All of the guides spoke excellent English.

MIR was excellent.

Weather -- it was very pleasant in May (mostly high 70s to low 80s), but it was more than 100 in Merv, Turkmenistan. While touring Merv, my guide suffered heatstroke and we had to go to a local hospital, where she was treated -- the treatment was cool towels with us fanning her with washcloths.

I have heard wonderful recommendations for a company called Bestway Tours. They have independent guides companies in rather than have one overseer, as Mir does. Has anyone heard anything about the organized Bestway tour, or has anyone gone on the organized Mir tour?

I went to this region twice so far. The first time it was mostly for business, the second time it was for my own personal enjoyment. When I needed to go to Samarkand on business, I booked with East-Site Travel. They took care of the whole deal and their pricing was very good. On the second time around to central asia, I booked a three- week tour with the same agency and it was an amazing trip. I expected the historically-rich monuments and stunning architecture, but was pleasantly suprised by the natural "wilderness" beauty in the less visited countries like Kazakistan. I expected to see great deserts but there are gorgeous wildlife preserves and i even got to go rafting and fishing during the tour. This region is so different that it's exciting and refreshing. My brother wants to go with me next autumn and bring his two pre-teen boys because I told him it would be very educational. I need to return because there is so much to see, and I feel like I am waiting to finish reading a really good book.