joaopdx

Hello all-

I am planning a trip to Central Asia LATE SPRING/SUMMER 2020. I need to hire a tour for the portion in TURKMENISTAN and the ARAL SEA (UZ side). Let me know if you would like to join in case you have plans for the same time. You can join me for one of the tours or both. From there I will keep going along the major sites in Uzbekistan until Tashkent. Happy to share more places too, but for the remaining portion, we do not need a tour.

LAX_Esq

Just a FYI: You don't need a tour for the Aral Sea in UZ. You'd probably ought to hire a private driver for a day trip there, though.

joaopdx

Yes, you are correct, but it seems better having a driver+tour guide already planned ahead.
Thank you for the reply.

LAX_Esq

Yep, definitely better to arrange something in advance for the Aral Sea. When I said you don't need a tour, I meant that you don't need a package tour. Unless you want a licensed guide, a good driver who speaks basic English will do the job. There's not so much to explain at the Aral sea.

I'd recommend Ali as a driver to the Aral Sea if he's still around -- see my write up of him in here: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...an-trip-report .

Here's a rec for my tour company in Turkmenistan -- https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...travel-notoria . I've read that it's much more difficult to get a visa now than 5 years ago, so YMMV.

joaopdx

It makes sense, as long as the driver knows the major sites and camping places, it should work.
Your help is great, I will check it right now and probably contact the driver.
For TURKMENISTAN, from what I have being reading lately it is more difficult for the transit visa. For the tourist visa, as long as you apply with a tour company, it should be fine. They do not like to grant transit visas, mainly because they know people uses as a way around the regular process, to go there using a 'short cut'.
Thank you again and will take a look on your info.