Tips & Hints - Central Asia Travel Information

General expectations

You will be travelling through some of the most remote locations in the world. We are sure you will enjoy your trip. Depending on the specific itinerary it could be a relatively long trip covering several Stans of Central Asia, sometimes including multiple border crossings, different buses and guides, people of different cultures and languages. The trip will involve some long transfers on the bus and most of roads do not correspond European quality standards. It is a pure once-in-a-lifetime experience, with some exhausting days and mess at borders. Please consider this tour as Adventure and not as European shopping tour.

Safety

Central Asia is generally safe for travelers. Here are some general safety tips for travelers in Central Asia:

Be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking alone at night at outskirts.
Keep valuables hidden and be cautious when carrying money or using ATMs.
Petty theft can occur in tourist areas and public markets/bazaars, so be vigilant.
Research local customs and dress modestly, especially when visiting religious sites.
Learn basic phrases in the local language to help with communication, if there is no tour guide around.
Use reputable transportation and avoid unlicensed taxis.
Be cautious of scams and avoid giving money to beggars.
Obtain necessary travel insurance and vaccinations before your trip.
Follow local laws and regulations to avoid legal trouble.
Trust your instincts and be prepared to leave a situation if you feel unsafe.

Mass document checks are not conducted, but it is advisable to carry an ID with you. Street crime in the region is kept to a minimum - you can move around the city late at night completely safely. You can ask law enforcement officers for directions - most of them know the city well.

Visas

Entry visas are required for all foreigners wishing to visit Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are visa free to all EU and many other states. Tajikistan visa is required for UK citizens, Uzbekistan visa is required for US citizens under 55 y.o. Please check a proper visa regime for your citizenship. If required, visa agency can assist you with the process of obtaining visas. Please be advised that your passport must have at least 6 months’ validity left.

Insurance

We strongly encourage all customers to take a copy of their travel insurance documents (especially relevant international contact numbers) with them while on tour. We advise that you check the inclusions and procedures for lodging claims prior to your departure. These documents should be stored separately from the originals.

We will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

Eating in Central Asia

Central Asian cuisine is diverse and flavorsome with a legacy stretching back thousands of years. It is important to keep an open mind and be adventurous.

In Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the cuisine is influenced by Middle Eastern and Turkic (or Mediterranean) dishes – yoghurts, dried fruit, legumes, fruit vinegars, or mild spices like cumin season the common dishes such as lagman (handmade noodles), shashlyk (kebabs), naan (flat bread) and plov (rice pilaf dish). Beef, mutton and chicken are the only meats available in most areas and feature in most dishes. Local breakfast dishes include naan and airan (like sour cream), savoury noodles with vinegar and green tea. You may also be served a fried egg, jam, honey or toast. Black tea and coffee can usually be requested.

Rural restaurants in this region are not generally accustomed to serving many western tourists, however by default tend to ‘spice down’ the dishes, due to the tourists they do service coming from Europe. The food is always local in style and derives from what is in season and harvested locally. Vegetarian alternatives are usually limited by grilled vegetables and meet-free soups. There are always plenty of salads, vegetables and bread offered at most meals.

Drinking alcohol is acceptable. Water is safe to use but only bottled water is recommended for drinking.

Hygiene

Hand sanitizers should be used before each meal + hand wash with soap. Different water and food may cause diarrhea. It is highly recommended to bring a snack from home: a few cans of meat, dry meat etc. Something clients’ stomachs are used to and what can be stored in hot weather. Avoid salads, mayonnaise, vegetable soups etc. The safest food is national cuisine: flat bread, kebab, soup with potatoes and meat. Ask your guide for safest food. Avoid street food no matter how attractive it looks (except local flat bread). At small cafes or restaurants order national cuisine - lamb, beef or chicken. For fish only trout is recommended as it is usually local. Pork is not served.

Although tap water is chlorinated, all water should be considered potentially unsuitable for consumption. All water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should be boiled first. Milk is usually pasteurized and safe to consume. Meat and fish should only be consumed after cooking, preferably hot. Vegetables should be thoroughly washed and pre-treated, and fruits should be peeled.

Climate

Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan. As the climate is very hot and dry, it is also necessary to take certain measures against dehydration, especially from April to October. It is recommended to carry sunscreen, light and loose clothing made of fine natural fibers, wide-brimmed hats and insect repellents. Particular attention should be paid to footwear - the soles should be thick and reliable to withstand the often simply scorching ground, and the upper should be well ventilated. Do not forget about solar radiation and be sure to have sunglasses and creams with you, since insolation in Central Asia is very high, even radiation reflected from the sand carries a fair share of ultraviolet. If you decide to spend an active holiday in the desert regions of Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan, remember that there are many dangerous arthropods there, so you should go outside the camp or parking lot, especially at night, only accompanied by a guide.

Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are more mountainous and temperatures are more favorable during most of the travel season.

Up to the minute information on worldwide weather can be found on www.weather.com

Accommodation

Your accommodation has been selected for the convenience of location, comfort or character, and can range from a standard hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. In remote areas, accommodation may be of a lower standard and may not have all western amenities. Please note that there is no international classification system for hotels and differences in facilities and quality do exist. Rest assured that all hotels used by are regularly inspected by our staff and our partners to ensure that standards meet your needs. Please note double bed requests can be made at time of booking but cannot be guaranteed. Clients should be ready for low level accommodation in Tajikistan along the Pamir Highway, shared toilets (sometimes squat toilets) and bathrooms.

Other types of accommodation you may encounter:

Local home stay. These provide basic yet comfortable accommodation in actual local homes, so group members may be staying in several different houses near each other. As these are people’s real homes, the accommodation and facilities may vary between houses, generally each couple/single person will be accommodated in their own room. Dinner is served as a group in one of the larger houses and breakfast is generally served in the house you are staying at.

Guesthouse. These provide basic yet comfortable rooms in a small guesthouse. Every couple/single person will have their own room, western toilets and showers are shared, similar to a hostel. Breakfast and dinner is served in the restaurant.

Yurt stay. Yurts are decorated in national style with many carpets and have comfortable beds. In the yurts there is electricity through generators, drinking water is taken from the well, shared shower or small sauna are available. Shared toilets and sinks are outside. Standard accommodation at a yurt camp is 4 pax per yurt. Single accommodation in case of group tour is usually not provided. Overnight in a yurt is a great experience to get acquainted with a quiet life of local semi-nomadic families and participate in their daily activities. At cold night the yurts are heated by wood/dung stoves.

Transport

Coaches: Coaches with air conditioning are used on our group tours for city sightseeing, short excursions to the countryside and longer transfers where necessary. Main and inner-city roads in Central Asia have a reputation for being very congested. For this reason, it may not always be possible to return to your hotel after sightseeing to freshen up before going to the restaurant for dinner. Roads in Central Asia have generally been improved over recent years, but traffic and/or weather conditions may extend driving times. Road construction work usually covers an enormous section of road - not just one or two kilometers as you may be used to. For this reason, the timings listed in the sections below are approximations only.

Planes: Internal flights are based on economy class, with reputable airlines. Pre-seat flight allocation is not available.

Souvenirs

We want to be able to give you an opportunity to buy souvenirs; so in a selection of cities, we will visit workshops or factories which demonstrate a craft or product unique to that region with pieces available to buy. We understand that souvenir hunting is not for everyone, so we aim to take you to places which hold local interest. We trust you will enjoy these opportunities to learn about local arts and crafts and understand their historical and cultural importance.

Dress Code

Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan are not so Islamized as other Muslim countries and are more loyal and less strict about dress codes. Female tourists will not have to cover their heads with headscarves. There are no separate public spaces for men and women, as in Iran, and there is no discrimination. In short, women are quite comfortable traveling in Central Asia.

If you come to Central Asia during the hot season, then preference should be given to clothes made of light natural fabrics - linen, cotton or silk. Light sandals for your feet. A hat is a must - a light panama hat or kerchief. In autumn and spring - as well as in summer, if you are planning a trip to the mountains or the desert - you need to have a couple of light but warm clothes - a sweater and a jacket. In Central Asia, there are no legal restrictions on clothing, and everyone has long been accustomed to foreigners in very short shorts and open T-shirts, but you should still follow the rules of common sense. Too open clothing will not save you from the heat, and will cause a lot of trouble. Because even a five-minute stay in the open sun, in a taxi or on parapets, if you are not protected by a deep tan, can cause a burn that you will notice only in the evening. Loose cotton clothing that covers your legs to the knees and shoulders is best suited. When visiting religious sites – temples, mosques and madrassas – women are advised to cover their heads and bare shoulders with a light scarf.

Photos

Take as many as you would like, tell your tour guide if you would like to make a stop. At streets please ask a permission first before making a picture of people.

Electricity

220 European plug. Bring your own power adapters. Same standard in all Stans.

Medicine and treatment

What medicine to prepare? Nothing special - bring your personal medicines, a guide will have a med kit with a lot of things, drug stores are also available at all locations.

The region has an extensive network of public hospitals and private healthcare facilities. In rural areas, there is an extensive network of first aid posts and mobile clinics, but their resources are clearly limited. There is some shortage of essential medications, so in case of chronic diseases, all necessary medications should be taken with you. Services of public clinics are free, but there is no national health insurance system. In many clinics and hospitals, you will have to pay for treatment and medications. Private clinics accept cash, but here, as in the markets, you can bargain. In case of chronic diseases, it is necessary to have a set of necessary medications with you, certified by a prescription with the signature and seal of the attending physician.

Data card

Sim cards with unlimited plan will cost about 10 USD in each country. Passport is required to buy it. WIFI will be available at all hotels and most restaurants. Please check the roaming plan of your home operator - sometimes it is cheaper and definitely easier. WIFI is available on some coaches - check with your tour guide.

Tipping Policy

Local tipping is customary in Asia but in general is expected by all service staff. Tipping depends on the quality and satisfaction of provided services. Tipping is usually 5 USD per client per day for guide and same for driver.

Can we use a debit or credit card?

Yes, at most locations. ATMs are also available.

Money Exchange and Exchange Rate

In Central Asia the US Dollar and Euro are still the easiest currencies to exchange. You should be able to use credit cards at most hotels and department stores. In smaller towns, you will find banking facilities less reliable and may encounter staff that refuse to deal with a currency they are unfamiliar with.

Personal Expenses & Optional Tours

Personal Expense - You will need to take some extra money to cover drinks, laundry and souvenirs, plus any additional sightseeing that may be offered to you. Please pay attention to the list of included and not included meals in your tour package. In general, you should count on 10-12 USD per meal in rural areas and 15-20 USD per meal in capitals.

Optional Tours - May be offered in each city you visit during your tour. These are not included in the standard itinerary and will only be available if time permits and if seats are available. Please ensure you have additional funds available if you feel you may wish to participate in any extra activities. Each option will be arranged locally by your guide, participation and tipping for optional excursions is completely at your discretion.

Climbing Steps

Sightseeing at nearly all of the palaces, fortresses and some temples involves climbing quite a number of steps. These palaces were built to provide defense against potential invaders so nearly all of them stand on top of a hill, while the interiors have layers of narrow hallways and steps to slow down the advance of enemies once they were inside. The steps tend to be quite large, not level and sometimes without handrails. Mosques and Madrassas also tend to be built at an elevation, as this is the most auspicious position according to ancient beliefs. This means you sometimes need to walk from the bus park to the entrance, and/or need to climb some steps inside.

People with knee or hip injuries, who have poor balance or are otherwise unable to complete these activities independently should consider the suitability of this itinerary carefully.