Hi all,
I am in the middle of planning a slightly convoluted route from Oz to Edinburgh via the Stan’s. Now if my plane is flying through I am thinking good opportunity to tack on some travel in a region I have not yet been.
I have a bunch of ideas about what I want to see and do but the getting around seems a bit tricky. It’s mostly the Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan bit that’s got me stumped at the moment.
Anyone got any good tips?
I would suggest seeing what tour groups visit. Here is one in the Stans, for example. The tours probably cover the highlights, so you can get tips by checking their itineraries. Central Asia Five Stans Express Tour - 24 Days | Intrepid Travel US
I applied for a sit in Kyrgyzstan. lovely kitties. The HO warned me about the difficulty in transport. I had checked Turkish Airways flights, which didn’t look too bad but I then did a bit more research and withdrew my application. Things had already started to look a bit uncertain on the geopolitical front and not having any sort of diplomatic representation there scared me away.
It seems there is more tourist activity and transport options in summer but still worth checking beforehand.
Thanks @Lassie , I’m trying to avoid a tour if I can, usually too fast paced and expensive. I just figured there might be some intrepid independent travellers here that had done it. I’m a big believer in the power of forums. Starting to find some stuff on Tripadvisor, but it’s all country by country so it’s putting it together. Planning is part of the fun.
@Cathie I haven’t myself but a good friend has not long ago. I also planned on doing it two years ago and spent many hours researching but the logistics were just way too hard, and I have no fear of anything. I always travel solo and have been to some very off the map places over a period of 15 years, the past six years full-time. But the distances in between in the Stans, the shortage of transport, border issues in particular Turkmenistan (entry requires a mandatory guided tour, a letter of invitation and strict visa regulations, with independent travel prohibited). Also a lot of the places to visit in the Stans require additional travel off road and isolated so it’s not that easy unless you wanted to just hit the capitals etc but you would still need to do day tours to the remote areas. I absolutely hate tours also but I ended up doing one through the Balkans and it was the best decision I could have made. No way on earth could I have seen and done what I did had I done it solo. The remoteness, the border issues etc, the places we visited, cost alone would have been exhorbitant planning it solo. Wasn’t a big group either, mainly Aussies and Americans which made for pleasant social interaction when needed. Group was like 20 people. If you look at companies like Intrepid or G Adventures, their groups usually max out at 15 but rarely go above 6 or 8 so not exactly a big bus tour. Then you get to see everything with half the stress and expense. They used to be for the younger generation but now most of their tours are much older travellers. I still travel solo but after doing the research, I wouldn’t even consider doing the 5 Stans solo, financially and logistically outweighs reality, but that’s just my opinion. Read heaps of other travellers thoughts on it who have done it and unless you have a lot of time, money and patience it is generally not recommended. Again, just my thoughts as a very independent, strong willed traveller
@Cathie I have traveled (independently)extensively in the Stans. We did Shanghai to Istanbul via Tibet, the Stans and Iran a while back. I also have a student in my latest course that has just planned 72 days in that area. What exactly do you need to know?
@cathie I also have a free AI tool I can send over that might help.
There’s a lady called Patricia Pasquini that runs the Digital Nomad over 50 group on FB. She’s a big fan of the Stans and has been to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan and Azerbaijan recently and raved about all. Super well travelled and has lived in tonnes of interesting places. We’d love to visit them too. She’d be worth connecting with. Let me know if you need linking up with her. #smallworld
Random fact @ziggy - you’re only allowed to own a white car in Turkmenistan. No other colour 
We have lots of workers from there here in Kalkan, such a smiley people. #randomfactoftheday
@Cuttlefish we were in Azerbaijan too last year. (And Armenia and Georgia) Had a fabulous time.
@Cuttlefish yes, my friend showed me all the photos, quite amazing. Also the not having signs on storefronts or open doors so you never know where to go. All quite a weird place but rather exciting to see something so out of the box.
Ok you lot, I take back ALL my previous comments 
My hubby was born in Kars on the Georgian border 
We loved Georgia & the people. An Armenian sit popped up for the first time the other day on here but we were busy. Will definitely contact you when we make a Stan Plan if that’s okay? #stanplanning
Georgia remains my most favourite country visited yet, still think of it every day and I could easily live there if I wasn’t nearly ready to be buried six foot under
And we’d be neighbours so there’s that too #georgiangirl
@Cuttlefish for sure.
Not if you transit. But you have only 3 days to do it. Or so it was at the beginning of 21. In fact, I was on my way there, starting in Georgia and then continuing East through every Stan country. But got stuck in Georgia due to covid. Later on, I did Armenia and Azerbaijan. Planning to do the rest this fall. (Too hot in the summer)
@august I could be wrong, I am only going by what my friend had to do who was there recently and had to do as this states below. She had to organise this before travelling there. @Brightlight was this the case for you have things changed since your visit?
Just checked … according to AI
Key Transit Information:
Maybe the best option for facts is through a Govt agency like this one from the UK Govt.
