Ongoing discussions · Central Asia

Hi, Does anyone know if the travel agency "NOUVINI" in Tashkent still exists??? Or do you have another agency to recommend??? Thanks in advance! Best regards, Jean Pierre

Hi everyone, We’ve got our tickets for Mongolia in August 2027 (yes, booking way ahead saves money...). We’re looking for contacts at a reliable local agency that could help us organize our trip, preferably with a French-speaking contact. First, we’d like to see what’s possible to do in 2 weeks, at what price, knowing we’d like to visit at least the Gobi Desert and Terejii National Park. On one hand, we want to be independent for some things (accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, for example), but have support for the rest (domestic flights, driver, visits, transfers, etc.). If you’ve already traveled with an agency that exceeded your expectations, I’d love to get their details. Thanks a bunch!

The latest travel journal about Turkmenistan dates back to 2019. Here’s a quick update on this vast desert country, which is now a bit easier to visit than before.

This is my first travel journal. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. The country is slowly opening up, but it’s still possible to visit sites where you’ll be completely alone. In five days, I saw two Hongkongers, a few Germans, and a Chilean at the crater, ten Chinese people in a capital bazaar, and that’s it!

It’s possible to visit Turkmenistan from Uzbekistan. The easiest and most economical way is to take a taxi to the border from Bukhara. The trip takes a little over an hour.

Crossing the border takes quite a while because many Turkmen bring back items bought in Uzbekistan to resell in Turkmenistan. For example, diapers, baby products, or beauty products. It took me over 2.5 hours to cross the border. To visit Turkmenistan, it’s mandatory to have a guide and go through a travel agency. British agencies often offer three-, five-, or seven-day trips for over 1,500 or 2,000 €. But if your budget is more limited, you can contact a few Turkmen agencies directly by email, and they’ll make you an offer between 700 and 1,300 € for three to seven days. I took a five-day trip from Turkmenabat in the northeast of the country to Dashoguz in the north. The goal was to visit the main UNESCO-listed sites, including Merv, and archaeological sites like Nisa or Gonur Tepe.

Your guide will also be your driver. They’ll pick you up at the border. The formalities are very long because customs officers have to stamp multiple documents, and obtaining the visa you previously requested from your travel agency requires several checks. But the process goes relatively smoothly, even if each step takes a while.

Once on the other side, the first surprise is the brand-new highway all the way to Turkmenabat. A very long line of trucks stretches for several kilometers on the Turkmen side to cross the border into Uzbekistan. According to my guide, Turkmen trucks transport gas and cotton (though not this season, since the harvest is in September), but they mainly fill up their tanks because fuel is much cheaper in Turkmenistan. A full tank for a car costs about 3 €, which is unbeatable.



From the Farap border post, the goal is to reach the city of Mary, which is home to the UNESCO-listed site of Merv in its suburbs, about thirty kilometers away. This city is known as a foundation by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC under the name Alexandria of Margiana. Several fortresses are visible.



After more than three hours on the road, we have lunch at a Turkish restaurant called Aladdin. Several quotes from the president are visible along the highway, but the road is in good condition, and we move along easily. This will be by far the best road in the country—things will get much worse later.



Roundabouts are particularly interesting because they feature emblems of Turkmen culture, like the dog, a carpet, the Ahal Teke horse, or Muslim symbols, even though the presence of Islamic artifacts is quite limited.

Hi there,

I’m planning a backpacking trip to Kazakhstan with my 8-year-old daughter this summer. She’s used to backpacking trips. I’m brainstorming the sights to see and could really use some advice.

Ideally, I’d like to visit:

8 days in the Almaty region (Charyn, Kolsai, Kaindy, Altyn Emel, etc.) 1 day in Turkestan (mausoleum, caravanserai) (overnight train from Almaty, 16 hours) 1 day in Aktau (overnight train from Turkestan, 35 hours!!) 1 day in Mangystau 1 day in Astana (flight from Aktau) 1 day in Burabay (by train)

The distances are huge, especially between Almaty and Aktau, and Aktau to Astana.

Is the Aktau stop essential, given that the Mangystau desert looks stunning (but the excursion is expensive—300 € for three people), while Aktau itself seems pretty dull (a run-down Soviet city)?

Are Astana and Burabay (which also looks amazing) must-sees?

Is Turkestan worth it if we’ve already seen Uzbekistan and its wonders?

I’m torn between four scenarios:

1. Almaty + train to Astana and return to France from Astana: simple and not too expensive 2. Almaty-Turkestan-Aktau-Astana (train + flight = very expensive!!) 3. Almaty-Aktau-Astana (flights—very, very expensive but fast) 4. Almaty-Turkestan-Aktau and return to France from Aktau, but that means combining two different airlines with two one-way tickets and all the risks that entails...

Right now, only Flyarystan has released tickets for this summer, and the Almaty-Aktau-Astana flights cost nearly 1000 € for three people with luggage (200 € per person round-trip).

For the Almaty region, I could even spend two weeks there—there’s so much to do and see. That’d be a fifth scenario, but I’d really like to take the overnight train and see the capital and the Mangystau desert too.

International flights are operated by Turkish Airlines to Astana and Almaty, but they don’t serve Aktau. Pegasus flies to Aktau but not to Almaty or Astana on the days I’d want.

So, I’m looking for feedback from people who’ve visited Mangystau and Burabay—is it worth investing the time and money in those excursions, or is the Almaty region alone enough for the trip?

Thanks to all the great travel journals I’ve read—they’ve already given me plenty of ideas!

April 5 - Day 1

After as many weeks as I have fingers on my right hand, we're hitting the road again, fully recovered from our pharaonic adventure. Back in France to drop off our daughters (sorry, girls!), this time it's just the two of us, ready to be welcomed by a new destination. They say it offers one of the richest cultural heritages in the world for those willing to put in the effort. It's the land of the ancient Silk Road, where we'll follow a journey steeped in history and discoveries straight out of *One Thousand and One Nights*. A former Soviet bloc region independent only since 1991, we'll be walking in the footsteps of Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, Alexander the Great, Marco Polo...

Another fun fact about this country: it's strictly forbidden to import porn on your phone. True story. The same goes for painkillers! Unless it's about sodomy—though the two don’t seem connected, that’s just how it is. Don’t ask me why! Anyway, I’m getting off track. Here’s the big question: Where do you think we’ve just landed?... To give you a hint, the locals are known for being incredibly welcoming. No sooner said than done—our first taxi driver, proud to transport French travelers, refused to let us pay for the ride. Great vibes for these two weeks ahead. So, any guesses? Uzbekistan!!!

Hi everyone,

I’m in the middle of planning a round-the-world 4x4 trip spread over 2 years, covering around 70 countries. Unfortunately, using a vehicle poses some challenges when it comes to moving between continents (e.g., the Bering Strait). After lots of research, consulting books, maps, and making countless phone calls, I still can’t figure out how to get from Russia to Alaska via the Bering Strait (access via the Road of Bones to Magadan and then continuing above Anadyr).

So, I’m open to any recommendations, tips, or contacts to find out if it’s possible by boat or any other means.

You can also reach me on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Road-trip-42/702124999863774?ref=hl

Thanks for your replies!!

Roadtrip42 -> Traveling the world is possible!

This trip had been on my mind for about fifteen years.

But the discomfort of overnight stays, the difficulty of communication, and the prices of the few car rental options kept making me postpone the project.

And then, everything suddenly fell into place—I told myself, it’s time!

The preparations took longer than usual; the destination is still far from mainstream.

A bit of Kazakhstan? Not in the end.

The south or not the south? Yes, in the end.

Pre-book or go with the flow? Only two stops were a leap into the unknown.

To help me find the ideal route, I made great use of this forum (thanks to everyone for patiently answering my questions!), pored over travel journals and blogs (Christian, Jeff), zoomed in on Google Maps and Yandex, and bought the guide published by OunTravela about this destination (the guide has been updated since).

---/---

You’ve got your passport, international driver’s license, bank cards, and euros?

Off we go to Lyon—just one night left before our early morning flight.

Tomorrow night, we’ll be sleeping in Bishkek! (Steak for my partner’s mischievous nephews...)



You’ll find here a post with some practical information.

And here, the version of the travel journal without comments.

---/---

As a supplement, the route track. Not necessarily ultra-accurate since Google has serious gaps for this destination...

From Bishkek to Karakol:



From Karakol to Kochkor:



From Kochkor to Baetov:



From Baetov to Kara-Köl:



From Kara-Köl to Bishkek:

Hi everyone! Thanks for welcoming me to the forum :)

I’m preparing for a long trip heading to Nepal, with stops along the way depending on my mood, work needs, and the season. I cycle a lot, but this will be my first big touring adventure. I’d like to camp regularly to keep costs down, so I’ll be riding on all kinds of surfaces: smooth and rough roads, main highways and rocky paths to find my camping spots, flat terrain and the occasional steep slopes.

For my bike model, I’m prioritizing durability, versatility, and repairability. From that perspective, I prefer a steel frame and fork with rim brakes since I’m used to them. I’ve narrowed my choices down to four models:

- The VSF Fahrradmanufaktur T-700 LTD (1400 €): steel frame, aluminum fork, hydraulic rim brakes, 28" wheels, 40mm tires, 36 spokes (2 mm), lightweight rear rack (max 20 kg), no front rack included, smallest gear ratio of 0.72, weight of 13.9 kg.

- The VSF Fahrradmanufaktur TX-400 (2200 €): steel frame and fork, hydraulic rim brakes, 26" wheels, 50mm tires, 36 spokes (2.34 mm), front and rear racks included (40+18 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.71, weight of 15.9 kg.

- The Genesis Tour de Fer 30 (2150 €): steel frame and fork, mechanical disc brakes, 28" wheels, 36 spokes, 40mm tires, front and rear racks included (27+10 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.77, weight of 15.9 kg.

- The Rockrider ADTV 900 from Decathlon (1700 €): aluminum frame and fork, mechanical disc brakes, USB port, 28" wheels, 47mm tires, 28 spokes, front and rear racks included (40+20 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.71, weight of 17.1 kg. This is the successor to the Riverside Touring 900, which was a hit.

I’ve got a few questions:

1/ Should I go for 26" or 28" wheels for my trip? 26" wheels seem better for rough terrain, but 28" wheels feel more comfortable on roads. I’ve also read that 26" tires/tubes are easier to find.

2/ Do you recommend a steel frame and fork over aluminum? I’m guessing a high-quality aluminum frame and fork would be better than a low-quality steel one, right?

3/ Regarding the smallest gear ratio, is 0.71 a good number for a loaded bike in the mountains?

4/ Finally, what do you think of these four models for my project? My heart leans toward the TX-400—it seems to combine the versatility and robustness I’m looking for. But the price difference with the T-700 LTD is making me think twice!

Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts!

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Russia and Mongolia, starting from France. Crossing the border at Poland/Belarus or Georgia/Russia—other borders seem either closed or complicated. Tourist visas for 3 months with multiple entries. Do you have any info on Russian companies that cover a 4x4 vehicle for 3 months, and what prices in rubles or euros you’ve paid?

Which bank did you use for expenses? (EuroMastercard and Visa cards no longer work.)

Regarding Russian SIM cards, a new system called "Gosuslugi" has been introduced. How long did it take you to get one, and what steps did you follow?

Thanks