Results for "Istanbul+|+123+>+233"

Salut

Je vais devoir aller en Géorgie pour un stage, et vu le prix du billet d'avion depuis Paris (g trouvé au mieux 900euros)🤪 je cherche un autre moyen...

1) en bateau depuis la Roumanie (Constanta)...mais arriver en Adjarie ou Abkhazie est il possible? Sans payer des droits de seigneuriage exorbitants au roitelet local? (quoique je le crois out depuis un an pour l'Adjarie, mais ça reste pas une zone bien contrôlée par Tbilissi apparemment)

2) en bateau toujours, mais depuis la Turquie (un trajet Istanbul-Bantumi existe non?). Même question pour l'arrivée sur la côte géorgienne

3) en avion, apparemment par Aeroflot, mais arriver en Arménie pose plusieurs questions: il faut un visa? (sachant qu'il se passera 4 mois 1/2 entre mon transit aller et le retour) .Y a t il une sorte de laissez passer? Le coût de cette formalité?... et le coût du trajet jusqu'à Tbilissi, est-ce dangereux pour un Occidental, etc. Le problème de passer du temps à l'aéroport de Moscou ne m'enchante pas mais c'est pas plus grave que ça.

4) autre possibilité, arriver en turquie et longer la côte en car jusqu'en Géorgie...mais j'ai l'impression que ça signifie un passage par l'Adjarie, car après ça m'a l'air bien montagneux... et je vais pas m'amuser à prendre des sentiers de muletiers 😕

Voilà...merci de votre coup de main

Bonjour,

Je cherche des vols le moins chers possibles vers la ville de Bodrum et à partir de Paris, Marseille ou même l'Angleterre. Quelqu'un connait-il de bonnes affaires? Je souhaite partir avec 4 autres personnes le 6 août et revenir le 21. Je souhaiterai aussi louer une voiture pendant mon séjour, une compagnie fiable et bon marché serait appréciée. Merci d'avances pour votre aide!

Bonjour a tous

Je souhaiterais avoir l'avis objectif de personnes qui auraient déjà effectués un circuit organisés en turquie. Nom du circuit : La Turquie à grande vitesse au départ d'Antalya

N'y a t il pas trop de choses prévu au programmes pour 8 jours? 1er jour : France - Antalya 2e jour : Antalya - Konya - Cappadoce 3e jour : Cappadoce 4e jour : Cappadoce - Ankara - Bolu - Istanbul 5e jour : Istanbul - Bandirma 6e jour : Bandirma - Ephèse - Pamukkale ou Denizli 7e jour : Pamukkale ou Denizli - Aphrodisias - Antalya 8e jour : Antalya - France

Quel est l'état des hotels proposés?

Merci de toutes les infos que vous pourrez m'apporter

Bonjour,

Je voudrais visiter la Turquie au mois de mai (et plus particulièrement la Cappadoce) et j’aurais voulu passer par un circuit organisé (type Marmara ou Maxi). Mais je ne sais pas du tout à quoi m’attendre car je ne suis jamais partie en circuit organisé. J’ai peur de passer beaucoup de temps dans le bus, de ne pas avoir assez de temps sur les sites et d’être déçue par l’hébergement…

Si quelqu’un a déjà voyagé en Turquie avec cette formule, pourriez-vous me dire ce que vous en avez pensé…

Merci d’avance

Julie

PS : Exemples de circuit qui m’intéressent : « Turquie féérique », « Merveilles de la Cappadoce », « Turquie des merveilles », « Istanbul et la Cappadoce », etc…

Bonjour !! Nous sommes en partance pour la Turquie, seulement 2-3 infos nous manque pour compléter notre carnet de voyage!😊

😎 Quel est le prix des trains en Turquie ( style Istamboul - Ankara ) Le voyage en dolmus est-il réalisable dans toutes les régions du pays, et surtout sur quelles distances celui-ci est-il envisageable ??😉🙂 Les sites du Cappadoce sont-il forts liés entre eux, existent'ils des moyens de transports efficace et pas trop cher entre les différents sites ?? 😏 Quels sont les prix moyens demandé par les turcs par personne par nuit? ( le logement de 8 étudiants est-il envisageable) ? Y a t'il des auberges, ou hôtels à portée de prix à Istanbul pour des étudiants???😎

Un tout merci à vous, fan de voyage comme nous!😇😎😎😏

Bonjour!

Je voudrais me plonger dans la littérature turque, ou dans des récits situés en Turquie ou dans cette région... Le Lonely conseille Aziyadé de PIerre Loti et La Nuit du Sérail de Michel de Grèce.. Les avez vous lu? Ou avez vous d'autres titres à me conseiller??

MERCI!! 🙂

Hello, Voila, je prépare actuellement un voyage pour cet été ou l'après été en syrie. Ayant horreur de l'avion ( oui par peur ) mais aussi parce que je trouve que dans le ciel, on rate beaucoup trop de choses se passant en dessous, j'ai donc décidé de partir par la routes avec les transports en commun.

Mon trajet en est a ses débuts et est pour le moment: Paris - Burgas (bulgarie) Via le réseau de bus EUROLINES Une foisà burgas, je désire rester quelques jours (2/3) au bord de la mer noire comme par exemple à Sozopol. Ensuite je désire faire Burgas - Istanbul en train ou bus et c'est là que ça coince, impossible de trouver des infos sur ce trajet surtout en therme de prix (pour préparer le budjet). rester 3/4/5 jours à Istanbul et continuer direction Ankara, toujours par bus ou train et là aussi, il me manque le coût de ce trajet.

Voila, j'en suis rendu là, si quelqu'un peut m'aider, ça serait excellent merci.

Bonne soirée ! 😉

Je pars en Roumanie en février rejoindre un ami stoppeur qui fait le tour de l'Europe, aussi je recherche toute info intéressante sur ce pays qui m'attire de puis longtemps, pourquoi? je n'en sais rien, mais j'ai une envie folle d'y aller.

Lieux à visiter? Coût de la vie? adresses intéressantes? Resto? Hotel? Rando?

Merci pour vos réponses qui je l'espère seront nombreuses.

hener

Ps : Pour les passionnés de Rando internationales: un livre : la Longue marche de Bernard OLLIVIER. Il a refait la route de la soie d'istanbul à Xian en Chine en 4 étapes. Son livre est formidable. A lire pour voyager de chez soi en attendant les vacances.

Bonjur

Je recherches des infos surl les iles aux princes en turquie ( population, moyens d'y accéder etc) je ne trouve pas grand chose sur le web . Connaiisez vous ?

Merci

Bonjour! J'aimerais savoir combien de temps (ça peut varier énormément, mais d'une façon moyenne) et le budget qu'il faut pour traverser la Turquie, L'Iran et le Pakistan (Overland) afin de se diriger vers l'Inde, incluant les Visas, le tout dans des conditions de voyage respectables. Faut-il vraiment être un voyageur expérimenté afin de parcourir cette route légendaire?

Merci d'avance!

Vincent 😉

Je sais bien que les reponses viennent les unes apres les autres en voyage, je sais aussi que je pourrai trouver toutes mes reponses en dechiffrant tous les messages mais voila si vous pouvez me repondre direct - que de temps gagne... Alors j'ai quitte la France voila 6 mois tout doucement et je suis en Bulgarie avec mon sac. Je desire continuer d'avancer cet hiver mais vers le Sud. Peut-on avoir les visas Syrie-Liban-Jordanie (je crois qu'on peut avoir ce visa a la frontiere)-Egypte a Ankara (ou Istanbul) ? excusez mon ignorance-premiers visas. Existe-t-il un passage a Agapa pour l'Egypte ? ou sinon un bateau Berouth-Alexandrie ? Puis un bateau Egypte-Crete ou grece ? et enfin tant que j'y suis, quelqu'un connait-il une petite adresse sympa et evidement prix cheaper a Istanbul, c'est grand et avec 20 kilos sur le dos, c'est chiant de chercher. Evidement je n'ai pas de routard ni autre guide...trop de pays, trop de circonstances. Je prefere etre guide par les gens... merci d'avance et bien content d'apprendre a voyager aujourd'hui!

Bijour tous le monde,

Voilà nous partons avec mon copain en Turquie dans 15 jours et nous y restons 2 semaines 1/2. nous avons décidé de voyager en bus.

J'avoue que ces derniers jours j'avè un peu la trouille de partir du fait des attentats car je suis allé sur le site du ministère et ils disent qu'il y a encore eu des attentats mais bon g lu vos discussions sur le forum et ça m'a un peu rassuré.

on envisage de faire un le "tour" c'est-à-dire Istanbul, Cappadoce, le sud et l'ouest (efes, Priene, une presqu'île en face de celle de Bodrum) et j'aimerais savoir dans quel sens il faut qu'on le face sachant qu'on arrive et qu'on repard d'Istanbul.

ensuite est-ce qu'il vaut mieux longer la côte dans le sud ou bifurquer dans le centre vers Konya ? Est-ce que ça vaut le coup de faire un détour sur Pamukale ??

A Istanbul parait-il que ça vaut le coup de voir Istanbul du Bosphore mais par quel organisme ou autre peut-on s'adresser là-bas ?

Merci désolé pour ces nombreuses questions. c déjà bien si vous répondé au moins à une.

Bonjour à tous

je prépare un tour d'Asie du sud Est (Nepal, Thailande, Laos, Cambodge, Vietnam, Malaisie, Indonésie, Australie, à priori)

Savez vous quelle est la meilleure formule en avion, s'il en existe ?

Merci

Hier soir je suis allé au cinéma avec ma copine pour voir uzak. En plus c'est en VO et ma copine apprend le turc!!

Je trouve qu'on se lasse assez vite, meme si l'intrigue est bonne, mais à la fin on se langui que cela se termine, dommage... La chute n'est pas terrible car on cogite sur la fin et sur les fins des personnages. Je ne me suis pas ennuyé mais je ne me suis pas regalé non plus.

Qui a vu le film???

Bonsoir à tous

Nous aimerons découvrir la Turquie la dernière semaine d'avril et nous sommes dans le début de nos recherches. Nous nous demandions s'il est préférable de partir en voyage organisé ou uniquement de prendre le billet d'avion et de faire son circuit soi-meme. Nous sommes interessés de tous les conseils que vous pouvez nous donner.

Merci à tous

Bonjour tout le monde,

je souhaiterais partir en Turquie du 24 avril au 6 juin cette année avec un cousin. Nous cherchons des idées de trajet sachant que nous ferions l'aller-retour de Paris en avion pour profiter des 6 semaines entières. Si notre trajet ne fait pas une boucle, savez-vous d'où nous pouvons reprendre l'avion à l'Est de la Turquie pour le retour ?

D'autre part, nous voudrions voir Istanbul, la côte Sud-Ouest et les montagnes du Nord-Est. Y a-t-il d'autres lieux incontournables ?

Quel est le moyen le plus économique et sympa de se déplacer en Turquie ?

Nous souhaiterions aussi passer 8-10 jours dans un village pour vivre un peu au rythme des habitants. Où trouver les villages les plus accueillants ?

J'ai entendu parler d'habitats troglodytes exceptionnels. Savez-vous où je peux les trouver ?

Merci pour tout !

Guillaume

B'jour!

Quelqu'un sait-il s'il existe des bateaux transportant des passagers sur la Mer Noire, au depart de Constanta (Roumanie) et en direction de n'importe quel port Russe (Rostov par ex)?

Merci de votre reponse!!

Salut la cyber-compagnie,

Je débarque à Paris vers la mi-août. Mon billet d'avion est un aller-simple et j'ai un peu d'argent de côté, alors bonjour l'aventure. J'entretiens le rêve de me rendre jusqu'en Asie, mais je ne me fais pas d'illusions car je suis un cycliste de promenade plutôt qu'un athlète. Je me suis donc donné pour premier objectif de faire Paris-Prague-Budapest-Istanbul. Je préconise un mode de voyage très économique, c'est pourquoi j'aurai tout le nécessaire pour le camping.

Voici les questions que j'adresse aujourd'hui:

1. Est-il raisonnable de penser à pédaler dès mon arrivée à l'aéroport Charles-de-Gaules? C'est-à-dire, est-ce que je tomberai rapidement sur des paysages hospitaliers et propices à dresser une tente, ou alors est-ce que je rêve en couleur et que je devrais plutôt prendre un train pour un petit bout de chemin?

2. Comment puis-je m'informer sur le réseau de pistes cyclable d'europe?

Je suis ouvert à faire un bout de chemin avec d'autres s'il y a des intéressés. Mon itinéraire est loin d'être coulé dans le béton. J'ai toute la vie devant moi, mes seules limites son budgétaires!

Au Plaisir!😏

Ulysse

Recent information about this country is scarce, so I’m starting this post in addition to my travel journal to help fill the gap.

- Which airline from Europe?

Turkish Airlines seems like an excellent option. The price is very reasonable (just over 500 €), the layover isn’t too long, the in-flight comfort is decent (great movie selection), and the planes are modern. Plus, the price automatically includes 30 kilos of luggage, which is perfect for campers.

The downside: the outrageous prices at Istanbul Airport.

- Bishkek Airport

The airport is under full reconstruction. It’s chaotic. There are SIM card vendors upon arrival, but no currency exchange or ATMs in the baggage claim area. You’ll find those in the departures section, which means you have to exit and re-enter under the current setup.

Personally, I pre-booked a VTC with my hotel for the transfer to the city. (Prices vary depending on the hotel’s standard—1200 soms for mine.)

There are taxis and a bus available.

- Entry Requirements

No visa is required for French citizens for stays of up to 30 days.

- Currency

The currency is the som, and the conversion is easy—just divide by 100...

You can get soms by exchanging euros (dollars are useless) or by withdrawing from an ATM. Some ATMs charge fees. Those from Mbank and Optimabank are fee-free.

The maximum withdrawal is usually 20,000 soms.

Bills come in 5000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, and 20 soms.

Coins: 10, 5, 3, and 1 som.

- Paying

Card payments are accepted in supermarkets like Globus, some restaurants, gas stations of major chains (Bishkek Petroleum, Partner Neft, Red Petroleum), some hotels, national park entrances, tolls, etc.

But it doesn’t always work.

So always carry cash with you!

If the card works, great—otherwise, it’s back to the old days of wads of bills.

- Cost of Living

It’s really cheap (gas, affordable restaurants even at a decent standard, hotels, souvenirs, fruits, vegetables, water, bread...). For example, a lagman costs only 3.20 €, fixing a flat tire is 3.5 €, a full hour-long wash for a filthy 4x4 is 6 €, washing a big bag of laundry is 3 €, and a liter of 95-octane gas is 0.86 €...

On the pricier side: guesthouses and meals in guesthouses. The value for money is poor. I paid 40 € for a mediocre room with a very basic shared bathroom, while a double with AC, private bathroom, and fridge in a non-touristy hotel cost 20 €... Meals in guesthouses are the worst I’ve eaten and often the most expensive. Plus, they’re very light—don’t expect to fill up after a long day of hiking!

Car rentals are also quite expensive (70 $ per day for a RAV4 in my case).

In short, for two people, excluding accommodation and car rental, we spent an average of 45 € per day (groceries, restaurants, guesthouse dinners, souvenirs, paid activities, gas).

The trip cost us 2200 € per person all-inclusive for 3 weeks on the ground. Roughly 1/4 for the flight, 1/4 for the car, 1/4 for accommodation, and 1/4 for everything else.

- Getting Around

I’ve met cyclists, motorcyclists, people renting cars, those who drove their own vehicles from Europe, and others using public transport and taxis.

Personally, I chose to rent a car.

If you’re not planning long hikes or multi-day horse treks, it’s a great option for exploring the country.

Each car rental company has its own list of forbidden tracks. Make sure your planned route is allowed! Don’t think about ignoring this—vehicles are equipped with GPS trackers...

An international driver’s permit is required.

Police and speed cameras are everywhere, so it’s best to respect the signs (daytime running lights, seatbelts, 40-60 km/h in populated areas, 90 km/h on roads, zero tolerance for alcohol).

Locals have a unique driving style, and it can be dangerous on main roads (they overtake recklessly...). Like in Greece, South Africa, or Malta, a two-lane road is treated as a three-lane one. You pull over to let others pass or to let oncoming traffic overtake.

Without a car (at least a pseudo-4x4), you won’t be able to go everywhere. This country is a nature destination, but nature isn’t always accessible by public transport.

If a spot is near a road, great—the bus will get you almost to the door. Otherwise, you’ll need to hire an agency or take a taxi.

Cyclists will face steep climbs and dust. I’d advise avoiding main roads as much as possible—traffic isn’t on your side...

Motorcyclists will also eat a lot of dust and should research gas stations along their route (this advice also applies to vehicles running on 95-octane).

There’s a 95-octane pump in Kazarman and Gulcha.

Bikes and motorcycles have an advantage over cars, even 4x4s, as they can access some very remote tracks that other vehicles can’t (hikers and horses can obviously take them too!).

Be careful: some areas require a permit (border zones). Research this well in advance—the formalities don’t take an hour or even a day!

Be warned: Google Maps is completely unreliable (it shows roads that don’t exist, routes you through difficult tracks instead of paved roads, etc.). It’s essential to download Maps.me in advance. This app is much more reliable for this country, works offline, and is handy for hiking navigation.

A reminder: horseback riding is like cycling... If you’re not used to it or naturally padded in the right places, your backside will suffer in no time!

Think carefully before embarking on a multi-day trek!

Finally, this country is a kingdom of construction... The Chinese have taken over the market to improve truck circulation and are paving everywhere. (Good news: the Kazarman-Osh section via the tunnel is finally open in summer, even if the road isn’t quite finished.)

- Eating

I had prejudices about Kyrgyz food.

I was both wrong and right.

Supermarkets don’t offer much that’s appealing for picnics. It’s cheap, filling food, full of junk, and not gourmet. If you follow Yuka, I think you’ll be on a diet the whole trip. Bringing some pâté, sausages, or freeze-dried meals for certain nights is a good idea...

Guesthouse dinners consist of the eternal cucumber-tomato salad, a soup, and a light noodle or rice dish where you’ll be searching for the meat... Usually tough and unidentifiable. Beef? The bread is stale, and there’s no dessert or fruit.

Breakfasts always revolve around eggs or porridge... The homemade jam is usually good.

Tea is the number one drink, followed by kompot (a fruit-based drink), Coke, and Fanta.

If you want real coffee, bring your own—it’s very rare.

On the other hand, you eat well in restaurants. Lagman (homemade noodles, vegetables, spices, and usually beef), crispy eggplant, kuurdak (a kind of lamb stew with potatoes), kebabs, plov (pilaf rice with onions, carrots, and meat), and rainbow trout... For dessert? Nada!

And alcohol?

It’s available in all Globus stores: beer, wine, spirits, and you can consume your purchases in some guesthouses (depending on the owner’s religious tolerance). It’s also available in some restaurants (Bishkek, Karakol, Osh...).

The deadly specialty?

White fermented milk balls called kurut. If you think a raw-milk camembert is strong, steer clear! This is more like an old, dry, spicy goat cheese.

- Accommodation

In remote areas, it’s better to check availability on Booking a few days in advance rather than showing up last minute with high hopes.

Booking and Airbnb only offer a small portion of what’s available.

Not necessarily guesthouses, but mostly accommodations aimed at locals (business or leisure travel).

These places are generally more comfortable. There’s even some upscale options.

So it’s necessary to scour Google Maps or Yandex Maps... These accommodations are usually found on Instagram, and WhatsApp is handy for booking!

Prices are a bit of a lottery. So is the comfort. From 20 to 80 € for a double, usually with a private bathroom. (Average around 40 €). These rates are for mid-range options.

Otherwise, this country is a paradise for wild camping. In a camper van, rooftop tent, or ground tent... There are beautiful spots everywhere!

- Climate

I thought it would be quite cool/cold at altitude.

I packed too many warm clothes...

If you’re not doing high-altitude treks or sleeping in a tent, there’s no need to overload yourself with winter gear.

A good fleece, a windproof rain jacket, and technical base layers will be enough.

It only got really cold in the evenings at Song Kul Lake and Tash Rabat, and the yurts are equipped with thick blankets and a stove.

Elsewhere, temperatures ranged from 15 to 30 °C.

In short, I used the AC more than the heater! (It’s hard to drive with the windows open unless you want to be covered in dust in no time...)

- Communication

I bought an eSIM before the trip with a data plan for Kyrgyzstan (Beeline network). Perfect for communicating via WhatsApp right after landing, but this network isn’t the best in Kyrgyzstan.

We then got a physical SIM card with an unlimited one-month plan (less than 4 € including the SIM) at a Mega store downtown. This network is much better, and you get coverage in all cities and most villages. Usually in the mountain passes too.

To make yourself understood, it’s essential to download Google Translate with French, Kyrgyz, Russian, and English options.

Very useful for translating menus, signs, and communicating with locals.

Hosts and other tourism professionals will even pull out their phones to communicate with non-Russian speakers.

The police too...

- Religion

There’s a noticeable difference between the north and the southwest of the country.

In the north, it’s a bit like Albania. People are Muslim by culture but not really by religion.

In the southwest, radical Islam is growing. Mosques are more numerous and imposing. Men are more bearded, women more veiled.

For travelers, religion isn’t an issue except for the near-total absence of pork.

There’s Russian sausage, but reading the ingredient list, it’s more like a one-way ticket to cancer than an Auvergne dry sausage...



You can find the detailed account of the trip here.

Pressed for time due to a full house of kids, grandkids, and cats, I decided to go with a general theme. Everyone has photos of religious buildings, so architectural variety is guaranteed. Just a reminder—I’m asking for exterior shots only, either wide-angle or detailed views.

Phanom Rung, Thailand Wat Phra Keo, Bangkok

Abu Simbel

Quimper

Venice

Istanbul

Khiva, Uzbekistan

Hi,

I bought my flight ticket with my first (usual) first name, which appears first on my passport. However, I have two first names on my passport, and of course, it’s mentioned in the machine-readable zone at the bottom.

I booked with Turkish Airlines (through an online agency) for a trip to South Korea.

I wanted to know if it would be a problem that I only used my first first name on the ticket, while my passport has two. I had requested through the agency to add the second first name, but the airline refused because it doesn’t meet their general conditions. (They must have seen that the last name and first name were the same, and only the second first name was added.)

So, my ticket has my last name and first first name correctly spelled, and when I check in online, I’ll enter the passport details correctly.

I’ll have a layover in Istanbul on the flight.

Thanks in advance for your replies. Have a great day.

Hello everyone,

I’ve booked a round-trip flight to Mumbai from October 4th to 24th, 2025. I haven’t finalized my itinerary yet, but my plan is to spend 2 nights in Mumbai (hotel booked in Colaba), a few nights in Nashik, and then head down to Gokarna. I’m a young-at-heart sixty-something who stays very active and loves traveling. This will be my third trip to "southern" India, so I know what to expect in terms of cultural differences. Plus, my native language is English, so I have no trouble understanding or being understood, no matter the accent over there. I’d be happy to meet up and share some moments with you—young or not-so-young—if you’re up for it.

See you soon, I hope!

Charlie

Hi there, we’re planning a trip to Nosy Be next summer and we’ve come across Neos Air, which offers direct flights from Rome and Milan. It looks really appealing, but how reliable are they, especially in terms of punctuality—particularly for evening departures?

hi everyone, what's the cheapest flight ticket to fly from Paris to Madagascar in July or August? thanks for your help

Another trip planned during Covid. Actually, for 2020, I had three trips booked, with tickets purchased and everything. This one to Uzbekistan was planned for April 2020. We postponed it to April 2021, but it was canceled again, and we couldn’t reschedule for April 2022 because our friends who were coming with us were busy. So, we chose summer, knowing the temperatures would likely be very high.

We left as a group of five: a couple we usually travel with and one of their friends, whom I knew. She was traveling alone and had dreamed of this trip but didn’t want to go by herself.

For organization, we went through an agency to handle the train tickets and our trip to the Aral Sea. It’s not my usual style, but back in 2020, we were already in touch with them, and they were very understanding during the two cancellations. It wasn’t easy, given the economic crisis Covid caused, especially in Uzbekistan.

Again, I’m writing this travel journal from memory since I didn’t take any notes. (It’s good to give your brain a workout now and then!)

Day 1: Off to Tashkent

We flew in the afternoon to Istanbul, had a 2-hour-15-minute layover in Turkey, and then took an overnight flight to arrive early in the morning in Tashkent. Problem (again): just before taking off from Saint-Exupéry, the plane had an issue with the landing gear. We waited two hours, and after a few hammer and wrench adjustments, we finally took off. Of course, by the time we arrived in Istanbul, it was a mad dash through the airport to catch our connecting flight. We landed at 7:30 AM in Tashkent, and of the five suitcases in our little group, two were missing (one of ours and the solo traveler’s). Big problem because we were leaving at 2:30 PM by train for the Aral Sea, and we wouldn’t be near an airport again for three days. Plus, at the small airport in the Uzbek capital, no one spoke English (or French, or the Ardèche dialect). Fortunately, we had booked a guide for a quick morning tour of the capital. We had seven hours to kill, and it seemed smart to do it this way (and yes, sometimes we do think ahead). With him speaking English and, more importantly, Uzbek, the delivery of our suitcases was arranged.

So, we set off to explore the capital. It’s very Soviet in design—wide avenues and ugly buildings.

We visited the Khasti Imam historical complex (first name to pronounce at your own risk—there will be plenty more during the trip). Lots of "oohs" and "aahs" about how beautiful it was, but in the end, compared to what we saw later, it was really just small potatoes.

We checked out Chorsu Bazaar, the city’s large covered market. The guide was friendly and gave us plenty of tips for the rest of the trip. He suggested a restaurant, which we accepted, so we could get familiar with local customs. The good thing was, it didn’t seem like a tourist trap.

Next, we headed to the train station because our train was at 2:30 PM. The guide left us, and then another problem arose. While going through security, one of the staff made it clear that our train was canceled and our ticket needed to be changed to the train leaving around 8:20 PM. Heatwave moment (it was 38°C). Our issue was that we were supposed to arrive in Nukus (our destination) at 6:00 AM and take a minibus for a round trip to Moynaq and the Aral Sea (four hours each way). The plan was to spend 2-3 hours there and return, so a 10-11-hour timeline. Leaving at 6:00 AM made it doable, but with the train now leaving at 8:20 PM, we’d arrive in Nukus at noon, which messed up the rest of the plan.

I was fuming at the agency (I really don’t like using agencies), so I called the local contact, who quickly sent our guide back (because trying to communicate, change tickets, and get information was tough).

I asked the manager to find us flight tickets to make up for the delay, but nothing—zilch—was possible. We were stuck! My buddy and I were determined to get to Moynaq, but the women in the group were less motivated.

No choice but to board the train for an overnight journey. We had a cabin for two (and our friend had one to herself). Big scare at first—no AC, and it felt like 150°. They told us it would work once the train started moving, which it did. A frugal meal in the dining car (spaghetti with meat—the only dish on offer) and we had a good night’s sleep.

The +: Finally, we’re here! The -: A lot of hassles to start the trip

hi, is there (still) a ferry route between southern Turkey (Iskenderun) and Haifa? direct or not?

Without limiting ourselves to the countries mentioned above—Turkey and others could be added to the list.

I need to get dental reconstruction done, likely involving 6 implants. Which country offers the best quality of care, materials, and techniques?

Thanks

Hello, As a senior woman, I’m planning a 3-week solo trip (late April or early May) to explore the country by public transport, visiting the main cities (Khiva, Bukhara, and Samarkand), the Ferghana Valley, and if possible, the Aral Sea. I’m reaching out to the community to see if there are flights arriving in Urgench and returning from Tashkent—or the other way around? Thanks in advance to anyone with insights! 😉

We took this trip from September 12 to October 7, 2022. I didn’t post this travel journal earlier in Voyage Forum because the site wasn’t back up yet (and also because I was short on time). Then, at the end of 2024, I made a promise to a friend: to publish my travel journal on VF. So here it is! We took off from Paris in the late afternoon on September 12 and arrived in Tashkent around 7:15 AM on the 13th. This trip was the result of long contemplation and preparation (it was originally planned for the year of the lockdown (2020) and was prepared with the help and advice of Nasrullo Jumanov from Turquoise Travel. Stages and Itinerary Stage 1: Tashkent - September 13 and 14 Stage 2: Ferghana Valley – September 15 to 17 Stage 3: Nukus and Moynaq - September 18 and 19 Stage 4: Mysterious Khiva - September 20 to 22 Stage 5: Holy Bukhara - September 23 to 26 Stage 6: Asraf - September 27 and 28 Stage 7: Mythical Samarkand - September 29 to October 2 Stage 8: Tersak (via Shakhrisabz and Urgut) – October 3 and 4 Stage 9: Samarkand – October 5 and 6 Stage 10: Tashkent/Istanbul/Paris – October 6 and 7 Stage 1: Tashkent September 13 At the airport exit, we were greeted by the owner of our B&B (B&B Gulnara). Today was all about recovery and our first steps in the capital. Our first currency exchange made us feel like sudden millionaires. Our first stroll down the avenue leading to Chorsu Market introduced us to the fact that 80 to 90% of the cars here are white Chevrolets. A walk under the arcades facing Chorsu: hardware stores, cabinetmakers, lute makers (one of them gave me a little concert/demo of a few string instruments).





As we entered the market, many vendors called out to us, including this florist who asked where we were from: ‘France? Ah! Macron! PSG!’ He then recited a list of players from the Parisian team as well as past (Platini, Zidane, etc.) and current (Giroud, Griezmann, Mbappé, etc.) French national team players. Since we’re more into rugby (we live near Toulouse), he knew more players than I did!

The market sprawls outside around the large circular, multi-story hall. We bought some grapes and bottles of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice for just a few sums. This evening, we had a meet-up with Nasrullo. The reunion was very warm: we’d been exchanging messages for over two years, and I’d been ‘torturing’ him with changes to our itinerary and trip duration. We were finally eager to meet, and honestly, I wasn’t disappointed—in fact, it was the opposite. Nasrullo was very attentive throughout our trip and always made sure, even from a distance (and most often from a distance!), that everything went smoothly. His goal was for us to leave delighted with our trip and, why not, indirectly become ambassadors for this destination. September 14 Breakfast with Nasrullo, then we set off with him by taxi to explore some of the capital’s sites.



We started by visiting the Khazrati Imam complex, which includes the mausoleum of Kaffal Shashi, the Barak Khan and Muyi Muborak madrasas, and the great Khazrati Imam Mosque with its immense prayer hall.





In the Muyi Muborak madrasa, now a museum, you can see the oldest Quran in the world. It was written by three religious scholars, including the secretary of the Prophet Muhammad, on large ‘pages’ made of antelope skin. Next, we explored Soviet-era Tashkent, discovering its parks, canals, and squares: Independence Square with its storks and phoenixes, Amir Temur Square with its large statue and, in the background, the massive Soviet-era hotel that has become one of Tashkent’s iconic buildings. Nasrullo took us through Broadway Boulevard and along what he calls ‘Tashkent’s Montmartre’… Well, it’s far, very far from Montmartre (in every sense of the word!). Then we took the metro to Chorsu station. Rush hour is pretty much the same everywhere in the metro… When we arrived at Chorsu, it was time to say goodbye. Nasrullo had to head back to Samarkand. Before leaving, he recommended some chaikhanas at the end of the galleries facing the market. We ate there for just a few euros (2 or 3 € for two people). After eating, we headed back to our room to cool off (our B&B is about a 10-minute walk away).



Around 4 PM, we set off to visit the Kokeldash Madrasa, which is still active. On the way, we stopped to watch some bread vendors and take a few photos. We were hesitating about buying some for our evening picnic when a young woman approached us. In perfect English, she asked: ‘Are you looking for something? Do you want to buy bread? Which one? How much?’ She then spoke to one of the vendors and negotiated the price. ‘Do you want one?’ And she took two. She paid directly. I took out my wallet to reimburse her, but she refused. It’s on the house! Then the vendor asked where we were from. And off we went again: Macron, PSG, football players… We’ll have to get used to it. The young woman smiled at the questions and comments, barely gave us time to thank her, and left as quickly as she had approached us.

We continued our walk. Visited the madrasa. Then we crossed the boulevard to see the Tashkent Circus. I would’ve loved to go in and visit, but the ticket seller wouldn’t hear of it. We carried on around what should’ve been a park with old-fashioned rides and attractions. All we found was a construction site. Oh well! Back at our hotel, a message from Nasrullo was waiting for us. He had managed to change our train ticket for the next day. Instead of taking the 6:00 AM train, we’d take the 8:00 AM one. And instead of second class, we’d be in first class! Great! This evening, we had a picnic at one of the breakfast tables in the B&B courtyard. Under a shelter, the owner and his family were celebrating a birthday. The owner started by offering us some tea. Then they brought us some fruit (watermelon and melon). Finally, after the song, candles, and cake cutting, they brought us two generous slices of that beautiful birthday cake. Delicious!