Where are you going? Why?

[steven]

Wow Jan, impressive! Central Asia will not disappoint landscape-wise. There are some seriously boring parts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, but that's part of the challenge, I guess. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are the top cycle touring countries with magnificent cycle scenery everywhere you look, although anywhere between Baku and Belgrade is also very beautiful and varied in my eyes.

Keep us posted as your journey takes shape!

[Josefine]

Hi,

my name is Joke, i'm planning to travel a part of the silk route independently as a single white female. I will start in Kyrgyzstan in march and end in Iran, passing through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. For now the end of my trip should be the beginning of june, but who knows...

I am doing this trip because i'm curious and fascinated by the contrast in what you hear in the news, official travel advice and media and the travel experiences on the web on these countries and the people. I want to get my own experience. I am most interested in exploring the vast nature and countrysides and would like to have as much contact with local people as possible. This will be a real challenge as i still have to start mastering some russian and farsi. I guess i'm also in for the challenge of it all.

[bwv812]

If you're interested in nature and interacting with local people, I would highly recommend adding Tajikistan and the Pamir Highway to your trip. The landscapes in the Pamirs are pretty incredible, and the Pamiris are incredibly welcoming and warm people. They also practice a very different form of Islam (they are Ismailis): with the guidance and support of their spiritual leader the Aga Khan they are very progressive, with many speaking English.

[gowzij]

Hi Caravinstan and fellow travellers!

I am a Maltese girl who has been living in Shanghai for the last year and so. I plan to go back home this summer and figured I wanna leave with a bang I am planning to travel the silk road...still not sure where to start but I definitely want to pass through urumqi and kashgar/go to Kyrgyzstan-kazaksthan and then go up to russia (moscow and st petersburg). I wanna spend a fair amount of time in Kyrgyzstan as I've heard it's beautiful and I have no time limit on my trip (though can't be longer than 4months).
I would love to continue my trip home via eastern europe but not sure if I can afford it! I'm here looking for tips and costs approximations and possibly a travel buddy (I'm very comfortable travelling on my own usually but must say I'm a bit nervous about going through this area alone)

Soo anyway pleased to meet you all!

[arthurschmidt2000]

Hi Steven,

Thank you very much for your excellent site!

I am a German and started travelling during my holidays more than 40 years ago and since then still now I am addicted. As long as I was working I had normally 4 weeks a year for travelling so I am used to hurrying. Since I am a retiree I extended my holidays up to 2 months. That’s enough for me and after this time I would like to go home. Home means southern Thailand with half an hour walking distance to the beach.

This year I will start at the beginning of April to Kunming, Yunnan. As I love Chinese long distance trains, it is 3 nights and 2 days from there to Urumqi.

From Uru it is a hop to Almaty and I think to arrive there in late April. That looks to me like a fine place to collect my Uzbek and Tadjik Visa. To have an idea about Kazakhstan, a train ride to Atyrau would be nice. From Atyrau there is a daily train to Nukus in Uzbekistan. 2 weeks or so in this country. From Samarkand I plan to go back to Almaty via Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Another 2 weeks. The route? Ask me when I will have arrived at Duschanbe.

Early June ALA BKK HKT.

[steven]

Nice Arthur, I am also a big fan of trains! Welcome!

[bruno555]

Hi. I have read your previous post that visiting uzbekistan for 3 days or less only requires a transit visa. I used to work in the Karakalpakstan area for over a year but unfortunately I was not able to visit Tashkent. I would like to drop by and visit the city for about 2 days on my way back to my country. I am currently working in Kuwait. I searched the net for the contact number of the embassy here in Kuwait but it turned out to be non existent. Do you know the number of the embassy here in Kuwait? Thank you

[steven]

Hi Bruno,

Karakalpakstan, interesting - working in gas or NGO? In general, if it's not on the website, I don't know about it.

[SCM]

Hi.

I am currently cycling around the world and have made it from the UK to Georgia. People tell me this is the "easy" bit done!

There have been a few route changes so far, but the Pamir Highway is staying fixed on my route around the world as it just looks like such a beautiful place to cycle. It also comes highly recommended from anyone who has been there and in a book that I found really useful for planning my ride: "The Adventure Cycle Touring Book".

Not looking forward to all the visa planning and making border deadlines at all if am being honest, but sounds like it is more than worth it!

Keep up the super work with this site. It's been incredibly useful for planning a trip in this part of the world.

Best wishes,

Will

[steven]

Super, Will!