Help with itinerary

[Diravium]

Hi there, I am traveling Central Asia with friend, starting early September and finishing early/mid October. As some background, we are both british citizens (but Indian and Somali ethnically), 23M, and are going to be backpacking and wanting to stay in hostels/homestays and hopefully a yurt!

Regarding transport withing central asia, we are determined to use buses, trains, shared-taxis and trip-sharing.

I was wondering if people could have a quick look at our preliminary itinerary.

Regarding the multiple entry e-visas, We are probably going to use the trick mentioned on the website.

So coming back to my itinerary, I have a fair few questions about it and the trip in general:

1) Where would you think the Wakhan valley, Murghob and Badakhshan fit well and efficiently into this itinerary

2) Would you recommend booking trains and buses online, or in-person? Similarly, where would one hire drivers for short legs of the journey?

3) As we want this to be a budget tour, we want to stay in homestays, yurts and backpacker hostels, Would anyone have recommendations for websites, services or places for this?

Finally if anyone traveling a similar leg (eg Pamir highway from Dushanbe-Osh) in a similar time-frame and want to join, please do message me

[bwv812]

You can cover your general itinerary much more efficiently if you do something like this:

- Almaty
- Charyn Canyon
- Karakol via Kegen
- Bishkek
- Osh
- Murghab
- Langar
- Khorog
- Dushanbe
- Penjikent
- Samarkand
- Bukhara
(- Khiva)
- Tashkent
- Khojand
- Ferghana
- Tashkent to Shymkent

Is there some reason to see Qarshi?

Also, it probably makes just as much sense to do Khojand after Penjikent or Dushanbe, then go to Ferghana, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent, Shymkent, as this only requires a single-entry Uzbek visa and travel within those Uzbek cities is easy because they have trains.

[Diravium]

Thanks so much for your detailed reply

With regards to Qarshi, I merely thought it was a scenic city, but no real reason other than that. And thanks for putting in Khiva, how could I not visit!!!

Also do you think Badhakshan is worth visiting?

Finally would you say there is an advantage in doing this loop clockwise as opposed to anticlockwise?

Thanks

[bwv812]

With your time limitations, I don't think Qarshi makes sense (Shymkent may not, either). You may not be able to visit all the places I listed, as it is.

Doing the loop clockwise makes the most sense given when you're visiting: you want to visit the mountainous regions as soon as possible to maximize the good weather, while Uzbekistan might be starting to cool down a little when you get there.

What do you mean by Badakhshan? The province in Afghanistan? Or the GBAO region of Tajikistan? If the latter, the route described already goes through the region (Murghab through to Khorog) and is definitely one of the highlights of Central Asia.

[Diravium]

I see, thank you ever so much, I didn't give much heed to the weather and you're completely right

Yep I meant the Badakhshan in GBAO, and im so glad to hear that's it's a highlight, I'm looking forward to it!

[martinfjord]

Hi Guys,

I dont want to open a brand new thread as a new kid on the block here, so Im just using this one , I hope it's OK:)

So i would love to get some help/advice on getting my itinerary from Almaty to Lahore, by that, covering the last of the 2 main parts of Asia I havnt seen before. I am totally in the preliminary phase, everything is appreciated to shape the trip, the smartest way possible.

So here is the very preliminary itinerary:

-Flying in to Almaty (from Bejing)
-Crossing from Lahore to India (there I already have a solid plan)
-I am happy to travel by any means, walk, train, drive, share, swim, whatever:)

I want to visit the following countries:
Kazahstan (CROSS AT KORDAY)
Kirghistan (CROSS AT KERBEN)
Uzbekistan (CROSS AT VATKAN)
Tadjikistan (CROSS AT THE BRIDGE AT LANGAR COTTAGE VILLAGE)
Afganistan (CROSS AT TORKHAM)
Pakistan (CROSS TO INDIA AT WAHGA)

My basic questions to start off:

-My absolute prefered way of traveling is the rent a motorbike or car with a border drop-off, however, I have very little hope that it is possible at this part of the world (even less hope that any company / border authority would let me cross with a rental) however, please let me know if it is possible at any part of the journey. Otherwise I am happy to hear what means of transport you would use and where you would walk/climb/hike

-Things to include in and around Almaty and on and around the road to Kerben
-Things to include in the western half of Kirghistan
-Things to include in the very easter part of Uzbekistan
-Things to include in ANY part of Tadjikistan
-Things to inclide at the north-eastern part of Afganistan
-Things to inclide at the north-eastern part of Pakistan

-I do have the whole month of May, but for sure do not wish to spend all of it on this trip, I of course also dont want to rush it, and have just enough time to take these places and flavours in. So how long you suggest? Somewhere in the 20 days range would work in your opinion?

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[bwv812]

There's a lot of information here on Caravanistan, and I would recommend looking around the site a bit and doing some basic research since a lot of your questions have been well covered.

One of the first things you might want to do is check what border crossings are actually open and available for foreigners: Caravanistan has a detailed map of border crossings.

You will not be able to rent a motorbike and drop it off at a border.