Travelling in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan

We did a tour around the Stans that are currently open to Europeans without annoying visas. All the countries were a mix of Turkish Ottoman and old Soviet Union culture and language, and of course the Islamic religion.

Our travel route

Our entry point was Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. People were delighted to see us and the tourist police wanted to take a groupie with us. Guess there are not too many tourists there to irritate locals.

Kazakhstan, the country of Borat, was quite different. We were mistaken for Russians, although we don’t speak the language, and were shouted at the streets when walking by. We liked the metro in Almaty as well as having a chance to talk with Russians who had recently moved into Kazakhstan. Russia has been losing a lot of professional work force because of the war while the EU countries, on the other hand, tax their citizens heavily to fuel the conflict.

Our luxurious train ride from Almaty to Tashkent, Uzbekistan in a private cabin was peaceful except for the annoying passport checks. Several people came too many times to ask us to show our passports while we tried to sleep. We also missed samovars for hot water from the old Russian link Trans Siberian trains

Uzbekistan was exotic for an old Soviet Union state. It was supposed to be most touristy, but it was actually very quiet. We saw some Chinese, Russians and Westerners. Service culture was not Soviet style, hotels were affordable and nice with good breakfasts and spa services.

Each country has their own currency, but the US dollar is the best option to take with. Euro is not trusted nor wanted because the European economy is not well. As the local currencies are exotic, paying with a card may be expensive due to extra costs and poor exchange rates.

Our mission, to send some postcards from each country, was successful and we had a great time.

From Samarkand to Panjakent, Tajikistan by a shared taxi

While in Samarkand, we hoped to get a shared taxi, Damas, to the border and then another taxi from the border to Panjakent bazaar in Tajikistan. The damas taxis were departing from Kaftarkhona bus station. The going rate should have been 0,50$/person per ride, a total of 4$ for 2 persons for a return trip.

When we arrived in the bus station, we were approached by taxis drives yelling, pushing and pulling us. Prices varied from US 25$ to 4$ per leg, 4-50 times more than the normal rate.

Paying too much was not an issue, but the risk of being left somewhere in the middle of the way and blackmailed for more money, or being robbed like in Spain or mugged like in Panama. If the first ride was like this, the rest might have been way worse and we would have been in the middle of nowhere. We decided to skip Tajikistan and forget the country.