The Five Stans

[Goawayrain]

For a couple of years, my spouse has been advocating for us to visit 'the five stans' (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan). While I have other travel destination priorities, I'm thinking this could be something for late next Summer or Fall.

We are pretty well-traveled and almost never travel as part of tour groups, but I'm thinking this could be one exception. Does anyone have any recommendations for tours to this area? Other recommendations for 'must-see's,' 'must-avoids,' etc? Thx in advance!

 

[OldShooter]

We don't like groups either, but where we can't read the street signs or English penetration in the country is poor, our first thought is to check Road Scholar.

 

[braumeister]

For a couple of years, my spouse has been advocating for us to visit 'the five stans' (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan).

Afghanistan and Pakistan don't make the cut?

THE STANS TRAVEL GUIDE

 

[athena53]

Here you go, but you'd have to add in the pre- and post-trip extensions to get all 5.

https://www.oattravel.com/destinations/country/uzbekistan?icid=global:countries:asia:uzbekistan

I LOVE Overseas Adventure Travel. Like OldShooter, I'm fine in places where I can fake my way through the language and there's good public transportation but I've taken 4 trips with OAT and have 3 more scheduled. Not the cheapest on the block but they limit group size (to 16 and it's ferquently smaller), the guides are "ask-me-anything" types, the good the bad, the ugly, and they include encounters with locals such as home-hosted dinners. Yes, they're carefully selected for English fluency, no extreme political views, etc. so they can be a bit artificial but I've learned so much I keep going back to them.

 

[Gumby]

I would love to go to the Stans. Sadly, there are 190 countries ahead of them on my list, so I probably won't get there.

 

[CardsFan]

I visited Uzbekistan on business shortly before retiring 8 years ago.

The people we friendly. The food was good. But nothing about any of the "Stans" would entice me to visit on my own dime.

 

[audreyh1]

Samarkand* in Uzbekistan is a place I would find compelling. Other than a few places along the historic Great Silk Road I’m not sure about visiting all the stans.

*Architecture precursors to the Taj Mahal. The Mughals came from Uzbekistan.

 

[JoeWras]

If I go that far, Georgia would be on my mind too.

 

[6miths]

If I go that far, Georgia would be on my mind too.

Oh I see what you did there. At least Georgia has great airline connections with Delta. Only Stans that I can think of wanting to visit are Musial, Kubrik and Laurel but I think I missed my chance.

 

[athena53]

If I go that far, Georgia would be on my mind too.

A couple of days ago I got an ad in my FB feed for a cruise that included Antarctica, the Falklands and the other Georgia. Prices are "as low as" $18,500.

Nope. I didn't even check on what the Single Supplement was.

 

[JoeWras]

At least 3 Georgia's now. I can drive to one of them.

Things are pretty stable in the Stans and Georgia at this time. But you never know when "somebody" wants to stir up trouble. Probably best to go sooner than later.

 

[cbo111]

I've been to a few of the Stans during my military days. I can't imagine paying money to visit them now. But, then again, people were trying to kill me when I was there and that might color my impression.

 

[SecondAttempt]

For a couple of years, my spouse has been advocating for us to visit 'the five stans' (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan). While I have other travel destination priorities, I'm thinking this could be something for late next Summer or Fall.

We are pretty well-traveled and almost never travel as part of tour groups, but I'm thinking this could be one exception. Does anyone have any recommendations for tours to this area? Other recommendations for 'must-see's,' 'must-avoids,' etc? Thx in advance!

My first questions would be "why?" and that might help you answer your other questions.

I don't mean that in any negative way but when someone wants to visit an unusual travel destination there is probably a reason or something they want to see. I personally have a lot of unusual destinations on my bucket list and when I propose them to my partner I can always explain why and what I want to see. Sometimes she thinks I'm crazy and I respect that.

I know nothing about that part of the world. I have been to India on business. I've been to Russia and eaten in a Georgian restaurant and was very intrigued by the food and culture. I also lived next to a couple and became friends with who the husband was from one of your 5 stans and the wife was from Pakistan.

It's really hard to comment because if your spouse wants to reconnect or understand their culture, it seems to me that is something you should respect and make space for. But you should certainly understand their reasons because it could also raise some red flags depending on your personal situation. That's not unique to the "stans" but could apply to anywhere in the world.

 

[brett]

No idea.

Our son hitchhiked, traveled alone through the stans about five years ago. He loved it. He was in Athens at first, then decided to go to the stans.

For some reason, I believe it was visa, his trip was shortened a little so he flew to Korea on his way home and spent time there.

One odd thing....more than once he did a internet call to us while he was in some far flung MacDonalds store.

He loved it and met lots of interesting people. Some of whom provided him with accommodation and a glimpse into day to day life.

 

[Gumby]

Oddly enough, I received my "National Geographic Expeditions" catalog today, and one of the featured trips is a 16 day trip called "The Silk Road: Discovering the Five 'Stans of Central Asia". Cost is $8995 per person. Their website is natgeoexpeditions.com

Maybe something there will strike your fancy.

 

[ncbill]

I've been to a few of the Stans during my military days. I can't imagine paying money to visit them now. But, then again, people were trying to kill me when I was there and that might color my impression.

My kid was eligible to do a summer program in one via ROTC.

But the security situation there had deteriorated to the point he'd only have been allowed to travel between his host family & the school campus...no travel allowed elsewhere in-country.

So he decided to pass.

 

[Telly]

I think the Bald and Bankrupt youtube guy has had videos of his trips to the 'stans.