Way to Russia Talk Lounge

Light · Just Starting Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4

Hello!

I plan to visit Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan this summer. I'd like to know if i need LOI if i decide to apply for visas to these countries in advance in my homecountry or there is no need to apply for visas in advance and there is an oppotunity to get visas just at the airport without LOI, arriving to any of these countries? things to do?? Travel budjet??? Thanks.

Loulou · Just Starting Joined: 11 Nov 2007 Posts: 6

hi,

Prices in Kyrgyzstan are roughly on par with Uzbekistan, making it one of the cheaper Central Asian countries to travel in. Wild camping opportunities are plentiful for those on a budget and most towns have an aging but extremely cheap Soviet-era hotel (no breakfast and sometimes no running water).

On the other hand, temptation to splurge comes from a growing number of homestays - B&B accomodation with local families - and opportunities to sleep in a yurt or go trekking in the mountains. Internet access is also relatively expensive and many cafes charge for traffic in addition to the time used.

We had an average spend of about 18 euros a day in Kyrgyzstan for the two of us, including a few homestays and meals out in cafes. On a strict budget, we probably could have brought this down to about 12 euros a day but we wanted to sample the homestays and cooking of the region.

Some typical costs in June 2008 are listed below, when $1 U.S. bought around 36 Som:

Baltika beer – 35 Som
Flight to Bangkok from Almaty - $600 U.S.
Kilogram of tomatoes - 45 Som
Kilogram of onions – 25 Som
Litre of Coca-Cola - 25-30 Som
Room in a Soviet hotel – 100-200 Som per person
Room in a homestay - 300-500 Som per person
Round of bread – 8-10 Som
One hour internet access – 30-50 Som (plus traffic charges)
One month visa extension in Bishkek - 1,055 Som

Taking into account two-fold information, it is better to get visa in advance. You can apply either to http://www.travelazerbaijan.land.ru/ or uzbekistantrip@yandex.ru, they make LOIs without booking a tour to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan etc., choose that agency, which will offer you the best price. Nowadays these agncies are the cheapest and the quickest way to get LOI. Their LOI costs about 12 euros per person per country. If you apply for LOIs for several countries, they can make you discount.

Larki · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:58 pm Post subject: Uzbekistan, food, visa LOI etc

Hello all,

Uzbekistan contains some of Central Asia’s best sights including the famous Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Samarqand where it’s easy to gaze upwards in awe at tiled mosques and pack your panniers with souvenirs from the bustling bazaars. On a bicycle you’ll find Uzbekistan’s people well versed in the tradition of hospitality towards visitors, welcoming you with big smiles and even invitations to spend the night. And since the terrain isn’t as rigourous as in Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan, you’ll have plenty of time to linger over a tea or beer in the many cafes.Uzbek food is a delight if you’re coming from Iran but, like all of Central Asia, may be heavy on the mutton if you’ve flown in straight from Europe. Vegetarians will struggle to find much to eat in restaurants but can seek solace in the well stocked farmers markets.Humble cafes are plentiful in cities and along the road. They all tend to offer the same things including samsas, baked pastries filled with onions and meat, grilled kebabs known as shashlyk. Plov, rice cooked with onions and sometimes raisins and chickpeas with meat on top, is another staple. You should also be able to get a salad and bread with your meal and you can wash it down with unlimited quantities of tea or beer.
Getting a visa for Uzbekistan isn’t difficult, although you need to have the letter of invitation from some travel agency (we are cyclists,we needed to have all visas in advance for go to Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, Tadjikistan etc). You should allow one week for processing the visa. We were charged $75 U.S. for a 30-day tourist visa.Once in Uzbekistan, you have the fun of thinking about registration. You should register within 72 hours of your arrival and any hotel you stay in should do this for you. You will receive a small piece of paper with your name and dates you stayed at the hotel. Most people don’t get checked at the border but some do and if the officials find you were unregistered, they can fine you. Penalties start at $120 U.S. and stories of travellers paying upwards of $300 U.S. are not uncommon.This is a real frustration for cyclists as not all distances are easily covered in a day and worries about being registered take all the fun out of wild camping.