Five Stans tour from Bishkek to Ashgabat

Some ATMs in Bishkek dispense US dollars as well as som. Beyond the capital, ATMs are found in the few largest towns but mostly not in smaller ones, except on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul. Mastercard works in all ATMs, but Visa is still the more widely accepted card. Demirbank's red ATMs have lately been the best option for foreign cards, with moderate fees.

Exchange offices in the major cities change US dollars, euros and roubles into som. Notes must be clean, fresh and without any signs of wear. Exchange offices prefer larger notes from 50 USD and 50 EUR, and sometimes give a better rate for them.

Cards are accepted in major hotels, restaurants, large supermarkets and some museums in Bishkek and Osh, and occasionally even in taxis. Elsewhere, apart from the northern shore of Issyk-Kul, paying by card is not practical.

Always carry your passport or a notarised copy. Without proper identification you can be detained by the police.

• Robberies, some of them violent, and thefts happen especially in crowded places such as the bazaars. Take care after dark.
• Sexual harassment has been reported on public transport. Avoid walking or travelling alone, especially at night.
• Book taxis in advance from established services.
• Stay away from crowds and demonstrations.
• Watch where you step: some streets have large holes and pavements are often uneven.

• Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religious practices.
• Possessing or using narcotics is strictly prohibited.
• Do not photograph anything related to the armed forces or security services.
• Same-sex relationships are legal but not widely discussed or publicly recognised.

Smuggling makes the southern border zones with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan unstable and best avoided.

For a tourist visa, most passport holders need an invitation letter from a tourism company. Kyrgyzstan has had an electronic visa system since 1 September 2017.

Visiting border regions requires a special permit.

In late spring and early autumn the valleys, Issyk-Kul's shores and the towns are green or golden, days are pleasant rather than hot and there are fewer visitors.

This is when the high pastures, yurt camps and mountain passes are open, and trekking and horse-riding routes that are under snow the rest of the year can be reached. Days in the valleys can reach about 30°C, and nights at altitude can still be close to freezing. Summer is also the time of festivals celebrating Kyrgyz traditions.

Winters in the highlands are long and close the high passes, but it is still a captivating season. Hiking, horse riding and skiing are all possible, and yurt stays are available too.

If you rely on regular medication, bring enough for the whole trip: it can be hard or expensive to find locally.

Arrange comprehensive medical and travel insurance before you arrive. A serious accident or illness may mean emergency air evacuation to a neighbouring country.

Treat tap water and other local water as contaminated and boil it before drinking; bottled water is the safest choice throughout your stay. Be careful with unpasteurised dairy and other animal products.

Vaccinations against polio and tuberculosis are recommended before entering the country, and others may also be advisable. Ask your doctor or travel clinic.

ATMs are widespread in the major cities, in banks, hotels and shopping centres, but most dispense only tenge. Every city has exchange offices for US dollars, euros, roubles, pounds, Chinese yuan and Kyrgyz som, and changing dollars or euros into tenge is easy at banks and exchange offices.

International cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and large supermarkets. Smaller shops usually take cash only and often have little change, so carry smaller notes.

Always carry original identification such as your passport, as police patrols may ask for it. When approached by a police officer, driver or official, ask to see their identification.

• Petty crime such as pickpocketing, bag theft and car break-ins is common. Keep valuables out of sight and be vigilant, especially at night.
• Never leave food or drinks unattended or with strangers.
• Be careful of online scams.
• Stay away from demonstrations and political gatherings, and leave the area if there is unrest nearby.

• Avoid walking alone and arrange transport in advance. Do not use unofficial taxis.
• On trains, keep your passport and travel documents safe and lock the compartment, especially on night trains.
• Roads are well maintained in and around the major cities, but rural roads may be in poor condition.

• Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is banned near schools, playgrounds and medical facilities, in public places such as museums, public transport, airports, stations and underpasses, and in cars carrying children.
• Possessing or using illegal drugs can lead to a long prison sentence.
• Photography is restricted near military sites, border areas, airports and some official buildings. Avoid sharing images that could be seen as disrespectful to religion, culture or national symbols.
• Same-sex relationships are not illegal, but tolerance varies, especially outside the major cities.

If you enter visa-free, your passport only needs to be valid for the length of your stay. With a visa, it must be valid for six months beyond the end of your stay.

For a tourist visa from an embassy or an electronic visa, you first need a letter of invitation (LOI). You may need to register after arriving in the country.

Kazakhstan has a harsh continental climate, at its most extreme in the central steppe and around the capital, Astana. Temperatures can rise above 40°C in June to August and drop to −20°C in December to February.

Medical staff often speak little English.

Non-prescription medicines are easy to buy. For prescription medicines you need a prescription from a local doctor, or a foreign prescription translated into Kazakh or Russian.

Banks exchange US dollars, euros, British pounds and Japanese yen. There are exchange offices in major cities such as Bukhara and Khiva and at Tashkent airport; elsewhere you need a bank, which often gives a better rate anyway. Your notes must be in pristine condition. Sum is hard to exchange outside Uzbekistan, but you can change it back to US dollars at a local bank.

Cards are accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants in Tashkent and the main tourist cities, with Visa more widely recognised than Mastercard and a standard 3% commission. ATMs dispense sum and are easy to find in the larger cities; many also offer US dollars.

Always carry your passport: it is a legal requirement, and police carry out routine checks.

• Use licensed taxis. Local taxi apps are the easiest way to get a ride at local prices, and Yandex works very well in Tashkent and Samarkand. If you take a taxi on the street or at the airport, agree the price first.
• Many roads outside Tashkent, especially in the Tian Shan and Fan mountains, are in poor condition. Driving standards are generally low, and rural roads are often unlit, so night driving is riskier.
• On night trains, keep valuables safe, do not leave belongings unattended and lock the compartment door from the inside.
• Watch your belongings as you would anywhere, and avoid demonstrations and large gatherings.

• Possessing narcotics is strictly illegal.
• Same-sex relationships are illegal and still socially condemned. Avoid public displays of affection.
• Drones are in practice banned. Permits can be applied for but are very rarely granted.

Be discreet near government buildings such as the Palace of Forums in Tashkent, and sometimes at local markets that see few tourists. Restrictions have eased, but check before photographing near airports, border checkpoints, military sites, bridges and police stations.

Uzbekistan is prone to earthquakes, mostly tremors, though stronger ones occasionally occur.

Registration rules are stricter than elsewhere in Central Asia: by law you must be registered within 3 days of arrival. Hotels usually do this for you, but register yourself if you stay longer than 3 days in, for example, a rented apartment. Border officers check the registrations when you leave and may ask for the paper slips, so keep them until you exit the country.

Exporting handcrafted items older than 50 years is prohibited. At land borders, customs officers may check your phone and photos for explicit or confidential material, though this has become very rare.

At the height of summer the land dries out, especially in the countryside, and temperatures rise well above 30°C, often up to 40°C.

From November to March it can get cold, sometimes below zero, but the skies are mostly clear and bright. Snow is occasional and usually melts within a day or two.

To avoid traveller's diarrhoea, drink only bottled, filtered or boiled water, and do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or for ice. Choose meat and fish that are thoroughly cooked and served hot.

Uzbekistan has a state healthcare system and a small private sector. Larger clinics serve the cities and regional hospitals the countryside. Hospitals usually ask for payment in cash up front, even if you are insured, and serious cases may need evacuation home. Contact your insurer straight away if you need urgent care, and check before you leave what your insurance covers in Uzbekistan.

Pharmacies are private, and the range of medicines can be limited. Prescriptions generally require a doctor's consultation. If you travel with medication, check the rules with the embassy, a consulate or Uzbekistan's Ministry of Health.

A Visa card works for payments or cash withdrawals in some hotels and banks, but most ATMs only accept local Turkmen cards.

US dollars are easy to exchange throughout the country, but euros only in Ashgabat, and euro notes are not widely accepted. Exchange money legally at banks, and only as much as you expect to spend: manat cannot be changed back into dollars. The official rate is fixed at 3.50 manat to the US dollar; there is no fixed rate for euros.

A cash reserve for unexpected situations is wise anywhere in Central Asia, and especially in Turkmenistan.

• Carry identification with you at all times while travelling around the country.
• Wear a money belt, keep an eye on your belongings, avoid poorly lit streets at night and do not use unofficial taxis when travelling alone.

• Photographing military zones, transport hubs and government buildings is prohibited by law. People may also be sensitive about being photographed without consent.
• Several social media apps and websites are blocked and cannot be used without a VPN.
• Drones are in practice banned.

• Avoid public displays of affection. Homosexuality is illegal. Relationships with Turkmen women are best avoided, as they can lead to fines and deportation.
• Avoid talking about politics, human rights, religion, or criticising the president, the country or its people.
• During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month whose dates move each year, eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public are forbidden in daylight hours, as are loud music, dancing, revealing clothing and swearing in public.
• Smoking is banned in all public places except designated smoking areas. Possessing or using illegal drugs can mean a long prison sentence.

Turkmenistan is prone to earthquakes, mostly tremors, though stronger ones occasionally occur.

A tourist visa requires a letter of invitation (LOI) approved by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan, applied for by a licensed tour operator in the country.

When you book a tour with Central Asia Guide, we always arrange the letters of invitation, and the visa is issued on arrival at the land borders or Ashgabat airport.

Turkmenistan's dry continental climate makes it one of the hottest places in Central Asia. July and August are the least favourable months, with temperatures in Ashgabat reaching 50°C. Most of the main sights are in the treeless desert, but the Caspian coast is usually milder than inland and suits summer travel.

Cold weather arrives in December, with temperatures below 0°C, occasional frosts down to −20°C and snow in parts of the country.

To avoid traveller's diarrhoea, drink only bottled, filtered or boiled water, and do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or for ice. Avoid ice cream. Choose meat and fish that are thoroughly cooked and served hot, cook vegetables and peel fruit.

Vaccinations against diphtheria, hepatitis A and tetanus are advisable.

If you need urgent medical care, contact your travel insurer straight away. Check the rules for travelling with medicines before you go.

Withdrawing cash can be difficult, so carry some cash with you. There are ATMs in Dushanbe, Panjakent, Khujand, Khorog, Isfara, Istaravshan and Bokhtar (Kurgan-Tube), and even in smaller towns, but not in Murghab. Eskhata Bank in Dushanbe is a reliable choice for US dollars and has a generous limit for somoni withdrawals. ATMs may be harder to find at weekends, and ATMs that take Mastercard can be tricky to find.

US dollars and euros are widely accepted, though in rural areas without exchange offices people often prefer dollars. Changing money on the black market is illegal.

Always carry a copy of your passport's photo page, as the authorities may ask for identification.

• Avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, and stay alert in public places.
• Do not leave drinks unattended, decline drinks from strangers and keep an eye on how much you drink.
• If you are followed or harassed at the airport, report it right away to your tour agent or the consular office at the airport.
• Women travelling alone may face unwanted attention or harassment.

• Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions.
• Smoking while walking in the street is prohibited.
• Possessing or using drugs is strictly illegal.
• Photographing anything related to the military or security services can cause trouble with the authorities.
• Same-sex relationships are not illegal, but local views are conservative and tolerance varies, especially outside the major cities.

• Vehicles are often poorly maintained and driving standards are basic. Fuel stations are rare outside the cities and emergency services may not be available, so bring what you need and expect delays.
• Roads outside the major cities are poor and some are passable only by four-wheel drive. Spring is especially hazardous because of avalanches and landslides.
• Energy and water shortages and power cuts are common, especially in winter and spring and mostly outside Dushanbe.

• Avoid the border area with Afghanistan because of the unstable security situation there.
• Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed a border treaty in 2025 after the clashes of 2022, and the northern Sughd region, including Khujand, is safe to visit.
• Tajikistan is prone to earthquakes, avalanches, landslides and floods.

A permit is required to visit the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

Tajikistan's borders can close at short notice. Declare large amounts of money on arrival, and show the customs declaration when you leave.

In September the markets are full of fresh produce and the landscape turns golden.

The best time to visit the Pamirs is August.

Summers are dry and very hot, up to 40°C in the lowlands. Winters can be extremely cold, down to −20°C in the mountains, and heavy snow in the west can disrupt winter routes and close the high passes.

Before you go, check that your destination can provide any medical help you might need, and make sure your travel insurance covers treatment and unexpected medical evacuation. If you are sent to a medical facility, contact your insurer straight away.

Some medicines containing codeine are strictly prohibited. Check that any medication you bring is legal, and declare all medicines and other restricted items on arrival.

Ticks are common in forests and rural areas from spring to autumn. Improperly disposed uranium and pesticides in the northern Sughd region are a possible health hazard. At a minimum, get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B and tetanus before your trip.