5 stans Tours & Trips

It was amazing! Penguin was well organised and the sites were incredible. The frontier of travel. Highly recommend the 5 Stans with penguin travel!

Overall, the Central Asia trip was exceptionally well organised, especially considering the challenge of fitting such a detailed and wide-ranging programme into 14 days. Covered a remarkable amount of ground in a short time, with a very good balance of history, culture, nature, architecture, and free time. For the most part, the hotels were very comfortable and well located, which greatly enhanced the overall experience and helped offset the intensity of the itinerary. In terms of transport, there were a few areas that could be improved. In Uzbekistan, it would have been preferable to have a guide accompany us continuously rather than leaving us on our own between Bukhara to Samarkand, and Samarkand to Tashkent. We were extremely grateful to the driver who waited and drove hours to transfer some passengers’ luggage, despite not being a guide himself. For long journeys (e.g. in Turkmenistan), vehicles with more legroom or additional seating would also have been appreciated, as the cramped conditions made extended rides quite uncomfortable. Regarding accommodation, it would be helpful to prioritise hotels with lifts or ramps, as the hotels in Samarkand required climbing stairs, which could be challenging for some travelers. Turkmenistan was memorable. The guide, Jabar, was fantastic - highly accommodating, helpful with money changing, and very attentive to the group’s needs. Moving around independently outside of shopping was difficult, so having a guide was essential, and the hotel’s location near a shopping mall made self-exploration easier. Immigration was surprisingly smooth, with Jabar accompanying me through the visa process and even helping me bypass long queues during the luggage checks. Connectivity was limited, with WhatsApp largely restricted, though Gmail worked and messages occasionally came through slowly. One observation - the guide’s explanations felt quite pro-government, with little discussion on the nature of the political system or the lack of flights to the rest of the Stans even though it claimed to be connecting with the rest of the world. That said, Merv felt largely skippable. The long, bumpy roads to Merv were uncomfortable, and the sights did not justify the effort. It would have been far more comfortable to fly directly from Ashgabat to Istanbul and onward to Uzbekistan, even if it involved higher costs. This could have freed up time for an additional day in Kazakhstan or Tajikistan. The overland crossing from Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan at the Farap border was particularly arduous, involving about 1.5 hours of walking, two passport clearances, checks at multiple points, and several short bus rides, making it a very tiring experience. In Uzbekistan, after the long border crossing, rest could be made a priority. So, it would have been preferable for the Uzbek guide, Akmal, to skip the lengthy introductory talk on the bus and save it for the following day. There were also discrepancies between the travel voucher and the actual programme. In Bukhara on Day 4, the morning became a walking tour of neighbourhood details such as doors, windows, and car brands, while sites like the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, and Bolo Khauz Mosque were not visited. One piece of feedback is to consider providing English translations alongside Arabic terms when introducing Islamic norms and practices, as many travelers are not aware of the Arabic meanings. I ended up translating several terms into English. In Samarkand, the guide Grigory struggled with English and relied heavily on notes prior to sharing with the group, and while an unplanned visit to the Afrasiyab archaeological site was included, the Rukhabad Mausoleum listed in the voucher was skipped. In Tashkent, there was some miscommunication regarding the morning tour with the guide Zarina, but it was resolved thereafter. The morning trip was informative and explained Islam in Central Asia in a simple, easy-to-understand manner for the group. The schedule in Tajikistan was handled efficiently despite tight timing. Amir, the guide, made a commendable effort to cover most of the lakes and even included a visit to the Panjakent Central Market Bazaar before proceeding to the land border crossing, which added a nice local touch to the day visit. Kyrgyzstan stood out very positively due to the guide. Nursultan’s humour, clear and engaging explanations, and willingness to accommodate the group’s many requests — especially stops at souvenir shops — made the experience enjoyable and relaxed. Nursultan was friendly, attentive, and an excellent guide who added a lot of value to this portion of the trip. In Kazakhstan, however, the city tour felt rushed. Rustem seemed eager to complete the afternoon programme quickly, and although the tour in the early evening, his quick departure from the group left an impression that he was in a hurry, which detracted slightly from the otherwise engaging visit. Overall, despite some logistical challenges, itinerary deviations, and comfort-related issues, the trip was a rich and rewarding journey through Central Asia. The strong organisation, dedicated guides in some countries, and the sheer diversity of experiences made it a memorable adventure, with opportunities for refinement to make future tours even better.

The itinerary was great and the entire trip went smoothly. Lyuben is an excellent tour guide.