Visit Some Amazing Countries That End in "Stan"
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakstan, Pakistan and Afghanistan...so many "Stans." Mountain Travel Sobek had a trek operating in 1999 called "Lost Valleys of the Turkestan Range. The tour began and ended in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and the trek took place entirely within Kyrgyzstan.
Well, if we were going to fly this far, what about Tajikistan, Kazakstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan? Forget Afghanistan. The Taliban was in power. Tajikistan? Violence and another country considered "not safe to visit." Pakistan? Been there...done it... Kazakstan? Kazakstan wasn't experiencing any problems but its geographic situation above Uzbekistan made it difficult to arrange post-trek.
By process of elimination, Turkmenistan could be included. Again, not the most politically desirable country sharing borders with both Iran and Afghanistan and run by President Saparmurat Niyazov, who was offered the presidency for life! What the hell...we went for the inclusion of Turkmenistan because I had heard that the Ashghabad Sunday Market was one of the world's best. That did it for me...
The main and important historical sites and cities were actually in Uzbekistan. Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Kiva. Mountain Travel Sobek put me in touch with a tour operator who could arrange the post-trek logistics, Julie McCormick, who (unfortunately) is no longer in the travel business. E-Mails back and forth, lots of input and it was decided to extend the post-trek by nine days.
Comments
I've also been to Turkmenistan the Ashghabad Sunday Market is one of the most exotic i've been to I thoroughly recommend it!
Posted by: Oli Kendal | December 1, 2008 08:14 AM