The Helpful Stranger

Providing an authentic and honest opinion on travel destinations

Tag: Central Asia

  • Astana self-guided walking tour

    Ultra-modern Astana is a planned city. While it is spread across a relatively big area, most of its monumental buildings are located along an east-west axis and the main sites can be covered on foot in a day; there is plenty of walking involved but it’s doable – trust me, we did it! Check out… Read more

  • Samarkand self-guided walking tour

    Samarkand is a city full of emblematic and historical sites. As the third largest city in Uzbekistan, one of the oldest continually-inhabited cities in the world and best known as the capital of the Timurid Empire, there is plenty to see and do. Although they are geographically spread out, it is possible to cover all… Read more

  • Public transport in Central Asia – a complete guide

    Some of the best experiences we had in Central Asia were on public transport. It brings you into direct contact with locals who are often as curious about you and your life as you are of them. From in-depth conversations with the Turkistan football team on the train between Turkistan and Shymkent at 4am, to… Read more

  • A guide to train travel in Central Asia

    Trains are by far the easiest way to get around in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where there is an extensive inter-city rail network. As well as being relatively comfortable, the trains can be a great way to see the vast landscapes and interact with curious locals. The trains are soviet-style, running very long distances with multiple… Read more

  • An introduction to travel in Central Asia

    Central Asia is a vast region nestled between Afghanistan and the powerhouse nations of Russia, China and Iran. The region consists of five countries, the ‘five stans’; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Formerly part of the Russian Empire, all of the Central Asian countries became independent in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet… Read more

  • Pamir Highway Road Trip – an honest review and survival guide

    The Pamir Highway, otherwise known as M41, is the ultimate road trip in Central Asia. The stretch between Dushanbe and Osh is 1,200km and passes through the Pamir Mountain range, making it one of the highest altitude highways in the world. Because of its remoteness, there is no public transportation. The only ways to travel… Read more