THE STANS TRAVEL GUIDE
Central Asia has a more colloquial name: the Stans. This vast region, stretching from the Caspian Sea to China, consists of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, with Afghanistan and Iran below and mighty Russia looming to the north. The suffix ’stan is Persian and Urdu for ‘land of’. So, if you’re in Kyrgyzstan, you’re in the land of the Kyrgz. Simple. What isn’t simple is generalising about what you’ll find on a trip to two or more Stans. Turkmenistan is dominated by desert, but Tajikistan is all about mountains. Uzbekistan brims with Silk Road cities, but Kyrgyzstan is the place for hiking and horse riding.
Traveling to a handful of Stans brings dazzling variety, but while the sights vary, the welcome never falters.
Tourism is in its infancy, so there’s a real sense of discovery to traveling here, and the few visitors that pass through are treated with instinctive hospitality by local people who, beyond the odd glitzy Soviet capital, live simply, in ways little changed in centuries.
The Stans are/aren't
The Stans are…
five very different countries, with diverse landscapes and long history.
The Stans aren’t…
all about the Silk Road.
WHAT WE RATE & WHAT WE DON'T
UNDERRATED
Active exploration
Trekking around gorgeous Iskander-Kul lake in Tajikistan, horse riding …
Kazakhstan
Despite painting Kazakhstan in a poor light, the film …
RATED
Silk Road cities
Uzbekistan’s famous Silk Road cities never fail to impress: …
OVERRATED
Our The Stans Vacations
Central Asia overland tour, the stans
An epic journey through the five 'stans' of Central Asia
From
£4999
26 days
ex flights
The Silk Road small group tour
Discover the Silk Road in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China
From
US $3295 to US $3485
15 days
ex flights
Small group tour of the Stans
Get under the skin of all five 'Stans'
From
US $7695
4 weeks
ex flights
Silk Road overland vacation
Once in a lifetime Trans-Asian Silk Road Adventure
From
£10545
7 weeks
ex flights
Silk Road overland truck tour
Overland through Central Asia's highlights
From
£1964 to £2390
30 days
ex flights
Uzbekistan to Iran overland tour
Trace the western section of the Silk Road
From
US $5205 to US $5380
21 days
ex flights
Small group vacation to the Stans
Tread in the footsteps of the ancient Silk Road
From
£5975
29 days
ex flights
Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan vacation, Silk Road explorer
Discover the fascinating ancient history of the Silk Road
From
£2675
16 days
ex flights
The five stans silk road vacation
Step into the pages of history on a silk road tour
From
US $5965 to US $6195
23 days
ex flights
Silk Road vacation, five Stans of Central Asia
Journey through the 5 stans of Central Asia
From
£5655
4 weeks
ex flights
Istanbul to Ulaanbaatar Silk route tour by overland truck
Overland the entire Silk Road and then head up to Mongolia
From
£7468
120 days
ex flights
Silk Road overland tour, Istanbul to Beijing
Travel the entire length of the Silk Road overland!
From
£6116
96 days
ex flights
Silk Road vacation, small group
Discover amazing Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan
From
£2785
15 days
ex flights
FOOD, SHOPPING & PEOPLE
EATING & DRINKING IN THE STANS
Plov is eaten all over Central Asia, and a national obsession in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. At its simplest it’s rice with onion, carrots and some form or meat, cooked slowly in layers.
Soup is ubiquitous in the Stans, ranging from tasty noodle soup called laghman to less appetising fatty, meaty broths.
Vodka, a hangover from the Soviet era in every sense, is still popular across the region, and there are plenty of cheap but tasty local varieties to sample as you travel from Stan to Stan.
Soup is ubiquitous in the Stans, ranging from tasty noodle soup called laghman to less appetising fatty, meaty broths.
Vodka, a hangover from the Soviet era in every sense, is still popular across the region, and there are plenty of cheap but tasty local varieties to sample as you travel from Stan to Stan.
PEOPLE & LANGUAGE
Rahmat in Uzbek = Thank you
Languages belonging to the Turkic group are spoken across the Stans – Turkmen in Turkmenistan, Uzbek in Uzbekistan – with sometimes several spoken in a single country. Russian, though, is the de facto language, spoken throughout the region and especially in cities, a linguistic legacy of the time the Stans were the Soviet Central Asian Republics. Very few people speak English.
Learn how to say ‘thank you’ around the region:
Rahmat in Uzbek
Sag bolu? in Turkmen
Raqmet sizge in Kazakh
Learn how to say ‘thank you’ around the region:
Rahmat in Uzbek
Sag bolu? in Turkmen
Raqmet sizge in Kazakh
Kazakhs like to joke that they are second in the world in terms of meat consumption after, no, not Argentina, but wolves.
Our top The Stans Vacation
Central Asia overland tour, the stans
An epic journey through the five 'stans' of Central Asia
From
£4999
26 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 31 Aug
2020: 29 Aug
2019: 31 Aug
2020: 29 Aug
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about The Stans or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.
GIFTS &
SHOPPING
SHOPPING
Gorgeous rugs and carpets are a speciality of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, with the Tolkuchka bazaar in Turkmenistan and Bukhara’s four covered bazaars great places to shop. In Kyrgyzstan, look out for shirdaks, traditional felt rugs used by nomads to cover their yurt floors.
Ceramics are ubiquitous, from inexpensive tea bowls in Kyrgyzstan to large plates with bold patterns throughout Uzbekistan.
Most Stans have their own unique style of hat. Turkmenistan has the furry telpek, while Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have embroidered skullcaps. The kalpak has a high crown and is made of white felt or sheepskin, symbolising the peaks of the Kyrgyz Mountains.
Ceramics are ubiquitous, from inexpensive tea bowls in Kyrgyzstan to large plates with bold patterns throughout Uzbekistan.
Most Stans have their own unique style of hat. Turkmenistan has the furry telpek, while Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have embroidered skullcaps. The kalpak has a high crown and is made of white felt or sheepskin, symbolising the peaks of the Kyrgyz Mountains.
According to myth, Timur bought 100,000 craftsmen to work on Samarkand’s Bibi Khanum mosque. When he toured the site, he rewarded workers by throwing coins and meat at them.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Samarkand to Tashkent by train, Uzbekistan: about £4.50
Plov and tea for two in standard restaurant, Uzbekistan: £1.50-2.50
Kalpak hat, Kyrgyzstan: £13
Loaf of white bread, Kazakhstan: 20p
0.5l beer, Tajikistan: 35p
Plov and tea for two in standard restaurant, Uzbekistan: £1.50-2.50
Kalpak hat, Kyrgyzstan: £13
Loaf of white bread, Kazakhstan: 20p
0.5l beer, Tajikistan: 35p
More about The Stans
The Stans are characterised by a climate of extremes – fierce cold in the winter, soaring heat in the summer.
Our Stans map and highlights page picks out the celebrated highlights, natural wonders and Silk Road centers sprinkled across these five countries.
Discover a little more about the five unique countries that, collectively, are known as the Stans.
The network of trade routes that made up the Silk Road threaded through the Stans, with Uzbekistan at the center of this commerce and cultural highway.
When it comes to preparing for a vacation to Central Asia, hearing tips and advice from experts and travelers who have already been is invaluable.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: Dudarev Mikhail] [Are/Aren't: lwtt93]
[Accommodation: Thomas Depenbusch (Depi)]
[Active exploration: Kalpak Travel]
[Kazakhstan: Polina Raevskaya]
[Soviet history: Kalpak Travel]
[Local hospitality: Kalpak Travel]
[Silk Road cities: Kalpak Travel]
[Song Kul lake, Kyrgyzstan: Thomas Depenbusch (Depi)]
[The Pamir Highway: Kalpak Travel]
[Entry requirements: Kalpak Travel]
[Food: Kalpak Travel]
[Human rights: Veni]
[Independent travel: Harald Deischinger]
[Eating & Drinking: Kalpak Travel]
[People & Language: Kalpak Travel]
[Quote: Angell Williams]
[Gifts & Shopping: Dave Proffer]
[How much does it cost?: Kalpak Travel]
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