Travel Answers

hi - I am meant to go to Tajikistan for a conference. I am a Canadian citizen who has been living in Armenia for 2 years. Is a letter of invitation, the fee, and the visa application enough to obtain the visa at the airport? There is no embassy/consulate for Tajikistan in Armenia unfortunately

What's the best way to obtain a LOI? Are they really necessary and how long do they take to be issued. I am trying to fly to Tajikistan in the first week of May. Is this cutting it too close? How do I find an invitation letter?

Is it possible to enter Tajikistan on foot from either Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan? If the policy is different for each country, please specify. I carry an American passport and I would like to get a visa on arrival. Is this possible? Thanks

Hello fellow travelers and friends in Dushanbe, Can anyone please get me the address/ email of a Real Estate Agency or an agent in Dushanbe for renting apartments or flats? Thanks.

Hi, I am considering a job in Dushanbe and want to know more about basic living conditions there. I read somewhere there is generally no hot water in the city pipes, is that true? Is it true that the city water can at times be very dirty and that there are highly inconveniencing power outages? Thanks in advance for general information on this topic.

Hi guys! I need the electronic scans Geko maps of Tajikistan for the trip to this country (1:500,000 scale). Maybe someone to share it? Thanks for your help!

How some one can spend a eveninn ? Is any place for Tajik Youngsters to hang out in evening ? I am visiting from 1st September to 6th September ! Thinking to spend good time there ?

I am planning to travel from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan around 26 April this year. Given the weather and road condition, where in Tajikistan can I visit during this time of year or should I avoid travelling around Tajikistan at this time at all? Also, how to travel from Tajikistan to Kashgar in China by road? Thanks for any advice

Is it possible to cross Tajikistan by own car coming from Europe and going to China? If yes, is any rout through the Pamirs open? Thanks for an answer. Wilhelm Klein

Hello VT's, I am scheduled to visit UAE and Azerbaijan this November and want to add Tajik to my trip. I need help in arranging and Invitation support and as well as accomodation for 2weeks. What will be the cheapest form of accomodation? Any support will be gratelly appreciated! Sammy

I am planning a trip to Tajikistan in early June. The game plan is to fly into Dushanbe June 1st then travel overland to khorugh and onto Murghob and back. I will then head south from Murghob and head into Afghanistan and work my way toward Kabul. So my question is: Is the Pamir Highway going to be thawed out enough to make this possible? -What sort of public transport is cheapest and most practical? -What is the best way to acquire homestay style accomodation? Also, Does anyone have any info on the Afghan border below Khorugh? And any info on obtaining an Afghan visa would also be helpful. Thanks. Trevor Lake trevorbulgariapeacecorps.blo...

Hello, I am an American and I would like to study and improve my farsi, but being an american, I cannot get a visa to Iran. I have heard that Dushanbe may have some farsi language school(s). Does anybody have any information about this? (website?) Thank you

Hi friends, I am planning to make a big trip through Central Asia next summer and would like to cover all 5 ex SU countries. Did anyone make a trip like this? I plan to travel by myself on budget. Maybe a stupid question but how much money should I plan for spending in 6 weeks? I have to make it a cheap trip. What are the best means of travelling? bus? Where should I start and where should I end? I am very grateful for all kinds of advices! Thanks a lot, Silvia

Hello! I am japon passport holder, now i am in Bishkek. I wanted to get my visa to Tajikistan here, but at the Embassy i was asked to show LOI for getting visa. Can you advice me any agency, which can provide me LOI to Tajikistan asap by cheap price? Also i am waiting for any info about Tajikistan (prices,life level, cheap restaurants and cafes, national dishes, things to do and to see etc...). Thank you.

Hi Everyone, I am not sure if anyone here will know the answers to my questions or some suggestions of places to find the answers. I have inquiries into the embassies and to a few tour companies but have not heard anything back and am trying to expand my quest for answers. We have also looked at the embassy websites to no avail. 1. What are the Kazakhstan's restrictions and regulations on the import and export of horses? For example what paperwork is needed as far as vaccinations, proof of ownership? 2. Are there any tests the horses will have to take once in your country if they come from another? 3. Will the horses need to be registered anywhere on entry to your country, or upon their purchase? 4. Are there any border crossings where horses are restricted from crossing into and out of the country? 5. Are there any border crossings where it would be easier to import/export a horse, in your opinion? Any help on any of these questions would be absolutely amazing. We are trying to decide our route, but that all depends on which borders we may cross with horses and which we cannot. The plan is to travel through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to start. Thank again for your time and knowledge! -Noelle

Hi everyone, I'd really appreciate any help anyone can provide in the following area. I am looking to find a charity in Tajikistan that I could possibly volunteer with for a bit or help raise money for. I really want to find a good one that actually helps people, or animals if at all possible, and that isn't too corrupt, i.e. most funds actually go towards charity. I would really like to be able to volunteer there for a bit as I pass through the country. I know most places don't like random foreigners interrupting their daily routine, but I'd be willing to donate money as well. Thanks for any ideas or suggestions!

Dear fellow travellers, I am in Dushanbe in July. Is there an ATM I can use? I have a MasterCard. Any other tip about accomodation and bus travel to Pamir region is also welcome. best regards, Tobi

In march I intent to travel from Almaty in KZ to India but ideally I would like to avoid going through China. Is it possilbe to go Almaty- Kyrgzstan-Tajikistan-Wacan-Pakistan-India? Is there a border crossing through the Wacan Valley? I would be most grateful for any advice Thanks Paul

Hello, We're planning a trip to Kyrgistan,Tajikistan and China next summer (july-august 2008). Two questions: Is it easy and possible to cross the border from Kyrgistan to Tajikistan. Is it possible to cross the border from Tajikistan to China as a tourist. Thanks

What is the best way to get from Dushanbe to Sammarkand ? Several postings seem to indicate that the drive from Dushanbe to Penjikent is horrible and advise against this road. Is this true ? Are the alternatives, e.g. flying to Khujunad and taking a train/bus from there or taking the train via Termez, any better ? Thank you, George

Dear fellowtravellers, Did some one get a visa and GBAO permit on arrival at Dushanbe airport? I did look at some Tajik embassy webpages and it still not clear for me. Thanks for answering me. Tobi

Dear fellow travellers, I am thinking about booking a flight to Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and returning from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) in July next year. How much time would be oke for travelling from one to another? I have the intention to go by public tranpsort or to hitch hike. (Weather, road conditions, bureaucracy, lack of traffic) Hope to hear from you! Tobi

Hey guys, I'll be travelling Central Asia in June - July this year (2007), so I was wondering if anyone will be out there around that time and maybe would like to travel together. Here's a brief itinerary: Start off in Pakistan - up the Karakoram Highway crossing into Kashgar (China) - then into Kyrgyztan - down through the Pamir Mountains and the Hindu Kush crossing into Tajikistan and finally ending up at Dushanbe. Following that, I have no plans as yet but I hope to cross into Afghanistan into Kabul if security conditions permit, otherwise head east or maybe head back to Pakistan. Hope to hear from all you thrill seekers !!! Rahul

I am looking for a photo book about Leninabad ( about 1980-1985?) It is for a woman i know and who was born in Leninabad. I know it is still available but i do not know an adress ,E mail where I can buy it. Please let me know how to find the book about the Leninabad time and perhaps if you know this how to buy it and sent to the Netherlands.

Hello, Has anyone done the trip from Osh/Sary-Tash to Khorog recently ? How long does it take and how much does it cost ? Information on the internet varies from tremendously from 2 day to more than a week (minimum !) and from 250 to over 1000 for a jeep/taxi. Can anyone recommend a travel agency that can organize transport at a reasonable price ? Thank you for any help ! George

Hello all, In “my” German Trekkingforum, I have read that a Russian trekker, Sergej, is missing while hiking in the south of Tajikistan / Pamirs. Please find below the English description, which already has been posted in some hiking forums. Although I am aware that VT is not necessarily a hiking community, I don’t want to miss any possibility. If anyone knows anything, please don’t post here, but in the German Trekkingforum, which has the English settings as well. It is here, where a friend of Sergej is reading and posting as well. You can answer there also without registration (we have checked this). This is the post: trekkingforum.com/forum/show... Here is the flyer with description also in Farsi: shiacenter.ru/fls/missing.pn... Here is a map, made with GoogleEarth, where his friend has drawn Sergej’s rough route: bpclub.ru/index.php?act=Atta... Thanks already in advance. Ingrid PS: I will post the description as answer to this post.

I am so sorry, I wrote to your comments my question. Can you please tell me do they have a car for rent in Khorugh? Thanks a lot Best regards, Marifat

The BBC just announced that visa requirement for Tajikistan has been eased for select countries. I would like to get a list of these countries. Is there a list, a web site, a press release. Thanks

On their website, the Tajik embassy seems to indicate that it is necessary to have a letter of invitation to obtain a visa. However, other sources have indicated to me that this is not necessary in Tajikistan. I am a US citizen; do I need a letter to obtain a tourist visa? Thanks!

Well i'm heading for tajikistan for bridge const project near afghan border under a italian firm .I'm not aware of current situation out there like security problem and mode of travelling to tajikistan from India. I'm supposed to go Via kabul by road to tajikistan. I'll really appreciate if any one help me out by providing correct information.