KYRGYZSTAN TRAVEL REPORT.

From the Bus Station, located in the center of Batken in Kyrgyzstan, collective taxis with 7 seats in addition to the driver leave for Osh when they are full. The trip lasts over 4 hours and I paid $ 25 for it (of course they also accept Som). The important thing, before getting on, is to make sure that the taxi driver bypasses the Uzbek Enclave through secondary roads, because if you accidentally come across it, the Uzbek guards will let you out with broken bones especially if like me you do not have a visa for multiple entries for Uzbekistan. To this end I have prepared a ticket with the translation into Russian so that the taxi driver who does not speak English would understand my request. Because if it is true that the Kirgisi do not like to enter the Uzbek enclave, it is also true that they can do so without permission. It is different for European citizens, as I have already explained above.

In the end the trip went smoothly despite this being the hottest area of my trip as I deduced from the numerous Kirgisi checkpoints. Once in Osh the taxi driver brought every single person in front of the house, who among other things logically paid for the trip half of what I paid out as a tourist, sometimes in impossible roads and then in the end he left me in front of the Hotel Alay , as per my request and only 200 meters. compared to where he left the last passenger and for this service he gestured for another $ 5 but this time I got upset and didn't give it to him.

The Alay Hotel, located at the intersection of Alisher Navoi and Kurmanjan Street, in a very central position offers single rooms with shared bathroom at the price of 400 Som per night. The building is in Soviet style but the rooms are acceptable. The staff speak very little English.

After visiting Osh on foot, early in the morning, from Hotel Alay I walk for over 1 km on Alisher Navoi Street heading east, crossing the Ak Buura River bridge until reaching the intersection with Kyrgyzstan, where collective taxis leave when full to Bishkek, which takes at least 11 hours to reach the capital Kyrgisa through a road that offers incomparable views. You pass the Ala Bel Pass 3175 meters while the Tor Ashuu Pass 3.586 meters is avoided thanks to the tunnel located several tens of meters below. I paid 1,000 Som for this ride (Dollars are also accepted), after a short haggling. The taxi driver, however, after leaving everyone in front of the house, refused to take me to my hotel but abandoned me in the west part of Chuy Prospektisi, forcing me to have an unbearable effort from an orientation point of view in Bishkek.

Few people speak English in Bishkek and to reach Sakura Guesthouse, I had to change several buses and Marshrutka. The price of each ride is 8 Som. It is paid directly to the driver. In the end I managed to get to the intersection of Soviet Street and Jibek Jolu Prospektisi with difficulty. From there I walked for about 200 meters. heading north on Soviet Street, then turn right onto Michurina Street. I walked it for about 200 meters until I found a small pedestrian alley on the right where you can see the Sakura Guesthouse sign, very clean and comfortable. Price per night in dormitory: 400 Sum.

In Bishkek the money changers are scattered throughout the city but they are mainly found in Chuy Prospektisi and keep open until 24,000. They accept both Euros and Dollars.

If like me you are interested in moving from Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan and Turkistan in southern Kazakhstan, keep in mind that there are no direct buses or Marshrutka, but that you have to make the trip in Marshrutka in 3 stages:

1. Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) - Taraz (Kazakhstan);

2. Taraz (Kazakhstan) - Skymkent (Kazakhstan);

3. Skymkent (Kazakhstan) - Turkistan (Kazakhstan);

To do this it takes at least 12 hours and therefore you have to leave early in the morning.

At the shelter located north - west of the intersection between Soviet Street and Jibek Jolu Prospektisi, you have to take Bus 35, which passes every Pope's death, or Marshrutka n. 113, which runs on Jibek Jolu Prospektisi heading west. Both also stop at the West Bus Station (Zapadny), located about 4 km northwest of the aforementioned intersection. The fare is 8 Som. It is paid directly to the driver.

KAZAKHSTAN

From the West Bus Station (Zapadny), take the Marshrutka which leaves when full in the direction of Taraz (Kazakhstan). I waited 2 hours before leaving. The fare is 350 Som. It is paid directly to the driver. The journey takes over 4 hours including a stop of almost an hour at the Chaldybar border. The Marshrutka awaits you after the Kazakh border. I cross the border smoothly. For the Kazakh one, it is necessary to fill in the immigration card in English which must be stamped by the staff together with the passport and is valid as registration in the country and must therefore be returned when leaving the country. At the same time, a photo is taken of you and finally your luggage is checked through the metal detector.

As for the physical effort it must be said that there is very little to walk as the two customs buildings of the 2 aforementioned countries are close.

After both borders, it is possible to change money at the desks of the Money Changers, located on the right.

The Marshrutkas arrive at Taraz Bus Station, located 4km northeast of the center. From here, keep in mind that, when full, even in the afternoon, numerous Marshrutkas leave for Skymkent (3 hours, 1,000 Tenge).

In Skymkent I am dropped off at a bus station located almost in the center. From the main road adjacent to it you can take bus no. 40 or n. 92 which in about half an hour will take you to Samal, where collective taxis gather and leave when full for Turkistan (2 hours, 800 Tenge).

The roads are not bad compared to other Central Asian countries. The taxi driver leaves me in front of the Sabina Hotel in Sultanbek Qozhanov n. 16 in the center of Turkistan, 300 mt. approximately from the Yasaui Mausoleum. The price for a double or single room does not change: 3.000 Tenge per night. The bathroom is shared. The elderly owner makes a lovely effort to speak English to me with the help of a dictionary. He is very kind even if not very reliable with regards to travel directions to Astana

In Turkistan I visit the Yasaui Mausoleum, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Admission is free.

Marshrutkas in Turkistan cost 40 Tenge for each ride.

The Pulman for Astana leaves every day at 18.00 from the Turkistan Bus Station, located about 2.5 km north-west of the Yasaui Mausoleum. The cost of the ticket is 6,000 Tenge. The bus passes through Skymkent, Taraz and Karaganda. The trip lasts from 24 to 27 hours. In my case 26. The same makes a lot of stops to check the engine and also to load other people. It ends its journey at the Bus Station Asem, located north-east of Astana, over half an hour by bus from Bayterek Monument (Bus no. 41, price 60 Tenge to be paid to the controller).

 Generally, the public buses that connect the Bayterek Monument area to the railway station and the adjacent main bus station, located about 4 km north-west of the historic center of Astana, are in service until 11.00 pm even if someone runs even further. For example, no. 10. Cost: 60 Tenge to be paid to the controller. About twenty minutes of travel.

Arrived at the Astana Train Station almost midnight. It is open all night and safe. The staff do not speak English. I look for, for the next day, one of the 10 trains that shuttle every day, between the capital and Almaty, but they are all full. There is only the elegant and very expensive Talgo train, which leaves every day at 20.28 from Astana and arrives in Almaty at 9.30 in the morning after 13 hours of travel at a cost of even 27,000 Tenge.

I spend the night in the bar of the Astana train station with some friends I met there and then head at 5.00 in the morning to the adjacent bus station which opens at that time and then take the inconvenient Bus to Almaty which leaves at 6.00 in the morning of in front of it. The ticket is made before boarding directly by the driver. Cost 5,000 Tenge. Distance approximately 1,100 km approximately. Duration of the trip: about 21 hours.

Arrival at 3am at the Sayran Bus Station in Almaty, located 6km west of the city center. The same remains open even at night.

Getting around Almaty by bus costs 40 Tenge. You pay the conductor before getting off.

KYRGYZSTAN

After visiting Almaty by bus and on foot, I return to the Sayran Bus Station in Almaty, where I take one of the frequent Marshrutkas that leave when full, in the morning and in the afternoon, to the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, located just 20 km from Bishkek. at a cost of 1,300 Tenge. The trip lasts 3 hours.

The border can be crossed on foot without major problems. The stamped immigration card must be returned to the Kazakh Customs. For Kyrgyzstan, on the other hand, Italian citizens enter without a visa and without filling out any immigration papers.

After crossing the 2 borders on the Kyrgyz side, it is possible to change currency. Then there are private, collective and Marshrutka taxis to Bishkek. The cheapest option is the Marshrutka which takes you downtown Bishkek for 20 Som.

I visit the city of Bishkek on foot and with the Marshrutkas.

Then to reach Manas Airport, I go to the north-west side of the intersection between Chuy Prospektist and Molodaya Gvardina Bulevard in Bishkek where it leaves when Marshrutka no. 380 at a cost of 40 Som for a 50-minute journey. Theoretically there should be runs until 24.00, but many locals swear that the last runs are at 19.00. After this time you have to take a taxi.

 Punctual as never before from the Manas Airport in Kyrgyzstan (always open even at night) at 5.30 my plane of the Turkish Company Pegasus in the direction of Orio al Serio, with a 3 hour 40 'stopover at the Sabina Gokcen Airport in Istanbul in Turkey (one way price including taxes Euro 165.00).

My complete travel report with map, photographs and videos is available at this link:

https://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2015/09/viaggio-in-iran-e-nel-centro-asia.html