Books: Foreign Devils On The Silk Road

As part of my research, I've begun reading Peter Hopkirk's 1980 history of early foreign expeditions into Chinese Turkestan (modern-day Xinjiang Province). Really, given the noise, bustle, and distractions of daily life and the imminent push-pull of my routine, it's difficult to find any reading that doesn't seem academic. However, this book has mesmerized me over the past 24 hours, with its tales of adventure and peril along the Silk Road circa 1900 and portrayal of the motivations, challenges, successes and failures of early outside explorers of this wild country. Notably, the book describes the harsh cruelty of the Taklamakan Desert, which in Turki, according to Hopkirk, means roughly, "go in and you won't come back;" the Silk Road as a conduit of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity; the influence of Greek culture on Buddhist art; the controversial removal of relics from Chinese territory; the murderous bandits and severity of the mountainous and desert routes; and the relatively limited range of most of its traders, few of whom actually traversed the enire distance from Rome to Xi'an.

Here is an excerpt that is fairly representative, and which captures some of the Indiana Jones, professor-et-action-hero flavor of the book.

The first of these early discoveries (and the most important as it turned out) was made inadvertently in 1889 by a party of native treasure-hunters who decided to tunnel their way into a mysterious, dome-like tower near Kucha, south of the T'ien Shan on the northern arm of the old Silk Road. For it was believed locally that the ruined building contained treasure.

Once inside the tower (probably an old Buddhist stupa, or tomb) the intruders found themselves in a large room in the centre of which were heaped quantities of old papers. As their eyes became accustomed to the dark they also found themselves gazing on the mummified corpses of several animals, including a cow, propped up as though on guard. When touched these crumbled to dust. Written on one wall in characters they had never seen before was a mysterious inscription. Although disappointed at not finding the treasure they had hoped for, they carried the papers to the house of the local Qazi, or Moslem judge, in a basket. There, two days later, they were examined by a Haji (one who has been to Mecca) named Ghulam Qadir. Despite not being able to read a word of any of them, he decided to purchase several.

At the same time, combing the region for the murderer of a young Scottish traveller was an Indian army intelligence officer, Lieutenant (later Major-General Sir Hamilton) Bower. The dead man was Andrew Dalgleish, who had already made a name for himself as a Central Asian explorer. For no apparent reason he had been treacherously shot and then hacked to death on a lonely pass by a huge Afghan called Daud Mohammed from Yarkand. Lieutenant Bower (who died only in 1940) happened to be in the region at the time, apparently conducting a clandestine survey under cover of a shooting expedition. Receiving orders from the Indian Government to track down the killer and bring him to justice, Bower set about organising a private intelligence service with tentacles reaching into Afghanistan, China and Russia. (Eventually two of his agents tracked down Daud Mohammed in Samarkand, coming face to face with him in the bazaar.) Meanwhile Bower himself had taken up the murder trail along the old Silk Road. In pursuit of his quarry he eventually reached the oasis of Kucha, which lies to the south of the T'ien Shan. There he heard of the manuscripts in the possession of Haji Ghulam Qadir. One of these, consisting of fifty-one birch-bark leaves, he bought and dispatched to Calcutta to the Asiatic Society of Bengal. At first the pages were judged to be unintelligible. However, they were finally deciphered by an Anglo-German orientalist, Dr Augustus Rudolf Hoernle. Consisting of seven distinct but incomplete texts, and written in Sanskrit using the Brahmi alphabet, the manuscript dealt largely with medicine and necromancy. Dating from around the fifth century, and probably written by Indian Buddhist monks, it proved to be one of the oldest written works to survive anywhere, older than anything that had come to light in India. It was only because of the extreme dryness of the Taklamakan region, whose climate can be likened to that of Egypt, that it had survived.

Border Crossings II: China-Kazakhstan

According to "China and Afghan Opiates," Jacob Townsend's 2005 paper for the Silk Road Studies Program at for the Central Asia-Caucus Institute, there are seven border crossings between China and Kazakhstan, and here, I have detailed the four major operational crossing points: Maykapchigay, Tacheng-Bahkty, Alataw (or Druzhba, Russian for "friendship"), and Khorgos. These, as well as numerous other border crossings between China and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan still follow the paths first trodden by traders along the Silk Road. For further reading on the Silk Road, the University of Washington maintains an excellent website, the Silk Road Seattle which includes numerous primary texts from past travelers among other records. Another great resource is the Silk Road Foundation ,which offers additional information on the culture, art, and history of the peoples along Silk Road.

A map of the ancient Silk Road:

Border Crossings from China to Kazakhstan

Each of the border crossings highlighted in this picture is detailed below via Google Earth, starting with the northernmost crossing and ending with the southernmost.

The Maykapchigay (Jeminay) Pass

Townsend: Heavy use by local shuttle traders. Little large-scale commercial freight.

The Tacheng-Bahkty Pass (near Laofengkou)

Townsend: Tacheng on the Chinese side. Open to nationals of any country. The Chinese government is in the process of upgrading Tacheng airport, which already operates commercial flights.


The Alataw Pass (Allah, Dzungarian, Junggar Men, Dostyk, Druzhba)

Evidently, this is the most commercially important pass between China and Kazakhstan. From Sina Business:

A Chinese locomotive passes a Kazak tank car at Alataw Pass railway station on the China-Kazakhstan border, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 10, 2006. As a major land port in west China, Alataw Pass has been playing an important role in the trade between China, Kazakhstan and other SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) member states. The volume of goods transported at the land port set a historical record of over 11 million tons in 2005. Moreover, a 1,000-km oil pipeline, connecting Kazakhstan's Atasu and Alataw Pass, has been carrying oil to China since last December.

The Chinese Alataw Pass Trainstation

From the Government of Xinjiang Autonomous Region:

In 2006, the total exported steel through Alataw Pass reached 168,800 tons, increased by 4.28 times as compared with that of the same period of 2005. The exported steel value of the foreign trade is 82.42 mln USD, 4.3 times more than that of 2005, creating a new record high.

The Khorgos Pass

Townsend: The most heavily used road link between Kazakhstan and China. Open to nationals of any country; open year-round. If you zoom in, it is interesting to note how much more developed is the Chinese side than the Kazakh, which is consistently the case at all four crossings.

Border Crossings I: China-Kyrgyzstan

Passing between China's Xinjiang Province and Kyrgyzstan overland is not merely complicated by the towering Tian Shan Mountains, but also by varying degrees of bureaucratic impediment. Currently, there are two sanctioned border crossings between China and Kyrgyzstan: the Torugart Pass into Naryn Oblast (province) and the Irkeshtum Pass into Osh Oblast, both of which can be aproached by road from Kashgar. However, each of these passes is restricted due to the Cold War-era bureaucracy, which persists today for the benefit of travel agencies. In order to cross the Torugart Pass, special permission must be obtained by foreign nationals (i.e. all but Chinese and Kyrgyz) who wish to cross, and while the Irkeshtam Pass is less restricted and requires only valid Chinese and Kyrgyz visas, it is a sensitive border region and thus, it is important to make adequate preparations before approaching it.

The Torugart Pass

Torugart Pass 3752m, one of two border crossing between Kyrgyzstan and China. The pass lies 400km south of Bishkek and 160km north of Kashgar.

From Wikipedia:

The Torugart Pass is a pass in the Tian Shan mountain range in Central Asia. Elevation: 3,752 m (12,310 ft). The pass is the main border crossing between the People's Republic of China (Xinjiang province) and Kyrgyzstan. The nearest large Chinese city is Kashgar, the nearest Kyrgyz city is Naryn. The road on the Kyrgyz side, from Torugart to Naryn and then to Balykshy and Bishkek, is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snow and frequent avalanches, so that transport and trade between Kyrgyzstan and China are difficult and costly. The People's Republic of China is now considering to build a railway linking Kyrgyzstan to Kashgar.

Crossing the Torugart Pass complicated by the fact that it is classified as a "second grade" crossing, and therefore, it is techinically closed to all but Chinese and Kyrgyz and travelers of other nationalities must obtain special permission and follow strict procedures to cross it.

In addition to the necessary travel documents, travelers must be "relayed" between offically licensed travel agencies at the border. That is, a traveler planning to cross the border in either direction, must be accompanied to the border by a licensed travel agent, and another licensed travel agent must await the traveler on the other side of the pass.

As for documentation, in order to cross the border from Kyrgzstan to China, travelers need to apply to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Urumqi to obtain permission, which should be requested at least two weeks in advance. Conversely, traveling from China to Kyrgyzstan is less restricted, and one only need the company of a licensed driver/guide and valid Kyrgyz and Chinese visas. However, once in Kyrgyzstan, while the you are allowed to travel the road between the outer checkpost and the Customs and Immigration post, a "Border Zone Permit" is required if you wish to travel to other areas (off the main road) within 50 km of the border. Stantours has more on the requirements for crossing the Togurat Pass.

Although the border is technically opened all year, it is frequently closed for any number of reasons, which, according to Advantour (2003), can include:

Every Saturday and Sunday and on public holidays:

• Jan 1, 7; Feb 2
• Mar 8, 21
• May 1, 4, 4, �(it is best to avoid the first 10 days of May altogether)
• Aug 1, 31, Oct 1, 2 (but is usually closes for the first 10 days of October)
• Nov 7 and the following moveable feasts – Chinese New Year; Kurman Ait, Orozo Ait (It is best to avoid days either side of holidays – and especially do, if the holiday falls on a weekend)

For bad weather:

• It can snow in any month of the year – in July 1999 and August 2000 the border closed for three days because a meter of snow fell and blocked the road
• Often in October and in twice in 2001 heavy rains washed away parts of the road on the Chinese side of the border.

You should be aware that, sometimes the border can be closed at very short notice for all sorts of reasons.

The Irkeshtam Pass



Look at the traffic at the border! The line on the left is coming from Kyrgyzstan, and the right is coming from China. If you pan right on the map, giant landscaped Chinese characters are visible, painted at the roadside and drawn atop the outline of China. They read something to the effect, "My country is in my heart." Or following the road in the southwest direction, you will find what is presumably a loading dock with warehouses, which are surrounded by a chaotic scattering of dozens of trucks.

The Irkeshtum Pass is located 238 km from Osh and 250km from Kashgar. While no special permits are required to enter, nor need travelers be "relayed" between travel agents. However, since, I do not plan on crossing at Irkeshtam at this time, here, I will detail it no further, and to ensure safe and easy passage, I recommend contacting a travel agent in Kashgar or Osh for more information. The Caravan Café in Kashgar offers a great deal of experience in traveling through this region, although when I visited, I was given one day-trip price quotation that was considerably more expensive than some of the agents in the Seman Hotel. As for Kyrgyzstan, I cannot speak from experience, but the Osh Guesthouse seems like a reasonable starting point.

Here is a bit more about the Irkeshtam Pass from Advantour:

Irkeshtam is approached from Osh, the second city of Kyrgyzstan, in the South of the country. The road travels south along the valley of the Taldyk and Gulcho river gorges to the village of Sary Tash (“Yellow Stone” in Kyrgyz), which sits on a cross roads. To the West lies the road to Dushanbe in Tajikistan through the Kyzyl-Suu valley; to the South lies the road over the Kyzyl Art pass into the Gorno Badakshan region of Tajikistan and Murgab; to the east heading into the mountains lies the road to Irkeshtam and the Chinese border. This stretch of road is infamous for road accidents. It is asphalt until you reach Sary Tash, and then becomes a stone road and although the scenery is spectacular – with snow capped peaks on one side and green mountain meadows on the other – travelling along the road is slow and can take a long time – especially if you encounter a broken down vehicle which clocks the road. On the Chinese side, the road down to Kashgar is better, but still difficult.

His Excellency Saparmurat Niyazov "Turkmenbashi" Lives!

As I mentioned in two previous posts, former "President for Life" of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov "Turkmenbashi" (evidently this designation is appended at the end of his name) died in December of 2006. However, like Elvis, there are always some die-hards who will never let go, and so it appears that the real Turkmenbashi fan club holds session in Turkmenistan's Embassy in the United States.

Ever resisting reality's relentless siege (much like their hero), Turkmenistan's embassy in Washington gives no indication of Niyazov's death on their website. Rather, the site still features Niyazov prominently as "President and Chairman" and does not acknowledge that the presidency is now held by Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov, who cannot claim the be the "leader of all ethnic Turkmens" but who has the distinct advantage of being alive. While I know that Turkmenistan's diplomatic mission is only doing its best to protect the sensitivities American public, I think that it sheltered the them from this cruel fact for long enough, and it is probably now time to release the sad news.

The Great Eurasian Visa Laundry List

In order of transit, the visa requirements and procedures for each country on my itinerary are as follows:

Note: the US State Department has a very useful website on Foreign Entry Requirements.

1. China

• Renew visa in Shanghai before leaving to ensure easy reentry

2. Kazakhstan

• Obtain visa in Shanghai

Procedures and Requirements:

According to the Lonely Planet Forums, it is possible to obtain a visa to Kazakhstan in Urumqi if you are taking the train to Almaty, and initially, that was my plan. However, it seems there actually has been a Kazakh Consulate in Shanghai sinced 2005. Additionally, according to the US State Department's Consular Information Sheet on Kazakhstan, "as of February 2004, an invitation is no longer required for single-entry business and tourist visas."

Consulate General of The Republic of Kazakhstan in Shanghai
Address: Room 1005 - 1006 Orient International Plaza
85 Loushanguan Road, Shanghai 200336, P.R.China
Tel: +86-21-62752838, 62753878, 62755483
Fax: +86-21-62757300
E-mail: office@kzconsulshanghai.org

Application receiving hours: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Visa Issuing hours: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Further reading: Take that Borat! Sayat Announces Tours to ‘Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan’

3. Kyrgyzstan

• Obtain visa in Urumqi

Procedures and Requirements:

According one traveler, the Consulate of Kyrgyzstan in Urumqi is actually located in a place that I have been before -- in the Central Asian Hotel.

Central Asian Hotel
Telephone:0991-5196666
Fax:0991-5196555

According to the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Washington, DC, the required documents for American tourists traveling less than 30 days are as follows:

1. Completed visa application form. Please type and provide answers to all questions.
2. One passport size color or black/white photo.
3. Passport original (not a photocopy).

The posted visa costs are quite high, but there is no reason to expect that the prices in Urumqi will be the same as those in Washington, DC.

3. Tajikistan

• Obtain in Tajikistan Embassy in Beijing, Almaty or Bishkek

Tajikistan Embassy to China
Tayuan d.4 k.1 flat 31
100600 Beijing, PR China
Tel. +86 (10) 65323039
+86 (10) 65322598
Fax +86 (10) 65323039
Ambassador Jamshed Khilolovich Karimov

Embassy of Tajikistan in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi Str, 96, Almaty
Tel/Fax: (7-3272) 93-51-65, 93-51-80.
Consulate: Tel/Fax: 54-28-69

Embassy of Tajikistan in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Bulvar Erkindik 31 (app.2)
720040 Bishkek
Tel: 996-312 227321

Procedures and Requirements:

Saving Turkmenistan, visas to Tajikistan are reputedly the most difficult in Central Asia. According to the Tajikistan Embassy in Washington, DC, a Tajik visa requires the following:

1. Two fully completed visa application forms
   
2. Two passport size photos
3. Valid passport (at least six months validity)
   
4. Copy of invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan (If the purpose is private)
5. Cover letter of request from your organization or travel agency. Embassy reserves the right to request for additional documents.
6. A money order or company check payable to the Embassy of Tajikistan for visa processing. Please, note that we do not accept cash or personal checks.
7. In case of applying by mail, applicants should enclose a completely-addressed stamped return envelope or prepaid waybill, bearing the account number and showing themselves as both shipper and recipient regardless of delivery address. Embassy does not pay for the mail.

Again, the fees are quite high (US$80 for a two week visa!), but that will probably vary if I receive the visa in China, Kazakhstan, or Kyrgyzstan.

4. Uzbekistan

• Obtain visa in Beijing, Almaty or Bishkek
  

Procedures and Requirements:

The Uzbekistan Embassy in Beijing is notably better than most of the other Stans insofar as it does make some effort to provide good information on its website; however, visa instructions and travel agency information is not yet available. Thusly, ccording to the Uzbekistan Embassy in Washington, DC, Americans must meet the following requirements to obtain a tourist visa to Uzbekistan.

1. A completed visa application form
2. Passport (not a photocopy)
3. One color passport photo
4. Visa Fee

For private visits an Invitation Letter, issued by the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan, is required.

Tourist Vouchers of the National Company "UZBEKTOURISM" or authorized travel agencies are required (except for Citizens of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland) for the issuance of tourist visas.

Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in China
11, San Li Tun, Bei Xiao Jie
Beijing, China 100600
Tel: 86-10 6532-6305, 86-10 6532-2551
Fax: 86-10 6532-6304

Other useful links:

Uzbekistan Airways (English available)
Uzbekistan Railways Company "Uzbekistan Temir Yollari" (Russian)
National Bank of Uzbekistan (English available)

Embassy of Uzbekistan in Kazakhstan
36, Baribaev Str., 480100, Almaty
Phone: (3272) - 61 02 35
Fax: (3272) - 61 83 16

Embassy of Uzbekistan in Kyrgyzstan
213, Tynstanova Str., Bishkek
Phone: (996312) - 66 20 65
Fax: (996312) - 66 44 03

5. Turkmenistan

• Preferably, obtain visa in Beijing before departure.
  

Procedures and Requirements:

I believe that I have already covered this thoroughly in a previous post, but just for the sake of convenience, here is an overview of Turkmenistan's visa requirements.

In order to obtain a visa, a tourist must provide his or her personal passport and personal information to a licensed travel agency in Turkmenistan, which provides a letter of invitation. Once you have received the travel agency's letter of invitation, in order to obtain a visa, the MFA requires the following from each traveler:

1. Two Completed Visa Applications
2. Request from the Embassy to which you will be applying
3. Valid passport and its copy (valid for at least six months)
4. Two passport size photos glued to the applications
5. Fee , payable on collection of visa
6. Approved Visa Support
7. Stamped, self-addressed envelope, if the embassy agreed to serve by post

Embassy of Turkmenistan in Beijing, China
Ambassador: H.E. Mr. Kurbanmukhammed Kasymov
King's Garden Villa D-1
18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: +86-10-65326975
Fax: +86-10-65326976
E-mail: embturkmen@netchina.com.cn

6. Azerbaijan

• Obtain in Beijing prior to departure
  

Procedures and Requirements:

The Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affair lists the following documents requirements to obtain a visa from the Consular Department of the Embassy

• One copy of the completed visa application form (application forms may be photocopied);
• original passport or re-entry permit (no copies accepted);
• One passport-size photograph attached to the application form;
• receipt for the payment of duty;
• Letter of invitation from the receiving party
• Foreign citizens arriving by aircraft without an entry visa to the Republic of Azerbaijan can obtain a single-entry visa for a short period of time at "Heydar Aliyev" International airport in Baku.

The following documents are required in addition to payment of the duty:

1. One copy of the completed visa application form (application forms may be photocopied)
2. one passport-size photograph or a photocopy of the passport data

Consular fee for issuing visas:

• Transit single entry (up to 5 days) – $20US dollars
• Transit double entry (up to 10 days) -$40US dollars
• Single entry (up to 90 days) -$40US dollars
• Double entry (up to 90 days) -$80US dollars
• Multiple entry (up to 1 year) -$250US dollars
• Processing time – from 3 to 10 days
• Business hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 2pm to 5pm

Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the People's Republic of China
Qijiayuan Diplomatic Compound
Villa No. B-3, Beijing, 100600, P.R.China
Phone: (+86 10) 6532-4614; 6532-4698
Fax: (+86 10) 6532-4615
Email: mailbox@azerbembassy.org.cn

Visa section
Phone/fax: (+86 10) 6532-1463

Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Kazakhstan
Latif Gandilov, Ambassador
Diplomatic City, Residence C-14
Astana, KAZAKHSTAN
Tel: (73172) 24-1581/24-1097
Fax: (73172) 24-1532
E-mail: astana@azembassy.kz

Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Uzbekistan
Namig Abbasov, Ambassador
25 Shark Tongi
Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN
Tel: (99871) 173-6167
Fax: (99871) 173-2658
E-mail: sefir@tps.ru

Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Turkmenistan
Elkhan Huseynov, Ambassador
M. Kosayev Street 62a
Ashgabat, TURKMENISTAN
Tel: (99312) 39-1102, 39-0095
Fax: (99312) 39-1447
E-mail: azsefir_ashg@online.tm

7. Georgia

Georgia is now officially my favorite country on this route! According the the U.S. Department of State Consular Information Sheet, "A passport is required. U.S. citizens visiting for 90 days or less do not need a visa to enter Georgia."

8. Armenia

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, this is also very easy.

• A filled out visa application form (one per applicant).
• One recent passport-size photo, attached to the application form. The picture can be black-and-white or color.
• The original passport valid for 4 months.
• Money order or certified check payable to the Embassy of Armenia (no cash or personal checks can be accepted).

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, PR China
Mr. Vasily Ghazarian ~ Ambassador
4-1-61, Tayuan Diplomatic Apartments,
Beijing, 100600, PR China
Tel: (8610) 65325677
Fax: (8610) 65325654
e-mail: armemb@public3.bta.net.cn

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Georgia
Mr. Georgi Khosroev ~ Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
4 Tetelashvili Street, Tbilisi, Georgia
Tel.: (995 32) 951723, 964286
Fax: (995 32) 990126
e-mail: armemb@caucasus.net

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Kazakhstan
Eduard Khurshudian ~ Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
579 Seyfulin St. Almaty 480075, Kazakhstan
Tel.: (7 3272) 692932
Fax: (7 3272) 692908
E-mail: akod100@hotmail.com
Internet: www.geocities.com/armkazembassy

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, Turkmenistan
Mr. Aram Grigorian ~ Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Kioroghli St. 14, Ashgabad, Turkmenistan
Tel: (993 12) 295542; 354418
Fax: (993) 395538/49
e-mail: eat@online.tm

9. Turkey

US citizens are required to have visa to enter Turkey. They can obtain three month-multiple entry visas at the Turkish border gates. The cost is US$45

Scenes from Turkmenistan

Ashgabat: A New City

Historic and Modern Turkmenistan with Niyazov Quotations

Obituary of Saparmurat "Türkmenbaşy" Niyazov

Passage to Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has long intrigued me, not least of all due to its late President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov, whose term limit came to an abrupt end in December at the age of 66. According to China Confidential,

A former Communist Party boss, Niyazov renamed himself leader of all ethnic Turkmens, "Türkmenbaşy" ("Chief of the Turkmen"), after taking full control of the desert republic following the collapse of the Soviet Union. He established an elaborate personality cult and allowed no political opposition or media freedom in the country of five million people.

Niyazov also built golden statues to himself, one of which revolves during the day, in order to always face the sun. His image is everywhere--from huge billboards to the national currency to bottles of vodka and perfume. He also constructed various palaces, including one made of ice--in the middle of the desert. Niyazov was able to spend widely because of Turkmenistan's vast oil and gas reserves. Hardly any of this wealth trickled down to the majority of the Turkmen people, who live in poverty.

A book he supposedly wrote has become the core of the educational curriculum. Niyazov even renamed some months of the year after himself and his relatives.

Further reading: Central Asia: Writing Books Popular With Region's Leaders

Given that backgrounder, it is unsurprising that Turkmenistan is reputedly the most difficult of the Central Asian republics for travelers, because the entry and exit requirements, time, and costs are relatively high. In order to obtain a visa, a tourist must provide his or her personal passport and personal information to a licensed travel agency in Turkmenistan, which provides a letter of invitation. The agency then forwards the letter and your documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), where your case is given consideration for a visa. The process can take up to three weeks, and the price ranges widely depending upon the type and urgency of your visa needs.

According to one such agency, Advantour, it is essential that a travel agency assist travelers the following:

• Visa support letter
• Entry Travel Pass
• Registration in Immigration Department
• Meeting at the border
• Hotel accommodation to the choice
• Accompanying guide (usually it is [necessary] between the cities in the country)

Obviously, such a "360" package is probably unnecessary and will only add costs; however, with no experience in the region and no understanding of the languages -- Turkmen (72%), Russian (12%), or Uzbek (9%) -- some assistance will surely be necessary.

With the travel agency's letter of invitation, in order to obtain a visa, the MFA requires the following from each traveler:

1. Two Completed Visa Applications
2. Request from the Embassy to which you will be applying
3. Valid passport and its copy (valid for at least six months)
4. Two passport size photos glued to the applications
5. Fee , payable on collection of visa
6. Approved Visa Support
7. Stamped, self-addressed envelope, if the embassy agreed to serve by post

In addition to the letter, visa, and processing fees, some travel agencies attach further and sometimes costly requirements to their services. For instance, STANTOURS evidently will provide a letter only on the condition that you tour with them.

STANTOURS can provide you with a Turkmen visa support letter for a fee of USD 50 per person for the document package to travel to Turkmenistan. Additionally to the document fee we can only supply the Tourist visa support in connection with a thorough booking for your entire trip to Turkmenistan.

On the contrary, Hans Rossel notes,

The most important thing for an independent traveller is to find an agency which does not requires you to take any extra services (hotel bookings, transport, tours,…) which limit your freedom and cost you lots more. Also the way of payment is important, as bank wire or Western Union payments are not as practical as VISA or payment on arrival.

Here, I basically have two choices: obtain a visa through an agency here in China or get it early-on in my trip, when I am in Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan. My chief concern is being tied-down waiting while my visa is in process, and therefore, the quickest option is best.

Here in China, I can probably hire an agency in Beijing to get all of my visas (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and possibly others) before I travel, but I am concerned about how quick and cost-effective this would be. As I discovered in Cambodia, sometimes, border countries can issues visas far more rapidly than other places. Obviously, this begs further investigation.

Diplomatic Missions of Turkmenistan

Embassy of Turkmenistan in Beijing, China
Ambassador: H.E. Mr. Kurbanmukhammed Kasymov
King's Garden Villa D-1
18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: +86-10-65326975
Fax: +86-10-65326976
E-mail: embturkmen@netchina.com.cn

Embassy of Turkmenistan in Astana, Kazakhstan
64, Otyrar Str., Astana
Tel: +7 (3172) 280 823, Fax: +7 (3172) 280 882

Consulate of Turkmenistan in Almaty, Kazakhstan
76, Abay Str., Almaty
Tel: +7 (3272) 509604, Fax: +7 (3272) 509604

Embassy of Turkmenistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Rudaki pr 105/1, Dushanbe
Tel: +992 (372) 210461/4/6, Fax: +992 (372) 216884

Embassy of Turkmenistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
1 Bol. Mirabadskaya 10 700090, Tashkent
Tel: +998 (71) 1205278, 9, Fax: +998 (71) 1205281

Travel Agents in Turkmenistan

Ashgabat-Intorg 72 Annadurdyeva St Tel: 51-21-43 51-24-10; Fax: 51-24-61	Chalt Oktyabirskaya Hotel Tel: 99312-41-03-01
Esset 56 Azadi St Tel: 39-01-02	Gezelench 19 Turkmenbashi Ave Tel: 35-63-51; Fax: 35-63-51
Gumry 8 Lechebnaya St Tel: 47-42-64, 44-31-56	Koitendagh 36 Khudaiberdyeva St Tel: 41-50-80
Latif Travel Agency 36A Khudaiberdyev Street Tel: 99312- 41-50-77, 41-50-87 Fax: (993 12) 41-90-39, 41-50-77 latif@cat.glasnet.ru	Rova 95 Magtymguly Ave Tel: 35-52-69
	Solnechnei Dom 5a Pomma St Tel: 51-11-46
Timur & K 29 Turkmenbashi Ave Tel: 35-08-70; Fax: 35-08-70	Tokai 140/2 Ata Govshudov St Tel: 39-77-65, 42-98-77
Turkmenintur Travel Agency 74 Magtymguly St Tel: 99312-35-69-32; Fax: 39-00-26	Turkmensiyahat Amalgamation 60 A Gorogly St Tel: 99312-24-73-32; Fax: 34-34-97
Turkmensiyahat Corporation 30 Khudaiberdyeva St Tel: 99312-39-77-71; Fax: 39-67-40	Zehin 18 Kerkinskaya St Tel: 4-01-73
Paradise Travel Agency 34 Gerogly Street, Suite 14 Tel: (993-12) 39-05-41, 35-62-37 Fax: (993-12) 39-05-41	Amado Tourist Firm 67 Azadi Street, "Daykhan" hotel Tel: (993-12) 51-11-76, 51-04-12 Fax: (993-12) 51-11-76
Latif Travel Agency 36a Khudaiberdyev Street Tel: (993-12) 41-50-77, 41-50-87	Durdyniyaz Tourist Firm 48 Magtymguly Avenue Fax:9993-12) 51-16-60 Tel: (993-12) 47-92-17
Turkmensiyahat State Corporation 30 Khudaiberdyeva Street Tel: (993-12) 39-77-71 Fax: (993-12) 39-67-40 Fax: (993-12) 39-67-40	Ayan Tourist Firm Tel: (993-12) 35-29-14, 35-07-97

Provinces of Turkmenistan	Division	Capital City	Area (sq.km)	Pop (1995)	Key
	Ashgabat	Ashgabat		604,000
	Ahal Province	Ashgabat	95,000	722,800	1
	Balkan Province	Balkanabat	138,000	53,280	2
	Dasoguz Province	Dasoguz	74,000	1,059,800	3
	Lebap Province	Turkmenabat	94,000	1,034,700	4
	Mary Province	Mary	87000	1,146,800	5

A Visa to Tajikistan

Note: Most of the following information was excerpted from the Travel Tajikistan website and condensed for my particular needs.

Tajikistan Visa Options

For tourists independently traveling to Tajikistan (without a tour group), there are two options for obtaining a visa.

1. On arrival at Dushanbe airport

• One week USD $45
• Two weeks USD $55
• One month USD $65

2. At a Tajik Embassy

Tajikistan Embassy to China
Tayuan d.4 k.1 flat 31
100600 Beijing, PR China
Tel. +86 (10) 65323039
+86 (10) 65322598
Fax +86 (10) 65323039
Ambassador Jamshed Khilolovich Karimov

If you are flying to Tajikistan, you will probably find it most convenient to obtain your visa on arrival at Dushanbe airport.

If you are entering Tajikistan at a land border, you must obtain your visa in advance. There are three possible options:

1. Visit the Tajik embassy in your country or in a country near you and apply in person.
2. Apply to a Tajik embassy by post.
3. Wait until you are in Central Asia, and apply in the Tajik embassy in Tashkent, Bishkek or Almaty before you cross the border. Usually the embassies are willing to issue visas quite promptly, but you may want to contact them in advance of travel to check.

Embassy of Tajikistan in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Al-Farabi Str, 96, Almaty
Tel/Fax: (7-3272) 93-51-65, 93-51-80.
Consulate: Tel/Fax: 54-28-69

Embassy of Tajikistan in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Bulvar Erkindik 31 (app.2)
720040 Bishkek
Tel: 996-312 227321

As of November 2006, anyone from the United States and 67 other countries can obtain a Tajik tourist visa from a Tajik embassy or in Dushanbe airport on arrival, without a letter of invitation.

The following table and map come from the Wikipedia page Provinces of Tajikistan.

Division	ISO 3166-2	Capital	Area (sq. km)	Pop (2000)	Key
Sughd	TJ-SU	Khujand	26,100	1,870,000	1
Karotegin	TJ-RR	Kofarnihon	28,400	1,338,000	2
Khatlon	TJ-KT	Qurghonteppa	24,600	2,150,000	3
Gorno-Badakhshan	TJ-BG	Khorugh	63,700	206,000	4

Restricted areas

Note that some parts of Tajikistan are restricted and you will need extra permits (in addition to your visa) to travel there. If your itinerary takes you to Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), you will need to get a special permit.

The Tajik government have announced that it will be possible to obtain a GBAO permit from Tajik embassies worldwide starting in 2007. However, if you plan to get your Tajik visa in Dushanbe airport on arrival, you may still want to apply for your GBAO permit online.

The GBAO permit will list the regions in Gorno-Badakhshan that you are allowed to visit, which will be some or all of: Khorog, Murghab, Ishkashim, Vanj, Rushan and Darvaz. Sometimes it may say "all regions". Make sure that all the regions you plan to visit are listed. In particular, if you plan to travel in the Wakhan river valley the GBAO permit must have "Ishkashim" listed, or the border guards will not permit you to pass.

Even with the permit, you do not have unrestricted access to travel in Gorno-Badakhshan. Specifically, you need additional permission to visit Lake Sarez, Lake Zorkul, and some regions near to the Chinese or Afghan borders.

Travel from Dushanbe

The normal procedure is to request the permit at the same time as your letter of invitation. In this case the permission is processed in advance, so that when you arrive in Dushanbe, you should be able to obtain the permit in one day. You must present evidence that you have a valid passport and have registered with OVIR (the office for registering foreign citizens; you can register with OVIR at the same time as obtaining the permit).

If you did not have your GBAO permit authorised in advance, you should allow two weeks to get it after your arrival in Dushanbe.

Travelling east from Dushanbe along the M41, the first place where the GBAO permit will be checked is the army checkpoint just before Kalaikhum. You will be required to register with the KGB in Kalaikhum (and show the permit). The permit will be checked again at checkpoints on the road and by the KGB in Khorog and Murghab.

Travel from Sary-Tash

Now that the permit is issued as a separate slip of paper, it is possible to have it authorised in advance and sent by post before entry to Tajikistan.