Lonely Planet Central Asia
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Discover Central AsiaLose yourself among the blue domes and mosaics fo the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.Play Marco Polo, exploring Silk Road forts while bathed in the light of the snowcapped Hindu Kush in the Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan.Watch a Kyrgyz eagle hunter in action, and taste the delights of fermented mare's milk in Kyrgyzstan.Follow in the footsteps of British spies, Chinese pilgrims and Russian explorers and embark on your own Great Game.In This Guide:Five authors, five 'stans, 27 visa stamps (78 visa checks), 182 pots of green tea, one (short) detention by the KGB.Everything you need to know about visas, travel permits and crossing Asia's remotest borders.Trek into remote alpine valleys, follow herders on horseback or ride camels with our new Activities chapter.Visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler suggestions.
The Authors5This Book9Foreword10Introduction13Facts about Central Asia15History15Geography37Geology38Climate38Ecology & Environment39Flora & Fauna43Government & Politics46Economy48Population & People51Education52Peoples of the Silk Road53Science & Philosophy61Arts61Society & Conduct64Religion67Regional Facts for the Visitor72Suggested Itineraries72Planning76Responsible Tourism80Tourist Offices80Visas81Documents85Customs87Money88Post & Communications93Internet Resources95Books96Films100Newspapers & Magazines100Radio101Photography & Video101Time103Electricity103Weights & Measures103Laundry103Toilets103Health104Women Travellers116Gay & Lesbian Travellers117Disabled Travellers118Senior Travellers118Travel with Children119Useful Organisations119Dangers & Annoyances119Legal Matters123Business Hours123Public Holidays & Special Events123Activities126Accommodation128Food131Drinks137Entertainment139Spectator Sports140Shopping140Getting There & Away141Air141Land150Sea154Travel Agencies & Organised Tours154Getting Around the Region158Air158Bus160Train161Car & Motorcycle162Hitching163Local Transport164Kazakstan165Facts about Kazakstan167Facts for the Visitor177Suggested Itineraries177Visas & Documents178Embassies & Consulates180Money182Post & Communications182Time183Food & Drinks183Orientation184Almaty184Around Almaty206South-East Kazakstan209Zailiysky Alatau & Kungey Alatau211Kol-Say Lakes211Charyn Canyon213Karkara Valley213Lake Kapshaghay & the IIi River214Altyn-Emel National Park214Taldy-Korghan214Around Taldy-Korghan215Zharkent216Khorgos216Dostyk217South Kazakstan217Taraz217Around Taraz219Shymkent219Around Shymkent221Turkistan222Kyzylorda224Baykonur Cosmodrome224Aralsk225West Kazakstan226Algobe226Atyrau227Aktau229North Kazakstan231Astana232Around Astana235Lake Burabay236Petropavlovsk237Kostanay238Karaghandy238East Kazakstan239Pavlodar240Semey240Around Semey245Oskemen245The Altay Mountains & Lake Markakol248Uzbekistan249Facts about Uzbekistan251Facts for the Visitor256Tashkent261Around Tashkent276Fergana Valley278Kokand281Fergana284Margilan285Rishdon286Shakhimardan287Andijan289Central Uzbekistan290Samarkand290Around Samarkand300Shakhrisabz302Central Asian Architecture303Bukhara309Around Bukhara321Termiz & Around322Khorezm & Karakalpakstan323Urgench323Around Urgench325Khiva326Nukus333Hojeli336Moynaq337Kyrgyzstan338Facts about Kyrgyzstan339Facts for the Visitor346Bishkek351Around Bishkek366Lake Issyk-Kul & the Central Tian Shan369Balykchy371Cholpon-Ata372Ananyevo374Karakol375Around Karakol381The Southern Shore386The Karkara Valley387The Central Tian Shan389Bishkek to Kashgar via the Torugart Pass392Bishkek to Naryn397Naryn400Naryn to Jalal-Abad402Naryn to Torugart403The Silk Road405The Torugart Pass410Bishkek to Osh & the Kyrgyz Fergana Valley412Lake Sary Chelek414Jalal-Abad415Arslanbob416Osh417Ozgon422The Alay Valley423Southern Kyrgyzstan425Tajikistan426Facts about Tajikistan426Facts for the Visitor434Dushanbe436Around Dushanbe441Northern Tajikistan442Khojand442Penjikent444The Pamirs445Khorog448Around Khorog450The Pamir Highway450Turkmenistan453Facts about Turkmenistan455Facts for the Visitor460Ashgabat464Around Ashgabat473Western Turkmenistan & the Caspian476Turkmenbashi476Balkanabat479Dekhistan479Eastern Turkmenistan480Saraghs480Mary480Bairam Ali482Merv482Margiana485Tagtabazar485Gushgi485Badkhyz Nature Reserve486Turkmenabat486Repetek Desert Reserve487Gaurdak487Northern Turkmenistan488Dashoguz488Izmukshir489Konye-Urgench489Xingjiang492Facts about Xinjiang493Facts for the Visitor499Central Xinjiang504Urumqi504Around Urumqi509Turpan510Around Turpan512Daheyan514Kucha (Kuqa)514Around Kucha516Northern Xinjiang516Yining516Around Yining518Tacheng518Jeminay519Burqin519Hanas Lake Nature Reserve519South-West Xinjiang (Kashgaria)521Kashgar521Around Kashgar532Kashgar to the Khunjerab Pass532The Southern Silk Road534Yengisar535Yarkand535Karghilik536Hotan537Hotan to Golmud539Afghanistan540Kabul546Around Kabul546South & West of Kabul547Kandahar to Herat548Herat548Afghan Turkestan548Language549Russian549Kazak553Kyrgyz553Mandarin Chinese554Tajik556Turkmen557Uyghur558Uzbek558Gazeteer559Glossary562Acknowledgments566Index569Abbreviations569Text569Boxed Text575Map LegendMetric Conversion
