Flights
Tajikistan – there are international flights into Dushanbe with Turkish Air, Baltic Air, Somon Air as well as other Central Asian airlines via Russia/Kazakhstan/China.
Kyrgyzstan – Turkish Air, BMI (British Midland International), Aeroflot and some other Central Asia Airlines fly into Bishkek, Manas International Airport. There is also an airport at Osh in the south of Kyrgyzstan.
Uzbekistan – fly into Tashkent on Uzbek Air, Turkish Air, Baltic Air, Aeroflot, Czech Air and many others…
If you need any help or advice on which airport would be the best to arrive at for your trip please contact us. Some airlines provide tickets which enable you to fly into one country and out of another which can save time and money.
We will arrange to pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your homestay or hotel – whatever the time of day or night!
Visas and permits
Most tourists need visas for the Central Asian countries. We can help you arrange them from Central Asia, however we would recommend that you arrange them through your local embassy in advance. For tourist visas you no longer need letters of invitation. If you plan to go to the Pamirs you will need an additional permit for the GBAO (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast). You can also buy this in advance from the Tajik embassy/consulate, or we can arrange it in Tajikistan. National park fees will apply in some areas and we will advise you of this when we develop your itinerary and quotation.
Since June 3, 2016, anyone can apply for an e-visa to Tajikistan. The e-visa is valid at international airports and at land borders. Price is 50$ for the visa, 20$ for a GBAO permit. The visa is valid for 45 days within a 90-day period from the entry date you fill in, and is single entry, just like the visa on arrival. If you want a double-entry visa, you will still need to visit an embassy. It is easier to just buy 2 e-visas (you can buy a second one in advance if you are going to Afghanistan and will be without internet).
The teething issues seem to have mostly been ironed out: the site is working, and you get your e-visa e-mailed to you the next day. Make sure your details are correct when submitting, you cannot submit again without paying first. At land borders and checkpoints, guards now know what an e-visa or e-gbao permit is. A black and white printout of the e-visa is fine, although it does not look very official and guards have no computers to check the validity of your document. If you have problems with the system not working, send an e-mail message to both info@visa.mfa.tj and evisa@visa.mfa.tj and send with high priority.
Visa and Registration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (OVIR): If you plan to spend more than 72 hours in Uzbekistan, or more than 30 days in Tajikistan/Kyrgyzstan you will need to get OVIR registration. We can help arrange this for you on arrival.
Arriving by road
Some of our guests fly into Tashkent and spend some time visiting the ancient sites in Uzbekistan (Bukhara and Samarkhand) and then enter Tajikistan by road. The usual road route out of the Pamirs in Tajikistan and into Kyrgyzstan is to travel through to Osh over the Kizil Art pass.
Please note that from time to time border crossings are closed. We will make sure we have the latest information on this and arrange diversions accordingly. We work with partners in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and will ensure you have a smooth border crossing.