Backpacking Central Asia: 13 Things I Wish I’d Known
Travelling in Central Asia was one of the most memorable trips I’ve taken. On my solo trip there, I spent a month backpacking through Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. I had originally hoped to visit Tajikistan too, but visa issues at the time meant I had to skip it… but at least it’s a good excuse to return one day.
As a solo female traveller, I used to do a ridiculous amount of research before visiting somewhere new. But as I’ve got more confident, that tends to happen less and less and I’ve very much become a “I’ll figure it out when I get there” person.
That was certainly true for my Central Asia trip… and, honestly…there were quite a few things I wish I’d known beforehand. Of all the places I’ve been, I think Central Asia is somewhere to plan a little beforehand.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Central Asia, here are the things I’d want someone to tell me before I went.
I wouldn’t recommend it for first-time solo travellers
Okay, let me get one thing out of the way: I felt 100% safe backpacking in Central Asia. In fact, I would say I felt safer here than many other areas of the world I’ve visited, especially in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
However… I don’t think it’s the best location for solo travellers, especially if you’re looking to meet lots of new people or are new to solo travel.
There are hostels around Central Asia, but the backpacking scene is much smaller than in places like Southeast Asia. This means you can end up at either extreme. My first hostel in Kyrgyzstan was completely empty and I had an entire dorm to myself. Then in Uzbekistan, ALL the hostels were sold out (my fault for booking last-minute in peak season).
Even if you’re not bothered about meeting new people, they aren’t the easiest of countries to travel solo (in my experience). Not because they are dangerous, but because there can be quite a language and cultural barrier.
As I explained in my solo female travel guide for Uzbekistan, I do believe Central Asia is safe for solo female travellers, but I don’t think it’s the best destination if you’re brand new to the game.
Personally, I’d get a couple of easier solo trips under your belt first; Southeast Asia is a great place to start. Or consider joining a group tour (although they are very overpriced for that region of the world).
I also think Kyrgyzstan is particularly hard for solo female travellers, especially those not keen on joining day tours or hiking tours. The country doesn’t have the best infrastructure, and getting around can be challenging. I personally didn’t feel confident to hire a car by myself, which meant I had to sacrifice seeing quite a bit of the country.
It can be expensive
Okay… where are the blogs and influencers who said Central Asia was cheap?! Because let me tell you, it’s not THAT cheap.
Sure, it’s relatively cheaper than Western prices, but I was genuinely shocked at how expensive some things were, especially in Uzbekistan (I was there in the peak season).
I saw several restaurants advertising meals at European prices, and some very basic private rooms were around $35 per night. I know, I know, it’s not that bad… but it’s certainly not as cheap as some made out.
I travelled through Uzbekistan in September, which is a busy time to visit, and I definitely noticed higher prices around the main tourist areas. If you’re travelling on a budget, I’d avoid the busiest streets around the major sights. I often found better food for less money just a few streets away.
It can be VERY busy
Parts of my trip to Central Asia were way more touristy than I was expecting, and this was especially true in Uzbekistan.
Honestly, there were moments in Samarkand and Bukhara where I could have been in a busy European city. The main sights were packed with tour groups and coaches, restaurants were rammed and, because I was travelling in peak season, accommodation filled up incredibly quickly and trains were sold out.
This was one of the biggest mistakes I made on my trip. I normally like to travel quite spontaneously, but in Uzbekistan, I left things too late and found that most of the hostels and affordable guesthouses were already fully booked. Trains were also hard to book, and they had completely sold out on one of my routes (forcing me to hire a driver and spend the day crossing the Uzbekistan desert).
So, if you’re travelling to Uzbekistan during the busier months (September!!!), I would definitely book your accommodation and trains in advance, especially in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. The fast Afrosiyob trains are especially worth booking ahead if you have fixed travel dates.
And if you’re flexible with dates, I’d personally avoid the busiest tourist season altogether. You’ll have more choice when it comes to accommodation, potentially lower prices and, most importantly, you won’t be sharing every major sight with quite so many tour groups.
It can be difficult to get around
Central Asia is a big place and it has lots and lots of mountains and huge lakes, which means getting around isn’t always as simple as hiring a car or using public transport.
Uzbekistan has a great train network, and Kazakhstan seems to have a good tourist infrastructure set-up (although a lot of this is day tours), but Kyrgyzstan especially can be tricky to navigate.
There are buses and marshrutkas (shared minibuses), but they don’t always run to a clear timetable and aren’t necessarily going to take you exactly where you want to go. For some places, you may need to rely on shared taxis, private drivers or organised tours.
This is one of the reasons I found Kyrgyzstan harder as a solo traveller. There were places I wanted to see where getting there by myself just felt like too much hassle. I also didn’t feel confident enough to drive myself anywhere.
Basically, don’t assume that the “arrive and sort when you’re there” strategy is going to work everywhere in Central Asia, especially in Kyrgyzstan. Staying in hostels will help you to meet people and join up on transport, but I’d also recommend doing a bit of research in advance.
You need longer than you think
Central Asia is HUGE. I knew this before going, obviously, but I don’t think I fully appreciated just how long it can take to get between places.
Distances that don’t look particularly long on a map can turn into an entire day of travelling, especially when mountains, border crossings and slightly questionable roads get involved. (I spent almost 12 hours in a car travelling across the desert in Uzbekistan… without air conditioning… )
If you’re planning to visit several countries, I’d give yourself as much time as possible and resist the temptation to cram every single place into your itinerary. I was in the region for just over a month and it was nowhere near enough time.
I definitely think Central Asia is somewhere that benefits from slower travel, where you have the time to make the long journeys, recover and take it all in.
It can push you out of your comfort zone
I’ve travelled solo to quite a few places around the world, but Central Asia still pushed me out of my comfort zone at times. There’s the language barrier, lack of tourist infrastructure, and the occasional moment where I genuinely had no idea what was going on.
Central Asia isn’t Southeast Asia where there’s often a well-established backpacking route and an entire tourist industry designed to help you get from A to B. Sometimes you have to figure things out as you go.
But honestly, that’s also part of what made travelling there so memorable.
One of my favourite memories was a random proposal in Almaty… yes… you read that right. I was buying a coffee and the server proposed to me. I’m still not entirely sure how buying a latte escalated into marriage, but there we go.
So, all in all, while I loved my trip to this part of the world, it was challenging at times. I don’t think it’s necessarily the best place for newbie solo travellers. Speaking of which – check out my guide to solo female travel in Uzbekistan.
Make sure to carry cash
Don’t rely entirely on your bank card when travelling in Central Asia.
Cards are accepted in some hotels, restaurants and shops in the bigger cities, but cash is still incredibly useful, especially when you’re travelling outside of the main tourist areas. I also found that using my card came with a big surcharge, especially in guesthouses.
You’ll also need cash for things like taxis, markets, smaller restaurants, guesthouses and public transport.
Each of the countries has its own currency, but I also found USD to be very useful at times. On one occasion, none of the ATMs in Khiva were working, but thankfully my guesthouse was able to exchange some dollars for me.
I would also recommend withdrawing money whenever you get the opportunity rather than assuming there will be another ATM exactly when you need one.
Don’t expect home comforts
This probably sounds obvious, but parts of Central Asia can feel a little more basic than other popular backpacking destinations.
The big cities are a completely different story. Almaty and Tashkent, for example, have modern shopping centres, international restaurants and basically anything you could need.
Once you head into more rural areas, however, things can change quite quickly.
Accommodation can be basic, WiFi isn’t always brilliant, and the toilets can be… an experience.
But personally, I think that’s part of the adventure. Just don’t arrive expecting everywhere to have the same backpacking infrastructure as Thailand or Vietnam.
The driving can be… an adventure
I had a few journeys in Central Asia where I simply decided it was better not to look at the road.
The driving can be fast and mountain roads aren’t always the relaxing scenic experience you might be imagining. Oh and seatbelts… don’t expect seatbelts.
Obviously, this varies massively depending on where you are and who is driving, but it’s something worth being prepared for. But as always, it’s part of the experience!
If you’re someone who gets nervous in cars, I’d also think carefully before hiring one yourself. I considered it in Kyrgyzstan but ultimately decided I wasn’t confident enough to drive there alone.
It’s filled with history
One of my favourite things about travelling in Central Asia was learning just how much history there is. Before visiting, I obviously knew about the Silk Road, but I don’t think I realised quite how important this part of the world had been for trade, culture and empire.
Uzbekistan in particular is incredible for this. Places such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva genuinely feel like nowhere else I’ve ever been. The architecture is absolutely stunning.
But the history goes far beyond the Silk Road. Across the region, you’ll see influences from nomadic cultures, Islamic empires and the Soviet era, as well as some more modern touches.
Even if you’re not normally that interested in history, I think it’s very difficult to travel around Central Asia without wanting to learn more about it.
Be prepared for any type of weather
The weather in Central Asia can vary A LOT. When I say I went through all four seasons in a day and then some, I’m not joking.
One day in Almaty, I started thinking I wouldn’t be able to hike because it was raining. It cleared up after an hour and the sun came out so off I went. Then the sun disappeared and I was FREEZING (I forgot a layer). Then, out of nowhere, it snowed. Once I got back to the hostel, it was sweltering sunshine again.
And that was all in the space of a few hours.
The region has everything from deserts to high mountains, so the weather can vary massively depending on where you are. Even if the forecast looks warm, I’d always carry an extra layer if you’re heading into the mountains.
Basically: layers, layers and more layers. And sun protection.
The food is incredible
As a vegetarian, I was slightly apprehensive about the food in Central Asia. Each country came with its own experience, but the food was overall delicious.
Being a vegetarian in Kyrgyzstan was certainly the most challenging of the places I visited. Most of the restaurants only served meat dishes, and it was sometimes hard to communicate that I didn’t want meat. I did manage to find one completely vegetarian restaurant in Bishkek, but as I’ve gone to write about it, it seems to have closed.
Vegetarian food in Kazakhstan was much easier to find, but it did mean straying away from the local dishes. Almaty has a great international food scene, and I had some incredible Moroccan, Indian and Thai food.
However, in my humble opinion, the best vegetarian food was in Uzbekistan, mostly because they were always happy to make their local dishes vegetarian (and this was often advertised on the menu).
I regularly had Samsa (or Somsa), a pastry stuffed with potato and cheese (and meat variations too). And I also tried vegetarian Plov, Shivit Oshi and plenty of dumplings. (P.S. – there’s a great veggie food guide to Uzbekistan here).
If you’re not a vegetarian, then you will be spoiled for choice. While horse meat is traditional in parts of Central Asia, you’ll also see plenty of lamb, beef and other meat dishes on menus.
It’s absolutely worth the effort
Reading back through this post, I feel like I’ve made travelling in Central Asia sound like one big logistical nightmare. It really isn’t.
Yes, there were moments when travelling here was harder than I expected, but that’s also one of the reasons I loved it so much.
Central Asia is home to some of the most incredible landscapes, architecture and cities I’ve ever seen, and it still feels very different from the more established backpacking routes around the world.
Would I go back? Absolutely. In fact, Tajikistan is still sitting very high on my list.
Well, that’s a wrap on my tips for travelling Central Asia. Here are a few other posts to help you plan your trip: