Visas

A visa is not required for Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan (passport validity no less than 6 months).

A visa for Tajikistan is required but Mercury Holidays will obtain it for you, as long as we have a photocopy of your passport minimum 45 days prior to departure.

A letter of introduction is required to get a visa for Turkmenistan. Mercury Holidays need a photocopy of your passport and a passport photo to get this for you, minimum 45 days prior to departure. You can then apply for a visa in advance or at the border. A total of $137 (subject to change) will be required to enter Turkmenistan, this includes the visa, admin fee, migration tax, PCR test and the bus through the neutral zone. Further advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.
Unvaccinated individuals need to self-isolate for three days upon arrival which makes it impossible to complete the tours and therefore you should not travel unless vaccinated

We strongly advise you check your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up-to-date guidelines regarding passport validity.

You will be given proof of stay at each hotel that you visit during your tour. Please keep these forms together with your passport should immigration control want to see these on departure.

Border Crossing:
- Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan
Should take approximately 30 minutes though delays do occur. You will need to exit the bus with your bags for passport control. The driver may not be allowed to exit the bus or assist.
-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan
Border crossing should take under an hour though delays can occur. You will need to walk approximately 500 meters with your bags. Your Tajik guide will be able to accompany you to passport control
- Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan
There is a 1km neutral zone between the borders which passengers will be ferried across in 8 person minibuses. The cost of the transfer is not fixed but will be approximately $1. You will need to pay the migration tax and present a physical copy of your Letter of Introduction, if you do not already have it you will need to pay for your visa. Your Turkmenistan guide will join you at the Uzbekistan border to assist you in crossing.
There are no western style toilets available at the border crossing

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Sunspot Tours will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

Payment

If booking more than 10 weeks before departure a deposit of €300pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 10 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 10 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Flight Information

Your initial flight is to Bishkek Airport with Turkish Airlines (TK), departing from London Heathrow Terminal 2.
IMPORTANT: Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 10 days before departure. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport and boarding pass to the staff at the desk.
Baggage Allowance
Each passenger is entitled to 23KG of hold luggage plus I item of hand luggage not exceeding (Max 7kg - 56cm/45cm/25cm) in size and I personal item such as a handbag, briefcase or laptop case. Weight restrictions will be finalized on E-ticket receipt. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure.

Health and Vaccinations

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Physical Accessibility

This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing of steep stairs and getting on and off coaches. It reaches an altitude of 1700 meters above sea level in Kyrgyzstan. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties. All our tours feature a "Tour Pace" to help find the right holiday for you. The tour pace for The Five Stans of the Silk Route is intermediate. A good level of fitness is required as you may be on your feet for approximately four hours in a day, though this will be interspersed with regular breaks and will vary from day to day.

Group Size

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 8, and the maximum will be 36. If in the unlikely event there are less than 8 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

Tour Guide

This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met by a local guide in each country that you visit, ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.

Currency Information

Uzbekistan
The currency in Uzbekistan is the Uzbek Soum (UZS), all cash payments on the territory of Uzbekistan are carried out only in the national currency UZS. We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK. Credit cards are accepted in main tourist areas like Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. All foreign currencies can be exchanged in major banks, but the preferred currencies are US Dollars and Euros (new dated notes in best condition).

Kazakhstan
The currency in Kazakhstan is the Kazakhstani tenge (KZT). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK but cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.

Kyrgyzstan
The currency in Kyrgyzstan is the Kyrgyzstani som (KGS). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK but cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.

Turkmenistan
The local currency is the Turkmen manat, which divides into 100 tenge. You can convert US dollars (clean, undamaged, non-ruptured and unwritten banknotes printed on or after 1996) into the local currency manat (TMT) at banks, and in exchange offices. We do not recommend you exchange money by local people at the bazars, hotel staff or on the streets.
It is impossible to change TMT back into foreign currency, so do not change too much money as you may be stuck with Manat upon leaving Turkmenistan.

Tajikistan
The currency in Tajikistan is the Tajik Somoni (TJS). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK but cash machines are available in all the major cities to withdraw money in the local currency.

Personal Expenses

You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry, any meals not included in the itinerary as well as drinks and any additional snacks. Approximately £800 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour. It is a good idea to try and maintain a supply of small notes and change in the local currency for tipping or small purchases.
It is at your customary to tip both your driver and guide. We would recommend to tip approximately $4 per day. This is a total of $80 per person to budget for tips on your trip. Tips are accepted in the local currency, however it is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency that you only pay with notes, as coins cannot be exchanged.