Traveller's feedback on tours to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan

I had an excellent experience with East Site and was so happy that I used them twice afterwards.

1. Yes, there were itinerary changes on my tour, but I know for a fact that it was only because Turkmenistan stopped issuing tourist visas for a time; I saw on the Internet that other travelers were having the same problem at this time, and in fact Turkmenistan is well-known for this issue in general. East Site provided an alternative itinerary for the missed days, which is more than many companies do -- itinerary changes are NOT unheard of when traveling outside of the West.

2. There were zero missed sights on the tour that I took, and in fact the guides even took us to several places that were not on the itinerary.

3. All of the hotels we stayed in were exactly those mentioned on the itinerary. It's true that in some cases they were not up to western 5-star standards, but all were clean and in some towns it was obvious that the hotels provided were the best available.

4. The two guides we had were outstanding, especially the guide in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and all spoke excellent English. I have had guides on other trips that were not so great; I usually just tell the company about it, and they'll avoid these guides in the future.

5. ...Our group always ended up with food left over (especially when we were taken to local homes for lunch, which really was a highlight), and the quality of the food was excellent. The guide even asked for our preferences and took us to particular restaurants based on what we wanted; in one case he even searched around town to find a place serving fresh fish.

It's true that traveling in these kinds of places is never as tranquil as traveling in the West, but I have worked with lots of companies in different parts of the world and East Site is NOT a poorly run company.

We traveled with East Site in May 2012 and had a wonderful experience. Over the three week period we had a variety of guides and hotels, some better than others, all more than adequate and all with excellent English and knowledge of their countries and cultures. The tour was excellent and the sites, food and accomodations the best available. The challenges of crossing through five countries were minimal because of the excellent service.

Read the blog here: Reflections from travel through Central Asia

I went on the 3-Stans tour in May 2012. I thought East Site did a VERY good job, and I am a completely satisfied customer. Re the specific points:

• We had several guides for various segments. They all spoke English well.
• Hotels were delivered were the same as hotels advertised. They ranged from really excellent and fully comfortable to quite adequate. None of the hotels was problematic.
• The guides always gave commentary and were very well informed.
• ALL of the food was excellent and plentiful.

A couple of other points. I arrived in and departed from Tashkent at odd times. On arrival, I was met by an English speaking guide who handled my luggage, took me (alone) to the hotel, got me checked in and so on. I arrived alone and before other people on my tour. Two reps from East Site took me to dinner and paid for my dinner, even though it was not part of the package. I got the same taxi luggage service on departure. Guides were always on time and were extremely helpful with translating.

My wife and I were on the 5 STANS TOUR in April/May 2012 and were looked after so well by East Site. Everything worked out well from the time we made the first approach prior to booking the tour until we departed for home from Almaty.

The organisation was great, the hotels were of high standard ( the U.S. ambassador was at the same hotel one night ), food was good and plentiful, no missed sights or changes to the itinerary, Guides were all excellent and all spoke excellent English and keen to look after us in a superior and friendly manner.

We felt we were cared for in a far better manner than we could have expected. We stayed in Tashkent for another day after the tour had finished ..The company principal, Julia, met us at the airport very early in the morning to ensure that our luggage was checked right through to Sydney ( our transit stop ). She had no need to do that for us . It was our responsibility. She just wanted to be nice and provide extra service.

I have no hesitation to recommending East Site to anyone. You would not regret travelling with them.

Frederick I.

We did the 5 stans tour this past April '12. It was a terrific trip with just 3 of us most of the time. Of course there were a few minor glitches but I do not travel to areas like that and expect it to be like traveling in the US. If I wanted that I would stay here. What a wonderful area for someone who loves history and then there was the restoration of such beautiful buildings. I never had trouble with the guides and their English and most of them, as well as the drivers, had a good sense of humor. Maybe some people need a lot of looking after.

Mona Memm

I wrote a detailed diary of the trip which I just finished typing, so the facts are well documented and fresh in my mind..

In the Spring of 2012, my husband and I took a 1 month tour of the 5 Stans and Western China. We did not experience any of the things this person wrote about, quite the opposite. We had multiple flights, connections and border crossings and were amazed at how well organized everything was.

Our guides were superior, spoke excellent English, were very knowledgeable, punctual, friendly and helpful. They did everything they could to be sure that our needs were met. We saw everything that was promised plus a few extras.

Most of the accommodations were excellent, there was only one that I would say was substandard.

As far as the food is concerned it was more than we could eat and we often asked our guides to order fewer portions.

Julia, East Site's representative in the states, was friendly, arranged for all our visas, answered any questions or concerns we had from the time we first made contact in November 2011 until our departure on April 28, 2012. She called within days of our first email and apologized for not answring immediately as she just had an emergency C section. Now that is dedication. She even called us within minutes of our arrival in Tashkent to make sure everything was okay, a very nice touch.

Jackie & Tom S.

I traveled with East-Site during June/July 2011 for their 5 Stans tour...
Experienced travelers understand the circumstances in traveling to remote and less developed regions of the world.

I found the accommodations to be just fine, as much food as we wanted and the guides were very knowledgeable, experienced and accommodating and there were no problems with language. We were handed off at each border professionally and were met on the other side by another guide who was ready to assist. The travel was safe, fascinating and we were handled very well from the initial booking, obtaining visas, throughout the trip and the safe return home.

I would recommend East-Site to anyone who would like to experience the Stans or any of East-Site’s offerings.

Jeff C

I used East Site and found them to be professional, as advertised and accomodating (even changing travel at last minute request). Hotels were as promised and always comfortable. While the country may have its difficulties and lack of conveniences, East Site provided us with a wonderful experience and facilitated our travel. We would use them again.

Generally excellent organization with helpful and friendly guides. Scenically the tour was outstanding and it was very interesting. As a tour operator with 30 year experience myself, I would not hesitate to recommend this company and destination.

We have returned to cold, rainy Syndey. I'd rather be back in sunny Uzbekistan. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The guides were knowledgeable and helpful, the hotels fine, tours interesting. All of the drivers/guides we encountered were a credit to East-Site. Special thanks to Bibi Khanum and Gozel - both were interesting and filled with information. They showed they enjoyed their career choice and were enthusiastic. Excellent guides. Two drivers deserve mention. Our driver in Tashkent and the driver who picked us up at the Turkmenistan border and drove us through Mary. Such good drivers! And so considerate and polite. We found no fault with any of the hotels. The hotel itself was very nice and the staff more than helpful. We really liked Uzbekistan - one of the more interesting countries we have visited. We couldn't believe how modern the country is, how nice the people are (and everyone could speak some English), how clean the country is. The food - YUM! I am a vegetarian and sometimes find the food to be less than delicious but I can't say it was a problem anywhere. How the Uzbeks and Turkmens make such wonderful salads, I don't know. I ate and ate. My husband was happily surprised at the variation and flavors. It's a wonder we didn't gain more weight than we did. I can't thank you enough for arranging the trip for us. It was much better than I ever imagined. My husband and I enjoyed every minute of our trip. THANK YOU!

Not as rushed as I had expected. There was enough free time to enjoy sights on one’s own. Excellent organization of the 5 different countries which would be impossible to do on one’s own. Visa service is a big plus… something other companies don’t offer if they do it’s at a high price.

We really enjoyed our holidays in Central Asia. Especially Uzbekistan has so many great places to see with breathtaking architecture and a very interesting historical background. The tour was organized perfectly and we are very happy with the service offered by East Site Travel. Our guides were great, impressing by their knowledge and efforts to make us feel like home. We will definitely recommend the tour to friends.

We would like to thank you for the wonderful trip we had in Central Asia, especially Uzbekistan. Everything was perfectly organized and better than we expected. The restaurants you offered to us were amazing and we tried a lot of national dishes. All the guides were very polite, knowledgeable and provided a log information about Central Asia.

I was very satisfied with the service provided by your travel agency and appreciate your assistance in making my trip perfect. I will definably recommend ‘East Site Inc’ and Central Asia destination to all my friends. Next year I am planning to travel to Caucasus countries.

Dear Julia,
We are just back from our trip which we enjoyed very much. I thought to let you know that we have been delighted by our adventure to Central Asia. The hotels were excellent, sightseeing and excursions were good and the guides professional. Moreover Uzbekistan is a wonderful country and people are very friendly and hospitable.
Thank you,

We returned from our trip to 5 ‘stans’. Debbie and I would like to thank you for all that you did to make our trip one of the most fantastic that we have ever had before during 20 years of our adventures. All of the arrangements that you made were outstanding. We have friends who want to visit Central Asia, and will definitely give them your contacts. Thank you again for all of your assistance.

We are now back to USA in good health and I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for us. We had a great trip to amazing Uzbekistan. My family and I enjoyed this trip to your country. The guides were professional and helpful. The people are very open and hospitable and the food is delicious. I was very impressed with excursions to historical places. Thank you very much for organizing this tour,

We are now back to USA in good health and I just wanted to thank you for everything you did for us. We had a great trip to amazing Uzbekistan. My family and I enjoyed this trip to your country. The guides were professional and helpful. The people are very open and hospitable and the food is delicious. I was very impressed with excursions to historical places. Thank you very much for organizing this tour,

Walter was very impressed with the excellent, quick, communication and the total assistance. It was an adventure of a life time. We both want to send you our thanks.

Dear East-Site, I wanted to say thank you for your help organizing our visit to Uzbekistan. You made it all simple when we thought it would be so difficult to organize. You were great. While we were hiking on a mountain trail we came across a man and child who were seated on a rock and a log. They were talking and eating some bread and cheese. We smiled politely and prepared to walk past them but they both stood up and gestured to us to have some of their food. We tried to refuse but they were insistent. We sat with them and actually sort of communicated. We all took our turn pointing to pretty sights and nodding. They shared their bread and cheese with us, which although it looked like a small amount, was actually quite filling and delicious. This kind of thing happened more than once on our brief visit. The people really are so kind and generous. I just wanted to share that with you.

Dear Julia, What an amazing land. I really wish I had discovered Cental Asia sooner. It was so beautiful and interesting. I must go back again. You will be hearing from me again because your company is very professional and very helpful.

Dear East-Site: We had a fantastic trip and an amazing adventure on the Silk Road tour. Can’t thank you enough for all your assistance arranging everything.

To East-Site Travel and Tours: We recently came home form a two week tour of the Silk Road. We still cannot believe the things we saw. It was wonderful experience from start to finish. The people at your agency were wonderful and patient, and understood our concerns and our ignorance! Thanks for everything,

Hi Julia, Well we are home from our Silk Road Tour. What an experience! Thanks so much for all your help, we really do appreciate it. We’re still buzzing from all the excitement and beauty. Unbelievable!

Dear Julia, We got home about ten days ago but I’m just now getting a minute to thank you guys for all your assistance. Central Asia is really unusual and beautiful. I’m glad we went. I do want to mention that there was a bit of trouble for a minute at the airport on the way home. All in all a great time though. Thanks again.

Thank you so much for the vacation of a lifetime. You certainly know your stuff! It was all just as you described. I’m a very pleased customer .

I would like to say thanks to your agency for arranging the whole travel itinerary, and assistance with our visas, for our trip to Central Asia. It was an incredible experience, from beginning to end. You people are a pleasure to deal with. Everyone we dealt with by phone and email was very helpful and knowledgeable. Thanks again,

I was afraid this would be more like an educational field trip. And I would end up wasting my spring break. My cousin wanted to go so badly though - so I told her she really OWED me big time for this. But it turned out to be the best vacation ever, really original and fun. I’m so glad we went. I never imagined so much interesting and beautiful and really unique things to see and do. We didn’t have time to do all we wanted. Maybe next time we can go for a longer trip. Thank goodness you guys speak better English than some of the other websites we contacted. That was really reassuring somehow, and we will be back!

Dear East Site Travel and Julia: You were right, everything worked out great and thanks for taking so much time with me. I was so cluless. One thing that we didn’t really like was the food in the first hotel we stayed at in Samarkand and, the room was so-so. Not bad but not great. The rest was totally fantastic and we couldn’t believe our eyes half the time. Geez its really gorgeous. We got a lot of great pictures of the architexture and of the scenery. I thought it would be like all dry and sandy everywhere. We had a blast. We told all our friends about it.

Julia, I wanted to take a minute to say how much I appreciated your help and advice regarding our trip to Uzbekistan. I never tried to organize such a large group for travel before. I would have looked like a fool if not for you. Thanks to you I’m a hero among the whole group now. Everyone was just thrilled with the experience. I’m sure you have a few new customers now from among the association, who want to see more of that lovely, unusual country. Very truly yours,

Dear East-Site, We finally decided to follow your suggestions and decided on a tour of Central Asia. I was a little scared because it was such a foreign kind of place, but really you guys handled everything to the last detail so it was just smooth sailing the whole time. What a beautiful country, and what a cool mysterious beauty all over the place. We have pics that our friends and parents are amazed at, like of the monuments in Samarkand. Thanks for arranging things with the driver and the guide too, he not only knew where to take us and all but he actually took care of us. Whenever we turned around with a question he was right there. And a couple times we forgot something and he was very helpful, Just a really nice guy. I feel really proud that I went on this adventure. Thanks for your patience and everything and for making it all so easy.

I want to thank East Site for everything you did to help us arrange our trip to Central Asia. When we first contacted you we had no idea what we were doing. We had never traveled to this part of the world before and didn’t know where to start. I guess we asked a lot of stupid questions :lol:, but we were really grateful for the patience and good humor of your staff in dealing with our concerns. In the end we worked out an incredible trip that covered Uzbekistan (OH MY GOSH HOW GORGEOUS) Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. I just can’t say how wonderful the experience was, and how very grateful we are that we found you people to help us. My husband and I and our closest friends Marge and Sal, were tired of vacations where we laid around the beach or pool and drank marguerites all day. We wanted to go someplace different and see really different things...and DO things. We got to do sightseeing, stay at posh hotels, hike mountain trails (and take some great pictures) and we went canoeing, horseback riding (I wish I could have kept my horse, so pretty and what a sweetie) and even biked one whole day, stopping to drink some water to stay hydrated. A little girl and boy came over and the girl took Marge by the hand, pulling her and smiling and pointing to a little house. We all followed the children and were met in the front yard by an old lady who smiled and gestured us inside, where a younger woman had the table all laid out with a feast! There was a lot of yogurt, it was even used as salad dressing, and it was good! There was meat and cheese and bread and vegetables, and some kind of milk. We kept smiling and trying to say how good it was, rubbing our stomachs and nodding our heads. When we finally left the older lady gave us a loaf of warm bread baked with cheese, wrapped in a cloth. I t was so charming. Well my goodness, we did so many things in those three countries I could go on and on. The local people are very kind and friendly…the hotel workers, not so much. They were efficient but not that pleasant really. But the trip as a whole was amazing, fabulous, so very wonderful. What an incredible place—who knew??! We will never ever forget it, unlike our other trips to Bermuda, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico – sometimes we forget even which was which because they are all so similar. Thank you so much for working out all the details so it was just pure fun. And thank you for having staff and a website where English is so well spoken. We did have a little trouble with a couple of other sites on this issue so we ended up finding East Site. Lucky us!!! Thank you so much! We had a great time. Sincerely,

We returned from our tour to Central Asia about a week ago. It was the most unusual and memorable trip we have ever been on. Everything was so strange and beautiful. We experienced things we never even thought of doing before, such as riding on camels across deserts. It felt like we were in a movie reenacting ancient history! My husband said he felt like Marco Polo discovering strange new lands. We dined in fancy restaurants at times, and at the humble tables of country folk at other times; either way the food was great and the people warm and friendly and anxious to please. During our trip we stayed in posh hotels at times, and in more humble accommodations at other times. I honestly don’t know which I preferred, as either way it was fun. The entire trip was totally exhilarating. Thanks for all you did to help make this wonderful event a reality for us.

I truly enjoyed my visit to Central Asia arranged for me by East-Site Travel. You guys were great. I feel that I have been to another world and not just on a vacation. I can’t believe it was real, since now that I’m home it seems like a vivid dream! I have two albums full of photos to remind me it was all real. And two albums were not enough for all the pictures. Thanks for all the assistance and suggestions!

Well, we’re home and it was unbelievable seeing the sights of Central Asia. It really was a thrill traveling along the Silk Road. The ancient monuments in Samarkand are the most beautiful things I ever saw. The people there are all so nice. I love the beautiful souvenirs I bought at the bazaars and price haggling was more fun and easier than I expected. The tour guides were the salt of the earth, as well as very helpful and informative. The nature was beautiful too. I can’t believe I never thought of going to Central Asia before. Even my parents have been convinced from seeing my photos that they are going there on their vacation next spring. I can’t wait for them to go and get back so we can talk about all the cool and wonderful things to see and do there!

Thanks so much for opening our eyes to this amazing part of the world! What a great way to spend our three-week vacation. Just Unforgettable! A truly wonderful experience.

I took a three week tour of Central Asia with two of my friends. We were concerned about obtaining the visas, passports and other paperwork, which, we had been told by a co-worker, was a huge hassle. But it was a piece of cake with our travel agent handling it for us (East-Site travel). So step one was not a problem at all. Next we had to figure out what kind of tour we were interested in. This was not easy because we are three very different people, and none of us had been to Central Asia before. Again, the travel agency solved that dilemma by working with us. Once they understood what we each had in mind, they knew just what tour package was right for us. So step two was another piece of cake. That was such a big relief. Thank you!

The trip was spectacular. It was all very exotic and colorful. We ate dinner one day with a country family of five, who shared their delicious food with us. The bread was incredible, and we had some kind of stew with a lot of tender meat in it and fresh vegetables; delicious. Wine and milk were offered at the table. The family never seemed to stop smiling. The next day two of the family members, a man and a woman, escorted us to a local bazaar where they helped us with purchasing gorgeous souvenirs, and sampled some delicious food. We have never felt as welcomed as tourists before on any of our other vacations.

During the trip we had the chance to watch a horse race, which was really exciting! It was an unexpected event.We managed to see the sights, some of the most amazing architecture you can imagine. And we took two nature hikes during the trip as well, which was very beautiful. On one of those hikes we got to raft down a mountain river. Sometimes during our trip we rode bikes, other times we rode in cars with the driver, who was really helpful and nice. He was very knowledgeable about the local customs and the tourist sights, and kept checking in on us to see if we were doing okay, or if we needed anything.

Not only were we thrilled with this wonderful travel experience in Central Asia, but we plan on going back at least a couple more tours offered by East Site Travel. It is the sort of region that you cannot see in just one trip. It was just fantastic. Many, many thanks.

Just settled in after coming home from a two week trip to Central Asia. Well it was unlike any place I have ever been, and I have been around. The whole deal was just incredible. It’s a refreshing change of pace and awfully interesting too. There were tons of unique, interesting things to do and see. Thanks for all the help and suggestions, I appreciate it. Couldn’t have done it without you.

So much beauty packed into one trip! East-Site, We must send you heartfelt thanks for helping us book this wonderful trip. What a wonderful, exotic place Central Asia is! The mountain views in Kyrgyzstan were exhilarating! And what can we say about Uzbekistan? Words fail us. The landscape was so gorgeous, the architecture took our breath away, and the people are so sweet. This is definitely the most memorable vacation we have ever been on. Thank you for all the tips and suggestions. You made this an amazing experience for our group. Although we did enjoy sleeping in a yurt, we still preferred the posh hotel in Uzbekistan. It was ultra- modern and the service was exceptional.

Still buzzing! East-Site Travel, you guys are the best. You were so patient with us and you ended up creating a tour package to Central Asia that blew our minds! Tashkent was full of great museums which we enjoyed very much. Samarkand is a jewel of beautiful buildings and stuff to do and see. Oh my gosh, everything was fantastic, and we’re still feeling the rush!

I am rejuvenated! The best vacation ever. East Site- what a fabulous vacation. It really pierced through my doldrums, with all the unusual and exciting sights to see. It was just amazing, I feel reborn!

Dear East-Site Travel: We’re home from our journey to Central Asia. Your agents handled everything perfectly for us and it was totally hassle-free and stress-free. We loved the Silk Road tour and the bed and breakfasts we stayed at were remarkable. Looking at the pictures we took, our friends were surprised the pictures were all from the same trip. We have photos of hang-gliding in mountain regions and then photos of ourselves at the beach! Pictures of my daughter feeding a camel in the desert, and one of her with a big brightly colored tropical bird on her shoulder. We have pictures of desert cactus in flower, and pictures of tropical hibiscus flowers as big as a dinner plate. Unbelievable. Thanks for the memories!

Thank goodness I took your advice! You were wonderful and everything worked out just fine. Thanks for being so patient with me, I must have driven you nuts! But I never heard of some of these places and I was a little nervous. Well, thank goodness I took your advice – you were absolutely right, it was an unforgettable experience. I can’t believe I never thought to travel to Central Asia before. It was very unique and beautiful. The scenery, the amazing architecture, the friendly people, and all the fun activities. The outdoor bazaars were wonderful. It was really great. Thank you so much for everything.

Dear Julia, I know you told me the roads in some areas were bumpy and rough. Boy were they. But the driver was very reliable and good-natured, and kept us calm when we got anxious. So in general the trip was extraordinary. The whole region is amazing. Thanks for all your help.