Turkmenistan Travel Tips

The country is ranked as the 7th largest natural gas producing country in the world. The country has huge oil resources as well. It’s one of the fastest-growing economic countries in the world due to its natural gasses and oil. Apart from the gas and the country have 2 larger agricultural products that have a great role in its economy. Those are cotton and wheat. The country is among the top 10 cotton-producing countries.

Turkmenistan’s economy is one of the fastest-growing economies of the world. It is due to the natural gasses and oil that make the country rich. The country has only 0.2% living below the poverty line.

The country is largely deserted. The country is developing rapidly with its natural gas, oil, cotton, and wheat manufacturing. The country has a great economy with its large gas wealth however; Turkmenistan's citizens are still impoverished.

Food consumption means what amount of food is available for human consumption in a country and the measure is done by FAO Food Balance Sheets. As per the Food & Agriculture Organization minimum daily energy a person should intake is about 1,800 kilocalories. Turkmenistan ranks at the number 85 on the list.

The country is potentially considered as wealthy with the 7th largest natural gas producer of the world. The country’s gross national income per capita is US$ 1,200. The country has an extensive irrigated agriculture system.

The country is truly safe to visit. There are almost no crimes and especially against tourists. The local people are quite friendly and warm and a very low rate of violent crimes has been recorded. The country is enough safe for solo travelers too.

The reason for Turkmenistan being a wealthy country with an ever-growing economic is the natural gas of the country. Acquiring 7th position in the world for producing natural gas the country acquires most of its capital from the gas resources.

Turkmenistan has no official rules on wearing clothes. However, due to a country with tradition and people with a little conservative mind, it’s better to dress decently. So the locals won’t feel disrespected. Sleeveless and knee-length dresses are fine in Turkmenistan. Avoid wearing short skirts or shorts. Bring long-sleeved dresses with full trousers or skirts for entering mosques.

Turkmenistan has passed strict laws against selling alcohol. You can’t drink alcohol in trains, airplanes, and ferry boats as well as at sports facilities. However, in some restaurants, you can find beer, wine, vodka, and sparkling wine.

Turkmenistan food is delicious. It offers a lot more Russian flavor. It is quite the same with other Central Asian countries. People mainly eat the meat of camel, goat, or beef. They usually eat bread, plov, meat daily. Green tea is very popular among Turkmenistan people. While visiting the country taste some local dishes like; Shurpa, Plov, Dogroma chorba, Shashlyk, Chorek, and Kovurma.

All foreign travelers require a visa for entering the country. There are 2 types of visas that one can obtain for traveling in the country, a transit visa and tourist visa. A transit visa is the only visa approved without a letter of invitation. While Transit visa allows staying only 5 days in the country a tourist visa allows spending 4 to 5 weeks in a country.

The country is very strict when it comes to visas. All the tourists coming to this country need to have the Letter of Invitation to acquire a visa. The letter can be obtained by a Turkmen travel agency directly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The travel agencies only do so if you book travel with them.

There is nothing as per law in Uzbek that a woman must wear, so you can bring your clothes that you love to wear. However, the country has its own culture and we believe you won’t like to offend it. So, we recommend packing some light shirts, t-shirts, jeans and long-sleeved dresses covering knees. You need to wear a scarf or something that covers your head while entering a mosque. You can pack some swim-dress to wear near your pool at your hotel.

Well, it’s really up to you. Bring as much as you want to spend in Uzbekistan. The country is not much expensive but most for paying most of the things you will need cash. Cards are not much accepted here. You can exchange your money at the airport or in any hotel or banks of Uzbekistan (both in private & govt. bank). Keep in mind that you need to pay tips in restaurants and to porters (not mandatory, but expected as it’s almost a custom to tip).

No, drinking tap water isn’t considered safe in Uzbekistan. We highly recommend using bottled water while you are in Uzbekistan. Also, make sure to eat clean and well-cooked food. If you are visiting Uzbek inn hot time make sure to keep big water bottles as you will feel thirsty due to the hot climate especially in the day time.

Well, the answer is No. Uzbekistan is not only a magical country with a rich history and spectacular natural beauty but also a very friendly country to visit. If you are afraid of if it is safe, then let us tell you even the country is safe for solo woman travelers. Uzbek people are warm and friendly. They will easily welcome you as their guest. Choose a reliable tour operator and explore the best of the country without any fear.

Of course, you can avail alcohol in Uzbekistan. It is kind of part of their life. Alcohol is taken by many Uzbek people especially, the Russians. Soviet people introduced Vodka and other alcoholic drinks that are now a part of their life. However, some very strict Muslims don’t prefer drinking. However, it is allowed and legal in the country.

Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Termez, and Tashkent that are explained in many historical stories. These places have some stunning old Islamic architecture buildings that make it famous. As well, the natural beauty, mountains, and rich history of the country usually fascinate its travelers.

Uzbek people eat many types of food in their daily life. The dishes of Uzbekistan are delicious. Mostly they eat and drink soups, meat dishes, floury dishes, bread, milk, and oriental sweets. They share their culinary style mostly with Turkic people. Mostly they have a whole meal in one pot. You can try some local cuisine during your visit to Uzbekistan like; Plov, Shashlik, Lagman Soup, Shurpa, Dimlama, Chuchvara, Samsa, and more.

While visiting to Uzbek you are recommended to have the following vaccination-

• Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis B

• Typhoid

• Rabies

• Meningitis

• Polio

• Measles

• Mumps

• Rubella

The country is best to visit at any time except the summer season (July & August). During these 2 months, the country is at its highest temperature that goes up to 40-degree Celsius. However, spring and autumn are a great time to visit Uzbek i.e. from April to May and September to early November. During this period the country remains dry with a clear sky and cool temp.

The tropical climate of the country is great for malaria mosquitoes; hence once malaria was the worst health threat in Uzbekistan. To protect people from falling ill in malaria the govt. of Uzbek has taken various steps and in 2010 the country became malaria-free. Now it has won the WHO certificate as a malaria-free country. Hence, you can stay stress-free about malaria.

In July 2018, Uzbekistan started an E-visa facility and there are 76 nationalists can apply for a visa online. You can go to the official E-visa site, and apply for your e-visa by filling a form online. The total cost is 20USD. It takes 2 to 3 working days for processing your visa and then you can get a confirmation in your mail. The payment you can do only in the working hours. If you are not from a country where you can go for e-visa, then you can go with the traditional way. You can book it from the embassy.

There are 21 countries that enjoy visa free entry to Uzbekistan. Here is the cost for Uzbekistan-

• Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa- US$60 to US$100 for most nationalities

• Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa - $160 for US nationalities

• Additional entry cost- $10Per entry