Central Asia (Lonely Planet Travel Guides) [Paperback]

Bradley Mayhew (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2007

Discover Central Asia

Lose yourself among the blue domes and mosaics fo the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Play Marco Polo, exploring Silk Road forts while bathed in the light of the snowcapped Hindu Kush in the Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan.
Watch a Kyrgyz eagle hunter in action, and taste the delights of fermented mare's milk in Kyrgyzstan.
Follow in the footsteps of British spies, Chinese pilgrims and Russian explorers and embark on your own Great Game.

In This Guide:

Five authors, five 'stans, 27 visa stamps (78 visa checks), 182 pots of green tea, one (short) detention by the KGB.
Everything you need to know about visas, travel permits and crossing Asia's remotest borders.
Trek into remote alpine valleys, follow herders on horseback or ride camels with our new Activities chapter.
Visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler suggestions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...for the adventurous traveler who wants to live like a native.' --Real Simple Magazine, June 2005

From the Publisher

Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travelers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
* We offer travelers the world's richest travel advice, informed by the collective wisdom of over 350 Lonely Planet authors living in 37 countries and fluent in 70 languages.
* We are relentless in finding the special, the unique and the different for travellers wherever they are.
* When we update our guidebooks, we check every listing, in person, every time.
* We always offer the trusted filter for those who are curious, open minded and independent.
* We challenge our growing community of travelers; leading debate and discussion about travel and the world.
* We tell it like it is without fear or favor in service of the travelers; not clouded by any other motive.

What We Believe
We believe that travel leads to a deeper cultural understanding and compassion and therefore a better world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 508 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 4 edition (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741046149
• ISBN-13: 978-1741046144
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly a travel survival tool in this magnificent region, December 30, 2000

By 

Maurizio Giuliano (Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Central Asia (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

The first edition of Lonely Planet's Central Asia guide was not up to their usual standard. Its data and advice was incomplete and even wrong, but more than anything, it was out-of-date beforen it was published: things had changed a great deal in Central Asia, between 1991 when the countries became independent, and 1996 when the guide was published. But finally, this second recent edition of the book fully compensates for those lacks. Truly up-to-date, it offers all the advice, tips and information that travellers expect to get from Lonely Planet. And in this region, you'll need it ! Even if you speak Russian like myself, this is not an easy region to travel around. The people are nice and hospitable, the places are marvellous, but the first impact can be very negative and gloomy. It can be hard or impossible to get around - visas and other bureaucratic problems, flights and trains which may or may not run, hotels which may or may not exist... You won't know what to do or where to go, and once you do you may realize you should have done otherwise. With this guide, you won't be lost. It will truly be your companion during the whole journey, whether or not you are familiar with the region. And it will also provide excellent and very plesant reading with its sections on culture, history, politics, etc. Last but not least, this edition contains two new sections on Afghanistan and on China's Xinjiang province. Afghanistan will be hard to visit so far (but not impossible - ask me !), yet the information is invaluable and highly interesting. Xinjiang is a destination which, thanks to the information contained in this guidebook (and ONLY thanks to that information, which you won't find elsewhere !), you will be able to combine with your trip to the five former Soviet nations of Central Asia. Buy it now, and you will be on your way even sooner than you plan.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential guide for anyone coming to Central Asia, August 27, 2002

By 

mirope "mirope" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lonely Planet Central Asia (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

Take it from an American expat living in Uzbekistan and traveling throughout the region - this is by far the best guide to any place in Central Asia. The authors do a great job of covering all the countries, and they have practical advice on necessary precautions. The general information about the area is solid. Every expat who lives here has a copy, and we all rely on it for advice on where to go and what to see. Also, the historical review is thorough without being tedious, and the practical information on things like climate and local customs is generally dead on.

Nevertheless, you can't rely on this book (or any other) for specifics like suggested hotels and restaurants or things like visa fees. These all change so frequently in the CAR that everything is out of date before it's hit the printers. Use this as a guide to the area, but don't rely on it for planning the details about where to stay and where to eat.

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A warning guide., July 22, 2001

By 

David Goodman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Central Asia (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

As with all countries in the far east, one has to use a guide as simply a guide and not a bible. Lonely planet is great in giving travel warnings without preaching. This style leaves it with a laid back approach to traveling. Unfortunately in Central Asia where things do change often, where situations can be increadibly dangerouse or unbelievably gloriouse, no guide can stay so up to date. This guide is nessasary in Central Asia. There are few in between which can cover the scope which Lonely Planet Manages, however I can't stress any more how important it is to do research on all five-stan republics. Pay attention to travel stories, keep a positive additude and enjoy the wonderouse Rejistan, Karokarum and charming turk peoples. A deffinate and more concise version to the first, there is still less coverage on visas and dealing with officials then is needed for the westen traveler. And as usual there should be much great getting there and away information. Four Stars