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Lonely Planet Central Asia (Paperback)

by Bradley Mayhew (Author), Paul Clammer (Author), Michael Kohn (Author) "Central Asia or 'Turkestan' is a vast arena of desert, steppe and knotted mountain ranges stretching from the Caspian to Mongolia, and Siberia to the..." (more)
Key Phrases: krytyy rynok, marshrutnoe taxi, pololike game, Silk Road, Tian Shan, Aral Sea (more...)

4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
...for the adventurous traveler who wants to live like a native.' --Real Simple Magazine, June 2005
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Wander through history in Uzbekistan's Silk Road towns, taste the nomad's life in a Kyrgyz yurtstay, be astonished by the bizarre personality cult of Turkmenistan's president, experience cutting-edge adventure on Tajikistan's soaring peaks and lose yourself in the desertscapes of Kazakhstan. Surreal, fascinating and addictive - discover the 'stans with this insightful and comprehensive guide.

• GET THERE FIRST - brand-new coverage of Afghanistan, open to travellers for the first time in 25 years
• GET AROUND with the help of 80 detailed maps and thorough transport information
• WORK THE BUREAUCRACY like an old hand with our tips on getting visas, crossing borders and handling officials
• HANG WITH THE LOCALS - details on how to access the unique community based tourism network
• GET THE BACKGROUND on the region's intriguing history, politics and culture

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 3 edition (July 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1864502967
ISBN-13: 978-1864502961
Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #577,737 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
Central Asia or 'Turkestan' is a vast arena of desert, steppe and knotted mountain ranges stretching from the Caspian to Mongolia, and Siberia to the Hindu Kush. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
krytyy rynok, marshrutnoe taxi, pololike game, visa support, yurt camp, local bus stand, community based tourism, old bus station, aqua park, city administration building, individual country chapters, shared taxis, border permit, trekking agencies, trekking agency, horse trek, trekking routes, sleeping carriage, visa costs, main bazaar, onward transport, horse trips

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Silk Road, Tian Shan, Aral Sea, Mazar-e Sharif, Jenghiz Khan, Torugart Pass, Marco Polo, Shepherd's Life, Caspian Sea, Amir Timur, Uzbekistan Airways, Alexander the Great, Khan Tengri, Altyn Arashan, Abylay Khan, Altay Mountains, Hindu Kush, Tash Rabat, Pamir Alay, Sary Chelek, Pamir Hwy, Sary Tash, Wazir Akbar Khan, Prophet Mohammed, Soviet Union

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 41 books:

Central Asia by Peter Golden on 5 pages
The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk on page 11, and page 209
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby on page 397, and page 399
An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan by Jason Elliot on page 399
Canon of Medicine by Avicenna on page 30

See all 41 books this book cites

1 book cites this book:

The Devil and the Disappearing Sea: A True Story About the Aral Sea Catastrophe by Rob Ferguson in Back Matter

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	87% buy the item featured on this page: Lonely Planet Central Asia 4.3 out of 5 stars (11)
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	3% buy Uzbekistan: The Golden Road to Samarkand, Sixth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guides) $18.45
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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 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.

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30 of 31 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" (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

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.

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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	David Goodman (Belgium) - 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

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars an essential guide to the region
I cannot imagine anyone visiting Central Asia without this guide. I used it on a one-month trip around Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan and found most of the information to... Read more

Published 4 days ago by David Stanley

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific travel resorces
Lonely Planet is the leading and best resource for any traveler, even if you're staying at top end places and want to live as a queen. Read more

Published 8 months ago by Read to Learn

4.0 out of 5 stars Your companion to Central Asia
Well researched and easy-to-use, this Lonely planet was our primary companion to plan our and along our trip to Central Asia. Read more

Published 11 months ago by P. H. Clouin

4.0 out of 5 stars a practical overview
This doesn't answer questions such as, "What kind of winter jacket should I bring", but it does tell you about the traditional Kyrgyz practice of wife abduction. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Chase A. Mateusiak

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to central asia
Once again Lonely Planet has done a very good job. This guide is the best introduction to the five Central Asian countries. Read more

Published 19 months ago by Daniel Biau

4.0 out of 5 stars Very useful
Central Asia is steeped in rich mediaeval architecture, soul stirring music, amazingly friendly people, complex history, delicious food & a sense of the prehistoric. Read more

Published 20 months ago by Sharad Yadav

4.0 out of 5 stars Have used for uzbekistan and found it useful
I used this guide when traveling in Uzbekistani cities in 2003. I found it very helpful ESPECIALLY THE MAPS. Read more

Published on October 7, 2006 by Sharon E. Eicher

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay, but...
This is a decent overview of the area. I found, however, that when it came to actually visiting the areas mentioned, there was little for the traveler that wasn't easily obtained... Read more

Published on October 17, 2001 by Nadroj

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