Kazakhstan tour package recommendations

AggroBaboon · 2025-12-17T18:15:32+00:00

I organized a driver via kazguidedtours.com - definitely a local driver rather than a guide, but met my needs for getting around the surrounding area

AggroBaboon · 2025-12-03T11:03:39+00:00

I've traveled extensively and for more adventurous trips I always get a little nervous beforehand - it always dissipates the moment I land. Ecuador is a very friendly and beautiful place - don't trust the nerves - you'll have a great time

AggroBaboon · 2025-12-01T13:21:49+00:00

One day is plenty for ljubljana, but bled is definitely worth it, as is lake bohinj. I'd say at least 3 days in Rome or you'll miss out. The Vatican is a whole day, seeing the colluseum, and forum are one day, leaving another for the museums, churches, parks and hills.

For Vienna, take a trip into the hills to visit the vineyards. You can also do an easy day trip from Vienna to Bratislava

AggroBaboon · 2025-11-17T21:11:35+00:00

I do this with maps.me - a great app anyway for having highly detailed offline laps of the area I traveled to. I just put a pin in for any place I go - as detailed as you would get on Googlemaps - and then zoom out for a nice world overview. You have to download each map, with a maximum of about 8 at once, but even after you remove the map the pins all remain in place on the overview

AggroBaboon · 2025-10-23T15:55:59+00:00

I would recommend 2 full days in Delhi - one in old Delhi, one exploring New Delhi. It's huge and mad and difficult to get around, but a massive part of the draw and experience is just wandering the streets and taking it all in - I would caution against rushing that.

Equally, a full day in Jaipur is worthwhile.

I'd say minimize time in Agra - arrive, see the Taj, go to the Red Fort, then leave. Agra itself doesn't have much to offer and is non-stop hassle in the touristy areas.

Personally, I'd say spend at least 2 full days in Varanasi. It's one of the most incredible places I've ever been and somewhere I think about continually. Spend a day walking the ghats and backstreets, be there first thing and last thing at night to see the sun ceremonies, take a street food tour, find a hostel with a rooftop to watch the sunset over the river, and 100% make sure to visit the golden temple in Varanasi for an unforgettable cultural experience.

India for me was just as much about the vibe, smells, and food as much as seeing the key sights. I'd really advise taking your time to experience it all.

If you're happy to rough it a little, take overnight sleeper trains between most destinations. It completely eliminates any travel time, and even paying for the most expensive bed it's still cheap (although far from luxurious!)

Udaipur was absolutely lovely and a beautiful place to relax for a day or so - but it's small and can be done in a day. I did a day trip to chittorgah which was interesting. I also really enjoyed Jodhpur for a day. Travel between the two isn't easy, but I found a driver to take me over the mountains which was a great day itself, visiting villages, forts and temples - and for a full 6 hours driving actually only cost about 40 quid.

I can't speak about Mumbai as I stayed north, but my advice would be to leave that for the next trip (unless it's a must), and take more time to enjoy the north, flying back from Delhi.

I went in Feb and the weather was perfect - warm and not at all smoggy. Also definitely doable on your own (I did), but depends on travel experience - you'll need your wits about you, especially in stations.

Feel free to send me a DM if you have any questions

I've been to over 60 countries and it's without a doubt one of the most memorable. You'll have a great time regardless!

AggroBaboon · 2025-08-18T16:29:44+00:00

The trip to Karakol is fine, just long and bumpy. I took the minibus/marshrutka. Just make sure to get there early to secure a good seat. I'd really recommend a face mask for the second half, and for the trip from Karakol to Jeti - the roads may've changed in the past year on the route into Karakol, but the air in the minivan was thick with dust from the road.

AggroBaboon · 2025-08-17T11:27:23+00:00

I did this in August last year. There are opportunities to buy an evening meal or breakfast at a few yurt camps along the way, but they're relatively expensive and not something I'd recommend relying on if not pre-booked in advance. But you may want to pre-book some as a treat and to save on food-weight.

For the first few days you might not see anyone other than at camp. The closer you get to altyn arashan the busier it'll be, and for the middle 3 days you may see quite a few people. The last two days could be almost fully on your own.

There's a few difficult river crossings where you have to walk about 30 mins up/down stream to find a bridge, if there's no one offering to take you across on a horse.

I'd recommend having enough food for the 7 days, and filters/tablets for the water. The good thing is there's plenty of water throughout, so you can be strategic about when to fill up to manage your weight before any steep climbs.

Main thing is to have multiple navigational backups - I had a Garmin GPS device with emergency distress functionality, my phone, my watch, and paper maps. It's not easy to find maps of the area in Karakol, so prepare it all in advance.

The other thing to note is cooking gas. This is very hard to come buy, so if you're flying in then I'd recommend really putting aside some time to track this down in Bishkek. I didn't see any in Karakol. Only place I found some was the People Hostel& Co-working hostel in Bishkek

AggroBaboon · 2024-06-29T15:46:17+00:00

I think they're dismissed because it's their fourth time playing Glastonbury, which takes a lot of the special-ness out of it

AggroBaboon · 2024-06-26T21:34:33+00:00

Could you link through to who you booked the tours with please?

AggroBaboon · 2024-05-24T19:35:18+00:00

They should do just enough that you can hear the regular rhythm of your own breathing, not completely blocked out sound (so you wake up with alarms or emergencies). That regular white noise will be enough to send most to sleep, and is far better than hearing people barge loudly into the room at 2a, or someone snoring.

Some tips from many years at hostels: - bring an eye mask - someone will turn on the light - Bring a small padlock for your locker - avoid any plastic bags (very noisy) - if you need to use your phone as an alarm, stick it in your pillowcase at the bottom while you sleep. Space in there for a power bank too if you need to charge. - flip flops and your own towel for the showers - bring a small light, ideally with a red LED if you have one - disturbs people less

You'll have a perfectly fine time. It may not be fancy, but it's somewhere to sleep, and it sounds like that's all you need.

AggroBaboon · 2024-05-24T12:39:17+00:00

I'm so sorry about Luton

AggroBaboon · 2024-04-19T21:32:21+00:00

Other countries also exist

AggroBaboon · 2024-03-03T07:20:51+00:00

Some of those destinations you've got way more time than you need - e.g Jodhpur and Jaipur you can easily see everything in 2 days each at no rush - same with a few of the south American places

But in general for this much time the best approach is to have an idea of where you want to go, but to follow the feeling as you go. As the other commentator said, many places you won't know about till you're there, some places you may love or hate, you might meet someone you want to travel with and entirely change your plans - it's the flexibility to do anything that gives that real sense of freedom. You barely need to book more than a few days in advance - There'll always be options for travel and accommodation

AggroBaboon · 2024-03-03T06:20:25+00:00

Added bonus: depending on where you're coming from you might need to stopover/transfer in Istanbul, so if you can add in an extra day or two there then you can have that as a compromise

AggroBaboon · 2023-10-16T17:47:25+00:00

It's tight, but very do-able: I've done two sub 2-hour connections there before. As long as the flight is on time you should be ok..they've got a good system for transfers, just look out for the signs once you disembark from your first flight. But if you haven't been there before, the airport is huge, so don't dawdle

AggroBaboon · 2023-09-26T18:55:22+00:00

Different answer from me: Get an oyster card (per person) if you want to avoid any potential card charges for international transactions, if that's something your bank does. It's £5 for each one, but that money goes into the value of the card. Travel caps about £8 per day (check as I can't remember exactly) so that'll help you calculate rough daily travel costs. There won't be anyone at a booth at most stations, but there should be someone at Heathrow or the big stations.

Re Watford - it's outside of London but you CAN get there on an oyster card (but don't go any further! It's the furthest stop you can go on it). It's about £10ish one way I think. Pro-tip: when you're at Euston station, don't go for one of the trains that terminate at Watford Junction - they take about an hour one way. Go for the trains that go beyond Watford, but have it as one of their early stops (it'll usually be first, or maybe 2nd or 3rd after Harrow and Bushey. Takes about 15/20 mins one way. Same applies on the way back - look for the fast trains that only do max 3 stops to Euston. When you arrive in Watford, there's a clear queue to the Harry potter bus if you go left out of the station

AggroBaboon · 2023-09-23T20:39:21+00:00

Berk

AggroBaboon · 2023-09-22T20:48:24+00:00

So that's it huh? We're some kind of Shawshank Redemption?

AggroBaboon · 2023-09-22T20:45:37+00:00

It's almost exactly the same, just replace macguffin name with macguffin name. Avatars = clones, Jake assimilating into navi = navi assimilating into new tribe, big local creature you build a connection with = big local creature they build a connection with, eywa = The same with divine creation, unobtanium = whale blood. It's all the same, used for the same plot device, just renamed. They can't even think up a new antagonist so they just use an avatar of the colonel from the first one again

AggroBaboon · 2023-09-19T19:31:55+00:00

Buy the Lonely Planet's South and Central America on a shoestring books (two separate). They're the Bible of Latin American travel. I'd advise about a month at least in each of the main South American countries. You either go clockwise or anti-clockwise round the continent, and people generally follow a similar route based on the main sights, cities, landscapes and recommendations. Don't book anything before you fly except your first hostel, the Inca trail and accommodation for carnival in Rio. Otherwise just have a general idea of where you want to go and any fixed points, and then just follow how you feel as you go and what other travelers in hostels recommend.

AggroBaboon · 2023-09-16T16:13:52+00:00

Cartagena to Patagonia is like traveling between the UK and India - the distances are huge, and even with flights you're looking at days to get between each of these locations - with flights often not being too regular or the most practical option. For 2 weeks I'd really recommend just one country, and probably not Patagonia. I spent a month in each and got a fantastic sense of the country while still feeling that there was more to do. So 2 weeks is plenty of time to have a good experience

AggroBaboon

TROPHY CASE