Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, and Lithuania with Ukraine International Airlines
Jun 22, 2015, 4:40 pm
#16
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,737
I am impressed by your agility at booking new travel when Almaty proves to be boring. I am surprised you were able to visit Chernobyl on one day's notice. We visited Kiev 3 years ago and loved it. At that time, it required 14 days advance notice (or thereabouts, might have been 10 days) to visit. The tourist company had to submit our passport information well in advance.
This certainly isn't the norm for where a college student, or anyone for that matter, heads in the summer. Well done for your sense of adventure.
This certainly isn't the norm for where a college student, or anyone for that matter, heads in the summer. Well done for your sense of adventure.
Jun 23, 2015, 3:36 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: LAS/SIN
Programs: TK E+, AS Gold
Posts: 67
I emailed a few travel agencies (Google 
) but only one, arranged through Caravanistan, managed to put something together for me at 24 hours notice. All I initially got was the name of the company and an address, so all communication after the email introduction was done through WhatsApp.
Chernobyl was actually the only part of the trip that I pre-booked in advance. SoloEast offers student discounts if emailed in advance, but another traveler from the same hostel who went on the same tour as me booked her spot one day in advance.
It's definitely possible to do it without 10 days prior notice (despite what the tour companies say), but that may also have to do with the relatively small number of tourists going to Ukraine now.
) but only one, arranged through Caravanistan, managed to put something together for me at 24 hours notice. All I initially got was the name of the company and an address, so all communication after the email introduction was done through WhatsApp.I am surprised you were able to visit Chernobyl on one day's notice. We visited Kiev 3 years ago and loved it. At that time, it required 14 days advance notice (or thereabouts, might have been 10 days) to visit. The tourist company had to submit our passport information well in advance.
It's definitely possible to do it without 10 days prior notice (despite what the tour companies say), but that may also have to do with the relatively small number of tourists going to Ukraine now.
Jun 23, 2015, 7:30 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,301
Kazakhstan introduces visa-free regime up to 30 days for citizens of member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Malaysia, it should be from the decree of President of Kazakhstan, regulating the questions of creation of an international financial center " Astana ".
Jun 23, 2015, 9:12 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Chessington World of Adventures
Programs: BA SILVER!! (After 7 years of trying...)
Posts: 205
Wonderful report, thanks very much.
Your trip out with the locals in Kyrgyzstan makes me wish I was far more adventurous, but like the poster above me, I enjoy my nice comfy beds a bit too much...
Your trip out with the locals in Kyrgyzstan makes me wish I was far more adventurous, but like the poster above me, I enjoy my nice comfy beds a bit too much...
Jun 23, 2015, 3:30 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stockholm
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,368
Thanks for the report. I have been to some of these places myself: Chernobyl, Bishkek, Karakol.
Some people close to me were very skeptical before I went but afterwards I feel the trip was very rewarding.
Some people close to me were very skeptical before I went but afterwards I feel the trip was very rewarding.
Jun 24, 2015, 11:47 pm
#25
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,609
You're right. That was an awesome trip.
Just when you think you've seen it all around here, you can get some pretty interesting experiences to read about. ^
Just when you think you've seen it all around here, you can get some pretty interesting experiences to read about. ^
Jul 2, 2015, 7:22 am
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: LAS/SIN
Programs: TK E+, AS Gold
Posts: 67
Haha, they were definitely clicking and having a dozen of them in the group go off at the same time was far more reassuring than not knowing what our next step may bring.