Uzbekistan registrations
 

We are planning on crossing Uzbekistan in our 4x4 camper later this year.

I know that it's necessary to have registrations covering every day of our stay in the country but obviously we would prefer not to have to pay for accommodation that we don't need.

Does anyone know if hotels or guest houses would be likely to let us stay in their parking lots for a reduced rate and register us?

Any recommendations if so? We'll be crossing from Tajikistan to Turkmenistan.

Andy

I think there is a 72 hour rule or similar from the border to your 1st registration, then officially they want to see a registration for every night.

What we did was to just skip a night here and there camping in the desert. Especially when there were large distances (Khiva to Bukhara for example) to cover. We camped 2-3 nights from the border (west to east), then registered in Nukas, Khiva, camped in the desert, Bukhara, Samarkand, camping in the mountains for 2 nights before the border crossing into TJK.

On exit, they never checked, but they did check the vehicle thoroughly. It would be worth asking about camping, I am sure some of the homestay style places would be ok with it. Problem is, in the more populated regions its a very tight set-up. In some of the places we stayed, I cannot see where you would set up camp.

Accommodation is in the region of $20-$50/night/room.

and be advised to ditch all medicines containing Codeine prior to the border crossing. They went through ours with a fine tooth comb. We were warned about it on this forum and I am very glad we binned ours. It was the 1 and only box they wanted to look in and they rifled through everything looking for it.

G

Thanks for that, reassuring to know that it is possible. Thanks for the codeine reminder - I did know that it wasn't allowed.

We've been discussing options with David from Stantours who had indicated that camping outside of towns is possible with some sort of official authorisation.

Andy

We've been looking at this issue recently, as I've just applied for an LOI from Stantours. They sent me an information document that I had to sign and return to acknowledge that I understood the contents.

In brief, the form states that EVERY night must be registered and that only hotels, guest houses and B&Bs will suffice (no camping, no home-stays and no couch-surfing). Stantours claim that if you miss a night of registration, subsequent hotels may refuse to register you due to the missing night.

Clearly, the information from Stantours doesn't match the experience of Griff, as provided above, so maybe they are just giving us the ultra-safe official version.

We had no problems ourselves when we were there last august, but we spent the majority of our time in hotels anyway as it was so hot, it was too hot to stay in the car. It meant we had a few missing days at the beginning and between cities, but the border guard didn't check in detail, he just checked we had some slips.

BUT we travelled with some other overlanders who were actually deported from the country for not having stayed in official accommodation every night if their stay and for sleeping in the car! They were 'discovered' by the next hotel they tried to stay at who asked for the registrations from their previous hotel stays. Surprised by the question, they said they'd slept in the car and the hotel reported them to the police who came and picked them up!

This seems to be a real bad luck story as they were the only ones we met that this happened to, but just to let you know that it can happen. Maybe forewarned is fore-armed?


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Hi,

This is what Stantours told me a few days ago: "Most hotels and guest houses in UZ would normally accept you staying at a reduced rate in their parking lots and also register you, but for real camping we strongly recommend getting paperwoirk to allow this - we can help, but only if you book minimal services in UZ with us."

'minimal services' seems to be 3 hotel/guest house bookings and a LOI.

I'm following your blog with interest! See you're in UB at the moment, what's your proposed route back? We should be crossing the 'stans from Russia to Iran around September/November time, so any info would be useful.

Andy

We leave UB this morning and begin the journey west through Mongolia. Re-enter Russia for 2-3 days to transit into Kazakhstan. South through Kaz into Kyrgyzstan and obtain an Uzbek visa in Bishkek. Then into UZ and back into Kaz. Re-enter Russia and west through Ukraine. Then south into Romania and through the Balkans.

I have heard of issues with hotels wanting previous slips, but this was only in Tashkent. Everywhere else seemed more relaxed at the time (May 2013)

That does sound unlucky, getting deported. Friends of ours cycled it. It took them 5 days to cross from Khiva to Bukhara, they didn't have any trouble with rego slips.

To be honest, your probably going to UZB to see the sights, which are the cities. Spend 2-3 nights in Khiva, 2-3 nights in Bukhara and 2-3 nights in Samarkand with the odd camp in between borders. you wont be missing a lot and with the larger distances have an excuse for taking your time (fake a breakdown, illness, whatever etc)

I can recommend 2 places to stay in UZB when you do hit Khiva or Samarkand

have a look here: Overlanders Tips: Top Five Budget Overlander Hangouts in Central Asia | Sirocco Overland | Сирокко Оверленд

enjoy!

G

Hi Andy,

Can you tell me how are you planning your trip to Uzbekistan with your camper? Which countries, which borders?
I have the same plan (Uzb) for 2015 with my vehicle.

Thanks in advance,

RR.

be careful asking in big cities and big hotels, they are highly controled. Even a small hotel takes a big risk giving you the paper.
Leaving the country the landway I never heard that someone asks you the papers at the border. Leaving by plane most certainly they do, and people got in trouble.
Some small places, hostels hotels and such, dont even give you a paper, so if you are missing some, you should get away with it even they ask ypou at the border.
Good luck, (I had my experience in Taschkent with that subject ... )
Thomas

We left UZ few days ago, no check of the 4x4 truck neither the registration!

Asia hotels will register you for a fee of 10 dollar, they are represented in all the big 5 of the country. You can stay there on the parkings with camper also, no problem at all.

Tip: All Asia hotels have a swimming pool, also open if you are not a guest of the hotel, 5 dollars/3euros very nice!!

Tip 2: All Asia hotels are directly in the center on 200mtr or less from the highlights!

Ourselves have seen 4, used 1, service tiptop!

GRTZ,

JP

Hi Jervig,

Can you tell me how have you drive to Uzbekistan with your 4x4? Which countries, which borders?
I have the same plan (Uzb) for 2015 with my vehicle, through Iran and Turkmenistan.

Thanks in advance,

RR.

Via Bejneu Kazachstan, we did Mangistau region first.

In UZ We made a 4x4 tour on the bottom of the dry part of the Aral lake, Khiva, Buchara, Smarkand Tajikistan

GRTZ,

JP

We are planning on going from Russia into Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan where the route depends on the weather over the Pamir highway and any more unrest around Khorog. We enter Uzbekistan at either Oybek/Buston in the north or, if we do the Pamir highway, Denau/Tursanzade in the south.


We should have around 2 weeks in Uzbekistan and then cross into Turkmenistan at Kunya-urgench. 5 days in Turkmenistan then on to Iran.


Andy

Thanks Andy and Jervig for your replies.

RR.