How to Apply for Central Asia Tourist Visa as Philippine Passport Holder

an adventure of Pinoy backpacker in processing travel documents

general info:
* Central Asia 5 "Stan Countries" are the most challenging to visit due to visa requirement and flight availability
* Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan still requires the Letter of Invitation (LOI)
* Kazakhstan (most beautiful among 5 "Stan Countries") requires Tourist Registration if stay is 5 days or longer.
* Uzbekistan has the cheapest visa fee and has the quickest way to apply

* Kyrgyzstan - visa upon arrival (30/90 days single entry for $50/$100), No LOI required

* Tajikistan - eligible to apply for E-Visa (45 days single entry for $50), No LOI required
* Uzbekistan - eligible to apply for E-Visa (30 days single entry for $20), No LOI required

* Kazakhstan - As of Sept. 2019, visa upon arrival (30 days single entry), No LOI required
* Turkmenistan - applied for Transit Visa only (3 days single entry for $10), No LOI required

Central Asia Countries completed as Philippine Passport Holder (souvenir fridge magnets)

Dushanbe City Walk Tour

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

April 20 to 25, 2018

Iskanderkul Hike to Waterfalls

After every finished of the day tours outside Dushanbe, I stroll to City Center by foot from the Hostel which is around 3km. Same as Bishkek, ambiance is like a rural province of Russia; no skyscraper, no english signs and almost no western establishment.Dushanbe is nicknamed as "The Big Dushe" by expats.

Dushanbe City Walk Tour

Iskanderkul Hike to Waterfalls

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

April 20 to 25, 2018

Hissar Fortress Morning Tour

I just decided the night after my 1st day tour to again avail a private tour, now going to the most beautiful mountain lake in Fan Mountain. I contracted the contacted driver by the hostel (who can speak a little english only but very nice) for a day tour negotiated down to $100. We left the Hostel around 0900H arrived in Iskanderskul at 1200H. We trekked 3km trail to falls then had a lunch beside the lake. We left Iskanderkul at 1400H and arrived back to Hostel at 1700H.  Iskanderkul is a Tajikistan mountain lake named after Alexander the Great who passed by here en route to India from Turkey.

Iskanderkul Hike to Waterfalls

Hissar Fortress Morning Tour

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

April 20 to 25, 2018

Solo Trekking and Hitch-hike to Ala Archa Waterfalls

Since it was hard to use the public transportation going outside the capital city, I immediately decided in the morning on my arrival in Tajikistan to take a private tour to maximize my only 2 days stay. I started in Varzhob going to its Skiing site but the problem was the resort is closed as it was summer time. Then, my driver / guide and I went to Hissar Fortress. Entrance fee cost 5 Somoni, photography and videography is allowed inside. Tour can be finished by an hour.

Hissar Fortress used to be a palace of one of Bukhara Emirate becks. The fortress with 1 m walls and loopholes for guns and cannons towered on a high hill's slope and was carefully guarded. Inside there was a pool and a garden. Big staircases and brick-lined terraces led to the main entrance.
https://www.advantour.com/tajikistan/hissar/fortress.htm

Hissar Fortress Morning Tour

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

sightseeing the Central Asia's best tourist attraction

April 20 to 25, 2018

"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world."

My 57th solo backpacking trip, 1st and 2nd country to visit in Central Asia Region, total of 66 countries visited so far and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. I did not research that much for this countries as I'm expecting that language barrier will be a huge challenge to make the itinerary successful. 

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a South-Central Asian Union country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. What would become modern Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1876 and became an independent country with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It has the most liberal tourist visa policy in Central Asia and one of the more progressive post-Soviet governments in the region.
https://wikitravel.org/en/Kyrgyzstan

timezone - UTC +0600H                       capital - Bishkek      
language - Kyrgyz / Russian              currency - Som (KGS) 1 USD = 67 KGS
visa - Philippine passport holders are visa upon arrival (30/90 days visa issued upon arrival for $50/$100)

http://www.kgembassy.org/en/consular-issues/applying-for-a-visa/general-visa-information/

Tajikistan, Tajik Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia that borders Afghanistan to the south, Xinjiang in China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and Uzbekistan to the west and northwest. The ancient Silk Road passed through it. 
https://wikitravel.org/en/Tajikistan

timezone - UTC +0500H                       capital - Dushanbe    
language - Tajik / Russian              currency - Somoni (TJS) 1 USD = 8.8 KGS
visa - Philippine passport holders are eligible to apply for E-Visa (45 days e-visa for $50)
https://www.evisa.tj/index.evisa.html

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (Glacier on mountains)