Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
POST & TELEPHONE
Main Post Office
(Lenin 320;
h
8am-5pm
Mon-Fri)
Main Telecom Office
(Lenin 422;
h
24hr)
TOURIST INFORMATION
CBT Alay
(
%
055-507 7621; www.cbtalayblog.
blogspot.com; Kurmanjan Datka 280, Hotel
Alay, 2nd fl, room 3;
h
9am-6pm Mon-Fri,
9am-2pm Sat) Has a handful of Osh homestays
and organises a range of tours, notably from
Sary-Mogol.
TRAVEL & TOUR AGENCIES
Munduz Travel
(
%
077-234 5000, 055-585
9000, 555 00, 266 55; www.munduz.kg;
Kurmanjan Datka 124, entry from Asrankulov;
h
8.30am-6pm Mon-Sat & some Sun) This
reliable, long-standing commercial agency
can arrange transport to Irkeshtam (US$200
per vehicle) and Murgab (Tajikistan; US$450
4WD), get Peak Lenin permits relatively
rapidly (US$35 in three working days), gBAO
permits for Tajikistan (US$85/50 same day/
two working days) and much more.
Osh Guesthouse
(
%
Daniyar 077-237
2311; oshguesthouse.ucoz.com; Masaliev
8/48, 3rd stairway, top fl, apt 48; dm/s/d
290/690/840som) Osh's unlikely traveller
hub can't be recommended for its claus-
trophobically cramped accommodation but
helpful, English-speaking, travel fixer-owners
use their big whiteboard to match travellers
seeking to share rides.
Competitive prices for charter cars include
Murgab, Tajikistan US$255; Irkeshtam Pass
US$158; and Bishkek via Arslanbob US$180
(in two days). Tajikistan gBAO permits can
also be arranged (three/one working days
US$45/61).
The guesthouse is ludicrously hard to find.
Walk north from Imam Buhari Mosque, take
the kiosk-lined alley left between 10 and 14
Masaliev, turn swiftly right at the rubbish bin
area then left after the second building. Call
at the unmarked door at the top of the third
dodgy-looking stairwell.
MuzToo
(
%
055-582 4435, 245 503; http:
muztoo.ch; UTAMK Museum) Swiss-run agent
for motorbike tours and rentals. Yamaha-XT
600 trail bikes cost around US$145/900 per
day/week.
group trips can include support vehicle but
you'll need to do your own upkeep and basic
mechanical repairs.
VISAS
Fotosalon 12
(Lenin 235; 8 photos for
120som;
h
9am-5pm Mon-Sat) Cheap pass-
port snaps for your visa application taken at
the far end of an otherwise derelict building.
8
Getting¨There¨&¨Away
AIR
Up to ive lights daily link with Bishkek on a
variety of carriers (discount/standard/business
1300/1900/4000som). International connec-
tions include Dubai twice weekly on FlyDubai
and İstanbul thrice weekly on Turkish. During
summer 2013, London-Osh return lights were
up to £200 cheaper than London-Bishkek
returns.
There's one weekly light to Ürümqi (Xinjiang,
China) on both Air Company Kyrgyzstan and
China Southern
(Lenin 305). There are also
direct lights to nearly a dozen Russian cities.
Numerous air-ticket agents lie directly south of
Ural Airlines
(www.uralairlines.ru; Masalieva
28).
'International' Osh airport's facilities are comi-
cally minimal without even a baggage carousel.
A bright, unadorned and very basic cafe in the
basement opens 24 hours and there's a trio of
ATMs, but minimal shopping facilities.
BUS & CAR
To Elsewhere in Kyrgyzstan
Minibuses to the following destinations leave
from the
main minibus station
(Stary Avtovok-
zal; Navoi):
Jalal-Abad
(120som, 1¾hr) Every 35 minutes,
via
Özgön
(60som, 50mins).
Sary-Chelek
(370som, five hours) 7.15am
Sary Tash
(300som, four hours) 2pm. In winter
check road conditions with drivers (on
%
0552-
092 22 70,
%
055-036 8400 or
%
077-283
2220) before setting off. Typically continues
via Sary-Mogol (400som) to Daroot-Korgon
(450som). Shared taxis/informal minibuses
charge similar fares and depart from the rear
area of the Agromak 4WD stand.
Toktogul
(420som, five hours) 7.15am
From other starting points:
Bishkek
There are no buses. Shared-taxi fares
fluctuate (800som to 1400som) according
to demand and vehicle type but 1200som is
common. Typically takes 10 hours. Cars lurk in
a
parking area
hidden away just off Navoi, ac-
cessed by the footpath beside children's shop
Detskiy Mir. Ideally organise the ride one day in
advance, best of all having your host phone for
you to be picked up from your guesthouse.
Batken
(for Khojand, Tajikistan) Minibus 537
(290som, 4½hrs) leaves from the
Batken
minibus stand
(Navoi 70) at 7.15am, 8.30am,
10am and noon.
To Tajikistan & China
Murgab (Tajikistan)
Tajik 4WDs charge
1500som per person in a crushed-full 4WD
(typically six people in four seats) taking
around 12 hours. You might find such a 4WD
