Verified answer

I looked into this area extensively, but it was unknown at the time how much turbulance there was going to be. The danger is primarily along the southern borders, the "tourist" cities are supposedly safer. Check with a travel agent specializing in the area to find out where the danger and violence in Central Asia is, but tours ARE going.

There are two main goals (unless you are there for the oil companies!), to visit the original silk road caravan cities or to visit the archaic way of life bordering the Tien Shan Mountains.

The main ancient silk road cities of Bukhara, Tashkent and Samarkand (probably the highlight...Alexander the Great, Ghengis Khan, Tamerlane all came through here) are in Uzbekistan, and much of the archeology and amazing history will be centered here. The history covers the time of caravans and trade between Cathay (China) and the rest of the Western World which had to go either by land through Central Asia or eventually by ship past India to the Middle East.

http://www.islamic-architecture.info/WA-IR/Regista...

For topography and natural beauty, Kyrgyzstan is the "Switzerland of Asia". You visit nomadic peoples and their archaic way of life, see horsemanship, perhaps an eagle hunt.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1067/1374347886_50a...

I wasn't that interested in Turkmenistan, so know less about it, but from what I remember is supposed to be Turk-oriented and similar to what Turkey USED to be like before it modernized.

Take a look at a known travel guide who tours there each year. You don't have to use him (I used one of his private guides for Turkey, the company is decent/honest) but the itineraries should give you a good idea of what to see, and how long to spend in a city:

http://www.boraozkok.com/24boracentralasiae09.html

Here is the standard USA travel warning for Central Asia in general, but again the tourist cities will not be near military installations, etc.:

Supporters of extremist groups such as the Islamic Jihad Union, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, al-Qaeda, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement remain active in Central Asia. These groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and may attempt to target U.S. Government or private interests in the region, including in Kazakhstan. Attacks against foreign interests in Central Asia have occurred and new tactics, including the use of suicide bombers, have been employed by extremists in neighboring Uzbekistan. Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. Because of increased security at official U.S. facilities, terrorists are also targeting “soft” civilian targets such as residential areas, clubs and restaurants, places of worship, hotels, schools, outdoor recreation events, resorts, beaches, maritime facilities, and aircraft.

i became in Albania it is the worst of the Balkans countries for infrastructure progression. many times, the trip arrangements fell into 4 categories. inner maximum vehicle that could or won't have heating or A/C. If i became hitching and that i stumbled on a foreigner it became frequently nicer than a close by (so some distance as convenience is going besides). Buses go between substantial stops yet they're overcrowded (very own checklist became status for 4 hours throughout the time of the mountains! "Surfed" the full way!) and quit everywhere everyone desires to get off, like the fringe of the line. switched over trucks are speedier, pricier, and greater risky. Trains are the slowest and worse approach. None of those latter 3 had heating or A/C previous physique warmth (and smell) contained in the wintry climate and abode windows down contained in the summertime. to furnish you a concept of time, my first summer season I traveled 2 hundred miles from my city close to the Montenegro border to a seashore village contained in the south. In American that should take 4 or 5 hours. In Albania it took me an afternoon and a nil.5. I had to make it artwork between buses not likely the place i needed and trucks not likely the place i necessary. the perfect experience ever nevertheless for my team became my web page mate who traveled in a van (frequently happening length with 9 seats) with 12 adults, 3 youngsters, a million goat, and a million chicken (tied up, it wasn't on the loose). human beings have been on laps, crammed contained in the lower back, status crooked, all forms of weirdness. it is a superb seen, yet him telling the story over some beers became much greater effectual by using fact the experience lasted an hour and alter. once you're thinking of trip as pristine untouched nature you are going to ought to pass some distance from civilization to attain that. With the introduction of mass production and distribution trash and debris dotted the geographical area alongside each street I ever traversed in Albania. The panorama itself became rocky and semi arid, not wasteland like the SW yet resembling foothills in southern climates of the U.S.

Dear friend, not many people go to these countries. Not bcs they are no good. You have to visit these countries website or check in search engine.