Frequently Asked Questions

Kyrgyzstan

Internet is available within the cities, though internet quality may leave something to be desired. Coverage is not entirely consistent, but also far from bad. Often some areas may be covered only by one of the three available providers, so if staying connected is important to you we recommend you migrate your O! SIM to an E-sim and use a physical Megacom SIM to augment that. Local SIM cards are cheap and readily available. They can be purchased at the reception in our accommodation in Bishkek or almost anywhere else throughout the country. For the trekking portion of each trip we will not have data in any capacity.

Tajikistan

In general, internet coverage in Tajikistan, and especially in the Pamir, is relatively poor. Mobile data and local WIFI in the cities can prove frustrating. There is no coverage anywhere during the trekking portion of the trip. We like to see it as an opportunity to unplug and breathe! For those who wish to, however, we’ll make a stop in Murghab on our 1st night in the country, where SIM cards are available.

The amount you will be refunded will be dependent on how close to the expedition date you chose to cancel. Due to specific overheads we must make prior to our expedition start date, a full refund may not always be possible. Please see specific terms for our trip cancellation policy.

Our mission is not only to offer eco-friendly expeditions across Central Asia with minimal carbon footprint, but to go a step further and provide incentives for our local team members who collect and bring litter out of the mountains, keeping Kyrgyzstan’s mountains pristine and clean. You can see more about our environmental policies on our website.

If you require further information about anything related to our expeditions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us via the contacts page and a member of our team will do their best to resolve your query ASAP.

Central Asia is one of the safest regions in the world to visit. The nomadic lifestyle precipitates an exceptionally warm and hospitable culture, and guests are often met by locals with incredible generosity - particularly in the mountains.

Yes! Travel and Health Insurance is a mandatory prerequisite for all clientele. Your insurance package should be inclusive of Hiking/Trekking up to $5000$ meters, and also cover helicopter rescue. Insurance covering mountaineering activities or extreme sports is not necessary. If you have any concerns about which provider or package to choose, don't hesitate to consult with us for advice!

Central Asia is primarily an Islamic region, but adheres to a more liberal branch of Islam called Shia. While dressing liberally is widely accepted in many of the larger cities, in the more remote regions we encourage guests to dress more conservatively to avoid unintentionally offending the locals. This simply means long sleeve clothing for women and men alike. This shouldn't be hard, as this is already the optimal attire for a region with such a high UV-Index.

For foreign men, when being invited to tea or food with a local family in which the local women keep to themselves, it may be advised to not seek out interaction with them if they do not offer it up first.

Yes, however please note that, as our trips have fixed-date departures, there will be downtime between itineraries. If you're still interested, reach out to us and we can negotiate the pricing and terms, as well as offer advice on what to do and see while between trips.

We are able to meet many of your specific needs if they're made known to us ahead of time, however we do not currently operate custom or private itineraries, as operating costs do not permit this.

The climate in Central Asia follows a continental weather pattern with very hot summers and very cold winters. While our expeditions are held in summer months, the temperatures in the mountains can still get very cold and it is not uncommon to see frost in the mornings. Additionally, the mountains often have their own micro-climates which often results in isolated showers and storms in the afternoon.

We recommend our guests to pack for all climates, as the weather changes fast and the mountains can experience all $4$ seasons in one day. This should include down and rain jackets. Guests can refer to our full equipment list for more information about what to pack.

Central Asia is generally considered a low risk destination for infectious disease however, like anywhere it can’t be completely ruled out. For that reason we encourage all guests to consult with their GP/Physician before their trip and to follow the travel vaccination advice set out by the medical institutions in their country of origin.

We promise to keep the maximum number of trekkers in a group to 10 people. At Great Goat Expeditions we understand that having very large groups of trekkers, all with mixed abilities can be extremely frustrating for our guests. We believe a group size of 8-10 trekkers is an ideal amount where the whole group can interact and develop strong connections with the team and the other trekkers.

As we will regularly be traveling and hiking at elevations between 3500 and 5000 metres, there is always a nonzero risk for developing altitude sickness.

In order to minimize the probability of this and to ensure the safety of all our clients we have adopted the industry standard acclimatisation cycle wherein trekkers rarely sleep more than 400 to 800 meters higher than the previous camp. In the event that mild AMS progresses into something more severe, our team is equipped with communication radios and emergency satellite devices to ensure that urgent medical assistance is provided swiftly. At all stages of each itinerary we have developed comprehensive treatment and evacuation protocol that can be implemented if rapid descent or more involved medical attention becomes necessary.

Yes, when booking through our website you will have the option to list allergies, relevant medical conditions, and dietary preferences. All of our typical foods are made low-sodium, gluten free, and vegan. Meat, dairy, etc. are added supplementarily as per your preference.

If booking through a channel other than our website, such as social media, be sure to let us know how you prefer to eat, and we can make it happen!

All of our itineraries require hikers to possess a moderate fitness baseline, with our daily hiking metrics typically between 6 to 15 km and 400 to 1000 meters of net elevation gain over a day of walking. Before flying, we recommend keeping active with whatever choice of aerobic exercise you like to do, and going on a few longer hikes on the weekends with a 10kg backpack in order to adjust to the sensation of carrying weight. If you can do this then you should have no problem during your trip! If you’re worried about your knees or joints, consider throwing in the occasional lower body resistance training at the gym.

Terrain in Central Asia can at times be challenging, with sections of clear trail occasionally interrupted by moraine and scree, open tundra, slope marsh, snow, and other variable surfaces. That said, our itineraries are specifically designed with flexibility in mind, so as to accommodate trekkers of almost all fitness levels.

If you’re worried about your fitness or how to prepare best, just let us know! We’re happy to jump on a call and talk you through what to expect in your trip, and give you recommendations on how to optimize your preparation.

For all trips our nights will be split between tents, hotels, homestays, and yurts. In the cities we will book private hotel rooms to be shared amongst members of the trip, and during hiking stages we will primarily be in tents. When available, we will do our best to arrange room and board in traditional nomadic yurts.

While trekking itself can be considered a dangerous activity, the itineraries we have selected are specifically tailored to minimize potential risk factors. In the mountains there are many intersectional variables that can make analyzing risk a complicated affair. With decades of combined experience, our team of highly-skilled guides is extremely adept at handling these sorts of dynamic situations often encountered in such high mountain and desert terrain as that of Central Asia. We will do our utmost to keep you happy and safe from harm throughout the duration of your trip. In the event of injury, all guide members of our team are professionally trained with the wilderness medical skills necessary to perform emergency treatment.

We have comprehensive written evacuation protocols in the event of an emergency. If the cause for an untimely departure is less severe, and we determine that it is safe and feasible for you to rejoin the group, then we will get you there. If not, then we will facilitate anything necessary to make the most of an unfortunate situation, whether that be recommending onward travel or keeping a line of communication open throughout the remainder of the itinerary.

Yes! Central Asia is safe to travel to even for solo women. Though Islam is the predominant religion in most of Central Asia, it is not enshrined in everyday life, and there is a broad acceptance for different religions in even the most religious leaning Central Asian countries. It is thus not uncommon to walk the streets in Bishkek and see a western style dressed young women waiting at a road crossing next to a women wearing religious clothing without either batting an eye at the other.

That being said, the role of women is not yet as advanced as in some of the more westernized societies. This is especially true deep in the countryside where our trekking will take us. There when interacting with local shepherds and farmers, it is more common to be greeted by the male steward of the household, whilst the local women tend to keep to the background. Local men will also sometimes preferentially interact with the men of the group, and be somewhat awkward in interacting with foreign women.

That being said, as there tend to be more male travelers in Central Asia, most locals are impressed when encountering a female foreign traveler, and hence treat them with a lot of respect, even in the deep countryside. None of our female staffers (who are writing this) have had issues when in Central Asia either in groups or as female solo travelers.

In the cities roughly the same rules apply as if in a western city. Maybe forgo the crop-top and short-shorts, but showing shoulders, wearing dresses, or wearing shorts above the knee are all fine and usually well tolerated. When further in the countryside it is sometimes more appropriate to wear long pants and clothes that do not show cleavage (though at this point the sun will also be intense enough you’ll be happy to not have too much exposed skin to deal with anyway).

When greeting or interacting with local men, usually the easiest way to go to avoid awkwardness is to just follow their lead. If they offer you a hand for greeting or as a goodbye, feel free to reciprocate. If they don’t, then a polite alternative is to put your right hand over your heart and nod.

Haven’t we all been there... Generally speaking, it is advised you bring any period products you think you’ll need along with you. Nothing like the comfort of having one’s own trusted brand with one. When in a pinch, pads and tampons are available in most supermarkets in the city. For the trek itself however, any waste produced needs to be carried out, so it may be better to rely on a reusable product, such as a cup or disk.