""Tuva (Tyva) or Bust"" Tuva by Ekahau

Tuva Travel Guide: 18 reviews and 107 photos

In the Center of Asia

BBC special on Tuva dated Aug 2009

My first visit to Tuva was in 1990 than again for the visit of the Dalai Lama. Russian Autonomous Republic of Tuva which borders directly on Mongolia in the South. This was still a remote corner of the world in the early 90’s but in a more recent visit it is for sure not as cut off as in the early 90’s. Tuva is the remotest place in the world as there is no other land located so far from any sea. Kyzyl the capital has a monument proclaiming to be the very center of Asia. Tuva is an area of great variety, with almost every type of landscape: luxuriant meadows, boundless steppe, medicinal springs, beautiful lakes, rushing mountain rivers fed in spring by melting snows, dusty semi-deserts and snowy chains of mountains. The high peaks and alpine lakes of the Sayan Mountains in south-west of Tuva give rise to the tributaries that merge to become the mighty Yenisei, one of Siberia's major rivers flowing over 2000 miles to the Arctic Ocean. The mountain ranges that form its natural border have long protected and isolated this region.

Tuva or Bust

Richard Feynman's Last Journey
As a stamp-collecting boy always fascinated by remote places, Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman was particularly taken by the diamond-shaped stamps from a place called Tannu Tuva deep within Outer Mongolia. He hoped, someday, to travel there.
In 1977, Feynman and his sidekick— fellow drummer and geography enthusiast Ralph Leighton—set out to make arrangements to visit Tuva, doing noble and hilarious battle with Soviet red tape, befriending quite a few Tuvans, and discovering the wonders of Tuvan throat-singing. Their Byzantine attempts to reach Tannu Tuva would span a decade, interrupted by Feynman's appointment to the committee investigating the Challenger disaster, and his tragic struggle with the cancer that finally killed him. Tuva or Bust! chronicles the deepening friendship of two zany, brilliant strategists whose love of the absurd will delight and instruct. It is Richard Feynman's last, best adventure.

the Map

Last visit to Tuva: Mar 2002
Intro Updated Sep 5, 2009
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Reviews (27)

Bus or taxi to Abakan to Kyzy Transportation (2)

One can take the train to Abakan, then by bus or taxi to Kyzyl. The Bus to Kyzyl goes everyday in the morning and... more travel advice

KrasAir flight Tuva Transportation (2)

Getting to Tuva by air is by far the best -- well at least the easiest and the once a week moscow Kyzyl Moscow flight... more travel advice

Tuva's Naadym Things to Do (7)

In 1993 I went to the Tuvan Naadym, the biggest national festival which is celebrated every year 15 August, the national... more travel advice

Barykl steppes Tuva F Favorites (12)

more travel advice

Restaurants (2)
See All Yuat Dinning
Nightlife (2)
See All bewitching show

Hotels (2)
See All a Kyzyl standby
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Comments (30)

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hunterV Mar 11, 2009 at 10:10 AM

Hi, Paul! Thanks for your wonderful narration about that remote place that is worth visiting...
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nomorewars Jun 9, 2008 at 8:48 PM

I'm ashamed to write that it has taken me nearly five years to get to this page. By far this is the best page I have read in 2008. It's loaded with all the things I love about traveling abroad.
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jenniferchin Jul 16, 2007 at 11:35 PM

Breathless reading your Tuva page ... saw Huun Huur Tu in concert recently - my introduction to Throat Singing and to Tuva ... thank you :-)
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SLLiew Jul 14, 2007 at 6:39 AM

Haven't heard of Tuva before. It is like Russia's Mongolia as Inner Mongolia is China's Mongolia. Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing a less travelled place. Excellent work as usual. SL :)
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Trekki Mar 4, 2007 at 10:14 PM

THIS is the place for me - endless horse riding and landscapes, sleeping in the yurts and eating and drinking yak food - ahh. Oh Paul, please continue to fill these tips, even if they are from 2003 :-)
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victorwkf Mar 1, 2007 at 3:29 AM

Tuva is really an interesting place which is seldom known, thanks a lot for sharing! Btw, how does one get to Tuva?
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VincentReyes Feb 24, 2007 at 3:03 PM

Great pages! Beautiful pictures and very informative. I especially enjoyed the pages on Khayrakan Mountain and Uvs Nuur Lake. Well done!
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jorgejuansanchez Nov 16, 2006 at 1:44 AM

Thanks for this page. I have just arrived from Kyzyl (I got there by bus from Abakan) and the place is wonderful! Soon I will create a Tuva page myself to be your competitor!
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ellielou Oct 30, 2006 at 7:11 PM

remote and remarkable....and, it seems, really expensive too! I've heard that Tuva singing once....incredible stuff, making multiple sounds come out at the same time!
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nepalgoods Aug 25, 2006 at 1:06 PM

This place looks soo beautiful!1 I would love to go there one day.