Summer in Death Valley

My husband, children (16 and six) and I are going on a touring holiday of California in July - a few nights in Yosemite National Park then a drive back to Los Angeles via Owens Valley. I'm thinking of a one-night stopover en route in Death Valley. My guide book says it's too hot at this time of year but that increasing numbers of people are visiting. Is it a good idea? Also what's the most interesting route to LA?
Heather Wilson, Kent

With an air-conditioned car, a summer visit to Death Valley is feasible, especially if you do your sightseeing in the early morning and late evening. The car-rental companies I contacted had no restrictions on driving through Death Valley in summer, but it would be worth checking with the company involved. While in the park, stick to paved roads and if you do break down stay with the car until help comes. Make sure you have plenty of water with you. The Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch are both open all year round and the official parks website has other accommodation, including camping. On your way in from Owens Valley, an interesting diversion is the Emigrant Canyon Road. This scenic road climbs steeply up the canyon; a left-hand turn at Wildrose Canyon takes you to Charcoal Kilns, a line of large beehive-shaped structures used to make charcoal for smelting silver ore. On the way out to Shoshone is Twenty Mule Team Canyon, a windy one-way loop through an ancient lake bed; as you drive through it you'll feel like an ant in a quarry. Further on, a short detour will take you to Dante's View, one of the best views of the valley, particularly at sunrise (around 6am at that time of year).

Overland Africa

I'm hoping to spend some serious time exploring Africa. The ideal trip would focus on wildlife, include eastern and southern Africa and last up to six months. I want to go this summer but my budget is less than £2,500.
Matthew May, Leeds

You can see many highlights of eastern and southern Africa in this time and should be able to do it for £2,500. The main choice is whether to go with an organised expedition or independently. Overland trucking is popular, particularly with backpackers, and takes the headaches out of border crossings and route finding. These trips generally work a set route and stop off at highlights. Safaris are either included or optional extras. There are good and bad sides to travelling this way: you'll be with a group of like-minded people but unable to escape them if you don't get on and it's a fairly conspicuous way to travel. Interaction with locals can be limited too.

African Trails (01772 330907) offers a 35-day journey from Nairobi to Johannesburg for £475, plus flights and kitty. Readers have also recommended Oasis Overland (01963 363400).

One option may be to join a group for part of your trip then go it alone. You should budget for £20-£30 a day for food, lodging and transport, using local and intercity buses and trains where available. July to September is a 'shoulder season' in East Africa, meaning it isn't the peak time but there will be quite a few visitors around. You should also coincide with the annual wildebeest migration between the Serengeti and Masai Mara National Parks in Tanzania and Kenya. Further south, it'll be getting a bit wet by September and October. A good place for flights and advice is the Africa Travel Centre (020 7387 1211).

Russia by rail

I'm planning to travel in Russia for three to four weeks in September/October using the Trans-Siberian Railway. I'll be starting from the Vladivostok end and would like advice on the cheapest, safest, most convenient way to get there from the UK. Also which pre-journey reading would you recommend?
Margaret Barlow, Herefordshire

You can fly from London to Vladivostok, via Moscow, and out of Moscow with Aeroflot for £425 return. This is by far the cheapest fare I've found and is with IMS Travel (020 7224 4678). Don't be put off by Aeroflot's outdated reputation; it has worked hard to change its image and performance. Another option is to go via Seoul with Korean Air (020 7495 8641) but there is little difference in the flight time and the total fare will be more than £1,000.

Lonely Planet's Trans-Siberian Railway provides all the information you need on making travel arrangements. It also has a section on literature of the Trans-Siberian. Boris Pasternak set large parts of Dr Zhivago in Siberia. Dostoevsky's fictionalised acount of his time in a Siberian labour camp, The House of the Dead, will introduce you to the darker side of Siberia's history.

Mexico for a fortnight

I've booked a trip to Mexico in April for myself, my partner and two others - flights only to Mexico City with a one-night stopover there. We're thinking of going to the Oaxaca region. However, I'm concerned that because it's only a two-week trip we'll be pushed for time; we'd like to see a variety of places - historical ruins as well as beautiful beaches. I've been advised against hiring a car.
Joanna Barnes, by email

There's so much to see in Mexico that it's a good idea to explore a particular part of the country, especially if you have only two weeks to play with. Oaxaca is a great choice, being a region with its own identity. Oaxaca City, around six hours by bus from the capital, is a beautiful historic city with lovely colonial remains and a thriving local arts scene. The nearby Valles Centrales offer some interesting pre-Hispanic ruins at Monte Alban and Yagul, lively markets and mountain scenery. The churchyard in the village of El Tule is home to Arbol del Tule, a giant ahuehuete tree, one of the largest living things in the world. Oaxaca state has some stunning beaches. The former fishing villages of Puerto Escondido and Puerto Angel are small, relaxed resorts but there are lots of others along the coast. The region is easy to get around by bus, but consider booking ahead at busy times.

Over to you... readers' feedback

Following Cecilia Wray's query about things to do in Kazakhstan and beyond (Letters, 23 February).

Anyone staying in Almaty should really think first of visiting Kyrgyzstan rather than Uzbekistan given that it is on the doorstep and provides such a congenially rural contrast to the frantic activity of Almaty. Its embassy in London is unique among the CIS countries in providing visas quickly, politely and efficiently so it is much better to contact it (020 7935 1462) rather than wait until arrival in Almaty.

BA now operates flights to Bishkek and Tashkent as well as to Almaty. So does Turkish Airlines. To avoid double visa fees and unnecessary return travel, it always makes better sense to arrive in one 'stan and then leave from another.
Neil Taylor, by email

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