First time riding the Middle East. Info needed please.
 

Hello everyone!

I hope you will be able to help answer my questions. I will be looking to ride to and from the Middle East in a years time (Sep 2008), overland via Europe covering the following countries; Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, U.A.E, Oman, Yemen, Israel and Palestine and Lebanon.
I have heard varied reports that trying to get visas as well as trying to get the motorcycle through some of these countires in the Middle East may pose big problems resulting in not getting in at all.
If anyone has any information they would like to share with me regarding this matter, especially fairly recent information, I will be most grateful. I look forward to all your replies.

The Gaul.

hi gaul,

1- you can not get visa saudi arabia. (only invitation or ask benka pulko)
2- bahrain is an ireland. the only connection to the main land is via a bridge, called king fahd bridge in Saudi Arabia.
a- you can not enter saudi arabia
b- even if you can enter to saudi arabia, you can not cross the bridge by a motorbike. you have to hire/rent a van, put the bike on it and cross the bridge.
3- if you have israeli stamp on you passport you can not enter most of the arabic countries (expcept egypt, jordan and i think UAE)
4- palastine... i have never seen/heard someone crosses israeli-palastine border by a motorbike. hope you can.

5- where is Iran? Iran is one of the best country in Middle East. it would be better if you add Iran on your list.

it looks like the route that you have planned seems very hard to do. see my route on my website please.. it looks a bit more reasonable.

best of luck and never forget nothing is unachieviable. just try hard!!!

Hi,
Welcome to the Hub.
I am based in Saudi, home is Bolton UK.
You need a sponsor to get into Saudi and that is for work purposes or visiting family but it has been known that if you ride a Harley the Saudi Dealer may help.
Forget Israel unless that is the last country you visit. You will have big problems getting into arab countries with an Israely stamp in your passport they even know which border crossings to look for if the Israelies stamp a separate paper.
You won't get into Bahrain by bike even if you got into Saudi as bikes are not allowed on the causway they have to be trailered.
If you search this thread you will find info on visas and carnets.
Looks like you will have to choose between the north or the south, the north you can do overland the south you will have to ship your bike.
Hope this helps, I'm sure you will get some more replies soon.
Cheers
Ian:thumbup1:

Syria and Jordan pose no prob, I was there a month ago. They're even doable w/o Carnet if you take your time on the border.

Re: Saudi Arabia, I've heard it's a pretty high chance to get short (approx 72 hour?) transit-visa if you have active VISA for the country you're coming and VISA for the country you're going to, and for this, you need to go through Saudi Arabia. I.e. having Jordan and Yemen visas in your passport may grant you a transit VISA for Saudi Arabia. Anyone can explain this a bit more, any experiences with such cases?

And... people are extremely friendly in this part of the World. Often it felt safer than in some big cities in Europe.

...and as said before - definitely do not miss out Iran!

Good roads, Margus

ME Trip
 

Maa' Salam

1) Go Turkey,(Iran, if you have the time), Syria, Jordan. Do Egypt round and back via Israel by sea to Greece and home.

2) Go from Ygypt to Saudi and the gulf, and then back via Jordan to Israel and to Europ by sea.

You can cross from Jordan and Egypt to Israel.
And YES one can go from Israel into and out Palestine's west bank. not to the Gaza Strip.

Ride safe!
Yoni

What Yoni said in his number 1). Maybe add a ferry from Iran to UAE/Oman/Yemen and back. Forget Saudi and Qatar. Plenty of info on the Hubb if you do a search on these countries. Every question will be answered.

But don't let Saudi put you off. People, countryside, roads and sights in the middle east are great. And the visa process is easier than you might think.

cheers
Brett

Try this site if you are looking at Iran
Iran ferry ship, persian gulf shipping ticket, Travel Iran persian, Tour Operator Iran persian gulf, IranTravelingCenter
Last I heard Iran stopped the issue of travel visas for some reason but by the time you are ready to travel next year things might have changed again you just have to keep updating the info.
I might ride back to Uk from Saudi through Iran, Turkey etc, when the time comes.
Cheers
Ian:thumbup1:

Thanks everyone for all your help!!!
 

Hi again everyone!!!

Just wanted to say thankyou very much for all your information and replying so soon. You have all been more than helpful and now I can get a better idea of the possibilities and how to plan my trip.
If anyone else out there still has more information they wish to share, I'm still all ears, I have a year to go before hitting the road!

Take care and look forward to speaking to you soon!

The Gaul.

hi yoni,

how hard (or easy) to go to west bank from israel? and a bit more info about the ferry to greece would be great!!

thanks.

Hi Ozhanu
 

Getting into Palestine West bank territory from Israel (crossing The Green Line-which is the 1967 border line) is a day by day simple no visa rout. Not recomended, and actually forbidden to Israeli citizens deu to security reasons. BUT, non israelies are alowd to enter and pass the Israel army road blocks and go visit the place. all is recomended that you will contact someone in Palestine that will be kind of an address to go to, just in case - you know, it is a war zone :)
Going from Haifa Israel to Greece is unfortunatly, by Rosenfeld shipping co. and that is an old rusty cargo ship that sail to Athens in 3 days twice a week. send bike by ship (ap.400$), and fly to Athens. You can find a lot of stuff on that issu here in this ME thred.

Ho, I've been four times to Turkey. It is THE Greatest palce in this part of the world! and what great people!!
Take care
Yoni

Thanks for the info Yoni.
Hope to meet you next time when you are in Turkiye!

Iran
 

Is it possible to go in Iran without carnet de passage?

Thanks
Szabi

Yes, it is. See here.