Aral Sea
 

Maybe a dumb question, but I'm heading south-east from Atyrau to Turkistan and Almaty. Is it possible to go closer to the UZB border and see the Aral Sea, as in ships high and dry?

Or is this not in Kazakhstan anyway? Piste conditions?

Actually I don't think I need to head more than twenty miles off the "tarmac", to Zhalanash.

Still wonder though whether any of the pistes in the south are preferable to going up to Kandyagash?

Hi

I am already in Almaty.

Wonder if we meet .

Are you heading towards Mongolia?

I am, but not too sure when I'll be in Almaty, maybe a week. Also thinking of a dip into Kyrgyzstan.

I see on Walter's waypoints, there's a fishing museum, now high and dry, near where I'm talking about.

you can cross from Aralsk to Beyneu but it is a challenging ride over two days with a few sandy sections. That will take you past a whole load of the old ships. Many of the ones closer to Aralsk have been chopped up for scrap. The more accessible the ship carcass, the more likely it will have been chopped up for scrap. Each year more and more of them get chopped. Dont expect too many (or any) within easy reach of Aralsk these days.

I put the track together for Lukas and Lyndon last year when they went to explore as many of the ships as possible and went from Aralsk to Beyneu. See below:

Thanks Walter. I think that opportunity has gone now, without backtracking, as I've today ridden from Atayru to Aktobe (quite a long day in itself). I might well have given it a go - can't seem to get past about 6:30 in the video, so not sure quite how demanding it is, internet not good where I am.

Incidentally, I wouldn't recommend the one Aktobe hotel in your waypoints - it has no Wi-Fi, and no (secure) parking. Having said that, I wouldn't offer this one as a substitute!

I've harvested a couple of additional fairly remote fuel stops today, will send them in when I have more. Also a great hotel in Atayru - cheap, secure parking, great location near river/beach, lovely people.

Always happy for both remote fuel stops and improved hotel suggestions. beer

By the way, I found some working fuel stations in northern Uzbekiustan on the way to Nukus.
Will send you the waypoints when I am at home.

And for the hotels:
I never had secure parking since Georgia. ( except Almaty )
And sometimes I even left my luggage on the bike.
I did not feel unsafe and I dont think you need it like in Europe.

Yes I don't worry to much about parking, but it's nice to have it in view of reception in a hotel, or at least them sure you 'no problem'. I think for a hotel to warrant saving as a waypoint, it should either be remote, or at least have something special, like decent parking.

Walter, I'm glad you linked that video, because although I've only watched the first few minutes, I did learn that I needed OVIR registration! Something I was not aware of, as can lead to a court appearance and $200 fine apparently. So very useful. Managed it this morning in Aktobe, only took half hour, and I saved the waypoint too :-)

I think I want to get to that Ian yes, but in the meantime I know it has been very useful for riders who get into a town late at night to not have to ride around asking and searching for a hotel but to go straight to a hotel, even if it is neither remote nor noteworthy. Just having it there can be useful if its late, or pissing down rain, or the bike is overheating or broken and hanging together with duct tape, or very low on fuel or any other sort of inconvenience to a normal day with hotel search at the end.

Ideally, as you say, I would like all the hotels to be great, or noteworthy or remote. But they also do change condition pretty regularly in that part of the world and thats a big ask. Beyond the resources of today. What I have started doing with the hotels, is when I get a strong recommendation from someone that it wasnt just a hotel but an excellent hotel for whatever reason, is that I will delete other nearby hotels, thus steering travellers to the "excellent" or "recommended" one by default.

Yes, I know this is HU, not Trip Advisor!! I was quite late and it still struck me as worth taking a look elsewhere, I think for the first time in a month. They even wanted extra if wanted to stay after 9:00am!

Arrived as the sun set in Aralsk, at the AltAir which is great, wondering if there is likely to be anything within 50+ miles I can reach and return in a day trip, leave most luggage here. Don't want to go too far backtracking if possible. Any waypoints, tracks etc appreciated!

I will ask in hotel also.

I ended up seeing one-and-a-bit near Zhalanash, forty-odd miles from Aralsk. Not the most complete, but better than nothing. The big rusty one features in Lyndon's video - as does the AltAir's garage!

Didn't seem a lot of point going the same distance again (and back) to Akespe, where the AltAir owner said there was another(s). Would have been better as a one way trip I think from the west. My fault for planning late - as usual!

one is better than none