Georgia to Russia, landslide on august 20th...updates here
 

Georgia to Russia, landslide on august 20th...updates here

all i can post here is what i have found, which is the below links

Для восстановления Военно-Грузинской дороги понадобится до двух недель - президент | Политика | Новости-Грузия

Road through Dariali Gorge to be restored in two weeks - Trend.Az

Civil.Ge | Photos: Landslide in Dariali Gorge

so this post is kind of a Hustle...

i am in Kazakstan, Kyzylorda to be exact and heading to that crossing, my internet absolutely sucks here and may not have ANY for the next 3-4 days, so if any kind soul has time please do a little research for me and post some updates on what is happening there for me, i really don't want to reroute, i would like to get to Turkey, but don't want to do Azerbijan, and can't do Iran

i'd planned on heading to Morocco soon via southern europe and really don't want to go via a big detour north to Latvia

open for options but the border would be my first option...right now i'm 2600 k's away and doing about 400 +/- a day...but i could stall in Russia if the timing works

Hi Rtwpaul I was mooving from Turkey to Mongolia and hopped to get in to Iran without carnet paying some money but unfortunatelly it didn't work out as Sero/Iran too much hassle spend 2 days at the border everyone kept saying tomorrow, tomorrow your problem solved but nothing happened so I was sick of waiting and left the car at the border and took off on my own exploring Iran and found out indeed Iran is really cheap so now I have to go around Caspian on reciprocal but I will start driving from 30th September to Russia via Georgia if I get to Tbilisi before you I will let you know the situation with landslide but pls if u get any info from Russian side pls let me know as well.

Chinzo

just got an update from a russian friend...he was told its not going well and won't be open when planned, there is now no official opening date.

i did read that at the moment they are concerned it may slide again, so i am now heading via latvia, as i don't want to deal with Ukraine situation either...detours suck doh

Hi, I crossed Ukraine few days ago while coming back from Mongolia-Russia. Situation in the North seems to be normal.
I entered Ukraine through the russian A142 road, near Kalinovka and then headed to Hlukhiv and Kiev.
The only strange think I noticed was a long queue of vehicles waiting for entering Russia, in the opposite direction.
In my opinion, Northern Ucraine is safe.

latest update i found

last i heard it was going to be around 14 days to clear the landslide, now that has changed to indefinite...read more here

МЧС: надежды на скорое открытие КПП "Верхний Ларс" нет | Общество | Новости Владикавказа: последние новости Северной Осетии

Seems road is open now from today!
http://agenda.ge/news/20322/eng

time to head there then instead of Latvia

Not sure if relevant but I passed in Georgian military road into Russia about a week ago. Saw evidence of landslide but all seemed to be working well. Really long queue but they laughed at me when I got in line and they waved me to pass queue. Still took maybe 2 hours to pass border.

Crossed at Verkhny Lars last weekend. Border operates between 08h00 and 18h00. Long queues early morning and late afternoon. Better pass around mid-day.

Hi,
Have you crossed this border with your own car?
I'm planning the same thing for summer 2015 but in the reverse direction.
RR.

Border was only closed during incident for about three weeks...this thread is from last year

I know it's an old thread but my question is important for me and was for travelbug:

"Have you crossed this border with your own car?
I'm planning the same thing for summer 2015 but in the reverse direction."

But I'm interested by any experience from travellers having crossed this border with teir own car especially from Vladikavkaz to Tbilissi.

Thanks in advance.

RR.

As rtwpaul just said the border is now open, does not matter if you are on car or bike its all the same (apart from fun factor:innocent: )

This crossing was only closed last year due to a land slide and is now open, i was in Georgia 2 months ago and it was back up and running fine.

I never crossed into Russia then (the year before i crossed from both ways) however i met a Russian tourist guide who just crossed over from Vladikavkaz in his minibus to Gori so YES it is open.

However as i mentioned before during heavy snow in WINTER it could be closed for a few days or maybe a week but thats only in winter.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...d-winter-79020

I crossed with my own vehicle from Vladikavkaz to Tbilisi in Aug. 2012.
At that time I was returning from Uzbekistan and heard from some British overlanders in Kazakhstan that the Verkhny Lars border was fully open.
So I decided to go back to Europe through Georgia and Turkey. I left Vladikavkaz following the cirillic indications to Tbilisi and got to the border after half hour or so. Since it was late evening and the offices were already closed, I parked near there and slept in my van.
The day after, early morning, as the offices opened I crossed into Georgia, reached Kazbegi and then Tbilisi, etc.

Thanks a lot!
Good news....
RR.

Safety
 

All the questions seem to be answered regarding the Georgia/Russian crossing. Was hoping to be on the Georgia side around Stepantsminda in May but looking on the UK Govt website they advise not to travel in South Ossetia. This area was on my list of principal places to visit on my Georgia/Armenia and Turkey trip.


Any recent info about the area would be gratefully received.


Thanks in advance.


Boycie

Stepantsminda is located just off the Georgian military highway just after crossing over from Russia (North Ossetia) so thats fine to visit

Now prior to the 2008 South Ossetia conflict you could visit South Ossetia via Gori (Stalin's place of birth) or via Russia on the Roki Tunnel

After the 2008 conflict South Ossetia became independent of Georgia however this is only recognized by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru abit like Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Abkhazia

So that is why the UK Govt website advise not to travel as they don't recognize this republic as being independent and regard it as being part of the Republic of Georgia.

To access this republic you will have to obtain permission before hand however due to the current Geopolitical state i doubt you will get a visa for this republic

If you are not a Russia citizen, in order to travel to South Ossetia you must receive permission from the Foreign Ministry of South Ossetia. If you do not get this permission you will be denied entry to South Ossetia. Contact the consular section of the Ministry of Foreigner affairs in South Ossetia. Allow plenty of time and insist in the end if your visit has approved to give the reply also in Russian.

Also South Ossetia is not directly South of North Ossetia it is more West.

EO who is on this forum knows more than most has he visited there before.
Stage 20 – Russia & South Ossetia: The North Caucasus [2/2] | EurasiaOverland

Maybe he can advise better

Also for Abkhazia you need a visa if you want to go there
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...eorgia-75330-2

As for Georgia it is very safe country to travel around with no issues, i have been there a few times and i love the place and look forward to visiting again some time

Many thanks for the comprehensive information. It is a great help.


Boycie