From Kazakhstan to Pakistan, how?

[MartijnP]

Hi,

I am hoping to go from Kazakstan to Pakistan in two months, now in Novosibirsk. I have a question: what is my best option? I know that on different threads there already have been several discussion, but I didn't want to get in the way..

Possible options Kazakhstan - Pakistan:

1: Tadjikistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan? Like Henri, is that legal, safe? Can one just get the Afghan visa?

2: Kyrgistan (or Tadjikistan?) - China - Pakistan. Is this the famous Touragart crossing, expensive and all? Can it be arranged?

3: Turkmenistan - Iran - Pakistan. Is the border open between the first two?

4: Fly from a stan to Pakistan (or India, my actual goal). Has this been done before?

Thanks for any input. I have two months two plan, so that should be ok.

Cheers,

Martijn

[vincent danna]

hello,

you re right to think about different alternatives and then take the most appropriate one, depending also on the time and the money that you have and facilities to get LOI/visas (according to your nationality) ...

Possible options Kazakhstan - Pakistan:

1: Tadjikistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan? Like Henri, is that legal, safe? Can one just get the Afghan visa?

legal : yes, why not ?
i wanted to but i didn t dare doing it in late 2002 early 2003 because of safety matters, things change, but, how could i recommend you to go ?
seems very exciting :-) but the riskiest option, i d say.

2: Kyrgistan (or Tadjikistan?) - China - Pakistan. Is this the famous Touragart crossing, expensive and all? Can it be arranged?

to be in china with a bike, officially, you need time to make the paperwork and pay a lot, unofficially see the different overlanders experiences on the hubb : if you succeed at the chinese borders, great, otherwise you need to find quick alternatives, eventually make visa extensions to wait for other visas, etc ...
seems very exciting also if you can make it illegally : otherwise, too much paperwork and money. also less risky than 1- , i d say.

3: Turkmenistan - Iran - Pakistan. Is the border open between the first two?

yes, why should it be closed ? henri and others were there recently. i did this option + ouzbekistan during my trip.
the easiest and safest route, i would say, and still exciting.

4: Fly from a stan to Pakistan (or India, my actual goal). Has this been done before?

why not ? no idea if someone did it before

Thanks for any input. I have two months two plan, so that should be ok.

sorry, not much help but good luck :-)

in this region, afghan, tajik, pak may be the less safe countries. other -stans countries are relatively safe. LOI/visas etc ... take also time and money sometimes, for your preparation.

NB : the info (details on each country) is a bit old on my website but you can have a look : http://vincent.danna.free.fr/infos/index.html

good luck, pls let us know

[This message has been edited by vincent danna (edited 24 June 2005).]

[henri]

Hello,

I am exactly facing the same pb.
Here are the information I got.
-Afghanistan: I was really, highly motivated, but the last informations I got led me to decide not to going there: things are getting worst and worst and elections are coming in september. I am alone, and with a motorbike, you are a perfect target.
--going through China: Caran Cafe send me a quote: Around 1100$ to have all the paper. It seems that some have succeeded without. I will try my chance.
-the way throug turkmenistan: no way for me as I am forbidden to go until 2010 (pb with Ovir)
-my last solution, last chance: going to Aktau, ferry to Bakou, Azerbaijan and then cross Iran again...

[vincent danna]

tajik should still be ok but who knows ...
the country is a bit safety "chaotic".

afghan : i was planning to enter from pakistan, even with a good tracking/keeping in touch with the french embassy, with a UN convoy (as i worked for the french embassy and UN in Pakistan, just before), other NGO contacts, i didn t dare travelling though.
some a bit "crazy" backpackers went and still go there but a motorbike is seen as a potential "present" for some of them + all the other risks related to the political situation etc ...
i would n t play with my luck ...

one more time, my experience is a bit old, beginning of 2003, and right now i m sitting in front of my screen in my apartment in paris , so my opinion is very relative :-)

china : you can play with your luck, not like in afghan i would say.

back via turkmen etc ... : are you sure they recorded you as "not welcome" in their computers or paper files ???

fly ? from cental asia to pakistan as mentionned above

take special care,

[MartijnP]

Thanks for your replies!

I will consider the last two options. Afghanistan is a no, definetely, especially after your comments. For me, China is a no as well. I have tried my luck one week ago in Kazakhstan, the Zorgos border, and failed. They were very well aware of the situation, I had no chance. 'Bribing' was not understood by the officials. 1100 USD is above budget. pitty.

I will investigate the flight option and the trip through Turkmenistan. Henri, really sorry to hear that until 2010 you're not welcome. Sounds absurd, but the country is crazy, right?

Keep you posted. If anyone in the meantime comes up with options, I am all ears.

Cheers

Martijn

[henri]

hello!
Salut Vincent!

A flight from Kazakhstan to Pakistan is approximately 1000$....

Definitely stuck here: my bike just broke yesterday ( pour vincent, c'est un exclusivite sur le prochain carnet de route!).

But every road has end, it should be the same for the problems...


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More info? www.electaunavia.org (french)

[MartijnP]

If anyone would like to know, thinking about the same thing:

In the end I flew from Dushanbe, Tajikistan, to Delhi, India, with Tajikistan Airlines. I had no real trouble flying the bike, except for the fact that I had no import document in Tajikistan, which cost me some 'extra money' to get out of the country. these are my findings in short:

- Arranging the flight can be done fairly short before flying. I had three days
- Flying the bike: 350 USD
- Globalink.com (Dushanbe) can help with shipping
- Flying myself: 230 USD
- Central Asia Tourism.com (Almata) can help with booking
- the bike was uncrated and complete except for the windscreen (taken off)
- Handling was not super, some cosmetic damage to the bike, but I should have packed it better when I had had more time
- Paperwork in India was no hassle, it took me one day of work and I had my bike, after waiting for one day first to let it go through the customs process (go the 2nd day after landing to the 'New Customs House', start with your carnet, and get a -cheap- agent that is running around in that building, he will do the rest with you)

Martijn