mongolia's roads conditions
 

Hallo everyone,
i'm plannig a trip for next year 2018 in august in Mongolia.

I would be know about road conditions, from Ulan Bator to the russian border in the east, near russian town named Tashanta.

I think the best way (R1200GS ADV) is the Jargalan - Altay - Hovd - Olgij , but i'm waiting from yours advices

If there are possibility of problems, I can come back from my entry border, Kjachta (to Ulan-udè)

Thank'you at all who answer me

I think you mean the western border at Tashanta.

Yes, you can take this way, should be ok on a 1200GS.
BUT: It depends on the driver!!!
You need to know what you are able to do !!!

And don't take the northern route to Ulaangom with the 1200GS

The Southern road is almost entirely surfaced nowadays, save for a pass between Khovd and Olgii which is (usually) not very difficult so anybody should be fine on a big, heavy bike.

Ohh very good news, thank'you.

Yes I want to take the southern road, from UB to Tashanta. I'm only a normal driver, I already was in Iran, Syrie Jordanien, or Russia, Morocco, and all countries of north afrfica (excluding Lybien) and I think i will have not big problems, if the weather will be ok .

If not, probably i will have problems with rivers who cross the roads

on the southern road no big Problem.

There is one rivercrossing between Khovd and Olgii.

But when you reach it, you missed the turn to the bridge with is a little bit north

The Southern road is almost paved there is little patch left from Gobi Altai to Khovd. The road from Khovd to Ulgi is paved partially already and expected to be open by July.
You still will be able to make on GS1200 both middle road and Northern road. If you take Northern road take a bridge South side of Achit nur. Middle road and Northern road is much interesting rather then Southern road.
I live in Bayanulgi 100 km from Tashanta the last major town in Mongolia before leaving to Russia swing by our bikers guest house when you are here!

Chinzo

My experience dates from 2016 but back then on the southern route it was only about 30-40% paved. There was one significant river crossing south of Olgii which was no problem in a Unimog but at that time there was zero sign of construction. And there was another (at that time dry) creek crossing further east that had a new bridge that was collapsed.
Again, this was 1.5 yrs ago.

Charlie

I definitely will not agree that it easy on the northern route on a 1200.

West of Tes there is a lot of sand and lots of water crossings between Ulaangom and Olgii

Hi Klaus,
Which northern route are speaking about?
The direct one which pass close Achit Lake or the one from Ulaangom to Tsaagannuur then Olgii?
I don't see Tes on my map, sorry.
RR.

Hi,
this is interesting, I'd like to have fresh input on the road building going on in Mongolia. I've made a map of the country which I shared here:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...olia-map-88026

I'd like to keep it up to date so that everybody can rely on it. Could you tell me exactly what parts of the Southern road are now tarred ? any other update you can spot ?

I probably should make a yearly update to keep it relevant.

Thanks,
Laurent

The Black/Olive one west of Moron.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...673/Jg8Ypx.jpg

Nd from Ulangom, the green one is the nasty one.

Tes is about, where there are 2 small routes between the black and olive route.
The southern one is less sand.

Hello

For a "Dakar"-level rider yes.
For the average, experienced adventure-rider, mongolian sand/mud tracks are a challenge even on a 200kg bike, a nightmare on a 250kg bike.
For an average GS1200 owner, who just can nowhere train offroad riding under those conditions, a negligent advice.

sushi

Thanks for these infos.

RR.

Klaus - what equipment were you using for navigational purposes? I have been using maps.me and locus maps, which are quite good, but they do say that there are quite a bit of "primary roadways" (motorways and highways) that this discussion leads me to believe are not the case.

For a much larger trip next summer, I was thinking of using these applications, along with a delorme inreach explorer for if things got really tricky. Is this sufficient?

I use garmin Navigation ( in m case I have zumo 660 and zumo 590, for this for me the 660 is better ) and I use garmin basecamp as a planning software.

So I can have the same maps in the notebook and the 660. Which is important.

And you get a lot of free OSM maps for this area.