Russia-Mongolia West Border
 

Hi all

We are currently in Barnaul and are heading to cross into Mongolia at the Tsagaannuur - Tashanta crossing.

Iain spoke to another passing traveller yesterday who said he was aiming to get to the border before it shut at Friday lunchtime and that it was then closed until Monday morning. Whilst looking for info on weekend closures, I then found an old post on another thread here saying that this border is shut on a Sunday and Monday.

Can anyone give us their up-to-date experience of this? Has anyone crossed recently at a weekend or on a Monday? Our plan was to be in the border region Sunday night for a Monday morning crossing.

Thanks for any info.

Debz

I crossed at tashanta three weeks ago, left Novosibirsk on a thursday, nice camp in altai and got to the border at noon friday. They close for lunch as you know. No info on the weekend opening, i would recommend staying in barnaul untill sat/sun or enjoying a really slow ride through altai as it is lovely.

A german overlander mentioned that a bridge is out mid Way between oligy-ub on the southern route, and from personal experience north en route to ulaangom has two proper river crossings.

Goodluck

September last year it was open Monday to Friday and shut on Saturday's and Sundays.

I concur with Donuk - go slowley through Altai region it is stunningly beautiful. If you are camping there are many beautiful secluded free sites alongside the river on the Russian side of the border (I camped 115km North of the border - but if I remember correctly any where between about 150 and 75km North of the border was pretty good). There was also a nice commercial site (with cabins and tent sites) about 300 km south of Barnaul at Ust Sema.

Hope this helps. Safe travelling.

What do you regard as a "proper river crossing" how deep are we talking?

Donuk, Martin

Thanks for that info. We'll set off tomorrow as planned as have a slow ride, as recommended. We're looking forward to the scenery. We'll be taking the northern route to UB so hopefully rivers won't be too deep!

Donuk - we're heading for Oasis so might see you there.

Thanks again

Debz

Re the river crossings on the northern route:

When i did it had a fair bit of rain, were talking groin height, above the knee for sure, not amazingly wide, would be okay with two of you, solo was scary as i am an off road novice, with heindsight a good challenge.

Goodluck debs/craig, i am now in irkutsk after a lovely two weeks in the oasis in ub, tell syblle donald says hi and thanks again when you make it there

Thanks Don hopefully we catch up with Iain and Devz. We are waitIng for parts. Either way that is not super deep for my 950. Hopefully the BMW is okay.

Hi Iain and Debz. we have met 4 bikers that came that was last week and said it was hard going after the tarmac runs out, due to the heavy rain we have been having here every afternoon for the past week. we have not ventured that far west so I cant say for sure.
These bikers are now at the Oasis so if you contact Will he can get you more accurate info.

Dazzer

How long is s piece of string.

How deep rivers run depends on how much recent rain there has been. You can have no river crossings at all, all the way to UB at some times, and uncrossable rivers at other times.

Twice half its length :)


Just trying to get a handle on what the current conditions are. How quickly do they rise/fall? Hours, Days or Weeks?

we have had very heavy rain at some point every day here in Mongolia for the past 7 days.

The Tracks have been hard going {two up} and thankfully we have not come to a river crossing as yet :innocent:

The rivers do seem high at the moment but It would only take a day or two for them to drop and the tracks to dry out.

All The Best. Dazzer

Thanks Dazza that is the info I am after. Hopefully my bike is repaired in the next couple of days. The weather has fined up here in Barnaul so hopefully that good weather makes it way east.

Are you the broken 950 thats been at Viktors? I am waiting down at Aktash (170 km from the Mongolian Border) for Rod (of the broken 690 also at Viktors) to get back here in the next few days.

Yep that's my baby. I did hear about your mates 690. How is that coming along?

Be good catch you in person if you are still there when we leave.

Give my best wishes to Viktor and Lena.

One of the best moto repairers (as opposed to fitters) anyone is likely to meet.

They were the last people I was with before meeting Colebatch on SibirskyExtreme 2009.