Russia to Kyrgyzstan
 

We are planning to cross Kazakhstan from Omsk in Russia via Semey and Almaty to Bishkek. Is is possible to get Kazakh insurance at the border and is there a convenient hotel along the way that will register us if they don't do it at the border? Anyone know the state of this route, what sort of road conditions can we expect?

Thanks!

I bought insurance at the Bishkek border, as I entered from Kyrgyzstan, but I suppose you can find it at every border.

Road Semey-Almaty-Bishkek is tarmac with some potholes: pretty easy, albeit a bit boring.
Some pictures here

Hotels in cities are a bit expensive and they will ask you some extra for the registration, if they do it for you.
If you are going to stay in hotels only for the night, try to ask for a 12 hours rate.
If you stay less than 5 days in the country, you don't need to register.
Still not clear to me if you need registration if you enter with no visa.

Thanks for that, we are used to Russian roads so guess we will make much the same sort of progress in Kaz.
Were rather hoping, as we are travelling in a camper, that we could just get a hotel to register us without actually having a room, maybe just paying for parking overnight, I doubt that we will be through the country in under 5 days. We actually have visas, got them before the visa-free arrangements were announced.

It would be very useful to know whether it is possible to get insurance at the border on the M38 between Omsk and Pavlodar, doesn't look like there's much there on Google Maps...

Earlier this year when we crossed into Kaz from Astrakhan in our Toyota we had no problems getting insurance. They were based in either a porta cabin or road container just after the crossing, just ask around. From memory think it was about 25 euros for a month, was pleased they accepted foreign currency.


Boycie

Just to report back on this, on the Russia side at the border on the M38 between Omsk and Pavlodar there are a couple of caravans advertising insurance for Kaz, also on the Kaz side on the border there is a metal shed where they also do insurance. Cost us 800RUB there I think, for 60 days. They will also change RUB to KZT.

Regarding registration, we got it done at the OVIR office in Semey one afternoon. They were very helpful, even filling out the forms for us, there was no-one else needing to register so maybe it would have been a different story if they had been busy. The office is located through a door in the back of the main police station, here: N50.407434 E80.254945 Didn't see anywhere nearby for photocopying your passport etc so need to plan ahead a bit.

Andy