Ha, here we go, finally. So what did they answer..?

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2- and 4-wheeled explorer and photographer
Overland Aventure

Another Altai-Tuva interested. Anyone knows if it´s posible reach Tyungur following the P373, that goes parallel to Katun River? It seems that it is a trekking track in some sections.
At G. Maps and G. Earth, this P373 cross Katun River by the nonexistent bridge.
Last year we camped between Chuya River and Katun River, there was two new bridges over them, probably the new road goes to Inegen, but don´t know if it is posible continue to Tyungur.

See you off (or on) the road.

Hi all travelers! I - Moto traveler. I would be very happy to chat with you if you are going to Altai! Especially because for sure your path will be through the city of Barnaul. I could make the Tire mounting, balancing, editing motorcycle wheels! And make you drink tea or coffee!)

I am at the address: Chelyuskintsev street 1 B (Челюскинцев 1 Б), Barnaul, Altai Krai, Russia (Autocomplex "Барнаульский") I'm waiting for you to visit!

Thanks a lot, Motobarnaul. Do you have information about that P373 parallel to Katun River?

Hi Batelumes, the section between Inegen and Tyungur seems to be still a trekking track, until 2014 there was no road, the bridge over Katun was destroyed in same year after high waters in the spring. A rebuild bridge not means, that there is a road connection to Tyungur, I don't believe, but I also don't know what could happen in that two years...

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Scandinavia, Russia, Siberia, Mongolia and Central Asia by bike: www.lonelytraveller.de

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLzjawIzyIE

on my super tenere there is nothing to do.

Its more of a push bike track than a road. Definitely not a thru road ... and from Ust Kan to Inegen, you are in a border zone and will need a border permit. OSM is correct ... from Tyungur to Inegen is a walking / cycling track. Cyclists have got thru and some Russian off road bikers on light bikes. Pic below is at N50.2456 E86.6842 which is as far as it is easy to get coming from the Inya / Inegen end.



Here is video from some russian bikers doing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzo5MoGHgOE

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As a general comment, there are a number of very useful tools out there for establishing the condition of a road or track or apparent road. www.Panoramio.com is perhaps the most useful. Find the road / location on panoramio, (move the map around, zoom in etc) and see for yourself what it is like.

Panoramio - Photo of Danger narrow trope over river

Panoramio - Photo of Not a perfect road for biking... (to SW)

for example

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Thanks to all for your responses.

At the moment, I am waiting for the permit for Tuva and Altai.

Panoramio and Google Earth-Maps are the most useful tools for searching and planning rutes, after your Northern Asia Waypoints, I have to say, Colebatch. But experience tell me that pictures or aerial images are not always reliable, that is the only reason to ask my question. Russian bikers video is very clarifier...

So we applied for a Tuva and Altai permit using the directions found here (the email addresses are pu.tuva@fsb.ru and pugornyjaltaj@mail.ru). There were two problems. First, an Altai permit is needed from roughly the lake to Kosh Agach and we were traveling from Kyzyl towards Kosh Agach. The Altai border patrol/FSB office told us that we had to pick up the permit in Kosh Agach. Obviously by the time we reached Kosh Agach a permit would no longer be necessary. The office never responded to my requests, by email, for the permit to be faxed or mailed to the Kyzyl office. Second problem was that the first question on the form (Прошу выдать индивидуальный пропуск для въезда (прохода) в пограничную зону) I thought was "where are you entering the border area?" instead it is "where do you intend to go in the border area". I put down Khandagayty because that's where we were entering the Tuva stretch of the border area. When we went to pick up the permit the border patrol officer asked me where we were going after Khandagayty. I described the route to Kosh Agach and he said that would be impossible as our permit was only good to Khandagayty. He made us sign some big document in Russian he wrote (which I don't speak/read) that we believe said something to the effect of "I swear on the Orthodox Church, Father Putin, and the sacred Borsch that we will go no farther than Khandagayty so help me God". We ended up going for it anyway, Colebatch had posted the GPS coordinates of the border outpost that checks the permit. Although most people told us their permits had not been checked recently, we figured he had radioed ahead so we decided to go through the mountains and around the outpost. Long story short, we pushed our bikes over a 3000 meter mountain pass with no roads/paths and nearly killed ourselves and lost our bikes.As far as the actual road,coming from Kosh Agach expect easy road for the first 50 or so KM's, it steadily gets worse especially right after Buguzun pass. Once you get to the lake and the "Bridge" the road essentially disappears for a bit and you have to go through some ****ing annoying ass bog. With a GPS and waypoints, tracks, or openstreetmap navigation isn't hard and the road improves right after the lake. If you don't have a permit and are caught two things could happen. Last year (Summer 2015) it happened to us when we tried to cross at Khandagayty. They photographed us and our passports and kicked us out of the zone (What I have talked about up to this point is our crossing this year). Likely if you're caught, without a reason like trying to cross the border, you'll be deported or banned from Tuva for life. There were no permit checks in the Altai section but you might as well get the permit. As far as the Tuva permit, going from Kosh Agach you may be able to pick it up in Mugur Aksy. Reply if you guys have questions.

Great info arindia556!!!

I'm sorry for being dull - but where do I find the description?

Found it: http://www.sibirskyextreme.com/2009/06/altai-tuva/

Sent recently my applications for border permits to pu.tuva@fsb.ru and pugornyjaltaj@mail.ru.

I got a reply from Altai office on the same day, confirming that they'd got my letter and it would be processed with an approval or refusal in maximum 60 days after receipt. They didn't ask any passport copies.

Tuva office replied the next day, asking me to send passport, visa, migration card copies. I included to the applications passport scans/pics but I didn't have the visas, I am still waiting for it to be done. So I wrote (in Russian) them explaining the current situation. They replied back that the applications are accepted now, and asked me to send the visas in addition when they will be ready. Most of replies came in their morning time (GMT+7)

I love how this thread stays alive!

A bit off topic, but does anyone have a list of email addresses for the FSB departments issuing border permits?

There are email addresses here but it seems to be for port authorities as they only list marine borders. So somewhere there must be a list of email addresses where people here have found the ones for Tuva and Altai... can anyone share a link?

Would appreciate any help,

Cheers

EO

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.