Hanoi to Astana in 2023
 

I live south of Hanoi and am sort of half serious/dreaming about a land route from Hanoi to Astana while circumventing China. After some googlemap-fu it seems like this would be the most direct route, but I want to see what others think/if it's been done before?

Hanoi, Vietnam - Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane, Laos - Mandalay, Myanmar (I'm not sure if the unrest there has cooled, can you just cruise through the country?)

Mandalay, Myanmar - Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh - New Delhi, India

New Delhi, India - Lahore, Pakistan (how are border crossings here?)

Lahore, Pakistan - Dushanbe, Tajikistan (Need to pass through Afghanistan, this part kinda spooks me but surely people have done it before?)

From here I figure there are a lot of roads to Astana, and eventually I'd like to get into Western Kazakhstan but the prior route seems the most challenging. Looking forward to anecdotes, past trip blogs/resources, or general advice on such a massive undertaking and what it would entail.

Thank yall!

Hmmm, that's interesting - and a challenge! I have NOT heard of that route being done before, but I'm sure sections of it have been.
There will be people who have knowledge of parts of it.
Also be sure to search the site for those destinations, there will be lots on the HUBB and in blogs.
Keep us posted!

I don't really know the SEA region so I'll pass on that bit. However for Central Asia I'd suggest India-Pakistan-Iran-Caucasus-Russia-Kazakhstan. Longish route but Afghanistan is still a bit "hot" for comfort and Turkmenistan is closed and likely to stay so while they pretend covid doesn't exist.

Incidentally Almaty is a much nicer place to visit than Astana, NN's vanity project.

Hanoi Vietnam to Vientiane Laos no problem at all.

Vientiane to Mandalay Myanmar. First of all - the bordercrossing between Laos and Myanmar is not international. That means you have to go through Thailand. Thailand dont let in Vietnamese vehicles unless arranged by a thai tour guide and thats quite expensive - although crossing Thailand can be done it 2-3 days.

The Myanmar borders are for the moment not open for overland travel due to military coup and unrest. When the borders will open nobody knows…but dont hold your breath.


Entering and travelling in Bangladesh with a foreign plated vehicle is a very unexplored subject. I remember only two persons that have done that. The first one had so much trouble getting his bike through the borders, got it confiscated, had to get his countrys embassy to push to solve his case. The last one seemed to have more succsess - but easy it wasnt for him either.

Just read a tripreport of a guy crossing Afganistan on a bike. It was not an easy task at all. Taliban put all kinds of obstacles in his way - but he got through in the end.

So there are a few obstacles for your route too….and maybe some parts of the route should be rethought…?

@Snakeboy: Where did you find the report of someone crossing Afghanistan by motorbike? Would be highly interested in that. Currently planning a trip the other way round and thinking about crossing Afghanistan from Uzbekistan to Pakistan.

Well, Google finds it in 0.000somethingsilly seconds...doh
https://www.giviexplorer.com/travel/afghanistan/

Thanks for the link! That was a journey within Wakhan Valley, though. entering from and exiting into Tajikistan. And Wakhan valley has been open for travels over the last years from what I read. So they were not crossing Afghanistan from or to Pakistan, which would bring you to completely different parts of that land... So not really helping much, unfortunately. Thanks, regardless.

This is the guy I was thinking about….

https://www.facebook.com/groups/theh...3980363031856/

Thank you! Much appreciated!

I think more a case that you decided it was a trip report about crossing Afghanistan in '0.000somethingsilly' seconds.

Interesting account, the first I read of independent post-Taliban travel. In fact, the first account of actually crossing Afghanistan since 2009/10 (my own!).

EO

I took a car into Bangladesh in 2008 on a carnet, I seem to remember I got some permission from the Bangladesh Mission in Calcutta (where I got my visa) before entering. I have since heard that it's no longer possible to bring in a vehicle on temporary import, though that may recently have changed.

Myanmar's borders are sealed and look like they may stay that way for some time. I also think that before the Burmese coup (which is what really shut the borders), nobody was offering entry services (you need a guide to travel across Burma) at the border with Bangladesh.

Very, very few people drive across Afghanistan.

This seems like a bit of a flight of fancy, I recommend searching through the forum and putting together something realistic.

EO