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  #1  
Old 16 Sep 2019
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Netherlands to Vladivostok - thoughts on route
Hello everyone,

I'm planning my route right now and I was wondering what you guys think of it. The route is semi-fixed. I went looking for points of interest on websites like this one, Caravanistan and just from googling around. I want to leave in July 2020 and I want to travel for at least a couple of months (3,4, preferably more) but I'm not sure if that's possible with the winter that is coming. I hope that I can go to Vladivostok and back in that time span so I can continue cruising towards warm places (AKA places where it doesn't drop below -5C).

Anyway, let me know your thoughts, this is my route:













This is 27.500 kilometres, which results in roughly 250 kilometres a day which is doable I guess. Some days will be longer, some days will be less. The trip back is either just straight back to Europe through Russia or I'm going to ship it to the US/Canada. I'm not sure yet, this is also because I'm looking for a workvisa abroad but that's another story. Anyway, thoughts?
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  #2  
Old 17 Sep 2019
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Any particular reason you're skipping Georgia? It's a wonderful country to visit, you'll be right on the border, and then going all the way back to Lake Van just to head back up into Armenia and double back... seems weird.

EDIT: Oh wait, I see you're doing it on your second slide. Still, I'd suggest doing more in the country. You're only visiting Tbilisi, which is fine, and the region around Kutaisi, which has a few interesting canyons & caves around it; but you're skipping Svaneti & Kazbegi, as well as the Kakheti wine country, all of which I would heartily recommend.

Also, rather than following the main road into Azerbaijan and hustling between heavy cargo trucks all day, I'd suggest going via Sighnaghi to Sheki (very fine old town) and from there via Gebele, along the less-trafficked mountain roads and national park, down to Baku.

Also be aware that Armenian stamps in your passport will mean hassle on the Azerbaijani border. They'll still let you in most probably, but you're likely to get questioned about it and generally get some more hostile treatment.
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  #3  
Old 17 Sep 2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnTyx View Post
Any particular reason you're skipping Georgia? It's a wonderful country to visit, you'll be right on the border, and then going all the way back to Lake Van just to head back up into Armenia and double back... seems weird.

EDIT: Oh wait, I see you're doing it on your second slide. Still, I'd suggest doing more in the country. You're only visiting Tbilisi, which is fine, and the region around Kutaisi, which has a few interesting canyons & caves around it; but you're skipping Svaneti & Kazbegi, as well as the Kakheti wine country, all of which I would heartily recommend.

Also, rather than following the main road into Azerbaijan and hustling between heavy cargo trucks all day, I'd suggest going via Sighnaghi to Sheki (very fine old town) and from there via Gebele, along the less-trafficked mountain roads and national park, down to Baku.

Also be aware that Armenian stamps in your passport will mean hassle on the Azerbaijani border. They'll still let you in most probably, but you're likely to get questioned about it and generally get some more hostile treatment.
Thanks for the help! I will add the Armenian things you talked about to the trip itinerary. Good thing to know about the Armenian stamps, this means that I will first go to Azerbaijan and then to Armenia instead of the other way around. I don't mind in which way I travel and if that makes it easier then it's all the better.
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  #4  
Old 17 Sep 2019
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My initial thought is that you are trying to do way too much - even with 4 months the pace will be relentless and you risk having a very superficial experience. In two months I think it would be difficult to do.

Your route through Turkmenistan is not a valid transit route, though if you have an unused Iranian visa you should be able to get a visa and then ope the guys at the border allow you to take the route you want.

Azerbaijan after Armenia is fine as long as there is no evidence of travel to Nagorno Karabakh.

Hope you make it to the Karynzharyk Depression

EO
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  #5  
Old 18 Sep 2019
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Originally Posted by eurasiaoverland View Post
My initial thought is that you are trying to do way too much - even with 4 months the pace will be relentless and you risk having a very superficial experience. In two months I think it would be difficult to do.
How long would you plan for this route? I've got time enough, the only problem that I foresee is the winter that is coming and probably will prohibit me in riding.

Quote:
Originally Posted by eurasiaoverland View Post
Azerbaijan after Armenia is fine as long as there is no evidence of travel to Nagorno Karabakh.
Wasn't planning on going there, if there's no problem with stamps in passports I'll see how I go once I'm there. It's more about things that I wanna see in the country than which country I visit first, considering I'm gonna go see them all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by eurasiaoverland View Post
Hope you make it to the Karynzharyk Depression
EO
Dang, that looks beautiful! I'm gonna put it on the list!
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  #6  
Old 18 Sep 2019
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Originally Posted by bosaapje View Post
... leave in July 2020 and I want to travel for at least a couple of months (3,4, preferably more) but I'm not sure if that's possible with the winter that is coming. I hope that I can go to Vladivostok and back in that time span so I can continue cruising towards warm places (AKA places where it doesn't drop below -5C).

The trip back is either just straight back to Europe through Russia or I'm going to ship it to the US/Canada. I'm not sure yet, this is also because I'm looking for a workvisa abroad but that's another story. Anyway, thoughts?
Hello

Depending on your further plans to northamerica, how about Vladivostok to Netherlands.
Ship or just make some miles on the first leg, up to you.
Turkey in october/november is probably easier to do than the far east and siberia.

sushi
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  #7  
Old 18 Sep 2019
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Originally Posted by sushi2831 View Post
Hello

Depending on your further plans to northamerica, how about Vladivostok to Netherlands.
Ship or just make some miles on the first leg, up to you.
Turkey in october/november is probably easier to do than the far east and siberia.

sushi
Huh, I never thought of that. That might be a pretty good idea.
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  #8  
Old 3 Nov 2019
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I think your route through Kyrgyzstan is very unambitious. You can do a lot more interesting roads there without adding much in the way of time.

Further, if you are going to Karakol, why not cross over to Kazakhstan from there? Why go back to Bishkek?
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