Kazakhstan is very boring. I have always wondered what people hope to see there. Unless you plann on doing real cross country stuff like Nath did last year, its a bit of a void. It doesnt have the cultural, culinary or historical background that neighbour Uzbekistan has. As tony said above, crossing Russia between the Urals and the Altai region is also very dull.

I have tried 4 different routes between europe and mongolia and my advice is to go via Uzbekistan, Tadjkistan and Kirgizstan. Its longer but infinitly more rewardiing.

Hi Colbatch, very interesting comment, I will need to ask you some more question, but I'm open to change my route according to the experiences of others.

Anyone has the same opinion?

I agree with Colbatch did that last summer and there is only steppe poor roads and thats about it.

I have more info according route etc. if need it?

Have a nice journey :thumbup1:

Hi Capo Sakke,

indeed, I would be very interested, I'm a bit in a rush for information, started to organise this trip not so long ago and I will leave switzerland beginning of april 2011 for 6 month!

So yes, you're welcome to give me some advises. :D

Check that first https://sites.google.com/site/fin2pamir/
Then let me know what you want?

Capo Sakke, I spend some time on your webpage, and I can tell you did a great job, as I'm a bit in a rush for preparation (I spent too much time working on my bike....), I might "steel" some routes, because you go in the same areas and I understood that you spend quite some time choosing the best roads!


I'm thinking of doing it this way:

start in switzerland in april 2011, then from Ukrain follow the point 26 to 11 from your route (Kazakhstan-Uzbekisthan-Tadjikistan-Kirgiztan-Kazaksthan), then continue in Russia, to enter Mongolia at the same place as you, follow your route in Mongolia, then go to Lac Baïcal and from there, cross Russia in direction of Moscou...

Ok, this is a first sketch, might change a lot, especially on the road. I have 6 month, If it's too much, I might send me bike home and come back by flight.

Now how do you do it with all the visa?

For Kazaksthan I need a multi entry
For Russia I need a multi entry
For Mongolia I need a visa

for those 3 countries I heard that you can't do the visa at the border. Have do to them before I leave.

What's about the visas for Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan and Kirgistan? I haven't search for information now.

What do you think of the time, is it possible to drive from switzerland in april and be in Mongolia in June? Or you would recommand spending more time on the first section on the journey?
In my initial planning I wanted to be in mongolia in june to avoid the rain (water crossing etc....), As I'm alone and I have a heavy bike (R100GS Paris Dakar).

What do you think about the last part of the trip, in russia from lac baikal to Moscou? Is it worth it or is it juste thousands of boring kilometers on on highway?

Well, that's all for now, I think.

Cheers

Hi Zimi,

I have more things stored if you need it.
Just PM you mail so I can sent some doc's

"from Switzerland in April and be in Mongolia in June?" I did from Finland 12 easy days.

It's just thousands of boring kilometers on dirt highway with millions of trucks from lake Baikal to Moscow but you can do it in 7 days. :scooter:

on the swiss autombile club they say it's recommanded to have a carnet for the stans.... did you do with one? I would really prefer to avoid having one... To avoid have the 3000$ frosen on an account...

Zimi:

I'm also based out of CH (I live in Canada, but keep my bike in CH). I think you will have no problem at all in "...Austria, slovenia, croatia, romania...", but if you can avoid Ukraine, consider avoiding it.

I rode through Ukraine about 4 years ago - it was not a happy trip. Highways were in poor condition (huge holes in the middle, without warning), and the cops were corrupt. Lots of shakedowns with radar traps, regardless of the speed one was travelling it was "too fast".

I don't know what Russia is like (better, worse, or the same), but unless you have a specific reason for wanting to go through Ukraine, my suggestion is that you route around it.

Finally, a logistical suggestion: How are you going to get tires replaced when they wear out? I don't think a single set of tires will last you for the whole round trip. You might want to give some consideration to shipping a new set of tires to yourself "up-route" - in other words, arrange to have your Swiss moto dealer ship a pair of tires to you at your turn-around point, to have them delivered and held for pickup at the local DHL office.

Michael

Hi Michael,

thank you for your suggestion. I heard similar stories about Ukraine, but if I go through Poland and Bielorussia instead, the route is considerably longer. I might come from Romania, in Moldavia, and then I have a very "short" route in ukraine... Thanks for you help.

About the tyre, yes I'm thinking about let me ship one, Capo Sakke already gave me some address where I could let the tyre ship.

I've ridden across Ukraine twice, and I wouldn't say to avoid it, although most of the parts that I've seen have been pretty boring. In my limited experience in Ukraine, though, the police seem a bit more corrupt than in Russia, although not enough to avoid the country. I didn't find the roads that bad either, although you definitely need to keep your eyes open...

As to pluses to Ukraine, both Odessa and the Crimea are awesome, at least the road along the southern coast of the Crimea.

Hi

I think there's an HUBB inmate from Russia that can help you with the tires. Can't remember his name, but I read somewhere that he can dispatch tires to some cities in Russia. Don't know your route, but maybe this is a better / cheaper option.

Hi Zimi

Email me on antsbk @ gmail.com if you want info on the Trabzon - Sochi ferry. My boyfriend and I rode roound the Black Sea on Honda C90s a few weeks ago and did this route. I've also spent alot of time working in Mongolia so know the country quite well.

Ants

Still planing my journey, I'm thinking of entering Russia from Estonia. There is a border entry in Narva. But I found this...

************************************************** ************************************************** *************************************
In the Estonian Narva has accumulated a record of all of the trucks waiting to enter Russia. As reported in the Tax and Customs Board of Estonia, to date, in Narva and its surroundings crossing the Russian border waiting for 370 trucks. Waiting time of passage of the border is about 6 days.
In one of the shipping companies explained that all arose because of the repair of the bridge "Friendship" across the River Narva. In addition, carriers have once again complained about the poor performance of Russian customs, which misses no more than 35 trucks per day to Russia.
The participants of foreign economic activity (FEA) attributed this to the fact that after the close of the spring major customs offices in St. Petersburg, the city and beyond to the remaining customs of accumulated long waiting lists. Now they decided to move abroad, passing cars as little as possible in the direction of Petersburg.
In addition, a record turn out of 100 trucks has accumulated to the point passes Koidula - Kunichina Gora (Pskov region) through the Russian-Estonian border (the waiting time to 3 days). Before the point of crossing Luhamaa - Shumilkino also cost about a hundred trucks.
************************************************** ************************************************** *****************************************

6 days waiting is not an option for me can, anybody tell if it's a good idea to enter from this point or should I enter from Finland or Latvia?

Thanks

if istanbul is among your destinations, will be pleasure to meet you at our club for drinks,friendly talks and make plans for the rest of your route using the documents we have in our garage and information that you will get by our members who has been up to nepal before. also jurgens from belgium and fujimoto from japan were here last month coming from siberia and mongolia.