Right guys im new to the HUBB and its an awesome resource for bikers and adventurers alike. Basically i'm (Middlesbrough) to Islamabad (Pakistan). anyone done this ride and could give me some advice on routes etc. What I really want is some companions as no1 I know is up for such a ride...

Ill be travelling to Italy - ferry to Greece then ride through turkey iran and into Pakistan. If the pak iran border is too hostile ive got air freight quotes from air iran cargo of around £120 from Tehran to Karachi and then the passenger flight costing around £100 on top. most likely ill try n cross the border but this is a big task and I really want companions.

So anyone intrested???

Hello,

I am looking to do this trip around about the same time as you but I am going to be using a car and also I will be travelling without stopping (Just sleeping at hotels when necessary no sigh seeing)

Like you I cannot find anyone that wants to join me, I have been researchin for the past 1 year and now feel I have all the information I need to do this trip. I think the border crossing will be ticky but not impossiable. I think with low profile should be all good, Can you send me the contact details for Iran Cargo? I wonder if they take cars by air frieght??

I am looking to take the following route....

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

What sort of advise you after~? I havent done the trip yet but I have done extensive research so hopefully maybe able to assist.

Hi dear traveler
hope you doing fine and welcome to the hubb

you can count on me and many friends in my hometown Urmia would be our pleasure to meet you

if you need any help about routes,where to go,what to see,and anything else let me know and contact me directly you can get my email and etc on my blog

regards

Overlanders,Meeting Mr.Hossein

Hossein

Hi, judging from your name it contains the numbers 786 so I can only assume you are also a fellow Pakistani, asalamualaikum.

The link you provided is empty unfortunately there no route on the map.

I am not wanting to do a straight trip as it will be too much for me and on my motorcycle I am limiting to 300 500 miles travel a day. I need companions more than anything to be honest. i've done all my research behind the trip. I think we could cross the Pakistan border as a group and it would be much safer for us in terms of being conned etc.

when are you planning on leaving and from where?

How can I trust you hosseinbiker

Walikum Aslaam, I am indeed Pakistani, Nice to hear from a fellow Pakistani on the Hubb. One of the best things is the diversity, you can meet people from every corner.

I am looking to leave on the 21st of June, for two reasons one because I cannot get leave from work before then, and two because Iran is having there general elections on the 14th of June 2013, Therefore politcal tensions maybe high before an slightly after this time, They wont really effect me but I dont want to be held up on protest blocking one of the roads I need use etc. Therefore I have deicded to do it after the election and week later when the dust settles a little etc. Historically the Elections in iran are not the smoothest of things.

I am looking to do more miles then you simply in a car its much easier and currently aiming to do about 650ish a day about ten hours drive. I should be at the Iran Pak border by the 1st of July, If your happy to meet in Iran then by all means we can cross togethere? You can ride behind/infront of me until we get out of the danger zone until we reach quetta.

I dont know why the link didnt work but try this one. Oh I forgot to add hences edited that I will be leaving Peterborough, UK. I do have bike licence but no bike so I could consider doing it on bike btu would rather prefer on a car as for me its much quicker. And the aim isnt stop ans sighting seeing its more the thing to say Yes I drove all the way to pak etc.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ms...4578,25.378418

I'll send you a, link of the route I want to take, but think what we could do is meet in Istanbul and then continue on to jhelum which will be the perfect place for us to go or own wastes as you are going to churoi and I am going to Islamabad

Here is, my face book page about my ride

The adventures of Ayaz. Charity Ride to Islamabad

Check it out and keep in touch about it

Are you definitely doing this trip them is it 100%??

Bro you never sent me the link to your route, I went to your FB page but didnt find anything there either apart from the one that goes through Afghansitan which is way too risky.

Bro we could stay together up until Dina, where I would have to break away to enter Kashmir and you could go directly straight onto Islamabad.That is pretty much of all of Iran and most of Pakistan together. SOme of turkey too.

I have no problems with joinin you in Istanbul would quite enjoy doing it with somebody else, my only concern is that I wont be stopping more then one night and will be doing 10hours drive per day, is that going to be okay with you? as I am unsure if your sight seeing enroute and whether you can comfortably ride 10hours ( With break in between).

My route would take me 13 nights (Maybe shorter If I am feeling less tired to carrying on for longer) and I am going through the longer route in Pakistan from Quetta to Sukkur and then up towards Lahore via Balawaphur. The reason being is that Dera Ismail Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan are out of bounds for tourists, although we will be able to blend in as locals we will still be bearing british nummber plates, therefore if we are made to get a NOC we wont be able to go through these areas as the Police wont allow us to go that way via Lolarai, This has caused a 120 mile diversion to my original route which crossed via Lolalrai and direct to Multan bt due to locals even not entering that region I had to re reoute but atleast that safer option. For you it would be short to direct to Islamabad but again its very close to Peshawer and other such tribal regions which are bit risky, so my route maybe longer for you but atleast its more reassuring then the other route direct to Islamabad.

The rest of route is pretty safe apart from the usual risks which are in every country such as road accidemts/theft/ robbery so on etc.Some people have said Turkey/Iran border crossing can be abit of hair raiser due to agents trying to charge you for insurance which is not much bts your hard earned cash, but if your few people then less likely to be intimidated by them and if you stick your ground they leave you to it etc.

Everything is 100% my side apart from Iranian visa's, I am told they are hard to get on British passports, You only have 3 months to pick the visa after getting your authorisation code and then only limited time to enter the country, so I am trying to leave this to the latest possible time so I am within those 3 months. So looking to apply Mid april early May, Everywhere I am staying one night, apart from Istanbul one to sight see and secondly so I have day to pick my Iranian Visa and catch up on sleep. I may need to stay a extra night in Lahore too again to pick up my return Iranian visa as they only offer single entry and I will need one for my return leg of the journey. (I currently cant find anyone that would ship my car back by air, By sea there is too much corruption and too much money) so unless i dont get my visa on time or one at all il be going on that date. Inshaa Allah.

I have a intiniary written up, which I could send you if you fancy a read, it has times, miles, hours everything calculated. If we did together then we mayveven save money on hotels an food by splitting the cost.

I could do this trip on bike too but like I say I dont have bike and buying one that will last that sort of distance my run into my trip money lol

Are you doing this on ur own? no one else wants to do it with me.

I am taking a 6 man tent with me which is to accommodate my bike and plenty of space for more than two people. We can set camp for our journey when we need to, to save costs of hotels etc. I think it would be better if you took your car because then you will save on costs etc. My route below

England – France – Switzerland – Italy – Greece – Turkey – Iran - Pakistan

Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions


can you show me your iteniary?

I am doing it alone to be honest cant find anyone yet either.. hoping others may see this post and want to join us for all or part of the journey.

Also I was planning on staying in Istanbul for around two nights anyway so I could wait there for you a day before... im not really bothered about time contraints as long I don't do too much. But I would to pass through turkey and iran as fast as I can to be honest so not bothered about the milage covered, gives me more time to enjoy Europe haha

I sent you my iteniary via PM. Its abit all over the place because when I wrote it, I wrote so I can understand it lol didnt think anyone else would read it bt if you struggle with it give me a shout.

Your travel plan is same as mines apart from yours has shorter route via Dera Ghazi this is the troubled area hence my route is longer. This was my intial route too but had to change due to the reports of the area. You can only cross it with people you know of that town. Which I dont and Police have no control over that area is what I am being told, its rub by tribesmen with local laws. They also seem to have dispute amongst themselves over something hence why I would be travelling via Sukkar and then back up towards Lahore. Its a 120miles Diversion and day extra in stops.

As my plans are just to get to pakistan by car, I am blasting through most of the journey with little stops. The idea with tents is good for Iran as thats the norm but finding a safe place in pakistan will be dificult unless we camp outside Police Stations etc. The hotels in the region are cheap with 25/30quid a night, I woouldnt mind if you joined me at the hotels in Iran/Pak for nothing no problems at all as I will be stopping anyway.

The most miliage per day on my route is 550ish thats the most covering in one day. My night stops would be as follows.

1nyt Munich, 1nyt Sofia, 2nyt istanbul, 1nyt sivas, 1nyt Dogubazit, 1nyt Qom, 1Nyt Kerman,1nyt Zahedan, 1nyt Daldandin, 1nyt Quetta, 1nyt Balawaphar, 1nyt Lahore maybe 2 to get iran visa at Lahore. 13 days 6000 miles.

"air freight quotes from air iran cargo of around £120 from Tehran to Karachi"

Is that for a motorcycle? If yes, then it sounds almost too cheap. I haven't sent my bike on that route, though.

Yeh I thought that too but I spoke to them directly I still have the emails if you like to view them?

Do you know if they do cars? I am thinking in reverse though i.e. from Islamabad to Tehran? Once I complete my trip if it is a plesant trip I can attempt to do the same route I came bt if it is troublesome then I may need an alternative way to get my car back.

Currently thinking to drive back, Back up plan would be driving into India and down to Mumbai and ship the car back from there since Karachi am told is not safe with flashy motors?

Maybe lemme have the email address so I can ask dude?

Im not sure if they do cars but anyway below is the last email I received off him which contains his email address, I was thinking of doing the Mumbai option I read on here that someone got there bike transported back to uk for around 500$ which is not bad at all



Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 09:53:08 +0330
From: S.Abdoli@iranair.com
To: ayaz787@hotmail.com
CC: e.moradi@iranair.com
Subject: Re: Fwd: Fw:


DEAR AYAZ

GOOD WEEKEND

THE TOTAL COST FROM TEHRAN TO KARACHI IS ANDER

CHARGEABLE WEIGHT ACCORDING YOUR DIMENTION=294

COST APPROX=210.USD

PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT BEFOR TRIP CHECK BY US AIRCRAFT TAPE FOR POSSIBLE CARRY

BEST REGARDS

SAEED ABDOLI

The mumbai option might be a good one for me depending on how much hassle there is getting through the Balochi region, I mean If there are no safety issues or we get through in one peiace and not get stopped by Cops every 5 miles then I would like to drive back the same route. IF there is too much hassle then only option would be drive into India, go down to Mumbai via Ajmer Sharif and ship the car back. Unsure how much hassle that is shipping the car back to the uk at the port . Need to send of some emails and find out cost etc, roll on and roll off from UK to india is only £750ish but unsure if they do it in reverse back to the uk.

Il send Iran air a email to see if they do cars.