..

Ty for the link heavens angel..

Nice trip report there..

Hi Eva & Thomas,

are you already on your way or do you start in August ? We are on the moment in Iran and expect to cross the border in 2 weeks. Perhaps we can join you, but if you are still in Germany, then we will let you know how we experienced the border.

Renske & Fons

Hi Guys,

We are leaving the UK end of June in a 4x4 truck/camper. We plan to go through Eastern Europe to Turkey and have to pick up our visa in Istanbul for Iran by end of August. We're travelling through Iran and possibly through Pakistan to India and then onto SE Asia.

Brian and Maire amongst others have inspired us not to ship the van - which is an option from Bandar Abbas to Mumbai - but to look for others to go with (Iran to Pakistan).

I don't know exact timings, but wondered if anyone is interested in hooking up?

Thanks and happy travelling to all!

Jo

Thanks for the insight guys. I'm a bit more at ease now, going the same route in a couple of weeks. The heat is one of my concerns too. We'll see. Thanks again.

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Hi there,

we are still planning to leave at 12. of August from Germany. But of course we now have a closer look at the situation in Iran. So, Renske & Fons, if you are still in Iran and have a chance to tell us something, would be great to hear from you. In the media in Germany, the situation looks dangerous and dark, but we all know hoe things could look rather different, when you are at location.

Still in hope that everything gets calmer...

Eva and Thomas

I'm planning on crossing Turkey in September and then see Iran in October and Pakistan in November (roughly)... will be on a bike on my own, starting from the UK with a small break in Athens, Greece to prepare the bike see family etc.

Let's see how the situation will unfold...

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2009-2010: 5 months in Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India

Well, I'm tempted to give a few details here, for people planning to go to India.
Basically, from Iran, you have three solutions:
1) Dollars
2) Talibans
3) Bandits
Let's get into details a bit.
The dollars solution, is through China (and then people usually go on to the KKH - not heard of many people crossing tibet to go to Nepal though...). It takes time and money on the chinese side - apparently, as far as I know, from 750$ to 2000$. That's just for quick transit. You can do that from either Kazakhstan or Kirgizstan.
The Talibans option is the following: you go to Afghanistan from Iran, close your eyes, pray, and end up a few hours or days later in Pakistan. Or not. Two borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan: Khyber pass (very dangerous, with military escort from Khyber to Peshawar - i've just put a post about that one) and Kandahar (suicidal).
The bandits option is through Balouchistan. Tourists keep being kidnapped there (the last one was french, and that was three weeks ago). But most of the time it works just fine (well, as fine as it gets in the area. Military escorts are just compulsary.
Have fun, and good luck. Trip planning in the area is just a pain....

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Just a small update, plan is still to leave at 12. of August, but we were waiting for the iran visum...

Eva and Thomas

hi eva und thomas,

did you get the iran visa yet?
what are your plans in terms of crossing pakistan, do you have already a visa for crossing pakistan?

gruß bunda

Hello all just crossed from Iran into Taftan, & now in Islamabad. Was worried about this one but needn't have been. Encountered nothing but friendly people all the way. No hostility at all. Escorts start in Bam (Iran) and continue all the way to Islamabad (or Waggah if going straight there). This is the main problem - escorts are now everywhere you go, even staying in hotel with us in Sukkur/Multan! Escorts in Iran are annoying, young soldiers who like to take the piss. In Balochistan, police are first class. We wanted to stay in Dalbandin but since the kidnapping there the police politely insisted we stay in Nok Kundi. They look after you very well in the police station guest house, and all for free. Quetta is having some problems but we saw none of it and again the locals were very helpful when we went out. Police said that you need a permit to go directly from Quetta - Multan now, so we went down via sukkur. Police in Sindh seem paranoid as hell but nice but the real crazy driving started in Punjab where the escorts are a real danger to you as they drive like mad men and give no room. If you try to drive past to get some space they will box you in and swerve to stop you passing. Really crazy, excessive stuff. Speed varies between 20 - 120kmh depending on driver. We are in Islamabad to sort Indian visa now, British people should be warned that the Iranian government have disconnected phone lines to U.K so Indian embassy can not issue a visa to U.K citizens from Iran at the moment. Pakistan visa still possible. Hopefully this will change soon. Would definitely cross again, its a shame the police keep you moving through so quickly as Baluchistan looks a very interesting place to spend some time.

HI
We are planning a drive from Denmark to India. ( not on bikes but in a car) Leaving Denmark end of August, it would be great if we could meet up with somebody to go through last part of Iran and Pakistan.
We are still working on the visas as well.
Regards
Michael and Susanne

Hi all together,

very sad, but we have cheanged our plans. because of the current situation in Iran and Pakistan, we decided not to go on our trip to nepal. We don't think, that it would be that pleasure we wanted it to be, andwe also think, that people in iran at the moment perhaps don't want to care for travellers. So we devided to make a trip to a completely different target, we will go from ethiopia to Capetown at the end of august.
Thansk to everyone helping us in this thread, good luck and a safe journey for all the peolpe who head to iran and pakistan, have a great and safe time!

Eva and Thomas

What a shame Eva and Thomas have decided not to travel overland to India. Mick and myself are at the moment at Alexandroupoli before we cross the border into Turkey tomorrow.
Travelling four years ago through Russia into Mongolia and into the Stan countries, at each border crossing the country we were going into couldn't believe we had crossed the previous country in once piece. They warned us we would be murdered raped or robbed - beaten up and thrown to the dogs. We found the people of each country so unbelievably special. The less they had the more they wanted to share. Perhaps my hub user name 'Old Adventurer' is the key? Both Mick and myself are in our 60's, we are no threat to anybody, they probably can't believe their eyes that two old farts are riding motorcycles halfway across the world.
If the Iranians don't let us into the country it won't be for the want of trying. ditto to Pakistan.
Enjoy your trip Eva and Thomas where ever you get to, we would have loved to have met you in Nepal
Sue

I used this thread quite a lot before entering Pakistan from Iran. Now we have just left Pakistan maybe I can contribute a little.

No-one in their right mind should be worried about Iran, the government there are a little odd undoubtedly but the people are lovely and welcoming and really no threat at all. Even the police are great, we had tea at the side of the road with them. The only excuse for not going to Iran is not getting a visa.

Pakistan is a little different as there clearly are some troubles there but again we have nothing but praise. The Pakistan leg of our journey has been the best so far, and particularly Baluchistan. The people were amazing, no sign of trouble. We did have escorts for the majority of our time there and they did drive haphazardly but that was o.k. I would love to go back there and would do so without hesitation. There is a risk but it is small, it is nothing like as big a risk as driving on Indian roads which we are now having to content with. This truly is dangerous.

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Did you go up the Karakorum? Is it open again? I heard it was closed due to construction (when I was there in 2006 the Chinese were measuring things up to start work)

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