Russian-Georgian-Border
 

Hi,
officialy the border between Russia and Georgia is closed to non-russians and non-georgians. But I´m still planning to ride my bike to Elbrus-Mountain (Russia) and continue to Georgia in order to finish this trip in Turkey. Does anybody has some information about this bordercrossing?
Thanks a lot for any help and hint!
Michael Schröder
MOTORRAD

As I hear from people I know in Georgia, this border is closed.
But you never know

In 2002 I tried to cross the border near Sochi (Adler). No go. But there were ferries leaving Sochi for Batumi in Georgia. Unfortunately the captain did not let me get on, because he had a too big load, and the bike was too big (a BMW F650). However, once a week there is a bigger ferry going to Istanbul. It would have been worth the try. But I didn't feel like hanging around Sochi for a whole week, so I did a long detour via Finland, and made it to Istanbul almost at the same time as the ferry had I waited for it. My advice: Get a visa for Ukraine ahead of time. If you get stuck in Sochi, you can circumnavigate the Black Sea and be in Istanbul in about three days. I didn't have this visa; hence the detour via Finland (8500km).

The border Russia/Georgia is probably closed and, even if it's open, the area is so dangerous that you should avoid it.

I've ride in south of Georgia in 2003 without any problem, but I was strongly advised not to travel in the northern part of the country.

Anyway, there is a daily ferry Sochi-Trabzon (Turkey). Ask Vlad - Odessa community - for details.

Thanks for answering! I´ll probably take the ferry Sochi-Trabzon (Turkey)and enter Georgia from that side.
Thanks again!
Michael Schröder
MOTORRAD

Did anyone come up with a definitive answer to this? I've read in the 2003 Russia LP book that "The other main north-south road loops round from Rostov through Krasnodar to Sochi on the Black Sea its continuation to Sukhumi (Abkhazia) and Batumi (western Georgia) is open although not trouble-free..."