Hi everybody

this is a really interesting thread! And I am looking forward to hear more of you guys - because we have similar plans.

We are planning to cross form Iran into Pakistan in May or June - and then head up to the Karakorum Highway! From there we will continue into India and go for the Himalayas and Leh... then to Nepal and then either fly to SE-Asia or find a convoy through China to Laos - or maybe a miracle happens and Burma is opening up...

looking forward to hearing more from travellers having similar plans or that have recently done that area. we really want to go to Iran and Pakistan - but that whole Visa/Security/Escort discussion is a bit of a pain... you hear so many different things, but nothing really precise.

Cheers,
Heike & Filippo

2 Live the Dream | Heike & Filippo Travel the World on Motorcycle

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hi Rupertu

you have to go thru tibet to get to china if you are entering from Nepal

nomad

Hi All and a happy New Year! I hope folks are having safe travels!

Been lurking on the forum for about 3 years now with a post or two. Finally starting to plan a trip with gusto!

An interesting thread here. Me and a mate are planning to do a charity ride from Bristol, UK to Bangalore, India in a few months and it's been great to read this thread as I have been having some concerns about our route.

We've discussed going through Iran, Pakistan, etc but with the current situation, I have been wondering if this is wise. It seems that people are doing it still, so that's encouraging!

What do people reckon on the timescale for this trip? We reckoned on about 6 weeks? We don't want to rush but also can't be away for months and months.

Also, I hope it's OK to hijack the thread...if not, I am sorry and I'll start a new thread! What's a rough budget for this route? We'd like to balance accommodations between cheap hotels/guest houses/hostels with a bit of luck, the kindness of the people we meet and the land we travel through. We expect to be riding mid sized trail bikes (no bigger than 650cc), packed conservatively.

Any pointers would be good. Would also be great to know of other folk travelling in these countries, so we could maybe cross paths for , or just a bit of banter

Cheers and ride safe folks

Dave

I'm in the same situation!
This Thread might be useful!
Cheers

This is something I'm curious about too. I would like to enter Iran from Turkey, travel through Pakistan and then see India. However, I'm planning to do this trip as early as possible and with the Iranian elections coming up, I'm very nervous about the possibility the borders will be shut, especially to an English person myself.

I'd rather get to India through Turkey, Pakistan and Iran, rather than go the long way around.

I'm planning on doing the same, although I wont be able to start the trip any sooner then mid July. And since the elections are on March, that will be plenty of time to see if Iran will be politicly stable by August.

But from what I've read from Iranian ADVriders and on HUBB they say things are preety cool, despite all the bad media on westerners news.

Cheers

Same here, i will start mid April from Germany.
Planned route is Turkey - Iran - Pakistan - India - Nepal - Pakistan - KKH - Kyrgistan - Kazachstan - Russia - Mongolia ...

But things are not looking good for the iranian visa,
Elections in March, Possible threat israel, oil embargo...
I heard of some Germans that their visa has just been denied (~2 weeks ago).

The long way around would be a bad change for my route, i really want to travel iran, and as i want to go north after india, i would have to do the kkh twice (which would be nice but too expensive)? Or is there any other route from the stans to india?

i thought about going south from turkey trough northiraq, saudi arabia, u.a.e and then take a ferry, if i can't get into iran...
I've read someone's blog who actually did a similar way because he couldn't enter, but can't find it anymore. From the stuff i read on the hubb it doesn't seem possible to take that route. Any suggestions?

Still hoping for the iran visa

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We are applying now for Iranian visa from the Netherlands, to enter in April. I'll let you know if we succeed.

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Please keep us posted on this thread!

I haven't actually started to work on the visas as my trip is still 6 months away, I've been gathering all the documents required for the visas's and the dreadful carnet, and start applying for them next month.
If things turn south (elections/embargo) and my Visa is rejected, I'm not sure i'l be able to do this trip, and most likely end up doing a less bureaucracy-needy trip, probably Mongolia.

HURRAH, 5th post!

EDIT: forgot to mention that it's no uncommon to Visas being rejected on first try, but second attempts seldom do,

Fantastic plan! I hope you realise from KKH you will be entering China which can be expensive if done individually.

Cheers
Omar

[i thought about going south from turkey trough northiraq, saudi arabia, u.a.e and then take a ferry, if i can't get into iran...
I've read someone's blog who actually did a similar way because he couldn't enter, but can't find it anymore. From the stuff i read on the hubb it doesn't seem possible to take that route. Any suggestions?]

Harry Lyon-Smith on his Enfield Vegibike took this route. But in stead of taking a dhow from Dubai or Oman to India, he flew into Mumbai if I am not mistaken. VegiBike, vegetable oil fueled diesel engine, Royal Enfield motorbike by Harry Lyon-Smith

It's seems like a real contingency plan (as opposed to the Stans option which leaves one to cross a bit of China still) if Iran gets too hot or doesn't grant us the required visa...

For China we opted for a tour from Nepal to Laos already so the North face of Afganistan is not in our plans todate.

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Take a ferry from where to where?

I think the only international ferry lines in that area go between the Arabian peninsula and Iran. So no ferries to India at the moment, for example. Finding any other boat to take you to India might also be just a daydream, because it´s simply too far away.

Check out this thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...an-india-60227

(oh, and getting a visa for Saudi Arabia is apparently also a big pain).

edit. and this route: "Nepal - Pakistan - KKH - Kyrgistan" would mean you have to cross into China as well, which is costly, and about which there are truckloads of info on this site. Not meaning to depress you, though...!!

hi there,

i must admit that i didn't check much about the route options if iran is not working, still hoping for an open border.

i'm aware of the costs going the KKH trough china, even i'm on limited budget i planned some extra money for that.
hope to catch up with others to share the guide costs.

right now everything looks a bit difficult, Visas for Iran, Pakistan, China (and even Russia) makes me headache,
BUT i think as soon as i'm on the road (with or without all difficult visas) things will work out somehow.
3 Years ago i did Laos/Cambodia/Thai/Laos without having documents for my motorbike at all! Sometimes i wish things would be as easy as in south east asia...

thanks for the links
Moritz

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