Karaganda to Kyzylorda road conditions?

[wakeyjamie]

Hi All,

Anyone know the current state of this road. On Google Maps it's down as the A17 and on this website it says it's partly a sandy track with plans for an upgrade. I would love to take his route but we're in a 2wd campervan. Otherwise I'll take the main road south to Almaty.
Thanks,
Jamie

[steven]

I would advise the main road over Shymkent with a campervan.

[Martin_N]

The part from Karaganda to Jezqazgan is a good asphalt road, we drove it in in June.

From Jezqazgan to Kyzylorda I cannot tell you: we wanted to do this but locals told us the state of the road is horrible. We just spend couple of days in the steppe between Esil and Jezqazgan and had enough of bumpy roads for a moment, this is why we took the Jezqazgan - Karaganda road instead of Jezqazgan - Kyzylorda!

[steven]

What were you doing in Zhezkazgan? Did you go to Ulytau?