Planning Mumbai to Moscow road trip through Central Asia

[medhajoseph]

Hi

Iam planning a road trip with my husband from Mumbai to Moscow in May 2014

The route we are looking at is Mumbai-Kathmandu-Nyalam-Kashgar-Osh-Tashkent-Aktobe-Ural-Samara-Moscow

I wanted help in understanding the road conditions and permits required for driving your own vehicle across this region

Any inputs in this regard will be very helpful.

Thanks Much
Medha

[steven]

Hi,

did you have a look at the driving pages already? Will update them soon as I am driving through the region myself as we speak.

Have a look again in a week or 2, if you have more questions then, please fire away.

[medhajoseph]

Thanks Steven. I have gone through the driving pages. The whole site is so informative and systematic. Great work.

Good to know you are driving through the same region, will help in getting first hand information. I wanted to know the road conditions to decide which vehicle to use. Our first choice is Land Cruiser. Which one are you using and where have you reached?

[steven]

We were driving a second-hand Toyota Hilux. Toyota is definitely the vehicle of choice for any drive through Central Asia, spare parts and mechanical knwowledge are plentiful for Toyota. I would say Land Cruiser is a reliable option.

I made it home now, didn't pass through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with the car though. I still have to wait a few days to connect to the internet, after which I will do a serious update to the site.

[medhajoseph]

Thanks for the update. Will check your detailed account.

[steven]

Finally got through my pile of notes on visas, border crossings and self-driving for the update. Let me know what kind of information you are still missing.

[medhajoseph]

Hi Steve, we could not drive from Mumbai to Moscow in 2014 for some personal reasons but all the more set for June 2015. The site is now loaded with tons of information, enjoyed going thru all the details. Couple of questions for you
1) We are using 100 series LC on diesel. Getting diesel in Uzbek is not easy. Will we get to buy jerry cans in Tashkent (our first stop in Uzbek). Any reliable place you know of?
2) We are planning to take the Kungrad-Beyneu road to cross from Uzbek to Kazak. The plan is to drive from Nukus (where we could refuel) and drive to Beyneu. Considering road conditions and border crossing.....is it possible to do in one day? How much time should we consider for border crossing formalities?

[steven]

Hi, I haven't done this road myself so honestly could not say how long it would take to drive. Also never bought diesel in Tashkent. There are some experts on the board here though. Try asking ustrasse or eurasiaoverland, they might know.

[medhajoseph]

Ok. Cool !!

[medhajoseph]

Hi Steve....we are starting our trip on 1st June 2015...right now we are getting our visas stamped. I just got to know that right hand drive vehicles are not allowed to enter/pass through Uzbekistan. Is that true?
If yes, is there a way out?

Medha

We were driving a second-hand Toyota Hilux. Toyota is definitely the vehicle of choice for any drive through Central Asia, spare parts and mechanical knwowledge are plentiful for Toyota. I would say Land Cruiser is a reliable option.

I made it home now, didn't pass through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with the car though. I still have to wait a few days to connect to the internet, after which I will do a serious update to the site.