Self Driving from Europe

[steven]

I updated the article a few days ago, you can find the last updated time at the bottom of all articles. I first wrote the article in 2011 and have since updated it more than 500 times.

Do click through the links in the article to the forum threads where the experiences from the American cyclists are detailed. These experiences date from last summer. They have written down whatsapp numbers you can contact to apply for the permit. That should be a first port of call for you to find out more if the permit is at all a possibility.

I don't have the time to do all the sleuthing for you, I can only put you on your way. If you find out something more about the viability of the permit in 2023, do come back and tell us all about it. Many people are looking for answers.

[IronChris]

Ok thank you anyways for your great effort, Steven.
If I get some answers, of course I will share

[Roadtophnompenh]

Hi,
I have similar plans in terms of route, heading for Bhutan.
It seems the best option of van is a Toyota Hiace 4x4 with petrol engine, about 10-15 years old, in order to reduce problems with repair, poor fuel, and bad roads. I am not intentionally going for off-road places.
What are the general perceptions of anyone in terms of what van to select?

Thanks for any input

i drove between august and november from belgium to india (and later to malaysia and cambodia),
my car is a 10 year old lexus 450 hybrid, no prblems at all, you can do offroad with it but not necessarily, i crossed iran, pakistan (until chinese border at kunjerab pass) and back to Mumbai where i shipped my car to Malaysia, but i f you want to go to Bhutan, should be no problem. No problems at all on my 18.000 kms journey until Phnom Penh. Border at Moreh/Tamu India/myanmar was closed and still is.
Only issue i had with the car was at Kunjerab pass: windscreen-liquid frooze !! It was -9 degrees !!
Did some offroading in Turkey to cross Kemaliya canyon and later i crossed the old Tahir-pass wich isnt used for +30 years but it was big fun . . .
If you have a dream to do something, just start your engine, if you dont try, you will never know and will regret later if getting older . . .

[OWNER]

Only issue i had with the car was at Kunjerab pass: windscreen-liquid frooze !! It was -9 degrees !!

Wow!! How did you survive?! I hope everything is ok with you?
December 2018. Not far from the Torugart pass. In February, the temperature here can reach -40 degrees C. This is one of the two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan/China and the "pole of cold" of Kyrgyzstan. https://roadstravel.ru/нарын-торугарт/

[Roadtophnompenh]

hahah, i know its not that bad -9°C but it was the only day i put my long trousses on, in my 18000 kms trip to Cambodia. The road was a little tricky the last 20 kms with fresh snow, i saw cars turning back and others put on snow-chains. I had pretty normal new all-season michelin tyres on my car and arrived on the top first that day. The wiper-liquid i had in my car i getted from a friend in Bulgaria in early septmeber when it was about 30 degrees, didnt think at all to put anti-freeze in it, hahah. I was truck-driver all my live and used to come also in scandinavia and eastern-europe in winter time, i know what is to drive in -30°C . . .

[OWNER]

Uzbekistan is a country of methane. Gas stations where you can buy gasoline and diesel are small and inconspicuous. Therefore, in my stories, starting from the first (https://roadstravel.ru/uzbekistan-na-mashine-2021/), I gave the coordinates of the gas station.

And gas stations for methane are whole palaces and palace complexes.)) I don’t have a photo, watch the video.

https://youtu.be/grgRNyVV2ZI

[royalenfield]

Hello, I suppose you needed a Carnet de Passage en Douane for IRan, india and Pakistan.. where did you get it?

Hi,
I have similar plans in terms of route, heading for Bhutan.
It seems the best option of van is a Toyota Hiace 4x4 with petrol engine, about 10-15 years old, in order to reduce problems with repair, poor fuel, and bad roads. I am not intentionally going for off-road places.
What are the general perceptions of anyone in terms of what van to select?

Thanks for any input

i drove between august and november from belgium to india (and later to malaysia and cambodia),
my car is a 10 year old lexus 450 hybrid, no prblems at all, you can do offroad with it but not necessarily, i crossed iran, pakistan (until chinese border at kunjerab pass) and back to Mumbai where i shipped my car to Malaysia, but i f you want to go to Bhutan, should be no problem. No problems at all on my 18.000 kms journey until Phnom Penh. Border at Moreh/Tamu India/myanmar was closed and still is.
Only issue i had with the car was at Kunjerab pass: windscreen-liquid frooze !! It was -9 degrees !!
Did some offroading in Turkey to cross Kemaliya canyon and later i crossed the old Tahir-pass wich isnt used for +30 years but it was big fun . . .
If you have a dream to do something, just start your engine, if you dont try, you will never know and will regret later if getting older . . .

[CDB]

Hi, I'm driving to the Stans from Leeds in early June. Maybe our paths will cross? I'll keep the forum posted with my experience with border crossings.