Caspian sea alternative

[Macharousse]

Hello
We're looking for advices regarding this both possibilities :
- take the ferry at Aktau (Kazakhstan) to Bakou (Azerbaïdjan) and join Georgia by road. But it's expensive with our 4x4 and can be very long
- or drive from Beineou (Kazakhstan) to Astrakhan (Russia) and than georgia.
But we don't know roads state. Do you have some info ?
We already have a Russian visa available
Does someone already made it ?
Thanks !!

[roro]

Hi,
I've done it in 2015, the road in Kaz 50km before border is a nightmare!
In Russia towards Georgia almost good roads, beware of cops.
May be changes hace occurs since then.
RR.

[mazeno]

in 2015 it was a piece of cake, now it is much worse than a nightmare as it is under construction.

[real2234]

Hi mazeno, what do you mean with the last message, that the road now is "worse than a nightmare" due to construction works? I have to drive there as I wrote in a few days. Is it possible at this point to drive with my 2wd car or at this point should I seriously think about a long detour via Uralsk and Samara (I want to reach Turkey before coming back to Europe, that's why I intended to do this road)?
Why on Google Maps the itinerary is marked on a track parallel to the "road" and for the last more or less fifty kilometers, it is indicated to pass on an alternative road that passes a little to the south?

I am prepared as I wrote to drive on bad roads but not to destroy the car ... what should I do in your opinion?

Thank you.

[mazeno]

> what do you mean with the last message
if you ever drove this road you will get known ;)
more seriously:
astrakhan-atyrau was always a nightmare, but now is worse, because it is more difficult to detour aside the main track - there always were some paralel tracks along the road, which sometimes were more 'comfort' than main, now they are 'occupied' by construction works.

> should I seriously think about a long detour via Uralsk and Samara
it's up to you - as you know uralsk-saratov is not a driver's dream, now.
really i don't know which one (astrakhan-atyrau or uralsk-saratov) is worse for now.
so i have the same dilema - borysoglebsk-astrakhan-atyrau or borsyoglebsk-saratov-uralsk-atyrau (i come from the west) - but i'm not in rush. anyway - probably i take the southern as the part from borysoglebsk to astrakhan is pretty ok (and fast), the southern is not so occupied by cars, the sea is nearby and... i like the climate (not only in meteorological sense) of this area. but i'm prepared for covering only 150-200 km in a day.