Caravanistan

Hi, sorry to hear of your difficulties. Is a route via Azerbaijan not an option?
Rgds, Mike

We considered crossing into Azerbaijan, but the time to get the visa the Larsi Border will likely be open.

Our biggest worry was our Russian Transit visa would expire even before we could use it - whether we went to Azerbaijan or waited for Larsi to open. We are happy to know that the Russian Consulate would be very accomodating, and this takes some of the pressure off us. However, we still have some pressure from the time sensitive Kz, Uz and Tj visas we have, may mean we truncate our visits to keep on schedule. Depends on the delay of crossing Russia.

From what we understand, for the Azeri visa is easiest and quickest via the evisa process, however this means you are required to pass your evisa request via a tour agency (and thus you must ‘buy’ a tour as well). Furthermore, for those of us who have older vehicles, you must show a Carnet de Passage to pass the border. In this case for getting to Rus vis Azeri the time and expense will not likely get us moving forward any faster than just waiting for the Larsi border to open.

Once in Azerbaijan, you have two options: 1) travel overland to the north and cross into Chechnya. Not something we are willing to do; or 2) continue to Baku and try to get onto the ferry. This is another problem as from our ancillary readings, the boat is unreliable and expensive and in no way guaranteed to take us on the first available sailing. Moreover, we need then a Turkmenistan visa which is yet again another problematic effort which we are uninterested in undertaking.

The thing is, the landslide is only 800m long. How long can it take to scrape a trail across that? We are hoping for the best.

georoad.ge/?lang=geo&act=news&func=menu&uid=1467618635

Aparently road opens today 4 jun 17hrs.

Biscotte Adventures wrote:From what we understand, for the Azeri visa is easiest and quickest via the evisa process, however this means you are required to pass your evisa request via a tour agency (and thus you must ‘buy’ a tour as well).

Just a quick note: you don't have to buy a tour or book a hotel for the Azeri e-visa. At least not with us.

https://translate.google.com/translate? ... t=&act=url

This is exactly, why Caravanistan ist the best site for this part of the world! I had been denied for the Turkmenistan Visa and now I have go go through Armenia/Georgia/Russia/Kasakhstan. I'm not allowed to go through Azerbaijan, so this would be the only option (beside Afghanistan - but currently I don't count that as an option...)
THANK YOU!!!

was it a transit visa that has been refused? i am not an expert but would it not be less expensive to book a short tour through turkmenistan so as to avoid the long drive around.

Crossed from Tbilisi to Vladikavkaz in 02/2017.
I tried to find a ride through blablacar, unfortunately no-one left in the morning. so I went to Didube Busstation. There are a lot of cars going to wladikawkas, unfortunately not to many passengers. Finally found one, he asked for 1500 rubles, agreed on 50 georgian lari. we left an hour later. there was only me and another passenger in the car. Georgian side super easy and fast. Russian side a bit longer... 50 minutes interview with an FSB officer. Friendly but seemed suspicious. Also checked all my pictures on the phone. Asked to see the invitation, asked me details about the invitation. also asked about address, work and so on. tipped everything intohis pc. apparently the standart procedure for foreigners crossing the first time there. they did the same with some kazakh from another car.
No idea what it would have been like, if I wasnt fluent in Russian. Probably easyer - Russian policemen are often suspicious about foreigners who speak russian.
whole thing took about 5 hours from tbilisi to wladikawkaz.

In reply to several questions on the Verkhnyi Lars crossing from Russia to Georgia and Stepansminda, I did it this morning in my bright orange campervan after three weeks in Russia alone. I was scared but the border controls on both sides could not have been nicer and enjoyed looking inside my van. I think they appreciated my speaking English but they were just as British passport control people would be and actually nicer than my last trip on Eurotunnel at st Pancras! and the Russians were so nice even if it is nice to be in safer Georgia

Just in case it didn't go up earlier and with the aim of helping anyone else doing this route. I worried for a year about taking the risk of crossing the border here from Russia and with such little information. Today I did it and it went smoothly. If you speak a little Russian for the Russians I think it helps and it was all okay.
I wish you well

Dear travelers,

I am planning my first big roadtrip by 4x4 outside Europe, i am a professional driver and plan to drive via Turkey to Georgia, Armenia and Iran and back to western Europe. I have no worries about this trip, especially after having been reading about other´s experiences. The only thing i am worried about is our safety in Russia. My preferred return would be from Georgia via Verkhny Lars to Terehova, Latvia.
Many of you travelers drive through Russia and i think, and hope, most of those trips end well, on the other hand i read much about being bribed by police, road bandits, burglars en traffic accidents in Russia. Therefore i am not sure if it´s worth to take the risk and drive through Russia. Most forums on the internet about this are some years old. Does someone know how the roadsafety is from Georgia to Latvia by Rostov on Don, Voronezh, Smolensk?

Many thanks and safe travels,
Rögnvaldur