UK to the Sea of Japan

[rads]

Hi There,

On the 25th of May I will be setting off on a 20,000 mile trip and will be passing through Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia on my trek. I'll be driving in a pickup truck and I will be travelling solo, but with my my pet 4 year old Alaskan Malamute dog.

Does anyone have any recent experience or advice on my route of choice please? I'm particularly interested in information on border crossings at Georgia/Russia and travelling through Kazakhstan. Hopefully a couple of images of my route through Turkey, Georgia, Russia and Kazakhstan will follow below.

All help and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Rads.

http://www.trekforkira.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/trekforkira

[SPR11]

Hello,

That sounds like an incredible trip. Have fun.
I haven't actually crossed any of these borders myself but was in Georgia just a couple of weeks ago. You can cross the border between Georgia and Russia following the Georgian Military Highway, which runs between Tbilisi (Georgia) and Vladikavkaz (Russia). It's just one road, so you probably won't get lost when you are going there;) Make sure to stop in Kazbegi (about 15km from the border), which is a nice town with good trekking and a beautifully situated church. As far as I know this border is relativly straightforward, but busy with lorries, so it's probably wise to go early.

[steven]

Other border crossings are all easy and normal, for more info see for instance http://caravanistan.com/border-crossings/kazakhstan

[DAEMO79]

The wife and I are doing a very similar route with the addition of white cliffs in Kazakhstan and the lakes of Kyrgyzstan, though we'll be in a Nissan Micra. I'm also curious about the Georgia/Russia border due to the FCO advising against travel. Hopefully world peace becomes a reality by May 1st.

Good luck, maybe we'll break down in the same spots across Kazakstan.

[rads]

Thanks for the response guys. I've been busy packing and prepping. Dog and human vaccinations etc.

I think I let the FCO advice get the better of me initially, so much so that I had changed my whole route, but now have reverted back to the Georgia/Russia boder route now. I feel much better now knowing the word on the street from those in the know!

Cheers.

[rads]

The wife and I are doing a very similar route with the addition of white cliffs in Kazakhstan and the lakes of Kyrgyzstan, though we'll be in a Nissan Micra. I'm also curious about the Georgia/Russia border due to the FCO advising against travel. Hopefully world peace becomes a reality by May 1st.

Good luck, maybe we'll break down in the same spots across Kazakstan.

Good luck to you too. Seems like you set off way before me! Where about's are the White Cliffs? Could be a great spot to camp

[DAEMO79]

Hey Rads,

Heres how i found out about the cliffs, its rather cheesy but beautiful:

http://www.kavkazvideo.com/great-nature ... d8f5c.html

Turkey is getting interesting, hopefully we can all make it through without any hassle.

Regards,

[rads]

Hey Rads,

Heres how i found out about the cliffs, its rather cheesy but beautiful:

http://www.kavkazvideo.com/great-nature ... d8f5c.html

Turkey is getting interesting, hopefully we can all make it through without any hassle.

Regards,

Thanks for that. I'll probably go via there. The google map routes me up high north, but according to my map there is a track!! I could take along that way from Astrakhan.

Many thanks.

[steven]

Hi guys,

the white cliffs you talk about are only accessible by 4WD. A Nissan Micra will be utterly destroyed or not be able to make it, I fear.

http://caravanistan.com/itinerary/kazakhstan/west/

[rads]

Steven,

Can you tell me what the quality of fuel is? I'll be driving a 4x4 pickup that uses diesel, but have heard that Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan uses a lower quality of fuel. I'm a little concerned as I don't want to break down in the middle of nowhere due to fuel issues!!

Many thanks.