Maps for off-road planning: Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey

[chris]

Maps for off-road planning: Romania, Croatia, Serbia and other countries in south-east Europe and western Turkey

Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to the above mentioned countries this summer. I will drive from the UK in a van with a road bike and a dirt bike in the back.

Planning the road routes in Romania, Croatia, Serbia (and possible further east to Turkey) etc should be straight forward, but I’m struggling to decide which map(s) would be suitable for sorting out possible off-road/unpaved days on the dirt bike.

I have looked here:
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/go/romania
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/go/croatia/
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/go/serbia-montenegro/
and
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/go/turkey/

Does anyone have any opinion on what’s available in the way of maps, particularly for unpaved road details?

I hope to participate in http://www.enduromania.net/

Also: Do you know any off-road bike clubs in this part of the world? What about sites for Garmin compatible GPS maps and waypoints?

Any input gratefully received.

Kind Regards,
Chris

[Vaufi]

For RO try this one: Romania Road Atlas

It is very detailed and shows just about every road, even dirt-roads. Strangely enough for the German speaking market they offer a 1:250,000, while the one above is 1:300,000.

Hans

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by chris

Maps for off-road planning: Romania, Croatia, Serbia and other countries in south-east Europe and western Turkey

What about sites for Garmin compatible GPS maps and waypoints?

Garmin GPS maps are generally main road type stuff .. they don't usually go for the dirt type tracks ... Tracks 4 Africa/Australia excepeted.

Possibly smellybikers wanderlust world map may go that way .. go have a look at what is offered - there is a sample map you can download.

Maps catalogue tend to be main roads only .. and while free require generation of the mapsource .tbl and .img preview files .. larege learning curve.

[cipx2]

One good place to start searching for free garmin gps maps is here: Search free Garmin maps by location

For Romania:
- free: Map list
- not so free but the best: HERE (check the Live Demo also)

I don't use paper maps so I can't advise you on those.

[airhead]

Originally Posted by Frank Warner

Garmin GPS maps are generally main road type stuff .. they don't usually go for the dirt type tracks ... Tracks 4 Africa/Australia excepeted.

frank,
that may have been so in old days, but i can confirm, that recent maps show almost every dirt track at least in poland. we used it last year during our "escape to the baltics".

[Nixa]

Hi
If You use Garmin, then buy Adriarute and Adriatopo this should be enough for Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Check on Garmins web site to be sure.
If in Croatia don't miss Velebit mountain, it is off-road paradise.

[Nixa]

I forgot to write!
Shop called IGLU SPORT here in Zagreb did have excelent trekking maps of National Parks and Parks Of Nature a few years ago when I needed them, I think that they should still sell that stuff. Contact them! They are very friendly and helpful. They could also know some maps for neighbouring countries.

Iglu sport
iglusport@iglusport.hr

[MikeS]

Good link but what am I doing wrong? I've downloaded the .img files but nothing is showing in Mapsource.

Originally Posted by cipx2

One good place to start searching for free garmin gps maps is here: Search free Garmin maps by location