Myself and a friend crossed the border from Ereentsay to Russia around June 10th this year (2011) without any problems, just the usual 3-4 hours search, paperwork and another hour waiting for the Russian customs people to come back from lunch Ha. Got the feeling they don't get many international travellers and Russia customs failed to stamp my documents properly for my motorcycle exiting Russia. We rode UB to Choiboylsan then north to Ereentsay to cross. Don't get caught between Choiboylsan and Ereentsay during the rain there are numerous low spots that fill with rain becoming muddy temporary lakes. Getting from UB to Choiboylsan was the easy part if you persist through the sandy and corrogated parts. Tell Sybelle Clyde said Hi.

For completeness ... its worth adding that in 2011 a 5th international road border was opened up from Bulgan in the west, between Khovd Province and the Chinese Altai. Usual deal, its 5 days a week, year round, 9am to 6pm.

But with China on the other side of the border, you will not be able to take your vehicle in unless you have a tour agency meeting you with Chinese plates.

For newcomers to Mongolia, this is a basic map, showing the 5 third party road border crossings (red dots).

Also shown are the most common routes people ride there:

Northern Route: Yellow
Southern Route: Orange
Middle Route: Green
Eastern Route: Blue (admittedly this one is not very common at all - very few bikers head out east)
Highway to Russia: Pink

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8530/8...c92bdd7e_o.jpg

Thanks Colebaatch for your valued update.

I like the map showing the land crossing borders.

vette

Mongolian Border Crossings
 

On that map I entered Mongolia from the lower point at Bulgan

The road from the border to the coal mine is 350km of superb smooth pavement, after that the road turns north and joins the southern route eventually.

The road from Altai to UB is "supposed" to be all paved by the middle of this year. Don't hold your breath but they are certainly working hard and soon it will be paved

There is still 4,000,000 other tracks to choose if you want dirt, so don't despair

It's a pity that they didn't open the border at Hovsgol lake. Maybe they open it this summer? :D

Regarding that map Walter posted I can make a comment. I was in Mongolia in 2010 and from Ulaangom we went via Hyargas Lake - Songino - Tosontsengel - Moron - Tsetserleg. Highly recommended. Here is the gps track: Mongolia 2010 - Motorcycling trip | EveryTrail

Bob (Cristian)

Good to see you also took the cool Khotgor Track between Olgiy and Ulaangom past Achit Nuur. Infact great work for choosing a route almost completely away from all the normally travelled routes (Northern and Southern). I like that kind of creative adventuring. bier

Do not hold your breath for the Hovsgol border to open any time soon. They have been talking about it for some years now. No movement.

Did that route too. See post #46 at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-place-66414-4 :cool4:

Nice stuff ... Its a nice little shortcut and I hope it becomes more popular. Great pics Chris :)

Looks like you met a bunch of my Polish mates, including Robert "Movistar" Mamzer at Karakol and Michal Rej in Kazakhstan.

PS ... you are lucky you didnt have another run in with the Russian border guards when you camped just before the Mongolian border. Technically after Kosh Agach its a border zone and you are only allowed to be on the highway beyond that point ! ;)

You dont really look like a spy tho ...

I did the Khotgor trakt in 2011 and it was fantastic. Spent the nite on the pass above Khotgor and then rode on.

Thanks to Colebatch for the great suggestion and OSM "path".

The shortcut was recommended by a Russian biker in Tajikistan.

Small world isn't it!

:oops2:At Kosh Agach there was a checkpoint: Maybe the matie told me that I had to stay on the road... His English/my Russian were both that bad it would have got lost in translation.

The FBI only does domestic surveillance, Chris.

The CIA/DIA/NSA etc are your employers. :)

A spy never looks like anything memorable.

And there, you have it.

Hey Kurt
Are you saying I'd make a good spy or that I just look like sh!t?:Beach:



Sorry, :offtopic::oops2:

Wealth has it's charms.

Anonymity is priceless. :)

Hi, a question: are those octane ratings RON? If they aren't, what would be the equivalent in RON? I'm from Spain and most bikes in Europe run on 95 RON, so 80 sounds very low... Would and EFI bike run well with such low-grade fuel?

Thanks!