Caucuses by bike
 

I intend to ride through Iran ,Armenia, Nogorno Karabagh, Georgia and Ukraine on my Honda VFR in May 2007. Does anyone have any good/bad experiences and advice .Decent places to stay? I dont want to camp.
Regards
Dubai Pete

yep, for Azerbajzan get this excelent guide:
http://trailblazer-guides.com/books/...n.html/main/31

Especially in Azebajzan, in places without decent hotels (there might be a hotel, but you really don't want to stay there) are available, lingering around on the village square most probably ends up in someone inviting you to stay at his place.

Georgia has a good selection of home stays.

I wrote some notes about Caucasus on motorbike in this report:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/cou...stan-italy.php

Some parts of Georgia (especially the areas near the Russian border) can be very dangerous. Nagorno Karabagh as well is not reccomandable.

Just one problem
 

I got in Tblissi (Georgia), in 24 hours, easily an Azeri visa for one month ($40). But at the border with Azerbaijan (Red Bridge crossing point), "they" allow me 30 days for me and 3 days for the bike!

The only two ways to stay more with your bike:

1) go to Baku and leave it with the customs (you must pay a small daily fee):

2) or leave a deposit at the border entrance.

I did the second solution: $1,500 for a BWM 1150GS Adventure. I recover my money one month latter when I left Azerbajan (Astara crossing point) for going to Iran.

Info date: August 2006.

:oops2: ONE USEFUL ADVICE: take the mobile phone number of the officer at the entrance, and three opening days before leaving the country, call him to ask his colleagues to prepare the money for you. I did it and when I arrived in Astara, the money was not here. So I called the officer four times and after two hours, I recover my $1,500.

Azerbaijan is a fantastic country with very, very friendly and hospitable people. Safe everywhere, no problem...

You can see pictures of my Azeri trip at:

http://www.worldbees.com/albums/Moto...jan/index.html

Have fun!

Gilles RATIA
RTW - six years
www.worldbees.com

By road you can only get from Georgia to Ukraine via Russia. At present relations are very strained between Russia and Georgia and the border might well be closed - it certainly is for Georgians who are not able to get Russian Visas.
Even Georgian restaurants were being boycotted in Moscow last week and many had closed down.

This is very dangerous territory for foreigners. I was in the mountains close to Karachaevsk (Карачаевск), Russia, last year and told Mineralnye Vody (Mинеральные Bоды) is the most dangerous place of all for foreigners with many kidnaps. It is next door to Chechnia.

Hi,

I rode around Georgia in August/September 2006. Excellent country, very friendly people and roads enjoyable for my Africa Twin, not so sure about VFR...

I don't think you can to Ukraine from Georgia, the only way out from Georgia is to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. Borders to Russia are completely closed, even for locals.

The best region I've seen in GEO is definitely Svanetia, although everyone will tell you not to go there. South Osetia is better to avoid as well as Abkhazia.

We were camping most of the time without any problems. Hotels are OK, though you have to choose and to take the first one, but prices are negotiable if you have the guts for it ;o)

Vlada

Dagastan
 

Any news of traveling in Dagastan ?? I may be going there soon !

Thanks, Dan:thumbup1: