Hi guys,

I might have posted this before so apologies if I'm re-posting it again.

It's a rather overly ambitious plan, but seems like the best place to ask and hopefully receive some invaluable advice.

Route: Dubai - Europe - Dubai (see attached map)

Proposed date: March 2019 ( hopefully not too hot nor too cold, although if you guys know something I don't, please feel free to share)

Duration: 1 month (have to get back to work)

Bike: Looking at the new Honda Africa Twin as I'm not too handy with a wrench and need something reliable. (Open to other suggestions or first hand reviews)

Any advice on alternative routes, tips, tricks etc..
Anybody who's done such a trip recently?
Anybody who's done smaller parts of this route and your experiences?
Visas, carnets, insurance, accommodation etc

Thanks

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Driving thru Libya i think is not a good idea

Border with Algeria and Morocco is closed at all points as they hate each other

Egypt is a God damn nightmare of paperwork and an extremely expensive carnet.

One month is an extremely short amount of time IMO, you would be flogging yourself.

My suggestion, fly to Tbilisi Georgia and buy a bike (Japanese 650 or smaller, with soft bags) (it is really easy for a foreigner to register a vehicle in their name ) and start your journey there. A significant reduction in cost and hassle.

Ride through turkey, maybe up to Austria and then back (good pace for a month IMO) You then return and sell the bike (I can give you a few contacts if you need ) do this ride in July of next year.



Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the info Stoep.

I guess Algeria and Morocco are out of the equation.

As for Libya, I have a friend who's working there. I'm trying to get in touch with him and see how things are there. Of course if they are bad, then I'll just have to get an alternative route (Iran maybe? ). However if conditions are okay in Libya, then a ferry from Tunis to Italy and onwards seems like a good plan.

Your suggestion also seems interesting, definitely saves a lot of time. I would appreciate any further info you can provide with regards to this option. Any websites I could browse for used motorcycles in Georgia? Registration process? Time? Cost? etc..

I know a month is a short time and I'd be really pushing it, but I guess that's what makes it more fun and a good story, at least I hope so.

I chose March as I wanted to ride in a cooler weather. July might be a bit hot.

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Send a whatsapp to a guy named Zuka (+995558344422 ) he can put you in touch with people selling and buying motorcycles. In terms of the registration process, you go down to the city of Rustavi with a Georgian friend of yours (not hard to find, I can put you in contact with one) who has a street address, bring your passport, in a few hours you will have an ownership document. It costs all of around 20 USD.

Definitely march if you manage to go thru Libya, but if you end up in Georgia march will still be very cold. Riding to Tunisia, ferry to italy, then to Albania-greece-turkey could be very nice. Still have to make it through Egypt tho.

Thanks for the Georgia info. I'll look into it. It's very tempting given how easy it is and it's definitely a time saver. What about travelling through Europe on Georgian ownership documents. Will there be an issue getting visas and what about Carnets?

If I'm doing the Georgia route then I guess July will be a good time. Definitely have Austria, Switzerland on my list as I hear they're beautiful during the summers (I prefer the outdoors over museums and buildings)


I've heard some stories about Egypt, but is it that bad to arrange a Carnet through it?

Thanks again for all the info. Keep it coming

OP, There are so many issues with your initial route that to rely on others to point them out to you seems a poor choice. I'm going to suggest that you start by reading any of the hundreds (at least) of relevant postings scattered all over this site--on Algeria, on Egypt, on Saudi Arabia or Lebanon, on riding through the Alps in March or southern Europe during August, on bike choices, mechanical needs, insurance options, accommodation--in other words, on all the various intricacies of a trip such as yours.

You might also read up on places you can purchase a bike under your own name, since Georgia is not your only choice. And you'll have to think as well about what you're going to do with the bike when you're done, since it's far from obvious.

And yes, trying to do this in a month is going to exhaust you without any particular gain. Maybe re-think the whole thing: what are you really trying to accomplish? What do you want to see and do along the way? What do you hope to have learned, or to bring home with you when you return? What are your priorities (North Africa, northern Europe, the Middle East, the Cacaucus, the Balkans.....? Cities, mountains, wide open spaces? Local religion or culture, museums, battlefields, foods? Maximum mileage, or as many curves as possible?)? Once you've answered those questions you can start to plan a realistic month-long journey, and I'll wager it won't look much like the map posted above.

Last bits of unsolicited advice: no one can give you good advice about a trip like this without some knowledge of your riding history and preferences. No one can offer anything useful about visas without knowing your nationality (i.e., what passport you carry). Etc.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Hell of a stretch to do that in a month - you'll be flat out, all day, every day. And will probably still not make it. Totally unsafe IMHO.

Why not take the easier (but still no less exciting) route through Iran to Europe, leave the bike there for a return ride later on a different route, or ship / airfreight it back if you need it in Dubai.

I have friends who've done the Dubai to UK route on bikes on more than one occasion if you need advice on that route.

Sounds like an interesting plan but your map is fantasy I'm afraid, impossible for many reasons.

As far as I know (I am not a biker) you can't enter Saudi with a bike.

Jordan - Syria border is closed, though this looks set to change soon.

Do you have a contact in Syria to get you a visa?

Syria - Turkey border is closed, with no sign of opening.

Libya is on the verge of civil war, filled with Islamists following the power vacuum left after Qadaffi's downfall. I'm not sure if they are issuing visas but I seriously doubt you could cross the country as it is.

As has been said already, the Morocco - Algeria border has been firmly closed for decades.

Time to start reading and planning a trip based on the current reality on the ground.

I would recommend Iran, but if you have a UK passport you'll need to be on an organised tour which I imagine is not much fun.

EO

__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

Tulio

Technically, Eurasiaoverland is correct, as a Brit you will need a guide / be on an organised tour.

However, you need to speak to my friends who have done this - last summer most recently but more than once. They have British passports and technically they had a guide but 'ahem', you need to speak to them....

Thanks for your insights markharf, Tim_A and eurasiaoverland. Sorry I haven't been able to reply earlier. Been busy with work.


As I said earlier, it is a rather ambitious plan to say the least, but I am open to suggestions, information, alternatives, which you guys have so generously provided. Some have even said that I shouldn't even bother to attempt such a trip. Positive criticism I can appreciate and welcome. Plain old criticism however...

TimA I would love to speak to your friends about their trip. Could you please PM me their contact details. I have yet to speak to one of the guys I found through this forum (Saleh, I don't know if you know him).


I have changed my initial route seeing as the Moroccan - Algerian border is permanently closed. I am looking at two different routes now.
1. Getting into Italy through Tunisia
2. Or Europe Via Iran

I don't think there are any restrictions on bikes entering Saudi. Even multiple entry tourist visas are now possible, given the new government and the 'forward' approach to make Saudi Arabia a more tourist attractive destination.

Syria is still the problem bit, mostly on the 'return' leg of the trip.

Looking into the Libya part of the journey. I have a friend there so have to check with him as to how things are on the ground, rather than just relying on what the media is saying.


Still researching other things. Shoot me a message if there's anything you would like to add. And thanks again for your positive feedback.

besides the obvious difficulties that have already been mentioned: 20000km in 30 days? 666 (I think it's an omen) km of riding a day, every single day, including all the time lost at border crossings?
I highly doubt you'd find a single person on here who would enjoy such a trip.

My advice is to follow the advice above. Fly in, buy a bike and focus on the region you're most interested in. Come back later to explore another region. Or ride to Europe, fly back and ship the bike as cargo on the same plane. There used to be some relatively affordable options from Germany to Dubai for that.

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Belgium to Nordkapp via Iran | Discover Overland | Destination World

Do you have a source to back this up?

Saudi tourist visas have been issued in the past, but we're talking guided, fly-in, fly-out group tourism. Multiple entry tourist visas I find very hard to believe.

Also yet to see any evidence that bikes are now routinely being allowed in, though if your bike is GCC registered this may be easier.

__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

As above, I've never heard of multiple tourist visas and I've lived and worked in Dubai, traveling frequently to Saudi, for decades.

And you won't get a transit visa which is what you need to traverse the country and leave by another road border. Trust me, I've been trying for my truck. AFAIK it is VERY difficult, if not impossible, to cross the border on a bike to KSA. Though I've never personally tried and yes, things are changing.

But the transit visa will be your downfall, even if you can get access with a bike.

Have sent you my contact details. I can put you in touch with the guys. And yes, Saleh is a super guy and very helpful. He's done a lot of rides in Europe - but the bikes were shipped there to the best of my recollection.

Dear Tulio,

You can reach out to Automobile and touring Club of UAE. They are the ones that process the Carnets. The fee is only around 400-500 AED, and a deposit for the bikes is around AED 2,000.00.

As you have a Carnet, dont let anyone tell you that you need RTA export Documents, that is only if you need to move the bike permanently, and will waste your time and money. The Carnet is valid for 1 year and can be extended once for 6 months.

Alot of guys take the ferries where needed, and if you do try to use the ferries where you can ride your bike on and off, like a passenger ferry. Few friends used a cargo ferry, and then the got hit with Customs fees and clearance charges.

Ride safe, and i hope that this helped you.

Neil

The information provided here is outdated. However, I can still offer insights based on my last trip in 2023 and help you plan this type of motorcycle trip from Dubai to Europe:

Route and Timing:

Route: The attached map isn't accessible, but researching potential routes is crucial. Consider factors like:
- Feasibility: Direct land travel through Saudi Arabia isn't possible for tourists. Explore ferry options (e.g., Bandar Abbas, Iran) or alternative land routes (e.g., Jordan, Israel, Turkey).
- Visas: Research visa requirements for each country on your planned route. Some may require obtaining them in advance.
- Seasonality: March offers moderate temperatures across most of Europe, but consider extremes in specific regions. Check weather patterns for your chosen route.

Duration and Practicalities:

Duration: One month might be tight for such an ambitious trip, covering vast distances and diverse cultures. Consider extending your trip or adjusting your route for a more relaxed pace.
Motorcycle: The Honda Africa Twin remains a popular choice for adventure touring. Explore other options based on your budget, experience, and terrain preferences. Research reliability and service availability along your route.
Documentation: Obtain necessary documents like a Carnet de Passage (for temporary vehicle imports), international motorcycle insurance, and valid travel documents. Familiarize yourself with customs regulations at each border crossing.

Additional Tips:

Connect with communities: Join online forums and groups dedicated to motorcycle touring in the Middle East and Europe. Seek advice from experienced riders who have undertaken similar journeys.
Plan accommodations: Research and book suitable accommodations in advance, especially during peak seasons. Consider camping options in certain regions.
Learn basic maintenance: While the Africa Twin is reliable, basic mechanical knowledge can be invaluable, especially in remote areas. Consider taking a motorcycle maintenance course.
Be flexible: Unexpected situations are inevitable. Embrace adaptability and be prepared to adjust your plans as needed.

Remember, thorough research, preparation, and a flexible mindset are key to a successful and enjoyable motorcycle adventure. Enjoy the planning process and have a fantastic trip!