France - Russia - Mongolia - Japan ; Summer 2018
 

Hello everyone,
I'm preparing a trip from France to Japan this summer, through Belgium, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Mongolia, and then Japan.
I will do it solo, with a KTM 1290 SA R, and have to make it happen in 5 weeks...
I know it is short, but I have some experience of "Quick long trips" ; my last one was in 2015 from Normandy to China through the Stan's and Pamir, back and forth, in 4 weeks... and I loved it :)
So, I'm finalizing the route and timing to Japan, and have a first set of questions about Russia to Mongolia borders.
I plan to enter Mongolia in Kjachta, coming from Ulan-Ude, and exit North-east through Ereentsav, back to Russia :
- Are both of theses two borders opened to foreign traveller's ? From what I've read, the answer seems to be yes, but any confirmation there ?
- Second question about closing of borders during the Nadaam : my curent schedule is to enter in Mongolia on July 7th, and leave in Ereentsav on July the 12th, then during Nadaam. I've read several contradictories information about closing of all the Mongolians border posts on 11 and 12 July. Does anyone confirm the closing and have any information on that ? I've emailed the french Mongolian ambassy, but no answer....

Thanks !

mongolie
 

salut,
le naadam cette année est du 11 au 15 juillet ! frontières fermées pendant cette période

Bonjour et merci mickey76 pour l'info !
You mean that borders will be closed from July 11th to July 15th ? Meaning the last day to enter/exit is July 10th and first day fo enter/exit July 16th ?
If such, bad news for me.... Complicated to synchronize with the ferry in Vladivostok, with 1 departure per week to Sakaiminato, Japan...

I crossed both borders in 2010, with no problems. There was however an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in eastern Mongolia which meant I could not reach the Ereentsav / Solovyevsk border from the Mongolian side (I went around through Russia and crossed in the other direction).

I also know a Dutch traveller who crossed the Ereentsav / Solovyevsk border late last year without problems. Altanbulag / Kyakhta border is crossed very frequently by foreign travellers.

Not heard about borders closing for Nadaam.

Hi JMP pretty much the same plan/route as us. Although we will take much more time. We will see you fly by somewhere :)

Both borders are international Borders.

During Naadam most of the borders are closed, except the main border Altanbulag/Sukhbaatar ( what you name as Kjachta )
And the border to China.

all the smaller borders are closed, and also usually longer than 3 days.
Usually 5 days, so maybe Eerentsav is closed from 9-13 or 10-15

And to do the road from UB to Eerentsav on a 1290 is also a nice way to have fun :rofl::rofl:

You know that you expect a lot of sandy roads??

Smaller borders are definitely closed.

Tashanta at the western part of Mongolia for sure, and as far as I know also Eerentsav.

And they are closed usually for 5 days.

2013 it was from 9.-13. of June

And 2015 from 11 - 15. of june.

Hi Lovetheworld,
Yep ! Would be nice to see you somewhere there ; What vehicle will you use ?

Here is my trip (to date) - "From Roc'h Trevezel to Fuji San" :) :
https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/16/54/10/86/20180110.jpg

https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/16/54/10/86/20180112.jpg


When do you plan to start your trip ?

Thanks so much for your answer klausmong1 :)
So, it means that I have no constraints to cross my entry border in Altanbulag/Sukhbaatar, but have to leave at Ereentsav before the 9th or after the 15th... Not so easy for my schedule, but i will change my departure date accordingly, then.
Do you have the official date of the Nadaam in 2018 ? I' read 11 & 12 July ?

For the sandy roads from UB to Eerentsav, yes, I've read some infos on the net, but difficult to know excatly how it is really ; have you been there ? Is it deep sand ? I'm not a specialist of sand, but I used to have some in my previous trip to China and it was not easy but Ok with the 1290 :)

Thanks again !

Naadam is officially always 11.-13.of june.

generally you have sand everywhere in Mongolia.
Sometimes mere, sometimes less.

I have not been this far, but there are just a few roads paved in Mongolia, around Ulaanbaatar, part of the southern route 1/3 - 1/2 and UB to Darkhan and Further Sukhbaatar or Moron / Khuvsgul

So as far as I know the road to Erentsav is not paved ( unless they started last year ) and is more or like "Piste"
That means like everywhere in Mongolia, Gravel and sand....

Thx again klausmong1.
For Naadam, you mean 11-13 June, or July ?

Hi JMP, we want to through Altai and into Mongolia from western border. Given your planning I think we won't meet but who knows.
We will travel in a 4x4 Hiace campervan.

Sorry, I mean JULY

In 2010 the road was paved to somewhere beyond Ondorkhaan (now called Chinggis I think). After that it was good gravel along the Kherlen River to Choibalsan. North of Choibalsan are the wonderful grassy plains of the east, complete with herds of wild gazelle; a wonderful sight and one of my favourite parts of Mongolia. No sand really, this is nice rolling grassland.

Hi,

I've planned to exit Mongolia by Tashanta border post on Monday 9th July 2018.
It's before Nadaam, I think (somebody have official dates this year?) and also after week-end.
Do you think all is ok for me about this schedule?

Thanks in advance.

RR.

I did it last year in July and the border from Tashanta was totally open. But make sure that you arrive in the early morning to being able to reach at least Olgüi.

What do you mean with "totally open" ???

The border ist open from 9-6pm and has 1 hour break at lunchtime.
It is closed on sunday,
And Naadam.

Hello Jean Michel,

Je pars pour la Mongolie également cet été 2018. Je serais avec une 650 GS Dakar. On s'y croisera peut être !
Bonne préparation

Christelle

Hallo.

Da es ein internationales Englischsprachiges Forum ist wäre es total nett wenn man das auch so machen kann das es jeder versteht.

Sonst schreibe ich in Zukunft auch nur mehr in Deutsch.

Danke.

Hi Christelle !
@ klausmong1 - She said that she will be going to Mongolia too this summer, and that we may perhaps meet there !
@Christelle - Yes with pleasure ! When do you plan to be in UB ? probably on the 21st of 22nd of July myself, leaving to north-east after. Let me know !
:)

Shipping from Japan to Europe
 

I continue my preparation, and i am now searching the best - safe and cheep - way to ship my bike from Japan to Europe, mid August.
Thanks to Chris of Japan, I get in touch with interfracht in the past days. I also contacted James Cargo through their website. Interfracht first didn't want to take my request into account, but finally after a couple of emails, they told me that they will provide me with a quotation tomorrow.
In addition, I would be very grateful if any one here that succeeded in making it happen from Japan to Europe could share his experience and feedback. What about Roro, or more classic cargo ? If it is Roro, is your presence mandatory for departure of the bike ? And at destination ? Which cost in Roro vs Cradle ?
Thanks so much !

By the way, I will be going my 4th time to Mongolia in 2018.

And I think I will arrive in Mid of july there.
So maybe we meet there. :thumbup1:

Excellent ! Would be great yep ! Let me know about your timing, who knows !
I will be a little bit in a rush, as you understood, because of my global timing. Nevertheless, I'll stay in Mongolia for 4 or 5 days, moving from UB to Ereentsav.

Hi,
I've been told that maybe there was a need of specific permit to enter the border region toward Ereentsav.... Never heard about it before. Does someone knows about it ?
Thanks !

Hi from Ulan Baator !
 

Hello all,
Just a quick post from UB to say hello first, and overall to say thanks to all of you here who have contributed to make this dream becoming reality !
I'm on my way to Japan, after already 10 000 Kms achieved from home in a couple of week ! Everything is great so far, and my KTM is doing like a charm ! :)

You can follow more on my facebook page "On the road to Baïkal, Mongolia, and Mount Fuji"
here : www.facebook.com/JMPILLE2018

https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/yifj0913.jpg


Thanks again !
:):):)

Which place are you staying right now?

Hi klausmong1 :) I just arrived in Chinggis (Ondorkhaan) where I will stay this night ! The road between UB and here is super good ! Very surprising ! To be more precise : I would say 20 to 30 kms not so good leaving UB (between 30 and 50 Km/h), then absolutely good (100 Km/h most of the time !)

Second thing is that visa is working now in the fuel stations - that's great !
You fing 92, but in some cass 95. Price is around 70 cts €.

Here we are ! :)

I am here and around UB sinca a week :D

Aaaaarghhhh we could have met there !!!!!! I arrived 2 days ago and left this morning !!! So sad !!! I should have posted before !!!
But it has been a rush for the last 6 months because of my job and also for the preparation of this trip of course.
How long do you stay there ?
I'm really disapointed :( I would really have enjoyed to meet you there !

Next time maybe ! I thin I will come back, it's absolutely super interesting to discover Mongolia - my first time there, and only for a few days, but I would like now to discover more, and more inside :)
Hope you will have a nice stay, and that we will have an other opportunity !
Thanks again for your help and answers in preparing my trip !
:)))

Helllllloooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!
From Vladivostok !!!!!!
:) :) :)
Yet 14 575 Kms, 26 days, 168 hours on the bike, 2 fall…. and i'm there !
Arriving in Vladivostok was…. wahouuuu ! What a sensation !
:)
Let's share some photos of my trip :)

Moscou - thanks to the policemen, I've been able to enter just the place before the red square :) :) !
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_110.jpg

THE Baikal ! Mythic !!!
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_210.jpg

https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_310.jpg


The KTM dealer of Krasnoïarsk - Soooo kind and cooool ! I just made a stop to say hell to him - he was the last KTM guy before Ulan Bator (by the way, I was wrong as there is now a KTM dealer in UB - Storm Motor ; I visit them too - super cool)
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_3_10.jpg


La Mongolie ! Ulan Bator, an other mythic place ! With amazing landscapes, fantastic people, and some difficulties in mud… :)
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_410.jpg

https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_510.jpg

Met the GS trophy guys - Good time with them :) !
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_5_13.jpg

Fantastic landscapes
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_610.jpg

Exceptional people - so simple and helpful !
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_710.jpg


All is OK !!! :)
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_5_11.jpg

The Trans-Siberian ! Between Khabarovsk et Vladivostok :) :)
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_810.jpg


AND VLADIVOSTOK !!!!!!! Yesterday !!!! :)))))))))))))))))
https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_1110.jpg

https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_1010.jpg

https://i90.servimg.com/u/f90/16/54/10/86/img_910.jpg


And more to come !!!!Ferry departure to Korea, and Japan !!!!
More on www.facebook.com/JMPILLE2018 :) :) :)
Cheers !

That's amazing! I can't wait to fo back and really explore Mongolia ! That's a really fast pace, by the way!
Take care and enjoy!