Kazakhstan going East
 

High is anyone else going east through Kazakhstan next week?

I leave Astrakhan tomorrow.
If border crossing OK, travel to Atyrau & Astana, then south to Kyrgyzstan.

Is road up to Aktobe passable? - on Triumph 800xc

Regards joe.

From last year
 

Yes i would say the road up to uralsk and then to Aktobe is in alot better condition (so the locals said) than the other road as i took the route you are taking last year but before Aktobe i then headed south to Oktyabrsk and Ember which was better to ride offroad in the sand rather than on the road due to the bad conditions with many many large pot holes. :funmeteryes:

All big lorries were driving in the sand on tracks they made so i just followed them, great fun but not sure how fun it would be on a big bike like yours???

I met a Spanish guy who smashed his rim on his bike that was running tubless on this stretch of road you are going to take and his plan was Mongolia but this changed his trip.

If you are good off road riding and dont mind dropping/picking your bike up a few times and have a large fuel capacity then crack that section of road, if not then take uralsk and then to Aktobe route on a better road, however i never took this route so dont really know how better it is but locals did advise this route more than the one i took:thumbup1:

Here are some photos

Sand section of the road, once you commit to riding you cant get back up to the road until you see a gap again due to the high road banks, sometimes 1-2 miles i think
http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...kxh3QJ2-XL.jpg

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...34QxzV7-XL.jpg

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...FbzPC3n-XL.jpg

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...4hNSQpV-XL.jpg

Good section of road

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...95dvFFv-XL.jpg

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...FXKxbV9-XL.jpg
http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...CB33BT5-XL.jpg


I also scattered these about on my way last year especially for you Joe, you are welcome to them if you come across them :oops2:

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...sB8c4pw-XL.jpg

Dude i met on the road who also posted on here, i met him on the good section but he decides to turn back as it was to bad for him and he smashed his rim, he advised me to ride off road as my bike is light, nice chap
http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...hhG8F2x-XL.jpg

http://wesleydrz400.smugmug.com/phot...MF2G3F4-XL.jpg

Road from Uralsk to Aktobe is 10times better than the Atyrau to Aktobe track. Tried the latter before only to turn back because the bike was taking a hammering. The other route is longer in distance but will get you there quicker. Road is mix of tarmac/track and if you need help there are plenty of people on that road.

Good luck

We travelled from Atyrau to Aktobe in May and it was rough going in our Toyota. Some of the potholes were very deep and the sandy side tracks were usually the best option. They were very dusty, the talcum powder type which gets everywhere. But after Aktobe lovely smooth tarmac.