Kazakhstan Routes
 

I'm entering KAZ from Georgia/Russia in a week or two, heading east. Not really sure what route to take, and what's the most SW point I can enter? I've been talking to a Serb guy who entered KAZ in 2010, admittedly from Ukraine direction but he had to go a LONG way north, Koshkin I think. The roads were so flat and boring that they came back out into Russia!

So any suggestions on routes and things I should see very welcome! I'm not looking for extreme routes, I'm solo on a big bike.But I don't want boring and/or tarmac all the way either!

I'd quite like to try a bit of Kyrgyzstan....

Cheers

Better to ride up to Uzbekstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgzstan, Kazakstan.

Astrakhan-Atyrau-Kulsary-Beyneu-Nukus-Urganch-Buxara-Samarqand-If You Like Pamir-Osh-IssykKul-Almaty ......

So you don't feel bored that much...

Thanks. I'm already on the road, as a UK citizen, and don't think I can get visas en-route for UZB or TAJ.

Correct me if I'm wrong!

What to see in Kaz?

Charyn canyon, Burabay national park, Astana is nice, Almaty as well.

If you can not go to Uzb to see Samarqand, go to Turkestan. Not quite as impressive as Samarqand, but nice.

Someone might see a problem in the fact that those places are thousands of kms apart, but I just enjoyed riding for hours without feeling that I have moved a bit. Gets me in a sort of a meditative mood...

We picked up visas for UZB in Warsaw on the way through, so very possible. Speak to Dave at Stantours for letter of invitation etc. Don't know about TAJ

Thanks guys :-) I'm in Bulgaria at present, Turkey next, probably by tonight. So I think my chance to get a UZB visa in an embassy may be limited. I don't want to hang around as aiming to reach Magadan by the end of August.

I wonder if anyone has managed one at the KAZ/UZB border? In my experience sometimes the rules on the ground aren't the same as what we're told back home.

I know what you mean about those remote rides, I really enjoyed the Atlantic route through Western Sahara years ago, despite many saying it was dull as dishwater! And a few others have always been real thrills; Dalton and Dempster, and nearing Nordkapp. I just get sad that my tyres are squaring off!

I don't know if they can help end route but the visa machine sorted out my kaz Visa before I keft. Might be worth contacting then for advice?

I'm currently in Turkey as well.. heading toward Georgia

Off to the UZB embassy in Ankara in the morning to see what I can sort out. Can't hang around though - next day max I think

Hello IanC and Mark

I'm currently in Ankara.
Pickup my visa for UZB. Process took 10 days (I applied in Istanbul)

Plan to do pretty the same route as you, and wondering about Georgia.

Damien

Hello Damien

I'm also in Ankara, having been to the UZB embassy earlier. He told me if I go there tomorrow 10:00am I could collect the visa from there next Tues, or on the road in Almaty, Baku, or Moscow. None of which is any good to me! He didn't seem to understand why getting a visa in Almaty was no use. Anyway probably not his fault, mine for not speaking the language I guess.

Whereabouts are you? You got time to meet up? I'm less than 1k from the embassy in a hotel.

Sorry I've only just read this post. We probably have the same issues to consider. Though I won't be going to UZB!

I'm in Georgia at the mo. . In a hotel in Tblisi . . Have to wait here until my Azerbaijan visa starts on Friday 3rd.

I like Georgia very much, great countryside . .lush green hills on the coast temp in the 20s . . Then open (farmed) plains as you get to Tblisi. . Temp in the 40s yesterday though. People very friendly. . Cars trucks pedestrians all waving as you pass. .

Lots of cops around tho in impressive Ford police specials


Border crossing was easy with no visa requirements for me.

So what are the roads like in Kazakhstan, if I keep fairly southern parallel with the UZB border, heading towards Turkestan?

I will have fairly (75%) worn K60/E-07 tyres when I reach Astrakhan, and trying to decide if to fit a new set of TKC's there, or try to arrange further towards Almaty. I want the TKC's if there's much sand or mud, but not for long straight tarmac, that's very distressing!!

In 2013 the road from Astrakhan to Atyrau was very poor asphalt, long streches of potholes. From Atyrau to Uralsk the road was excellent, freshly paved.

In 2014 we crossed Kazakhstan from southeast to the north. Main roads are generally acceptable. You will find parts not worse than any European road, and parts that are quite bad. Occasional sections of roadworks might put you on unpaved bit for a while, but I see no need for TKCs. We did it 2-up on a road bike with 120/180 road tires. If you wish to see places like Charyn Canyon (which I would reccomend) than you will have to take a few dozens of unpaved kms.

However, I would not ride in those countries on 75% used tires, as the most common question from local folks regarding the bike was how would I fix a flat tire.

We did not go the way you're planning, but from what I heard from other travellers, last summer there was a stretch of 150-200 kms of roadworks south of Baykonur which was tricky when wet, but I suppose that it might have been finished during the last twelve months.

Shymkent-Taraz-Almaty-Chinese border was (quite) good. Almaty-Astana good to so-so. From Astana towards Kokshetau there is a proper highway for 200 kms, than 150 kms of very good road which ended abruptly 100 kms before Petropavlovsk. The road from Almaty to Troitsk in Russia is good. For Kazakhstan standards ;-)

Thanks! I reckon my tyres will make it to Almaty in that case, get fresh for the rougher stuff

Yesterday, leaving Atyrau was good paved, but not for long. A good percentage to Kandyagash had no tarmac left, and wasn't graded, just broken up road.

Has the tarmac disintegrated in two years, or have I gone the wrong way?!

The "main" route from Russia to Turkestan and Dzhambul goes from Samara in Russia to Uralsk (Oral), Aktyubinsk (Aktobe), Aralsk (Aral), Turkestan and Dzhambul.

From Atyrau to Aktobe is a bit of a crap track - not the main route. You didnt enter KZ on the road at Uralsk (mentioned by Fahrer), you entered near Astrakhan on the Astrakhan - Atyrau road.

I wouldn't disagree with that!

Apologies to yourself and fahrer1, I need to get some glasses....

I now realise how I misunderstood. I was confusing Uralsk with Aralsk.