Caucasus/Turkey 2018
 

Hi,

So I’m at an early stage of planning a 2-3 month trip in summer 2018. I’d be travelling alone with my then 5 year old daughter. We’ll go by a (yet to be bought) estate car, possibly with a roof-top tent. I’d like to hear some of your opinions about the route I have in mind:

Berlin - Istanbul:
A week or so prior to the actual trip, I’d drive the car down to Istanbul in one go (should be doable in 3 days?) and leave it there for a couple of days. Then, I’d fly back to Berlin and return with my daughter to start ‚our‘ trip. Yes, I know the Balkans is beautiful. We’ve been there last year. However, since our time will be limited, I’d really like to start in a place new to us, which is Turkey. Also, I’d like to avoid driving super long stretches with my child. What I haven’t figured out yet: Is it even legally possible to enter Turkey with a vehicle and exit without it? Also, any ideas where to store the car for a couple of days?

Turkey/Georgia/Armenia?/Azerbaijan?
This is our actual trip. As stated we’d have 2, maybe 3 months. We usually travel slow, meaning less than 100kms per day on average. Maybe this time even slower, we’ll see. I’m very very keen on seeing Georgia. I’ve heard so much good stuff about that place. Also, I can imagine it’s a great place to travel with a kid. I’d also like to see Armenia and Azerbaijan, but that will depend on the time we’ll have left. But generally speaking, I’m still very open considering our itinerary. Also, I’d like to not plan too much in advance and just see how it goes. My daughter’s a real outdoors-y kid, she loves to explore, climb, animals, etc. We’ll see how she’ll like hiking then, but I have a feeling she will love the mountains. So do you guys have any suggestions what shouldn’t be missed in the Caucaus region?

The way back:
Again, we’d leave the car somewhere in the region (this time possibly for longer, couple of weeks or even months), fly back to Germany and return at a later point to pick the car up. Where in the Caucasus region would you suggest to best store the car? Any legal considerations?

Thanks!
Johannes

Hi

As for Georgia, you can't go wrong really; just about every part of the country is lovely. Only problem will be that your estate car cannot really get to the most beautiful parts (Upper Svaneti and Tusheti), but there are plenty of other areas which are almost as nice (Racha, Khevsureti) and are more easily accessible. The southern road from Ninosminda to Manglisi is very beautiful and in good condition.

Maybe you would be interested in one of the two articles I have written about Georgia, you can see them here:

https://eurasiaoverland.com/category/georgia/

Armenia is also nice, not as spectacularly beautiful (though there are some very beautiful areas, e.g. Lake Sevan, Mount Aragats), though in my opinion a little more culturally interesting with a long history and lots of beautiful stone churches. But I guess travelling with a young child makes this less attractive. People are really lovely though.

Azerbaijan has rather few really beautiful areas (the mountains along the Russian border are nice, though not really comparable to Georgia), but the people are extremely friendly and welcoming.

Hope this gives you some ideas. With 2-3 months I definitely think you'll have time for Georgia and Armenia. You might want to think about crossing north to the Russian Caucasus which are similarly beautiful and friendly.

EO

Leaving your vehicle in Turkey, Armenia or Azerbaijan would be both complicated and expensive. Georgia is your best bet. They do not record your vehicle in your passport. I know of a few motorcycle travellers who left their bikes in Georgia for over a year without any issues.
I see no reason why it should be different with a car.

Thanks!
So Turkey does?

That sounds great! Thanks for the link, I'll read it.

Since 2015 Turkey makes a customs mark in your passport. Whether there is a way to formally leave the country temporarily without your vehicle, I don't know.

Azerbaijan usually only allows your vehicle in for 72 hours, though people have managed to negotiate longer. You maybe able to arrange to leave your car in Baku ferry dock customs yard, but I am not sure.

Armenia charges you per day that your car is in the country for various taxes, I paid around $130 I think for one month. So this could get expensive.

Georgia, as duibhceK pointed out, is the one to leave your car in. Russia gives you one year too.

EO

Hmm, so then Turkey doesn't sound ideal, indeed. I'd rather store the car in Bulgaria or Greece, then. The reason I picked Turkey is that there are super cheap flights between Berlin and Istanbul.

On the way south, I think I won't go as far as Georgia. My current plan is to dash south over a long weekend or so. And the most direct route to Georgia would involve Russian visas...

Btw, I just bought a 27 year old Volvo 740, yay! It's in really good condition and if it's anywhere close as reliable as everyone says, it should be good for the trip.

I think there is an unnecessary fear attached to Russian visas these days.

Assuming you are a German (or other Schengen area) passport holder, you can get a 30 day tourist visa very easily. You can get a dowloadable 'invitation' for less then EUR 20 immediately online, and the visa itself should cost EUR 35. If you are in Berlin then it should be easy to get to the Russian Embassy too.

So for much less than EUR 100 you open up the chance to make a circuit rather than a long, long backtracking exercise through Turkey. Given very high fuel prices in Turkey, you could even save money by doing this, if that's a really important factor.

Maybe it's an option for the way back west. But for the way out, the drive would simply be too long given the time frame I have in mind. Also, I'd love to also explore a bit of Turkey.

You can leave your car in Turkey max 24 months. It should be searched what is needed. I will try to inform you more. Recently parking lots around SAW airport in Istanbul gives good prices..2 euro per day now.

Are you sure? Would I be able to do so as a German citizen while I leave the country? What would be the procedures at the border/airport then?