Central Asia itinerary - need some advice/inspiration please!
 

Hi folks.

I am looking for some advice for a trip to Central Asia next year (starting around June). The initial plan was to ship my motorbike to Mongolia and ride all the way back to Europe, but given that I’ve only got 8-10 weeks I’ve come to the conclusion that a shorter itinerary might be better. So now I am considering the following options
1) sending the bike to Tajikistan or Kyrgyzstan and ride to Mongolia from there (or vice-versa?)
2) do some kind of loop around the Caspian see, though I am not sure whether that’d be possible time and visa-wise. In this case I’d love to spend some time in Iran
3) take it slow, avoid border crossings as much as possible and maybe only focus on Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Any recommendation / advice from someone with experience with these routes would be very welcome!

Cheers!
Andrea

p.s. I'm assuming that shipping my motorbike is my best option for a trip like this but I'd be happy to hear if someone thinks otherwise..

First thought, why not spend 8 - 10 weeks in Mongolia with a trip to either the Baikal region or the Altai / Tuva region in Siberia? Mongolia is a large, fascinating and diverse country, in 8 weeks you can either explore part of the country in detail, or make a quick tour of most parts. Going into adjacent parts of Siberia will give a nice comparison. Altai and Tuva are stunningly scenic, and Tuva makes a nice comparison with Mongolia. Alternatively, Lake Baikal and some of the adjacent valleys are a nice glimpse of eastern Siberia.

Option 1) still sounds a bit rushed. In my opinion it's not worth spending, for example two weeks rapidly crossing Mongolia on one of the roads which cross the country. I would aim to cover less distance and see more in my time (if it were my first visit).

Option 2) could work. Dagestan, the part of Russia adjacent to Azerbaijan on the shore of the Caspian is a fascinating region, one of the highlights of the country in my opinion. North of here, the northern area of the Caspian between Astrakhan and Atyrau is very bleak and uninteresting, but on the east coast, in Kazakhstan, is the beautiful region of Mangystau with great off-road desert driving opportunities, interesting shrines and stunning landscapes.

Across the border in Turkmenistan is much of the same, the climate is very arid but the landscapes of Yangykala are unforgettable. Also, there is the ruined Persian city of Dekhistan in the Misrian Oasis which you can find out in the desert, totally abandoned. Note that it's illegal to explore the country off main roads on a transit visa, and you might have trouble getting a visa in the first place.

Then Iran, where the Caspian coast becomes green and highly cultivated, an anomaly in this high, dry country with rice paddies, tea plantations and lush forest, something between temperate and sub-tropical. There are loads of roads heading up into the Alborz mountain with beautiful views and thick, primary forest.

Azerbaijan would complete the circle, there are a few things to see there but in my opinion not on the same scale of interest as the other countries around the Caspian. I wasn't a big fan of Baku, but the Absheron peninsula has some interesting, if rather bleak sights. The Caucasus north of here are nice, with a few traditional stone villages, but there are far more to see in Dagestan.

Option 3) also sounds good, with 8 - 10 weeks you could make a decent tour of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and some parts of Uzbekistan.

Having done all three trips, I would still recommend you focus your time on Mongolia. The country has a nomadic culture which has been wiped out in neighbouring countries and is a joy to discover. Sadly, the nomadic way of life is rapidly declining due to urbanisation and climate change (snowier winters which kill herders' livestock). Go now while you can still see it.

My website (link below) has pictures and description of all areas described, if you are interested to see more.

Whatever you chose, I hope covid will not kill your trip.

EO

Thank you very much for the response!

Mongolia-only would also be a great option, though I heard that shipping to/from there can be a bit of a pain and I'm wary of delays at arrival given the limited time I have. The posts I read were quite old though so this may well no longer be the case. Interesting what you say about Mongolia as I often hear that Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan end up being the main highlights of many similar trips. Mmh this is gonna be a difficult decision! Good problems to have I guess :clap:

If you ship to Mongolia you will also need a Russian visa, since it's hard work to try going through China. You'd be better off shipping your bike to somewhere like Almaty, which has an excellent infrastructure, and riding back from there. Your timescale would suit that sort of journey length as well.

Tomkat so you are suggesting skipping Mongolia and ride back to Europe from Kazakhstan, correct?


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The drive from Kazakhstan back to Europe is thousands of kilometres of predominantly flat, if quite pleasant steppe (aside from the ever-present mosquitos). But there is nothing to compare to the mountains of Central Asia or the endless landscapes of Mongolia. If you rode all day, every day you might do it in 10 days or so, but it would be pretty grueling. It might not be much longer than dealing with customs / crating of a bike, but I would not base the trip around riding from Kazakhstan (or Mongolia) to Europe if you want to see some memorable scenery.

Yup I think I’m narrowing down to option 3 above or Mongolia only if I can find some good and up to date info around shipping. Anyone with recent experience shipping their bike to / from Mongolia around here?


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Or maybe shipping to Almaty as suggested and do a loop from there!


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Given that you've got limited amount of team which means you're unlikely to be see much stuff en route, I think it comes down, to some extent, whether you want to 'achieve' something by driving there from Europe.

If I were in your boots I'd freight there and back, but also don't forget the huge scale of the place when you get there; it's probably better to focus on one or two countries or areas.

E.G. I passed through the Pamir Highway for a week six years back and it was no way near enough. Even two weeks wouldn't be enough. Maybe 3 to 4 weeks. If/when I make it back to that part of the world, I'll be concentrating on a few areas perhaps with a liason or two between, rather than just trying to dash through everything.

Hope that helps.

Ed

+1 EurasiaOverland. I recommend Mongolia only.

I also recommend flying into UB (visa on arrival, no orher visas required) and then renting (Oasis Guesthouse) or buying straight up a local chinese bike.

A new bike would be cheaper than the cost of shipping one-way for your bike. Yes yes It's not your ride, but if it breaks 1)who cares and 2)local technology and parts will resolve any and all issues.

There are a few RR on the HUBB for riders who bought and road local bikes in Mongolia.

FYI
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...-2021-a-101879

Thank-you all for your comments!

@edwardbgill I see what you mean, and initially I think I was a bit stuck in the 'achieving' mindset. But I did a few trips in the past which I felt were rushed and don't want that to happen this time, as much as possible...

@monnomania I was under the impression that buying in Mongolia was gonna be super complicated, but if you say that may not be the case I'll definitely investigate that option. Getting a local bike and avoid the hassle / costs of shipping would be my preference too!