Kyrgyzstan to Aktau
 

Any reccomendations on specific roads to take? The main route through Kazahstan and the main road through Uzbek I guess are tarmac. Anyone have up to date info?

Id prefer mainly gravel / even some off road.

The Pamir Highway should tickle your fancy and thence up through the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan, onward to Aktau.

I am actually doing the Pamiir in 10 days time. Then returning to Kashgar in 2 months to rie back to UK. I am trying to research the current road conditions through Uzbek and Kazak. Are the 2 main routes thrugh now tarmac? Loose gravel??

In 2013 it was 95% tarmac, but a lot of constructions with gravel and sandy detours.

hi , in 2013 too , this the road that you can use. becarefull for benzine in ouzbeckistan. Tank full at beyneu.

coordonate where i try benzine in 2013
Nukus direction Khojayk N4158.605E06038.171 et N 41 22 866E060 22.047 endroit improbable au milieu d'une ferme.
Khiva N41 22 866 E060 22 047 Bukkara N 4018 891 E 06314338

photo in my web site: les routes du pamir


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You don't say how long you have to do this, if time is not an issue then Kazakhstan is an off-road / gravel track paradise, just have a look on google earth and plot a route. One nice off-road route takes you from the Kokaral Dam (near Kokaral) across very barren desert south towards the Uzbekistani border, then SW to Beyneu, from where you join a main road.

Mangystau Region )of which Aktau is the capital) is an off-road paradise on a par with Mongolia, again, check Google Maps and make your own route if you like that sort of thing. I can highly recommend the off-road trip trip to the Ustyurt reserve, though you are really on your own out here and will need 400 km (off road) of fuel range and plenty of water / food.

Uzbekistan has far fewer off-rad possibilities, but I can recommend the road heading north out of Navoiy to Zerafshan and Uchquduq, then on to Khiva or Karakalpakstan. It is paved (but rough), but it is extremely remote and goes straight through the heart of the Kyzyl-Kum, far from the Amu Darya.