Recommended routes
 

I've recenetly been trying to plan a route from the UK to Australia mostly overland. Intending to pass through the Balkans, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India. Freighting the bike past Burma to south east Asia. Then from Malaysia to Australia.

However, working from advice available on the FCO website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organi...nwealth-office), this appears to be fraught with danger. I've used my photshop skills to make up a map of FCO risk areas
http://i.imgur.com/ZxiLOyn.jpg

Is the FCO giving accurate advice for overland travellers? Are these coutries traversable? It appears that the actual experience in alot of coutries is friendly and only borders and bureaucracy are difficult. Are things expected to improve/decline over the next year?

Should have gone a few years ago when things appeared more stable, had no money back then though...

Im planning the same route and looking to go across Iran and though the Stans and back down through china to India and then to Aus from there

Leaving in August

Probably not: they, the FCO, have their own agenda when publishing their advice.
Incidentally, one major problem with the FCO advice is that some insurance policies are voided for those who travel in countries that are "listed by the FCO"; there's a Catch-22 conumdrum.

If you read through ride reports (it sounds like you have done some reading already) you will find that plenty of people have travelled your route and had no problems - sure, they have had issues at times and there have been "incidents" which get lots of press coverage.

In truth, only you know what your own attitude is to risk: those "vacationers" who were shot to death on the beach in Tunisia recently didn't perceive a risk when they booked their holiday; naturally, the FCO closed the door after that particular horse had bolted.

:welcome: to the HUBB by the way.

I rode from Europe to Oz via Iran/Pakistan, but this was 7,5 years ago – so keep in mind, I don´t have up-to-date information.

But it seems to me, that in the past few years, things have really gone bad in parts of Middle East (particularly Syria) and some parts of western and northern Africa.

And the route via Turkey-Iran-Pakistan, there were, and there still are somewhat ´dodgy´ areas in both southeast Iran and western Pakistan (Balochistan - that area should probably be marked on your map). Even during my trip there were those areas. MAYBE the overall situation there, especially in Balochistan, has actually gone a bit worse since late 2007, but the reality still is, that it is one of the two realistic overland options, that exist between Europe and India (the other being via the Stans and China to north Pakistan, and China, while not impossible, is a major obstacle). And travellers have gone through there all the time, and very few have had any problems, that relate to security. But as always, you will need to do your own research, be aware of the latest developments, and then decide for yourself.

BTW, Burma may be problematic, BUT it seems to be much more do-able now, than during the time I did this trip. In fact it would be my #1 option now, in order to get across the Bay of Bengal. Remember shipping is always some sort of PITA, even when things go to the plan. If they don´t, it can be a nightmare, especially in a place like India.

One of my mates sets off in a couple of weeks


UK
France
Germany
Austria
Hungary
Romania
Bulgaria
Turkey
Georgia
Russia
Kazakstan
Uzbekistan
Kzyrgystan
China
Laos
Thailand


Is that any help ?