A passage to India- Help and Advice sought

[smudger397]

Hi All,
Been a long time since I used this site (2015 - Moroccan Adventure!) Now looking at going further afield to India, circumnavigate, then return to the UK taking 6 months off work. Firstly is this doable and secondly any suggested routes would be appreciated? Thinking of leaving in April/may returning in Sept/Oct next year Dave

[iainm532]

Hi
I am planning a similar journey on a leg of my next adventure. Was hoping to go through Iran and pakistan but it seems that UK citizens need a guide in Iran which is going to be far too expensive as a solo rider so looking at other options now such as sea freight from Egypt or air freight from turkey but still in the early stages of planning.

Have you decided on a route? I work offshore on a rotation so will be travelling for a few weeks, working for a few weeks, travelling a few more weeks etc. Would be very interested to hear what your plans are. Maybe we will cross paths at some point.

Iain

[mark manley]

Dave and Iain,
This trip is entirely possible with two routes one through Central Asia, cutting a corner of China which requires a guide and over the Kharacorum highway into Pakistan, the northern part of which is safer than the south and doesn't require an escort.
The alternative is the old route through Iran to Pakistan is also possible but as been said Brits require a guide and you will be given a military escort through southern Pakistan which can seem restrictive. Getting a Pakistan visa can be a bit of a palaver and requires a letter of introduction.
The best time to make this trip is leaving in the autumn, the start of September is ideal and arrive in India around November after the monsoon, travelling out in the summer can be very hot and apart from the far north India will be in the monsoon.
Doing it in stages could be problematic as you will not be allowed to leave some of these countries without your bike which will be written into your passport, Nepal is the most flexible in this as they don't but keep quiet about any intentions of leaving the bike there.

[eurasiaoverland]

Originally Posted by mark manley

Dave and Iain,
This trip is entirely possible with two routes one through Central Asia, cutting a corner of China which requires a guide and over the Kharacorum highway into Pakistan, the northern part of which is safer than the south and doesn't require an escort.
The alternative is the old route through Iran to Pakistan is also possible but as been said Brits require a guide and you will be given a military escort through southern Pakistan which can seem restrictive. Getting a Pakistan visa can be a bit of a palaver and requires a letter of introduction.
The best time to make this trip is leaving in the autumn, the start of September is ideal and arrive in India around November after the monsoon, travelling out in the summer can be very hot and apart from the far north India will be in the monsoon.
Doing it in stages could be problematic as you will not be allowed to leave some of these countries without your bike which will be written into your passport, Nepal is the most flexible in this as they don't but keep quiet about any intentions of leaving the bike there.

A few points I would like to add / clarify:

- It seems at present that those travelling on a UK passport in Iran are not permitted to drive their own vehicles, even when travelling with a mandatory guide. This is a change in the rules which came in mid 2018 and has been confirmed by several people who have contacted Iranian travel agents (whom you must use in order to get an invitation which is necessary to get a visa). It has also been confirmed to me by a friend who arranges Iranian tourist visas for travellers.

- The notion that countries mark your vehicle in your passport is not really correct. The only country on your route which to my knowledge marks your vehicle in your passport is Turkey. In Turkey you can leave a vehicle and fly out with a free customs slip. Georgia seems to be easy too. Armenia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are in one customs union and are good places to leave a car, as long as the validity of your TIP (usually as long as your Russian visa, or 90-180 days if entering the union via one of the other countries) is not exceeded. Iran and India are also possible, so long as your carnet remains valid. I think the same for Pakistan too. The only countries in which I would say it would be very difficult or impossible to leave your vehicle in are Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and China.

- If you are planning to enter Pakistan via the Karakorum Highway, you want to leave it no later than mid October to be sure the Khunjerab Pass will be open. It is frequently open well into November, but it would be wise not to make assumptions based on that.

- Safety in Pakistan is not a simple North-South divide, far from it in fact. Generally the regions along the Afghan border are less secure. The south, Sindh, around Karachi is perfectly safe (I used to live in Hyderabad) and a wonderful, overlooked area. Balochistan is rather wild and has some security issues at times (often over-hyped) but my experiences there are of nothing but magnificent scenery and very welcoming people.

EO