Pakistan to Tajikistan: Options?
 

Hello,

I am planning to get an Enfield in Nepal and drive it back to Europe overland. Instead of the conventional route (India-Pakistan-Iran, etc.) I would follow India and Pakistan and from there I would like to visit Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. To go from Pakistan to Tajikistan seems I have the following options:

1- Via China and Kyrgyzstan. I have been quoted USD 2000 for the guides and paper work (the price of the motorbike), which is unaffordable for me. Anybody has got cheaper quotation to do the KKH - Irkeshtram route? I want to do that in the minimum time, I was in the region last year.

2- Via Afghanistan. Is still the Kybher Pass closed for foreigners? How relatively safe is the Peshawar - Kyhber - Jalalabad - Kabul - Mazar-e Sharif road? Is it doable?

3- Fly the motorbike from Islamabad to Dushanbe. Any idea of how much would it cost?

Thanks for any information

Am planning..ind..nep..chin..russia..safest combo

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The option 2 is interesting for me also. I`m keeping up the question.

Ok ill try and help with my limited knowledge, im half way through riding from Nepal to Europe myself.

Ok, in Pakistan you can only take the Sost border (china), the border to Iran (cant remember its name) or the famous border with India near Amritsa (the name escapes my tired mind). Wagur Maybe?

So entering Tajikistan or Afghanistan from Pakistan isn't an option for a foreigner. Neither can you take the border from China to Tajik, its for trucks only basically.

KKH-Kashgar (china)-Tourgat pass into Kyrgyzstan is not only your best option because you can ride into Tajik and do the Pamir and from there visit Afghan (the Waglin Corridor maybe?) but also because riding the KKH ****ing rocks. It just does.

The cost sucks but if you find a group you can get the cost down to about 1100 USD. And as a small conciliation, this also includes nice hotels.


As for shipping, maybe 1000 USD? but you will miss the KKH, Kyrgyzstan, and the Pamir highway, which have been the three highlights of my trip. Dont do it. You'll kick yourself. Look at the photos passingtimewithpenny.tumblr.com if you need any more proof!


Please excuse the terrible spelling, im knackered, and looking for new sprockets! Email me if you want better, more coherent information.

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb...urces/1039.pdf

Thanks. I have ruled out the Afghanistan option. Nangarhar is one of the most dangerous provinces and my goal in Afghanistan was to visit the Wakhan Corridor. The road going from Kabul/Mazar-e Sharif to Eshkashem go through no-go areas. So assuming that I went through the Kyber I would have to get into Uzbekistan and then Tajikistan to reach the Wakhan, and of course pay a double entry visa and the vehicle permit twice. Too much hassle, it is easier to go through KKH/China/Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan.

Aditya, your option seems interesting, but for me it is unaffordable. Every day in China with a private vehicle is a fortune, so I will try to minimize may stay there. Nepal to Kyrgyzstan via Tibet is at least 3 weeks, so it is not an option.

Ben,

thanks for the information/suggestion. I think we will take the KKH... That´s was initially my last option because last year I was in Kyrgyzstan and Kashgar area, so I wanted to avoid repeating the Irkeshtram or Torugart again... Great places both, but both a pain in the ass. Flying to Dushanbe/Bishkek/Tashkent is ruled out because it breaks my route and the Khyber too for security reasons. So will go to Tajikistan via China/Kyrgyzstan.

However, security along the KKH Pakistani side is not guaranteed too... Last week the police commanders investigating the killing of the tourists in Nanga Parbat were also killed in Chilas... Do you experienced any problem along the KKH?

BTW, saw your pictures and are great! Looking forward to being there.

Have safe travels! :)

Hmmmm....great...lets keep thinking...kkh/Pakistan -you should be careful..

Aditya RTW!

BTW Pakistani side of Wakhan corridor can be reached via Mastuj (Chitral valley) or Ishkoman (West of Gilgit). It opened for the tourists after probably more than a century in early nineties. Lovely Karombar lake is the highlight of this trek able route.

It is beautiful and out of this world.

Cheers
Omar

thank you very much for the information. It must be a beautiful area. Chitral is in my plans indeed. But the last I heard is that the only option to reach it is by plane... Have you been to Chitral/West Giglit lately? Any update on the security situation?

Thanks!

Hi,

Who did you get your quote from, the ones I have got have been higher... I was also quoted extra for a car and driver for the guide as they could not ride on the bike.

Thanks

Kim,

I got the quote from John Cafe. His english is really bad and rather difficult to understand, but reading the email again I think he is quoting USD2000 for the paperwork plus USD400 for the guide/car to Irkeshtram... USD2400 in total, but again based on the email is not clear.

You can reach him in the following email:

info@johncafe.net

These guys, got a quote with another agency that seems more serious, though. At least they itemize costs. Take a look.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-augost-69186

Good luck!

OK, first the Afghan route is out, as the Khyber pass has been closed to foreigners for a few years now ( I tried to sneak through last year and was held by the Pakistan army just outside Peshawar on the rd to Torkham). Secondly you can reach Chitral from Gilgit over the Shandur pass, beautiful run, I did this on A 350cc bullet, 2 up, and you can then follow the Afghan border down to Peshawar through the Lowrie tunnel and Dir.
Taking the China route is expensive and needs to be organised well in advance, also you have no room for error, if your not there when you should be, tough !
The sensible (?) option, is crossing into Iran at Taftan, but the situation around Quetta doesn't look good right now!
UB.

Hmmm difficult choices..

Aditya RTW!

On a bullet 350..nice..I do a 500..how did she perform?

Aditya RTW!

I finally have a quote to bike in from zhangmu for a 29 day stay in china at us$ 18000/ for a group. This is planned for apr/may 2014..hell of a lot of money...

Aditya RTW!

It was the machismo 350cc, higher comp. at approx 18bhp (apros 14bhp standard 350cc), elec ignition, 5 speed box and front disc. Made 14000 klms and she never missed a beat. I did have to change the clutch, complete rear brake assembly, front pads and clutch cable ( twice) but hey, 14k, klms on a bullet, thats not bad ! And I have to say, regardless of what anybody else tells you, that the 5 speed box is a huge improvement on the old 4 speed.beer
UB.