Another Jaunt

[Keith Clements]

Ok so we have Denmark next year and Spain in 2021 but how about Istanbul and back for 2022?
Here is the trip out hitting 13 countries but missing some capitals 4148 km. We could easily add Vienna, Austria with only a slight detour.

and then back on this route passing through another 15 different countries 5285 km.

The route could be shortened to just touch 12 additional countries and miss out Italy . 3773 km return. Luxembourg could be added if we really wanted to with just a small detour. We miss out seeing our friends in Liechtenstein and Switzerland!

This adjustment to take in the old YugoSlav countries reduces distance and goes through a few National parks (Return 3701km).

[Keith Clements]

The last overland

I got as far as Tashkent and then onto the Chinese border....

https://caravanistan.com/border-crossin ... gart-pass/

https://caravanistan.com/border-crossin ... htam-pass/

Immediately contact this company and see what they can do for you and how long it will take to arrange:

www.navo-tour.com/en/itineraries/driving/

China requires a bunch of advance set-up documentation and cash to do this. A pre-set itinerary and guide to accompany you is required, a temporary Chinese drivers license is required. As is a Customs Bond which is refunded when you take the car out of China (China does not recognize the International Carnet de Passage). The agent will take care of all the details but it does take some lead time--typically 3-4 months but for a shorter, straightforward trip, it might be able to get processed faster. If you don't already have a Chinese visa, it will be difficult to get on your own anywhere in Central Asia, but my guess is that the tour company will be able to provide a special letter/invitation to make it possible.

The shorter the period of time you are in China, the less cost it will be. The shortest route for what you are describing would be from Kyrgystan border via Kashgar, China and up the Karakoram Highway (KKH) into Pakistan. Theoretically, this can be done in 3 days: One to cross border and get to Kashgar. One to get from Kashgar to Tashkorgan, China on the KKH. The third to go through China Exit Immigration/Customs at Tashkorgan and then drive the 1.5 hours to the Khunjerab Pass and the border. The Khunjerab Pass is not reliably open until early May due to weather, so you have to get your timing right.

If you choose to enter China at one of the border crossings with Kazakhstan, it will take a few extra days and it's long driving, so it will be more costly.

I do not fancy Pakistan so might try to go via Tibet/Nepal/India...Then onto Singapore

[Srenner]

Looks like about 6 weeks on the road. Personally, I'm a bit leery of passing through any country with a STAN!

[Keith Clements]

So that means going through Russia it might be possible if you were Irish....
The route through Russia to Tashkent and Chinese border is 6800km
This shows it can be done through China and Russia . About £20000 per person but look at the exclusions!
One way to do this and not visit Iran is to take the unreliable ferry across the Caspian. and then back through Turkey

One guy flew his car from Bombay to Munich to do the trip costing £10000.

I have just had a quote of £660 including fees for shipping the Jupiter to Singapore...transit 42 days 2 vessels per month. Classic cars seem to be exempt from a lot of the restrictions on modern cars in Singapore.

Or just go by train and boat!
Or go on this tour but the webpage gives some good pointers as to what to do .

The route down to SE asia can be simplified using this route from the Kyrgyzstan to Laos along dual carriageways. China seems to have motorways virtually everywhere now and this route avoids Tibet and the Himalaya crossing. Much simpler for visas but you need a guide all the way through China at great expense.

[Keith Clements]

The Istanbul jaunt adds to Josephine's tally of countries visited --another 8 countries on the way out and another 8 on the way back. This would take her total countries visited to 43. Now if we did the Singapore trip.....

[Keith Clements]

Last year I reconnoitered, or at least experienced, the road up to the Chinese border. I stayed in the Fort Resort looking up to Mt Everest and this is 91k from the border. Would a Jowett make it? We may never know.

The satellite view shows the hotel on the left and Mt Everest to the right. I flew over and nearly into Everest a couple of days before.

The story is told here. You need to go to the end of the second part to see the road. Here is a taste.

The roads are being improved rapidly. I would not be surprised if there was a fully metalled dual track road all the way in a couple of years. However, earthquakes and monsoons can damage them in places. Traffic too will increase as Nepal opens up and becomes more Chinese. The link shows the traffic queue at the Kodari border. This link show the metalled road on the Chinese side.

[Keith Clements]

Probably the biggest challenge of this challenging route is the National highway 219 which is the road we would use to go from Nepal to the crossing into Kyrgyzstan. The link shows the challenge of travelling over one of the highest roads in the world for 2000km. I suspect some oxygen bottles would be required!

I find it amazing that you can virtually travel this route on Google Maps and choose your accommodation and restaurants.

For instance this Automobile Repair Shop in the middle of nowhere

[Keith Clements]

This is how I should be going to the RWC.

https://swinglowsweetchariot.blog/

of course in a Jowett....

[Srenner]

Better hop in the car right now!