Motivation
Now the time has come: I got the permission for a 4-month break (Sabbatical) in 2020 at work. Now finally the organization of the next big journey can begin!
What do I intend to do?
After having found a taste for longer tours with my new travel motorcycle (BMW R1200 GS Adventure) (see Nordkap Tour 2017), I wanted to make another longer tour. At work there is the possibility to convert salary to vacation. I have diligently saved, and can now go on vacation for a long time. From the project work fits it also reasonably, so that I want to drive away in 2020 for 4 months.
I had read a lot about world travel, longer tours and lectures the last year. In 4 months you can even make a trip around the world with a motorcycle, an absolutely authentic lecture of a world traveler from my area (Gerhard Spiegler: circumnavigation of the world ) showed me that. The most famous motorcycle tour around the world took 106 days: "Long way round" with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, a classic for motorcyclists.
However, in this short time you have to "rush around the world" rather than truly experiencing the world. And the whole organization to have the bike transported between continents also scared me off (apart from the costs). Why not make a long journey without shipping?
After much reading, the decision was clear: My destination is Mongolia! The country has always fascinated me, the vastness of the country, the opposites of mountains, plateaus, deserts, the still existing nomadic culture, and also something the challenge when riding a motorcycle.
And how to get there? Some drive the way through Ukraine, Kazakhstan. But because of the war-like conditions in Eastern Ukraine, I excluded him from the Crimean conflict. In addition, the journey through Kazakhstan is "long and boring", you just have to watch the movie "Long Way Round".
It was soon clear from travelogues: I would like to follow the paths of the old Silk Road. There are many interesting countries and people, a lot of old culture, and also with the motorbike technology with the most beautiful, even the most challenging roads in the world.
The planned tour
Europe
I want start on 01. May 2020 from home. I am planning to travel to Eastern Europe via Turkey, to visit the Black Sea.
The plan is to travel to Asia via these countries:
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Romania
- Bulgaria
- Turkey
I want to stay in Istanbul for at least one day, but then continue on to Anatolia.
The Front Orient
Through Turkey I would like to travel through Iran and the so-called STAN states.
- Turkey
- Iran
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Tajikistan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Kazakhstan
It is unclear whether this will work out all right: for Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan you need visas, which are more likely to be awarded randomly for Turkmenistan. Unfortunately, one does not know how the situation in Iran will develop politically in 2019/2020. If there is a problem, an alternative route would be around or across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan.
In Iran, I am especially looking forward to the people. All travelers through Iran loved the friendliness and helpfulness of the people there.
Through Tadzhikistan we travel via the Pamir Highway to Kyrgyzstan. The Pamir Highway is a challenge of its own, to travel through a visa. The highest point on the pass is 4,655 meters before you get into the beautiful Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolia
In Mongolia I plan to enter via the West, through the Altai Mountains in Russia (one of the highlights of all travelers). In the west of Mongolia lies the Altai high mountains with peaks up to 4,500 m. Through Central Mongolia and Uliastei I want to travel through the plateaus to the capital Ulanbataar.
I plan to be in Mongolia at the latest for the National Festival (the Naadam Festival between July 10-13).
In Mongolia, there are still few paved roads, the off-road share will certainly be very high.
Overview
The planned tour you can see here:
Or you can take a closer look at Google Maps.
I have roughly ruled that the 4 months should be enough. But I'm completely open as I come back home. If I have enough time (and still desire?) I drive over Lake Baikal, Russia and the Baltic States / Poland home.
However, if the time runs out due to problems with the motorcycle or other unpredictable events, I will return the bike by cargo (truck, train, plane) and then fly home from Ulanbataar.
The whole is a plan. But I expect that the plan will change on the way. But that also makes the attraction of such a long journey.
And how does it continue?
I will now start the preparation of such a long tour: it is bs 01.0 May 2020 also only 9 months left.
- Organizational information (identity cards, visas, insurance etc.)
- Infrastructure (blog, cameras, trackers)
- Prepare motorcycle (equipment, spare tires, repairs, spare parts)
- Preparing drivers (off-road training, working on fitness)
I will blog here about the further preparations: who cares: Stay tuned
References
-
Gerhard Spiegler (Ulm/Hörvelsingen)
- Blog: https://weltumrundung-motorrad.de/Meine-Reisen/Weltumrundung/
- I was with friends on his talk about the circumnavigation of the world and his tour of China: a totally authentic talk that really inspired me
- Interesting especially the way through Russia to Magadan, and its transport of the motorcycle to Canada explained by pictures
-
Long Way Round, Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman
-
Kinga Tanajewska: On Her Bike
- Blog: http://onherbike.com/
- YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwn9AheYpfc4F62EZKsOEhw
- Kinga is on world tour since the end of 2017, she has crossed the Silk Road from east to west * Watching videos, respecting how she does it
-
Uwe Steinbrecher: Planlos Ostwärts
- YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuUF5VCQRYe2z2k_f7tcXCw
- ähnlicher Weg mit dem Motorrad in die Mongolei (2014)
- An interesting travelogue, especially Tajikistan / Kyrgyzstan / Mongolia * watching all 13 videos will take 5-7 hours, but it's worth it
