Expert: Ivan - 2/25/2006

Question
Hello there,

This summer my friend and I are driving from Bangkok to the UK, via China, Kazakhstan, Russia and the Ukraine (www.tuktotheroad.com).  I'm trying to work out the route in Kazakhstan and Russia at the moment and was hoping you might be able to give me some advice..

Basically, we are going to go north from Almaty, via Astana, into Russia (we were going to go via the Aral Sea but the raods are too bad).  From here the choice is to go west either:

1. via Chelyabinsk, Ufa, Samara, Saratov and Volgograd and then into the Ukraine.
2. or north west via Yekatinburg, Kazan and Moscow.

Moscow is quite a diversion I know but I'd love to go there, plus we have been offered sponsorship from Russian companies, an apartment, police escort etc if we go there....

Anyroad, i hope you don't mind me contacting you out of the blue like this and if you have any advice or tips about the route or just generally driving through Russia they would be much appreciated.

Thanks very much,

Antonia


Answer
Antonia,

Great project and nice website! Regarding to you request I suggest that VT is the best source of information to you to make a plan, schedule and to receive an advice directly from most of places which you want to add to your route. Check info & message board here http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Russia/TravelGuide-Russia.html .

Personally I could help with some details about your Moscow visit, please define your Q's a bit more specifically.

BR:
I.