How far can you realistically drive from the UK?
Discussion
How far could you realistically drive from the UK without expecting to have to deal with difficult border crossings, corrupt officials and general dodginess?
I’ve driven all over the Balkans but not further east. Would a road trip to Baku via Turkey be feasible with relatively little stress?
I’ve driven all over the Balkans but not further east. Would a road trip to Baku via Turkey be feasible with relatively little stress?
UK to Baku is a simple enough drive, we have kit arriving most weeks and it takes around 17-20 days for trucks. Not sure if you would be allowed into Azerbaijan with a right hand drive car though as I believe they are banned but that may just be to actually register it with AZ plates.
Enjoy Georgia amazing place and some great views but the standard of driving is almost comical but the amazing wine and food makes up for it!!
Enjoy Georgia amazing place and some great views but the standard of driving is almost comical but the amazing wine and food makes up for it!!
Easiest way is to drive to Ancona, get the ferry over to Igoumenitsa then drive across Greece into Turkey. That way you stay within the Schengen area from leaving the UK to entering Turkey.
I hate the Balkans, full of corrupt officials. Bulgaria is particularly bad, border staff are usually too busy talking or smoking to deal with you.
I hate the Balkans, full of corrupt officials. Bulgaria is particularly bad, border staff are usually too busy talking or smoking to deal with you.
What exactly is your criteria for ferry/car shipment stuff? In one sense you can't leave the UK (except for vanishingly unlikely scenario where your car is one of those ones that converts into a boat) but on the other hand I assume you aren't going to accept going to South Africa in a container.
Really straightforward to get as far as Eastern Turkey without any real hassle.
Bulgaria and Romania are both fine - driving a bit hectic at times in Romania especially where aggressively driven powerful german cars are mixing with donkeys pulling carts but nothing too bad. Some road surfaces are terrible especially in Southern Bulgaria towards the Turkish border.
Turkey is easy with some incredible new roads - the Expressway from Istanbul towards Ankara is probably the most impressive road i've ever seen. A huge perfectly surfaced multi lane affair swooping and diving over all sorts of geography. We followed a Mercedes coach that was touching 100 mph at times with quite a bit of traffic travelling a fair bit faster.
Things have probably deteriorated a bit now but down into Iraq was easy too for British citizens in 2013. Tourist visa was easy to get at the border and Kurdistan at least is quite a cool place to tour around - beautiful scenery and friendly people.
Bulgaria and Romania are both fine - driving a bit hectic at times in Romania especially where aggressively driven powerful german cars are mixing with donkeys pulling carts but nothing too bad. Some road surfaces are terrible especially in Southern Bulgaria towards the Turkish border.
Turkey is easy with some incredible new roads - the Expressway from Istanbul towards Ankara is probably the most impressive road i've ever seen. A huge perfectly surfaced multi lane affair swooping and diving over all sorts of geography. We followed a Mercedes coach that was touching 100 mph at times with quite a bit of traffic travelling a fair bit faster.
Things have probably deteriorated a bit now but down into Iraq was easy too for British citizens in 2013. Tourist visa was easy to get at the border and Kurdistan at least is quite a cool place to tour around - beautiful scenery and friendly people.
This might give you a few ideas - https://www.lastoverland.com/
Singapore to London overland in a 1950's Landrover in 2019.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-last-overl...
Singapore to London overland in a 1950's Landrover in 2019.
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-last-overl...
plenty said:
Somewhatfoolish said:
What exactly is your criteria for ferry/car shipment stuff?
Good question. I could tolerate a couple of days on a boat, but not a week.You will be murdered crossing the Sahara, but the roads do exist (albeit not paved)
With a cheap car I didn't care about, I would be comfortable travelling as far South East as Turkey. But I wouldn't want to go any further East (Iraq/Iran/Syria etc). North West I would go through Poland and the Baltic Sea states, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia (avoiding Kaliningrad) but not enter Belarus or Russia.
Anywhere in Africa (apart from Morocco or South Africa) I would probably avoid.
In my car, or otherwise expensive car I'm not 'comfortable' leaving Western Europe.
Anywhere in Africa (apart from Morocco or South Africa) I would probably avoid.
In my car, or otherwise expensive car I'm not 'comfortable' leaving Western Europe.
I used to work with a Spaniard who, when living in Spain, would take her car to the Canary Islands via ferry from mainland Spain. So you could drive to Santander via France, then Santander to Gran Canaria.
Admittedly once there you can't drive any further without getting wet (or a ferry to another island) but I've only seen one UK plated car there so it's a journey less traveled
Admittedly once there you can't drive any further without getting wet (or a ferry to another island) but I've only seen one UK plated car there so it's a journey less traveled
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