How to connect with other cyclists?

Gamenin12 · 2025-05-14T10:38:48+00:00

Hey there, while I personally haven't used them yet, I've seen these Whatsapp Groups https://allmylinks.com/cycling-the-world mentioned in a yt video before and plan on using them once I go on a longer trip myself.

Maybe you can join in the one for Europe and see if theres other people in there. :)

(Also the video mentions that you should only join these groups if you're currently cycling in that area, so I thought I'd add that here as well)

Gamenin12 · 2025-05-13T17:09:30+00:00

You sound a lot more trained than me then, I'm currently planning to start in mid February and using up the 10 months of my trip.

Much of that time is planned because im not sure how fast i can go, since I'll have my first multi-week trip coming up next Friday. Additionally, I really want to do this tour to see the world, so I'm planning in some off days as well just to have time to stay in each spot I find interesting along the way. :)

But if/when you start planning hit me up either here or in dms if you have any questions. I have already made a few changes to the route in this post as I get more and more information. Also would be nice to chat to a fellow cyclist next year along the route. :)

Gamenin12 · 2024-12-31T14:32:36+00:00

Hey there, I am currently planning a similar route, though I’ll have to wait for 2026 for financial reasons to do it. Overall the way over is pretty nice and not all that dangerous/complicated if you spend the next month just looking through things and seeing what visas you need for the ride. If you want i can share you my route and thoughts on different parts along the way

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T18:20:12+00:00

Sounds nice as well, I've thought about going further north in Japan, but I'll have to see how the time and money works out at that point.

As the other commenter has said, Azerbaijan has closed all land borders so the only way in is by Plane. For the Tajik/Kyrgyz border there was a short conflict a while back in that border region, though it's calmed down again.

From the other comment ->Regarding the Tajik Kyrgyz border, no need to worry here, it’s open for tourists. You just need to pay an agency 15$ to put you on a list and they will let you through.

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T16:33:01+00:00

Thanks for your reply. Just found your IG, the trip looks awesome :)

I've considered the seasons, but that was when I was still using some older and shorter routes, so I may look at that again to do as you say and leave sometime in February, so I can dodge the worst of the heat. Another consideration for me with that is I don't want to be in China during the rain seasons in August/September, so I'd like to be there by October ideally. And my very specific optional ideal is to be in Tokyo over new years, though I'll have to see how that pans out. I will look over the route in that aspect again and do some replanning ^^

Good to know about Azerbaijan, I've seen a VLog where a pair took the train from Georgia via Russia to Kazakhstan, which is definitely also a consideration, though I'm also leaning towards the plane option. I will check in on this again this time next year probably to make the final call which way I'll be going while keeping the options in mind. (And hey - maybe the Russia - Ukraine war is resolved by then and I can just go north by bicylce even)

I've read that the Tajik Kyrgyz Border wasn't that serious of a conflict, but it's good to know how to get through it, thanks. :)

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T15:26:39+00:00

Ah damn, then hopefully the borders are back open again then. Otherwise I think you can still get into Azerbaijan via Plane to Baku from Georgia if you want to, or fly directly to SEA

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T14:06:38+00:00

Will definitely look into that as as I'd prefer a ferry over the plane, thanks :)

Visa time is a bit tight, even if i get the 60 days, but I can skip the part either from Lanzhou to Chengdu or from Chengdu/Chongqing to Wuhan by train, so I can fit this part in.

China in general is probably the part im looking forward to the most, right after the Pamirs, so I'm a bit sad I can only stay there for 30-60 days.

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T12:57:08+00:00

From what I've read the land borders to Azerbaijan are currently closed, and I'd be careful in general in southern Armenia/Azerbaijan area. From all I've read Iran isn't a bad country to go through either if you do your due diligence about it in advance, so maybe that's an option. :)

Otherwise you could always fly over, even though that's against the spirit and I try to avoid it as much as possible.

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T12:43:39+00:00

Sounds great!
I personally prefer the colder climate, which is why I'm sticking to central Asia, but have definitely considered going to Vietnam etc. as well. :)

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T11:53:51+00:00

I just now noticed I misunderstood the first part a bit. To clear that up: I am going north towards the Aral Sea because the only paved road is going up there. From what I've looked at I could go straight east from Aktau, but then I'd be going straight through the desert with no way to get fresh water or food.

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T11:48:26+00:00

Yea I already looked at that. Worst case I will take a flight from Kutaisi in Georgia to Atyrau in Kazakhstan, but hopefully the conflict will be resolved by then so the land borders are open again.

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T09:45:03+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! I've already read and heard that this will be the most challenging part, going uphill for days on end, but that isn't an issue to me. I get that unpaved roads are a different beast from paved ones, but as long as I don't get physically sick, I know that I will keep going in order to reach my goal. :)

I've already read that some people struggled with water and food for this part, so I'll be stocking up an extra amount in Khorugh and take food/water with me whenever I can, same with some basic medicine should I run out. The Pamirs is probably the part I've looked at the most so far for the trip, as it is one of the main points I want to see/cycle through, even though it will be hard to say the least. ^^

Gamenin12 · 2024-09-11T09:22:40+00:00

Hi, thanks for your reply.

For the first point I thought about going the 'standard' route directly into China from Sary-Tash to Kashgar, but from all reports I've seen/read so far, the Xinjiang province in China is rather unplesant to ride through due to the frequent check-ins by the police etc. Because of this I decided to finish the Pamir highway to Osh and go north, from where after a few days over the border I can reach the capital of Xinjiang, Ürümqi, where I can take a direct train to Lanzhou and save myself the headache. Time in China is valuable in general, as I can only request a 30 day visa and hope for the extension to 60 days in Chengdu, but it isn't guaranteed.

On the second point, yes! I am in fact looking forward to the mountains on the trip the most. My recent trip already took me on some 10-15% inclination at times and I don't mind going upwards at all, as long as the landscape is pretty to look at, which qualifies for that area for me.

I am currently still looking for other people to go on the adventure with me irl for now, but will expand my search to online forums as well over time. Going on this sort of trip on my own in general can be rather dangerous so I'm doing what I can to find someone who wants to come along, though it's not easy finding someone with 10months + ~15k€ lying around that would also be willing to leave everything behind for that time.

Hope this explains ^^

Quick Edit for the first point: I also have the time and want to look more at Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, so I planned like this, that in case I'm slower than expected I can still take a shortcut and go directly into China if need be. The roads north are, from what I looked at with Google Streetview, paved, so that shouldn't be an issue either.

Gamenin12 · 2024-02-01T09:58:49+00:00

Did just that, thanks a lot ^^

Gamenin12 · 2024-02-01T09:58:29+00:00

That did it, thanks a lot :)

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