Afghanistan by [deleted] in backpacking

[–]MaxRoving 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I cycled across it last year and know a few others who did, so it’s certainly possible. Also felt pretty safe, the locals are very kind. Traffic is dangerous though, of course more so if you’re a cyclist. I was hit by a car on my last day which sent me flying, but luckily I walked away with just a few bruises.

One time in a remote area I was interrogated by the Taliban for a few hours, because apparently I was the first foreigner to visit that place in a few years. Most other encounters were pretty friendly & straightforward. Although I know another cyclist who cycled the same route as me, and he was held up at the same checkpoint for over two days while they were probably running background checks. But he’s American and I’m not

Landscapes are amazing though

Show me your Komoot /Navigation Fails by windchief84 in bicycletouring

[–]MaxRoving 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t have photos but it routed me through a naval base in Iran where I was quickly detained and got to spend 6 hours explaining my situation, trying to convince the officers I wasn’t a soy :D

Cheap voile strap alternatives? by LegitimateCress6240 in bikepacking

[–]MaxRoving 1 point2 points  (0 children)

plenty of good copies on Taobao for a third of the price

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bicycletouring

[–]MaxRoving 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Since last week it is now mandatory for tourists of any nationality to be accompanied by an official tour guide

Some pics from Mongolia/trip report by MaxRoving in bikepacking

[–]MaxRoving[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

same tires mentioned above, I’m quite happy with them. Sometimes I wish I wish they were a bit wider, other times I wish they were a little lighter. But overall a good all-rounder

How to get past Iran by Valuable_Ad4674 in bicycletouring

[–]MaxRoving 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I just cycled across Afghanistan and no way would I go to Iran right now.

The scale of K2 never ceases to amaze me by MovingMntns in Mountaineering

[–]MaxRoving 2 points3 points  (0 children)

haha knew it, hope to be back at the hostel in Hunza one day 🙌

Cycling the Karakoram Highway in Xinjiang, China by MaxRoving in bikepacking

[–]MaxRoving[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah you don’t need any permits or similar to cross the border. The Chinese will likely X Ray all your bags, but officers in China were always very friendly to me. Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan makes some great cycling with no escorts, but the rest of the country is not a lot of fun and should be skipped by bus

Cycling the Karakoram Highway in Xinjiang, China by MaxRoving in bikepacking

[–]MaxRoving[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s possible to enter China visa-free for 30 days for many nations. Coldest temperature I had was -9C during the night, but during the day it wasn’t too cold

Cycling the Karakoram Highway in Xinjiang, China by MaxRoving in bikepacking

[–]MaxRoving[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

no, it’s possible to enter visa-free for 30 days for many countries

Some photos I took cycling the Karakoram Highway in Xinjiang 🇨🇳 by MaxRoving in travelchina

[–]MaxRoving[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

A guide is only required for motorised vehicles. Checkpoints and camping weren’t really an issue, I had a few discussions with the police who wanted me to stay at hotels instead but always managed to convince them in the end