Sirocco Overland 2013 Expedition: UK - Vladivostok (Siberia) Adventure

Sirocco

Explorer
Thought I better start a new thread for our 30,000 mile adventure leaving the UK on the 27th January 2013

533572_10152057451048306_1516956938_n.jpg

Our route takes us immediately north through France - Belgium - Netherlands - Germany - Denmark - Sweden - Norway

In Norway (around the Arctic Circle) we will be meeting up with 3 other Land Rovers from the UK and taking the long drive to Nordkapp at around 71 degrees north. Temps up here in February are regularly -15 to -20 without factoring in windchill so a lot of preperation has gone into clothing choice and preperation of our Land rover. Returning through Finland we plan to stop for a day of dog sledding :) in Lapland. From here we head south (quickly) to St Petersburg then through the Baltic states (Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania), Poland, Hungary, Solvenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey.

In Turkey we will pick up the remaining Visas in Ankara for Central Asia. Driving through Georgia - Russia - Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan. We will pick up our GBAO permit in Dushanbe then head along the Afghanistan border high into the Pamirs and maybe even dip our toes into Afghanistan if the embassy in Khorog will issue visas.

From the Pamirs we head north through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan into the Altai region of Russia then onto Mongolia and the Gobi desert.

Hopefully we will exit Mongolia around early August which will give us a full 2 months in Siberia to take on the BAM road and the Old Summer Road (Road of Bones).

Returning to Vladivostok we will take the RoRo ferry to South Korea and ship our vehicle to Australia from there and aim to start a new life down under.

Vehicle? A Land Rover 90 with expedition prepared modified Sankey Trailer. :ylsmoke: I will add some photos when I have finished servicing the truck and hitch it all up.

Photos and film will come from my Nikon D90 and Gopro hero 3 :)

Comms will come from a Sonim S1 mobile/cell phone with local simcards along with an Iridium 9555 Sat phone. Sony Vaio laptop will take care of internet stuff and a 10" HP tablet will do navigation up front and provide a backup laptop. Garmin GPS60cx running OSM will also be used when we want some room back in the cab.

You can follow on the website and/or facebook. Facebook will likely get more updates as its easier to send sms messages home for family to update facebook.

Links are in my sig.
 
Last edited:

Billhilly

Adventurer
Hey Griff/Lisa,

Yes Wow! Really! Almost my dream trip across that continent. Trust the final prep over the next two weeks goes well.

Our route takes us immediately north through France - Belgium - Netherlands - Germany - Denmark - Sweden - Norway

In Norway (around the Arctic Circle) we will be meeting up with 3 other Land Rovers from the UK and taking the long drive to Nordkapp at around 71 degrees north. Temps up here in February are regularly -15 to -20 without factoring in windchill so a lot of preperation has gone into clothing choice and preperation of our Land rover. Returning through Finland we plan to stop for a day of dog sledding :) in Lapland. From here we head south (quickly) to St Petersburg then through the Baltic states (Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania), Poland, Hungary, Solvenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey.

In Turkey we will pick up the remaining Visas in Ankara for Central Asia. Driving through Georgia - Russia - Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan. We will pick up our GBAO permit in Dushanbe then head along the Afghanistan border high into the Pamirs and maybe even dip our toes into Afghanistan if the embassy in Khorog will issue visas.

From the Pamirs we head north through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan into the Altai region of Russia then onto Mongolia and the Gobi desert.

Hopefully we will exit Mongolia around early August which will give us a full 2 months in Siberia to take on the BAM road and the Old Summer Road (Road of Bones).

Returning to Vladivostok we will take the RoRo ferry to South Korea and ship our vehicle to Australia from there and aim to start a new life down under.

.

Can't really fault anything except maybe the island destination you've chosen to end up in :coffeedrink: Far nicer a little more to the right, and down a little!
We had these guys http://www.kunzworld.net/?page_id=712 through here a couple of times earlier last year. Last I heard they were well past 40000k and are returning home next month.
I'll keep an eye on your progress from the bottom right hand corner! Drive safe.
 

chilliwak

Expedition Leader
Let me know if you roll through Copenhagen Denmark. It would be cool to say hello and check out your vehicles. Pm me and I will give you my telephone number. Cheers, and have a great journey! Chilli....:)
 

Sirocco

Explorer
Hey Chilli :D

Copenhagen is our 1st port of call! We will be getting off the ferry in Calais and heading straight there to spend a few days with some of Lisa's friends.

Drop me a PM, we should be there on 29-31st.

G
 

Arlo

Adventurer
Hi Griff and Lisa,

it might be a little bit cold outside to stay over night in the nothern part of Germany.

I will heat up our guest room for your comfort during the night.
We live about 20km north of the intersection between the A1/A27.

Please let me know if you are interested.

Kurt
 

Sirocco

Explorer
Hi Griff and Lisa,

it might be a little bit cold outside to stay over night in the nothern part of Germany.

I will heat up our guest room for your comfort during the night.
We live about 20km north of the intersection between the A1/A27.

Please let me know if you are interested.

Kurt

We were looking to overnight in that area Kurt as its near enough halfway to Copenhagen :) Would really appreciate the offer as we were just going to overnight it as some services somewhere. could you drop me a PM with your address and number if its ok?

cheers!

G
 

Sirocco

Explorer
I take it, bpman is with you guys...?

Subscribed, please keep us up to date.

Yes, Steve and 2 others will be joining us (or us joining them?) around Trondheim near the Arctic Circle. should be with them for 6-7 days up to Nordkapp and back down to Tornio in Finland where we will head southeast and they will head home.

G
 

GREENI

Adventurer
Ah right, I was tempted to apply for the driving position that came available, but I dragged my feet!

Anyway, popcorn is at the ready to read about your adventures. Can't wait.
 

xordium

New member
awesome adventure

very cool, and challenging too (pack the hot water bottle).
Following the blog. Good luck!
Benn
 

Tjaank

New member
vow... what an trip ! I wish I could have joined you. I was raised north of the Arctic Circle, a bit south of Bodo. I am currenty in Santiago, Chile. My Landy 110 is fully set up for such an adventure... just too many miles fom you guys. Otherwise I would have joined you. It sounds you are well prepared for the cold weather, which is good. I remember the year I spent in the Norwegian army in Lapland. The temperature sometimes dipped down to minus 40 degrees C. The best of travels, more importantly - Have fun :). I will be following you closely.
 

Sirocco

Explorer
very cool, and challenging too (pack the hot water bottle).
Following the blog. Good luck!
Benn

Cheers Benn :) See you down under when we get there in November (hopefully with the Landy)

vow... what an trip ! I wish I could have joined you. I was raised north of the Arctic Circle, a bit south of Bodo. I am currenty in Santiago, Chile. My Landy 110 is fully set up for such an adventure... just too many miles fom you guys. Otherwise I would have joined you. It sounds you are well prepared for the cold weather, which is good. I remember the year I spent in the Norwegian army in Lapland. The temperature sometimes dipped down to minus 40 degrees C. The best of travels, more importantly - Have fun :). I will be following you closely.

Thanks. Reasonably well prepared but not sure about the cold yet. I think we will be comfortable to -20 or so but not sure after that. We have never really been anywhere that cold before so it will be a bit of an adventure in Scandinavia. Its a lot of miles for sure. Hopefully it wont be too much too fast.

G
 

Arlo

Adventurer
Are you sure about the one-way-ticket? :wings:

The trip from Calais to Bremen will take you about 10 to 12 hours.

Dinner will be ready at 8pm.

Please let me know, if you are delate. :smiley_drive:

Anyway.
Tea or coffee for breakfast?
Eggs scrambled, sunny side up, cooked or any other style?
Bacon?
Ham?
No toast! I'll bring fresh socalled Brötchen!
Pancake covered with bananas filled up with sirup?
Porridge is not available. Sorry about this.

Please let me know. :sombrero:
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,531
Messages
2,875,589
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top