Hi all! I'm planning to leave in about the middle of August 2022. Below is a link to the route planned at Komoot. It's just a variant as I'm very flexible regarding the root details. Any suggestion or eventual joining the adventure is welcome. I have no strong athletic preparation or challenging targets. I'm in my late 60s and I aim to do 400-500 km a week. My main question is where to sleep once outside Europe. I'm ready for wild-camping also some fear there is, especially in Turkey and Georgia. Please, encourage me :).
This is the first part till Rijeka: https://www.komoot.it/tour/601338141?ref=wtd
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It sounds interesting. I think You have experience enough to stay well in travelling. You can ask before some people about rules and limits of camping. I heard that Turkish people are very hospitally. I would be carefull only at the border between Turkey, Kurdistan and Georgia. I heard, they are not friends together??? Will You use that mobile number on this travelling?
I would recommand to use also a turkish number or a special tarife like Lebara
Yes, I will keep all the way the same number also for WhatsApp . Of course when outside UE I must take also a local mobile number.
For Turkishs' I'll pull out my Italian passport and for Georgians' the Russian one :). Maybe vice versa. Anyway, there is no great Turkish-Georgian tension, it's about Armenians. Very sad story. Another fear about Georgia is regarding their hospitality: once accepted, a lot of wine and chacha can obstacle the movement.
What I've seen other travelers are doing in such places is asking explicit permission from locals rather than going at stealth camping. At the end, only experiencing by myself that I'll find the right way.
Thanks for support!
Wild camping in the rural areas of Turkey and Georgia is easily possible. Not so much in the very touristy areas. Beware of nasty dogs! You will be most likely picked up by locals who are going to take care of your.
Thanks, Olaf! Very useful tips. Sure the dogs are one of my fears. About hospitality of Turkish and, mainly, Georgian people know something. Sometimes the problem can be to avoid excessively enthusiastic hospitality and too much chacha as well ;). Now a lot depends on what happens in Balcans, and in Georgia as well, following the explosion of Russian aggression and more general destabilization in that areas.
Hi Dmitry, I sugest that you do not follow Drau river till Maribor. You have a very nice bike road from Villach to Arnoldstein and Tarvisio and you enter Slovenia in Rateče, it is one of the most scenic parts and then to Ljubljana. After Ljubljana aim for Postojna and then Pivka Knežak Ilirska Bistrica. Right after the border is smart to go inland, above Rijeka over Lipa, Klana, Saršoni. From the end of Lošinj island there is no boat to travel to Lun. I sugest you go to Valbiska port on Krk Island there you can catch a ferry to Rab island, cross it to Rab Rab island main town and from there you have a small boat to Lun on Pag island. From Split use the catamaran to Hvar Hvar not to Stari grad, and then you will have a nice crossing west east to Sučuraj on Hvar island. After Dubrovnik stay on the coastal road through Montenegro especially if you will be there in the offseason. Go around Kotor bay, over to Budva, Bar, and then to Albania. Kosovo is a bit unstable right know due to dispute with Serbia. Better to cross Albanian mountains to Ohrid and then cycle the South of Macedonia over Bitola. Hide very well when wild camping in Croatia. If you need any other info about the Balkans fell free to ask. All in all 90% of people in all the countries you are planning to visit are very friendly.
Hi Marc, thank you so much!
Really I've already changed my plans till Rijeka like this: https://www.komoot.it/tour/601338141?ref=wtd
And I was looking at how to proceed. Your recommendations are precise and sure I'll follow them.
Be safe and bike happy!