[NIP]

How can one do a round-the-world trip from India on Road ? What are the vehicle and personal clearences required ?! If someone is even remotely planning this, what is the ideal vehicle and checklist for such a venture !?

Can someone throw some light on this ?! I would love to do it in my lifetime once and this could probably help others who would want to do it also.

[hvkumar]

To exit India overland, you have only 3 choices: enter Pakistan, Burma or Nepal/China.

The Pakistan route is very popular with westerners driving into India. But Indian nationals do not get visas to drive through Pakistan. That is the biggest roadblock. Exit into Pakistan means you can travel to Europe and thereon via Iran, Turkey, Greece.

Exit to Burma is a very difficult thing since there are very few roads and the country is ruled by various militiamen. Although there is some hope in that (a) the ASEAN Rally last year managed to do the India-Singapore drive successfully although this was with full diplomatic/political patronage. Nonetheless, exit through Burma will get you to all countries in SE Asia and from there to China/Central Asia.

The third route is to China which can be done through 2 routes - the conventional via Nepal (my info is that visas are granted rarely), and the new route that has been opened up - Nathu La in Sikkhim. Both these exits will get you into Tibet and the rest of China.

On the Pakistan-Europe route, barring Pakistan, getting visas is not a problem. China does not permit entry/exit at all their borders, hence you may be restrained from transiting through China.

Normally, the cars require a Garnet to pass international borders - these are permits issued by the Automobile Associations - I believe that they need to be backed up by collaterals (such as bank guarantees) for 3-4 times the value of the cars. If you do not possess a Garnet, your car will not be permitted to pass borders. Another requirement is of course an International Driving Permit. Each country has its own set of requirements regarding safety signs, number plates, etc that you have to comply with. Plus nowadays emission control requirements mean that your car ha sto comply with Euro norms in each country that you pass through.

I planned an overland trip to Europe out of India (3.5 months, 30,000 kms) via Pakistan several years ago, but have shelved it because of the impossibility of getting a Pakistan visa for the purpose. I am still nursing plans to exit through Nathu La to China or hope that the military junta will be ultimately overturned in Burma!

I did make a checklist for my dream Europe trip - my detailed route plan is ready and so is the info database on driving regulations in the different countries I proposed to drive through (18 countries).

Incidentally, if you are interested, Lonely Planet has published a book detailed an overland journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu/India. And interestingly, there are regular bus tours from Europe to India (at least 2 bus operators, one of them being Dragoman).

[hvkumar]

There is a bus company called Dragoman that runs regular bus tours to the Indian sub-continent (Delhi/Chennai/Kathmandu). These tours originate at Dover/Cairo/St Petersburg, etc, and range anywhere from 20-40 weeks. Interestingly, a few years back, they had a overland tour to India only through West Asia (meaning Turkey, Iran). Now you have a choice of reaching India through Central Asia (including China) and enter India via Nepal. Do visit their web-site www.dragoman.com for an exciting preview of their several tours.

[naveendhyani]

another option cud b is to airlift ur vehicle to Tajikistan or iran & bypass pakistan. saw a program on nat geo or discovery where 2 people from india went to london on their enfield bullet. they came to delhi & airlifted their bike to Tajikistan.

[abajla]

is there a way you could share the check list and driving rules of vrious countries that you have accumulated.
i wish to take my gypsy, and if pakistan does not give me a visa, would air lift or send my vehicle by sea to iran.

[BunnyPunia]

When i was in Gangtok some weeks back, I went almost upto Nathu la and on my return interacted with a few Army men. The word is that most probably by summer of 2007, you and I, or any indian for that matter, will be able to drive into china with just a few formalities

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by BunnyPunia

When i was in Gangtok some weeks back, I went almost upto Nathu la and on my return interacted with a few Army men. The word is that most probably by summer of 2007, you and I, or any indian for that matter, will be able to drive into china with just a few formalities

If Nathu La check post is opened up by China, the whole world is at our door-step! Damn Pakistan which refuses to issue Indian motorists visas. Flying out to drive abroad is not teh same thing - let us hope that Nathu La border is opened up by China to Indian motorists!

[esteem_lover]

Hey NIP, i think the best vehicle is already on your avatar. LOL

[gd1418]

I dunno if I will ever do around the world in 8$ but 3 years back when I drove to Wagah while visiting Ludhiana, Jullundur & Amritsar, I was fascinated by the ring side view of the other side of the fence and saw a distance indicator stone that read Lahore - 38 Kms.

Since I had heard a lot about the Food street of lahore a desire arose to drive to lahore in my Esteem and have Lahori cuisine....

When I asked the BSF guys manning our side they just laughed it out saying it is not possible at all coz permissions shall never be granted from either side. When I mentioned that a bus service is already in place, I was informed it is due to a treaty between the 2 countries.

I still nurse a desire to drive to lahore with my family and have the cuisine...

[sumitkalindi]

Originally Posted by gd1418

I dunno if I will ever do around the world in 8$ but 3 years back when I drove to Wagah while visiting Ludhiana, Jullundur & Amritsar, I was fascinated by the ring side view of the other side of the fence and saw a distance indicator stone that read Lahore - 38 Kms.

Since I had heard a lot about the Food street of lahore a desire arose to drive to lahore in my Esteem and have Lahori cuisine....

When I asked the BSF guys manning our side they just laughed it out saying it is not possible at all coz permissions shall never be granted from either side. When I mentioned that a bus service is already in place, I was informed it is due to a treaty between the 2 countries.

I still nurse a desire to drive to lahore with my family and have the cuisine...

Maybe you could try to drive the bus to lahore. As Simple As That.

[Abbas]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

To exit India overland, you have only 3 choices: enter Pakistan, Burma or Nepal/China.

The Pakistan route is very popular with westerners driving into India. But Indian nationals do not get visas to drive through Pakistan. That is the biggest roadblock. Exit into Pakistan means you can travel to Europe and thereon via Iran, Turkey, Greece.

Exit to Burma is a very difficult thing since there are very few roads and the country is ruled by various militiamen. Although there is some hope in that (a) the ASEAN Rally last year managed to do the India-Singapore drive successfully although this was with full diplomatic/political patronage. Nonetheless, exit through Burma will get you to all countries in SE Asia and from there to China/Central Asia.

The third route is to China which can be done through 2 routes - the conventional via Nepal (my info is that visas are granted rarely), and the new route that has been opened up - Nathu La in Sikkhim. Both these exits will get you into Tibet and the rest of China.

On the Pakistan-Europe route, barring Pakistan, getting visas is not a problem. China does not permit entry/exit at all their borders, hence you may be restrained from transiting through China.

Normally, the cars require a Garnet to pass international borders - these are permits issued by the Automobile Associations - I believe that they need to be backed up by collaterals (such as bank guarantees) for 3-4 times the value of the cars. If you do not possess a Garnet, your car will not be permitted to pass borders. Another requirement is of course an International Driving Permit. Each country has its own set of requirements regarding safety signs, number plates, etc that you have to comply with. Plus nowadays emission control requirements mean that your car ha sto comply with Euro norms in each country that you pass through.

I planned an overland trip to Europe out of India (3.5 months, 30,000 kms) via Pakistan several years ago, but have shelved it because of the impossibility of getting a Pakistan visa for the purpose. I am still nursing plans to exit through Nathu La to China or hope that the military junta will be ultimately overturned in Burma!

I did make a checklist for my dream Europe trip - my detailed route plan is ready and so is the info database on driving regulations in the different countries I proposed to drive through (18 countries).

Incidentally, if you are interested, Lonely Planet has published a book detailed an overland journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu/India. And interestingly, there are regular bus tours from Europe to India (at least 2 bus operators, one of them being Dragoman).

Hey HVK !!!

Nice info you have provided. i was searching for this only. Can you share your checklist that you have made. Also, i would like to know about the pakistan route? Since your post is a 2 year old post, what is the status now?

We are planning a trip to karbala which is in Iraq by road (this is a holy city and this is sort of a pilgrimage trip). please help us chalking out the best route and necessary documentation that is required.