London to India solo motorcycle trip [2023]

Solo motorcycle trip from London to India via Europe, Nordic, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China & Nepal. At the time of writing the post, I have covered 22,000 kms in around 5 months (150 days).

Posing with my motorcycle at New Providence Wharf, London on March 30, 2023, just before starting the ride

Back in 2021, when I had to relocate to UK, I wanted to drive a car from Bangalore, India to London. But due to covid forcing the land borders closure, I ended up doing a solo ride India. But the thought had been planted since then. Fast forward to 2023, when I had to come to India, I decided to fulfill the dream. As for the path, I wanted to ride through Fjords in Norway. I had attempted this before but had an accident close to London & then had to shelve my plan (details in this post). I had earlier planned to enter France from UK & then ride south around coastal area of Portugal, Spain, south of France but then during the quick trip to India, I thought, maybe I should complete the pending ride through Norway & changed my plan.

London to Kyrigistan path that I originally planned to take via Scandanavia, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhistan. Google map does not show route in China so could not map it all the way to India. Its 10k miles (15k kms) till Kyrgistan but should reach 20k mark till India. Google Map link of the path in detail

At the time of writing this post, I ended up chaging the path quite a bit. The notable detour is avoiding west Kazakhstan in favour of Russia, primarily to avoid the heat. I was scared that if I broke down in 40+ deg heat, it may become fatal for me.

The actual path I took spanning 22,000 kms in 150 days (5 months) Complete map link

As visible from the path, I have not completed the ride. My bike is parked at Almaty, Kazakhstan & I have come to India (more details on my instagram post). As of now, my plan is to go back next summers & complete the ride. As usual, on the road, I wrote blog post of my experience. I got a lot of help from unknown people including some police guys in Kazakhstan giving me money :).

I had done very little preparation & planning for the trip. Spent like a week buying a cheap motorcycle & another week, getting all the accessories. Not to mention, I got my Schengen visa first. But then all other visas I figured on the way. All the details are covered in the blog posts below. I had lost (actually forgotten) my waist pouch in Kazakhstan & I have not written post after that. So there should be more posts that would follow.

  1. Day 0
    [UK] Day 0 I had been researching about roadtrip since 2020. My plan was to do a roadtrip from India to UK but that could not happen due to Covid. So I decided to do it the other way this time — UK to India. Mar 19–29, 2023
  2. Day 1
    [UK, Belgium] Day 1 The first day of the ride, filled with excitement & fear of unknown — a brake scare at Dover, a Channel crossing, and arrival in Belgium. Mar 30, 2023
  3. Day 2
    [UAE, Bulgaria, Belgium, Germany] Day 2 Long layovers turned into adventures — Formula Rossa at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, then a quick look at Sofia before rejoining the bike in Belgium. Apr 14, 2023
  4. Day 3
    [Germany] Day 3 The day I rode in rain & realized my shoes are actually not waterproof :) — first encounter with the German Autobahn. Apr 15, 2023
  5. Day 4-5
    [Germany, Denmark] Day 4–5 Denmark motorways are not as good as Germany — had to face a lot of crosswinds. Also, my first time staying in a wooden hut. Apr 16–17, 2023
  6. Day 6-7
    [Denmark, Norway] Day 6–7 The day of picking a fallen bike & hurting my back — but still decided to ride to Norway the very next day. Apr 18–19, 2023
  7. Day 8-9
    [Norway] Day 8–9 The day of first camping in Norway — although not at the place where I thought I would :) — also the coldest ride so far of the trip. Apr 20–21, 2023
  8. Day 10
    [Norway] Day 10 Two back-to-back camping days due to bike headlight malfunction — a crystal-clear Norwegian lake and a tent under the midnight light. Apr 22, 2023
  9. Day 11-12
    [Norway] Day 11–12 The day I rode in mist & it felt like Chronicles of Narnia — arriving in Bergen with headlights finally fixed and a much-needed rest day. Apr 23–24, 2023
  10. Day 12-13
    [Norway] Day 12–13 Visiting German bunkers built around Bergen during WW2 & riding with doubts when the 'CHEC' sign started showing on my motorbike dashboard. Apr 25–26, 2023
  11. Day 15-16
    [Norway] Day 15–16 My first time riding amidst snowfall with very low visibility. Alesund view was one of the best & Volda felt like a very charming small city. Apr 27–28, 2023
  12. Day 17
    [Norway] Day 17 Seeing the best Fjord — GierangerFjord, meeting some bikers from Belarus & then getting stuck in Fjellstova due to snow. Apr 29, 2023
  13. Day 18-19
    [Norway] Day 18–19 Best day of my ride. Atlantic Ocean Road was awesome but the real joy was getting a lot of help from near-strangers in Kristiansund. Apr 30 – May 1, 2023
  14. Day 20-21
    [Norway] Day 20–21 Visited Atlantic Ocean Road (again) & a 2nd trip to the bike mechanic due to headlight failure — but a much better experience than in Forde. May 2–3, 2023
  15. Day 22-23
    [Norway] Day 22–23 Oslo was not in my path but I had to come & stay for a day to collect my passport. Got free stays both nights thanks to Bunk A Biker hosts. May 4–5, 2023
  16. Day 24-25
    [Norway, Sweden] Day 24–25 Saying goodbye to Norway's dramatic landscapes and entering Sweden — Oslo to Kristinehamn to Stockholm. May 6–7, 2023
  17. Day 26
    [Sweden] Day 26 The day I fell in love with Stockholm architecture & figured it's the 2nd most beautiful city I've visited — 1st being London :) May 8, 2023
  18. Day 27
    [Sweden] Day 27 My 3rd night camping so far. Also met a 69-year-old lady from Holland driving solo with her cycle & dog in a camper van to Finland. May 9, 2023
  19. Day 28-29
    [Sweden, Finland] Day 28–29 The day of the longest (8-hour) ferry ride on this trip. Also experienced the best of Finnish hospitality at Manne's home in Klaukkala. May 10–11, 2023
  20. Day 30-31
    [Finland] Day 30–31 The day I ate good Indian food after a long time. Also, I was denied entry into a walking tour for the first time :) May 12–13, 2023
  21. Day 32
    [Finland] Day 32 The day of knowing Helsinki more & getting impressed with Finnish government & their policies — a walking tour and a surprising library visit. May 14, 2023
  22. Day 33
    [Estonia] Day 33 A full day in Tallinn's medieval old town — Danish, German, Swedish and Russian layers of history told by guide Dominic from England. May 15, 2023
  23. Day 34-35
    [Estonia, Latvia] Day 34–35 Riding through rainy Baltic countryside from Tallinn to Riga — then exploring Riga's stunning Art Nouveau architecture and lively old town. May 16–17, 2023
  24. Day 36-37
    [Latvia, Lithuania] Day 36–37 Leaving Riga and riding south through Lithuania — discovering all cheap accommodation in Kaunas is booked for a basketball tournament. May 18–19, 2023
  25. Day 38
    [Lithuania] Day 38 Riding to the edge of Belarus — a country impossible to enter — then turning south to the peaceful spa town of Druskininkai. May 20, 2023
  26. Day 39-40
    [Lithuania, Poland] Day 39–40 Crossing from Lithuania into Poland and arriving in Warsaw — the city that rose from total wartime destruction to vibrant modernity. May 21–22, 2023
  27. Day 41
    [Poland] Day 41 Leaving behind Warsaw's reconstructed old town and heading south through the Polish countryside to the royal city of Krakow. May 23, 2023
  28. Day 42-44
    [Poland] Day 42–44 Three full days in Krakow — Wawel Castle, the heartbreaking Auschwitz visit, the salt mines, and the vibrant Main Square nightlife. May 24–26, 2023
  29. Day 46-48
    [Poland, Czechia] Day 46–48 Farewell to Krakow and into Czechia via the medieval castle at Bouzov — a fairy-tale detour before reaching the golden city of Prague. May 27–29, 2023
  30. Day 49-50
    [Czechia, Germany] Day 49–50 Leaving Prague's spires behind and turning the wheels east — Munich marks the westernmost point of the whole journey. May 30–31, 2023
  31. Day 51-53
    [Austria] Day 51–53 Munich to Salzburg, then the breathtaking lakeside village of Hallstatt, and finally south to Graz — the best of Austrian scenery. Jun 1–3, 2023
  32. Day 54-56
    [Austria] Day 54–56 Rainy rides are back — riding north from Graz to Vienna in persistent Austrian rain, wet gear, stunning Alpine scenery. Jun 4–6, 2023
  33. Day 57
    [Austria, Slovakia] Day 57 A morning of imperial grandeur in Vienna — Schönbrunn, the Ringstrasse — then a quick 60 km hop east into Slovakia. Jun 7, 2023
  34. Day 58
    [Slovakia] Day 58 A full day exploring compact Bratislava — the old town castle, quirky statues, and the quaint cobblestone streets by the Danube. Jun 8, 2023
  35. Day 59-61
    [Slovakia, Hungary] Day 59–61 A short hop from Bratislava to Budapest — then exploring the Danube-split city with its grand Parliament and famous ruin bars. Jun 9–11, 2023
  36. Day 62-64
    [Hungary, Romania] Day 62–64 Leaving Hungary behind and riding into the gothic heart of Transylvania — dark forests, mountain passes, and Dracula country. Jun 12–14, 2023
  37. Day 65-68
    [Romania] Day 65–68 Four slow days in beautiful Brasov — generous Romanian hosts, medieval walls, and the famous Peles Castle nearby. Jun 15–18, 2023
  38. Day 69-71
    [Romania] Day 69–71 Winding down through Transylvania from Brasov's fairy-tale skyline to the bustling capital Bucharest. Jun 19–21, 2023
  39. Day 72-73
    [Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey] Day 72–73 Racing south from Bucharest through Bulgaria's Black Sea coast at Burgas, then crossing into Turkey at Saray. Jun 22–23, 2023
  40. Day 75-81
    [Turkey] Day 75–81 A week in Turkey's two great wonders — Istanbul's mosques and bazaars, then the surreal hot-air balloon landscape of Cappadocia. Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2023
  41. Day 82-87
    [Turkey] Day 82–87 The iconic crossing from Europe to Asia at Istanbul, then east along the Black Sea coast through Safranbolu, Ünye & Trabzon. Jul 2–7, 2023
  42. Day 86-92
    [Georgia] Day 86–92 Battling a major bike breakdown in Turkey, then finally crossing into Georgia — riding through Batumi, Kutaisi to Tbilisi. Jul 6–12, 2023
  43. Day 93-100
    [Georgia] Day 93–100 Bureaucracy battles for China & Russia visas, Tbilisi wandering, and a misadventure on a terrifying mountain road to Tusheti. Jul 13–19, 2023
  44. Day 101-104
    [Armenia] Day 101–104 A quick loop into Armenia — visiting the ancient city of Yerevan, Mount Ararat views, and making it back to Tbilisi. Jul 20–23, 2023
  45. Day 105-113
    [Georgia] Day 105–113 Weeks of repairs, visa runs and a scenic ride to the wine country town of Signaghi where a fellow biker was met. Jul 24–30, 2023
  46. Day 114-117
    [Georgia, Russia] Day 114–117 Through the legendary Georgian Military Highway, over the Caucasus mountains into Russia — Vladikavkaz, Grozny & Makhachkala. Jul 31 – Aug 3, 2023
  47. Day 118-122
    [Russia] Day 118–122 Riding through Dagestan, Astrakhan & Volgograd — the wild, ancient south of Russia with mountain tribes and Caspian coastline. Aug 4–8, 2023
  48. Day 123-127
    [Russia] Day 123–127 Riding north along the Volga River, passing through cities soaked in Soviet history on the way towards Kazan. Aug 9–12, 2023
  49. Day 128-130
    [Russia] Day 128–130 Thundering east through the Urals — from the Tatar capital Kazan towards the gateway to Asia at Chelyabinsk. Aug 12–15, 2023
  50. Day 131-133
    [Russia, Kazakhstan] Day 131–133 Crossing from Russia into Kazakhstan — a dramatic border transition across the endless Ural steppe. Aug 16–18, 2023
  51. Day 134-135
    [Kazakhstan] Day 134–135 Getting to see some real Kazakh local & motorbiking hospitality in Kokhshetau — a warm encounter in the heart of the steppe. Aug 2023