Auto tourism within your own country and abroad is far from the same thing. You need to know the rules for crossing the border and have necessary documents. Within another state, different laws apply and a different language is spoken. Only careful preparation for a daring trip in your own car “far away” will fill the trip with pleasant emotions and leave enthusiastic impressions.
For brave travelers who are planning to navigate a route to Turkey via Georgia by car, these notes will be useful.
No matter where in Russia you leave, head towards Vladikavkaz - Batumi. You can cover the distance of 1,770 kilometers between the cities of Moscow and Vladikavkaz in 24 hours with one overnight stay. All paths lead through Krasnodar region, picturesque Kalmyk steppes, Stavropol region, Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia. Stops can be combined with sightseeing and taking photos as a souvenir. Along the route there are bodies of water. Stop for a swim and rest. Then driving will not be so tiring, although the roads are good.
Basic renovation work on roads they are performed in the summer and the southern direction is no exception. In some areas there is one lane, along which cars alternately pass in both directions. This delays the road trip, but not for long. Krasnodar federal highway M4 good quality. The four-lane road gives way to two lanes in Kabardino-Balkaria and ends at the border, after which the mountain road begins.
The driver will be checked with a technical passport for the car and a driver's license, which may not have international status. If the car is not owned, they will be required to present a general power of attorney from the owner for the right to travel abroad with it.
There is no compulsory car insurance or civil liability insurance in the country if the car is parked for less than 15 days. There are also no additional fees or taxes when crossing the Georgian border.
These bonuses inspire you to continue your unusual journey by car through Georgia to Turkey.
The Georgian Military Road is the first attraction that a motor tourist sees. It passes through picturesque mountainous terrain, connecting Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi.
Pictures of stunning mountain landscapes are replaced by the Zhinvali reservoir. It is impossible not to stop at the Trinity Church or fortress. Historical relics have been striking for centuries with their architectural wonders: the castle of Queen Tamara and above the ancient.
And even the steep sides of the Cross Pass make you freeze with admiration and horror. For some drivers, the path from Kobi to Gudauri is shocking due to the lack of asphalt, especially low-slung ones. And only skill allows you to avoid risky areas without damaging the “iron horse”. The last 100 kilometers of the route delight with a wonderful three-lane highway with a demarcation parapet and road junctions. The distance traveled from the border of 470 km is covered in 8 hours.
Georgians accept bank cards at almost all gas stations, even in the outback. Payment in dollars can be negotiated if you do not have local currency with you.
Fuel in Sakartvelo (the country's internal name) costs about 1 euro, which is significantly higher than Russian prices. On the Turkish side, gasoline is twice as expensive. Prudent tourists fully refuel their car in Georgia, continuing their journey to Turkey.
There are two crossings: the Vale checkpoint and the Sarpi checkpoint. The first option is much further away, so many people strive to get to the Sarpi checkpoint - 18 kilometers from. In a picturesque bay with a small pebble beach, which is recognized as one of the best on the Adjarian coast, there is a village of the same name. The population does not reach 1000 people. Due to tourists it seems crowded. People come here to swim and go on excursions, to admire the waterfall with the sculpture of St. Andrew the First-Called. Tempted by the proximity of the outpost, vacationers cross to the other side of the border. Formalities take a few minutes, both for pedestrians and car tourists.
The foreign passport must be valid on the end date of the trip. A visa to Turkey is not required if you stay for up to 2 months.
When moving from Georgia to Turkey by car, the driver must present documents allowing the car to travel around the country.
Green card or insurance policy. On Turkish sounds like "sigorta". You can register at the outpost by paying 90 liras, or 30 dollars. It is advisable to pay without change, as the remaining balance will be issued at a reduced rate. The insurance policy takes about an hour to prepare.
There are no requirements to have an international driving license. To the delight of our motor tourists, the police rarely stop vehicles with Russian license plates to check documents. The main thing is not to break the rules and not get into an accident.
Road tax. The card is sold at a checkpoint or at a gas station. It is advisable to stick the vignette on the windshield so that a car with foreign license plates will not be stopped by the police. Failure to pay the fee is punishable by a large fine.
Georgian transit for our tourists is remembered by the famous Georgian wine, with the help of which you want to relax after a tiring journey. Many people cannot resist the temptation to buy wine for the trip. You can't bring a lot of alcohol across the border. Restrictions also apply to other categories:
There are no restrictions on foreign currency and Turkish Liras.
What currency is better to travel with? In Turkey, the euro exchange rate is more profitable than exchanging dollars. Therefore it is better to have the euro. You can buy lira at any exchange office and hit the road.
On Turkish roads you want to rush with the breeze. In remote villages there are routes with perfect coverage. The highway has three lane markings in each direction. Road signs are found everywhere and are duplicated in English. Road signs are found everywhere and are duplicated on English language. There is a toll on some highways. Driving through Istanbul through the Bosphorus Strait, you will also have to pay. The amount of payment depends on the distance traveled and the class of the car. Shell gas stations sell special KGS cards, which act as a payment pass.
There are no speed limit signs, but driving more than 110 kilometers per hour is not recommended. The driver while driving is prohibited from talking on the phone without using hands-free. All passengers must wear seat belts.
If trouble occurs in the form of a fine, it can be paid at any Tax Office. It is advisable to pay within two weeks to receive a 25% discount.
Gasoline in Turkey is three times more expensive than in Russia. In Georgia, you can take a supply of gasoline with you, but no more than 20 liters; anything more than that is contraband. The quality of the fuel is high and justifies its price: 5 liras per liter of 95 gasoline. Gas is two times cheaper, diesel fuel is a little more than 4 lire. The cost of gasoline is constantly changing, and in the summer it traditionally increases. Gasoline makes up the bulk of expenses for motor tourists. But the impressions and emotions from traveling around Turkey cannot be bought for any money.
Many historical monuments and architectural wonders can be seen in one road trip. The “Iron Horse” will reach the shores of the Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. You can come to Antalya to sunbathe on the beach. From there, set a course for the intercontinental metropolis - Istanbul, standing between Europe and Asia. Then return back by a different route, adding photo albums, reviews and impressions of beautiful countries.
The long road across two borders leaves not only memories of beautiful landscapes, snowy peaks, steppe expanses and endless seashores. Unknown lands fill you with emotions and a sense of unity with other peoples, no matter what languages they speak.
Against the backdrop of the unstable current geopolitical situation, all tourists are worried about one thing - will the rules for entry into Turkey change or will it be necessary to quickly prepare additional documents. To make it easier for you, we have collected all necessary information in this article, thereby revealing the main details of obtaining a visa to Turkey and some fines, in order to avoid unforeseen circumstances.
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This question worries almost all Russians who are planning to go on vacation to Turkey. Is it necessary or not?
Turkish Embassy officials say categorically: no. To enter this country, Russians only need to have a valid passport. The only condition: the validity of the passport must be at least 6 months from the date of entry into the country.
A law adopted by the Turkish government in April 2014 almost ruined the holidays of thousands of Russians: according to this law, a passport must be valid for 4 months from the date of entry into the country. But, given the fact that many vouchers were purchased through the early booking system, the Turkish authorities, at the request of the Russian Foreign Ministry and Russian Union The tourism industry (PCT) nevertheless decided to delay the entry into force of the law for Russians, leaving the previous entry conditions until the end of 2014.
From 01/01/2016, new rules for the entry of Russians into the country will be put into effect - 6 months from the moment of crossing the Turkish border.
Without a special visa, Russians can stay in Turkey for 60 days. Some tourists extend their stay in the country in a simple way - by literally going to one of the neighboring countries for a day.
Thus, upon returning to Turkey, a new period of stay of 60 days is open. Thus, Russian tourists will be able to stay in Turkey for a total of no more than 90 days out of 180. In addition to the rules for entering this country, you need to know how to behave, for this read. If you decide to relax in Turkey, resort towns are at your service.
Such visa-free entry is not available to every tourist. For example, citizens of some countries (Ukraine, Belarus, Great Britain, Spain, Canada, USA, United United Arab Emirates, Hungary, India, etc.) at the border checkpoint you must purchase a visa stamp (for different countries its cost will also vary - from 20 to 100 dollars).
But the residents Russian Federation, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Italy and a number of other countries do not require an entry visa. WITH full list countries that require (or do not require) a visa to enter Turkey can be found on the Embassy website - www.mfa.gov.tr/default.en.mfa.
There are no special rules related to entering the country. At the border control point, representatives of the Turkish authorities may ask to present a travel voucher, hotel voucher or details of the inviting party (if entry is by invitation), or other document. But such checks are not mandatory.
But if your stay in the country is prolonged and exceeds the 60 days established by law, the Turkish authorities have the right to use penalties against you. In such cases, fines and restrictions on entry into the country for a certain period are provided. For example, fines can range from 250 to 750 Turkish lira, and a ban on entry into the country can range from 1 month to 5 years.
If the child is already 14 years old at the time of the trip, he can receive his own passport. If the child’s age is from 6 to 14 years, then he can be included in the international passport of one of the parents.
Moreover, the passport must not only contain the child’s data, but also his photo, sealed with a special seal. A child under 6 years of age does not need to paste a photo into the passport.
If a child travels to Turkey not with his parents, but with legal representatives (guardians, relatives), then the child’s data must be entered in the passport belonging to the legal representative. Additionally, you will need to obtain a notarized parental permission for the child to travel abroad.
The same situation arises if a child leaves with one of the parents - the second one writes an official permission to leave and has it certified by a notary. This is especially true for those children whose parents are divorced - such a document is required at the border control point.
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A traveler's report about a trip in his own car to the resorts of Turkey - Antalya, Cappadocia, Konya, Pamukkale, Oludeniz, Kizilot, Manavgat. Useful tips for tourists, features of a long trip by car, local hotels and accompanying photographs.
I have long known that Antalya is one of the most favorite places of foreign beach holiday Russians. I never planned to visit there, since every year, starting from 2011, in the summer or in the first month of autumn, my family and my car went on vacation to Black Sea coast Krasnodar region. Usually these were Dzhubga, Lazarevskoye, Lermontovo, Adler and Gelendzhik. In 2017 we planned to go along the route that was already familiar to us.
Even before the trip to Gelendzhik, surfing the vast expanses of the Internet, I learned that our car enthusiasts are slowly but surely winning places in the sun in sunny Adjara in Georgia. Batumi, Kobuleti, Gonio, Ureki and many other resorts are waiting for us with open arms...
By the end of 2017, I began to consider Georgia as an opportunity to visit the Black Sea coast of neighboring countries. Fortunately, you don’t need any insurance for either your family or your car—you only need a foreign passport. True, the son immediately refused, and the wife did not show much desire, but still she looked through the hotels in Kobuleti.
Finally, when I was ready in body and soul to go on vacation to sunny Georgia, seditious thoughts appeared - and Turkey is also nearby. There is enough information on the Internet on this topic - forums, videos, and reports. I began to look at the Black Sea coast of Turkey, envisioning a vacation for one or two days. However, at first I didn’t find anything worthwhile. Then all my attention was directed towards sunny Antalya. It's almost like Eldorado. The wife immediately cut it off, saying a firm “no.” Okay, no one can stop me from dreaming.
Engels (Saratov region) - Kyzylot, Manavgat (Antalya) - this is 3000 kilometers long. The road is not close. If you take a map of Turkey, the city of Konya is like our Krasnodar. Kyzylagach is Dzhubga, and Kyzylot is Lermontovo. Alanya will be on the left and Antalya on the right. Everything, of course, is quite conditional. I immediately liked the Grun mini-hotel in Kyzylot. I'll tell you more about it later. Now all I have to say is that I really liked it.
The closer the vacation time approached, the stronger the desire to relax on the Mediterranean coast, namely in Antalya. By the summer, seeing my persistence in choosing a place for a beach holiday, my wife began to build her own route. Her plans included visiting Cappadocia and Pamukkale, as well as a stop in Oludeniz, near Fethe. I also added Kyzylot to this route. From there the road to the house was shorter.
Meanwhile, autumn was approaching. The vacation took place in the second half of September. Together with the weekend, there were 17 free days, and it was necessary to meet these deadlines.
It's time to start packing for the trip. There are foreign passports. Visas are not required for short-term stays in Georgia and Turkey. In the company, in half an hour, I issued life and health insurance policies for myself and my wife, as well as a green card for a car for a period of two weeks for trips to Turkey. On the Sberbank Visa Electron plastic card, I added an additional option for conducting transactions in Georgia and Turkey. At the service station I checked the technical condition of my car. Back in the summer, instead of the standard audio system, I installed multimedia purchased on a large Chinese website. The device worked well on the road. Once again I was convinced that there was a spare tire, a jack, an electric pump for inflating tires, a first aid kit, and two signs in the luggage compartment and in good condition. emergency stop, a reflective cape, a tow rope and various fluids for topping up... Finally, everything is ready.
On the calendar - September 14, 2017, on the clock - 03:30. We start from the city of Engels, Saratov region. We are going together - me and my wife Marina. The car for the trip is Lada Kalina Cross Lux 1.6 (106 hp), manufactured in 2016, mileage - 30,000 kilometers, tank - 50 liters.
Every year we leave early in the morning at about the same time. Only in 2016 did we move at 13:00, which we later regretted greatly, having lost about eight hours in traffic jams in two days. True, this time I didn’t get enough sleep. I usually leave cheerful and full of energy, looking forward to my future vacation.
We were already in Volgograd by 08:00. Anyone traveling in transit through this city to Astrakhan or Elista knows that there are huge traffic jams on weekdays. Driving through Volgograd in an hour and a half is a great success. We have been lucky this year both there and back. Ahead is Kalmykia, long steppes, Elista. About halfway between Volgograd and Elista there is a cafe that looks more like a field camp. All dishes here are made from lamb. Delicious. On the way back we tried their signature dish "Genghis Khan". I recommend.
I'll tell you right away. Our entire trip is not about sightseeing, but about a simple beach holiday. The road is long, time is limited during a short vacation, and the budget is tight. Nevertheless, we managed to visit some places, which I’ll tell you about a little later.
The navigator took us the shortest, but not the fastest routes. It was my first time traveling this road. We stopped in Elista. It took an hour. On the way back, along the bypass, we drove only 20 minutes.
I don't like freeways. In six trips to the sea I went only once. There are less significant routes with good coverage; you just need to know them and not be afraid to take them. After the Elistas moved to the side Mineralnye Vody through Blagodarny and Aleksandrovskoye, and not through Stavropol and Budennovsk. There are six kilometers of crushed stone in front of Blagodarny. Normal road, we rode. It is quite possible to overcome.
The road through Blagodarny and Aleksandrovskoye
Mineralnye Vody is a city that can be seen from afar. We arrived at it before dark. The first 1000 kilometers were completed. We leave on the Mineralnye Vody - Nalchik - Vladikavkaz highway. After homemade pies and Kalmyk lamb, I still have strength. Let's move on. We find ourselves in a stream moving towards Kabardino-Balkaria. The speed drops. Compared to Kalmykia, here we are crawling.
There are checkpoints on both borders of the Kabardino-Balkaria region. The car is being searched. Drivers and passengers have their ID documents checked. Around 20:30 we arrive in Vladikavkaz. We fill up a full tank of gasoline - fuel is more expensive in Georgia. We decide not to stay overnight, but to immediately cross the Russian-Georgian border. The Upper Lars border crossing is about 30 kilometers away.
All summer I monitored this border crossing through the “Edge of the Earth” website. The high season has passed, the flow of cars has subsided. I was sure that we would both pass the checkpoint in an hour. And so it happened. Our foreign passports were checked, stamps were given, STS, VU. Finally we see night Georgia. In 10 kilometers there will be Stepantsminda. There we stop for the night. There are many hotels in the village. We didn't book a room in advance.
There are 1250 kilometers left behind. This was our longest trek in one day.
On the calendar - September 15, 2017. We woke up at 07:00. We breathe in the beautiful mountain air. It's 11 degrees outside. Our mood and well-being are excellent. At 08:00 we leave towards Kazbeg. The Georgian Military Road awaits us ahead. Gudauri
We overcome the Kazbegi pass. Unfortunately, we did not stop at the panorama of Friendship of Peoples - the entrance and parking lot were being reconstructed there. I think she will be even more beautiful in 2018. We decided not to waste time. We still had to overcome the most difficult section of the route. More than half of the road is serpentines and passes of varying difficulty. Of course, this is not the Himalayas, but fatigue still accumulates during the day.
The mountains and rivers of Georgia and all the views are beautiful. Ahead is the city of Mtskheta. We did not reach it, but turned right - towards Kutaisi. Almost 100 kilometers of motorway begin here. We pass this section of the path in one breath. Then we turn towards Borjomi. It was already midday, and we decided to have lunch at some roadside cafe. All the prepared dishes were very tasty. We took freshly baked khachapuri with us on the road. The weather is sunny, the mood is excellent. Ahead of us are Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe and the Vale border crossing.
The mountain road has begun. It was in good condition and was not very difficult to drive on. We stopped in Borjomi only to stretch our legs and check with local residents for directions. The navigator began to get a little wiser.
Another hour's drive and we arrive in Akhaltsikhe, which greeted us with major road repairs. Here we filled up a full tank of gasoline. In Turkey, a liter of fuel cost approximately 90-95 rubles.
There are a lot of historical monuments. One of them is medieval fortress Rabat Akhaltsikhe. May the hospitable Georgians who love their country forgive me, but this time I could not pay enough attention to their rich history and monuments. For this you need to come to Georgia specifically and purposefully...
We arrive at the border crossing of the Georgian-Turkish border Vale - Posof. I feel a strong desire to fall asleep. There is almost no traffic, except for heavy trucks. We go through a familiar procedure: inspecting the car interior and checking documents. Only on the Turkish side, to register, you need to go to the building on the right and check in in two places. Thinking that we had successfully completed all the procedures, we tried to leave the checkpoint territory. Whatever the case, they didn’t let us out. They inspected the car, but did not put a stamp in the passport. I had to return to the building and literally explain the situation with my fingers. It’s good that the customs officer quickly fixed everything. It turned out that at all border points they put one stamp in the international passport, and in Valais, on the Turkish side, there are two.
Here it is, the long-awaited Türkiye. What awaits us here... Only one thing is visible to the naked eye - the mountains.
How can one not remember these lines:
Passes - passes,
Mountains on the left, mountains on the right.
The song is drawn out, life is alien.
For some there is a shore with small pebbles, for others - a mountain range.
We don't know these morals
No people, no language...
Erzurum is more than 300 kilometers along the mountains. The temperature is 30 degrees. Leaving home, I thought that we would go in the cool weather... However, already in Kalmykia it was + 28. And this is the middle of September. Here the sun was hot. It's good that the car has air conditioning. I can’t help but remember my trip to Gelendzhik in 2016 and the traffic jam in front of Defanovka for more than four hours. Then my babies and I got out of the cars and literally hid in the shade of roadside bushes. The heat was 40 degrees.
The first Turkish city on the way is Ardahan. We didn't get there until we were stopped by the police on a small flat area. The officer checks the documents. The password and review are the same - Antalya. They let us pass further with a smile. Ardahan remains on the sidelines.
We had some interesting experiences on the road. Sometimes we didn’t understand whether we were climbing the mountain or already descending it. Only the running engine told us the correct answer.
We are going to Otla to have something to eat. The time is approaching evening. We ordered lula kebab. The meat, as expected, is lamb. The dish came with a lot of bread and in addition each person was given a small bottle of water. Of course, we drank coffee. Water came in handy on the road. Interestingly, at the exit, visitors pour some liquid onto their hands, which immediately evaporates, removing extraneous odors.
The same mountain road awaits us. It gets dark quite quickly. We are approaching Erzurum in the evening. He stays away. We drove only 600 kilometers. We decide to get to Erzincan. We are moving along the highway. These are no longer mountains, but there are enough turns with ups and downs. Fatigue begins to be felt more and more clearly. We stayed twice in small towns near hotels, but in one of them women were not allowed, and in the other we were offered a gloomy room without windows.
We get to Erzincan and go down from the highway into the city to the nearest gas station. In Turkey, highways passing through large villages are located above the city skyline. That's why the entrance goes through junctions. At the gas station we ask about the booked hotel. The local resident just shrugs. It is obvious that he knows where the hotels are located, but cannot explain. Or rather, we don’t understand him. Seeing this situation, he takes me by the sleeve and leads me to the trunk door of my car. On the dusty glass with his finger he draws directions to the nearest hotel. This kind of help was very helpful.
In 10 minutes we are already there. Excellent hotel in the city center. We move in, and I immediately fall exhausted on the bed. On this day, as skiers say, I “had my fill of the road.” Finally, the most difficult path has been overcome. As for navigation, I still haven’t figured out Turkish addresses. There were no coordinates where hotels could be found on the website. We didn't book any more rooms.
On the calendar - September 16. Just like yesterday, we woke up at 07:00. The difficult transition was still taking its toll, but it was time for us to get ready for the road. We left at 08:00. We drove along a magnificent flat road. Only occasionally there were slight ups and downs. We had to pass through several large cities, such as Sivas, Kayseri, Konya. The mountains either approach the road or disappear over the horizon.
Türkiye
Türkiye is an agricultural country. I was convinced of this personally when I saw how the residents treated completely small plot, more or less suitable for agriculture. One thing really struck me: on a huge flat area, rocky soil was removed to a depth of about five meters. And only after that the land became suitable for agricultural work.
And one more not very pleasant detail. Entire provinces of Turkey smell like horse manure. Here it is immediately taken to the fields.
On this day we had to visit Cappadocia to see the bizarre sandstone mountains. Over millions of years, under the influence of winds, they turned into something that looks like mushrooms. Every morning manned aircraft are launched here. Balloons. They say it is a very beautiful sight, and there are many people who want to fly on them. Unfortunately, we arrived in the afternoon. Of course, there were no more balloons, and it was 40 degrees outside. We only took a few photos close to the road. It seems to me that the time for excursions in Turkey is no later than mid-May and no earlier than October. When it’s hot, I don’t have much desire to look at anything.
Goreme
Leaving Goreme behind, we headed to Konya. At 17:30 we were already there. There were 250 kilometers left to Antalya. However, my wife had a different route... Forgetting to rebuild the navigator, we showed up in the city where we had lost more than an hour. We decided to go further, but the desire didn’t last long. We stopped at the first hotel, but the smell horse manure throughout the area made us move on. Obviously, the Turk understood my facial expressions and was not at all offended.
In the small town of Ylgyn we finally decided to stop for the night. It was already dark. We stopped near the bus station. Seeing two teenagers, I quickly approached them and uttered the cherished word “want”. The guys smiled, and one of them agreed to show where the hotel was. Then I thought how different two objects located next to each other are. In a town with dirty Wastewater There is a clean hotel in the streets. There are equally nice shops nearby. We checked in and decided to take a walk. We did not go to a restaurant where there were only men. We went to a nearby store, where we made our first purchases on Turkish soil. I discovered for myself that after a long journey it’s better to take a walk before going to bed.
Without breaking tradition, we got up at 07:00. We left at 08:00. We set course for Pamukkale - the pools of the ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra. At noon we are already there. Before this we have lunch at the roadside cafe "Sumela".
Cafe "Sumela"
The temperature is +35 degrees. The parking lot is full of cars. There are a lot of people everywhere, who also speak their native Russian.
It’s indescribably beautiful here, but I didn’t go into Cleopatra’s pool. Turkish women swam in swimsuits that were no different from their everyday clothes. Only the face and hands were exposed. Sorry, but I've given up. My wife, looking at me, also didn’t dare. As a result, we went for a walk and took pictures near the travertines. From there we had an amazing view. After two hours spent in this fairy tale, we moved to the sea. A little more than 200 kilometers left. This was already the road to the coast through the mountains. One more push and we are there. We have lunch at a cafe in the mountains. They served us meat dish in metal pots with smoldering coals inside, keeping the food hot. Delicious. Meanwhile, the sea is already very close. After an hour and a half we find ourselves in place.
We pass through Fethiye - this is already the Mediterranean. The entire city center is covered with paving stones. It’s nice, but our goal is Oludeniz Bay, which was about 10 kilometers away. The road goes steeply down, hotels appear on the left and right. I wonder how tourists climb up here after swimming in the sea, since it’s almost two kilometers long?
We go further - to the village, which is located on a gentle slope near the water. There are hotels and restaurants all around. We go looking for a vacation spot without prior reservation. The first hotel only had single rooms left. In the second, with a bunch of stars under the name, the guard leads you to the administrator. After three words I uttered - “man”, “woman” and “Russia” - they turn away from me... I go home. I want to clarify that this is not Antalya. Our brother is not very welcome here. They are looking more towards Europe. Then I meet Russians on the street, and they point to another five-star anthill. There are a lot of our tourists there. The administrator at the reception is in outright shock - there are no places until September 21st. I'm leaving. It's getting dark. Three-star Oludeniz rises in front of me. There are places, but the owner was not delighted with me either. One can understand him: after all, my appearance after four days behind the wheel was not the best. We enter the territory and settle in. 3,300 kilometers remained behind. We've finally arrived. There is only sea, sun and relaxation ahead.
Having slept off after four days of travel, we begin to get accustomed to the resting place. Three-star Oludeniz is a small but very well-maintained, clean and literally green hotel with a swimming pool in the very center.
Vacationers here are young Turks and middle-aged Englishmen. The accommodation includes both breakfast and buffet. After lunch, the bar starts working, which in the evening transforms into a sports bar with watching football matches of the English Premier League on a huge screen. Good kitchen, a great chef who happily prepared any dish for us at any time of the day or evening. The Turks are excellent cooks, and their dishes are tasty and satisfying. I have been convinced of this many times. That’s why during our entire vacation we never went to lunch—breakfast was enough for us.
The village of Oludeniz itself is quite small. It all consists of hotels, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. Embankment, pebble beach, a beautiful and very warm sea completed the heavenly picture.
The sea in the village of Oludeniz
It’s very hot here during the day, so we go to the sea before breakfast. Afterwards we swim in the pool and sunbathe. All the other guests arrive here at 11:00. Towards evening we go to the sea again.
Oludeniz village
Oludeniz is a paragliding center. Fans of this extreme sport come here from all over Turkey. On the territory of the village there are several small companies that organize paragliding for vacationers from the mountains together with an instructor. This pleasure costs 105 euros, including photos and video selfies. My wife was also excited about this idea. I immediately refused - I was already descending with a parachute.
Paragliding
The rest time in the village of Oludeniz flew by very quickly. There was no desire to take part in any excursion. We wanted to go to Marmaris on the Aegean Sea, but then abandoned this idea. We didn't have much time. It's time to get ready for the road - to Antalya, to Kizilot.
My wife's dream came true. She saw Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Oludeniz. Now it's time to go and make my dream come true. In the morning we went to the sea again, had breakfast and left hospitable Oludeniz.
On the way, we satisfied a couple more of my wife’s whims: we stopped at two pearls of the Mediterranean - the beaches of Patara and Kaputas. The final destination that caught my eye was the Grun Hotel in Kizilot. We drive through Fethe again. An hour later we are already on Patara beach. It is located seven kilometers from the highway. Right in front of the beach we pick up a young married couple from Poland who is hitchhiking. True romantics. There we also meet a couple traveling by car from Astrakhan. They laugh: they say that they did not expect to see such merry fellows in Turkey in their own car...
Finally, we see the endless sandy beach of Patara. There is only wind and waves around. The water is cloudy from sand raised from the bottom. There are few vacationers here. People swim and take pictures.
In general, Patara is not only a beach, but also an ancient monument. There used to be an ancient Greek port city here, which is reminiscent of the ancient amphitheater.
Antique city
After swimming and exploring the surroundings, we move on. Kaputas beach awaits us ahead. The road went along the coast with big amount serpentines. We trudge along in a column. There is very rarely an opportunity to overtake. The Mediterranean Sea is beautiful. The beautiful bays and islands nearby are amazing.
We are approaching the beautiful Kaputas beach. The magnificent sea and bright colors of the Mediterranean will not leave anyone indifferent. We leave the car at small area near the side of the highway. There is also a descent to the sea. Waves crash against coastal rocks and stones. You need to swim here very carefully. Vacationers literally squeal with delight... We swim, take pictures and leave.
Kaputash
Next we will find Demre, Kemer, Antalya, Belek, Manavgat, Side and, finally, small and quiet Kizilot. We leave the road and immediately come to a fork. To the right stretches the huge five-star Sea Planet complex with half a hectare of weeds in front of the entrance. On the left is the Grun mini-hotel, where we headed.
If we ended up in Oludeniz by pure chance, then Grun was selected after a long look at the proposed vacation spots in the villages of Side, Kyzylagach and Kyzylot. They found fault with everything. First of all, we looked at the price. The budget is limited, so double rooms costing more than 3,000 rubles per night were not even discussed. Five stars are not worth talking about. I wished that breakfast was included in the price. The distance to the sea did not play a big role. If the rating in the reviews was less than eight, then this hotel also disappeared. We also paid attention to the language spoken by the staff. A little later they decided that it was not so important whether they understood Russian or not. It is advisable that the hotel have a swimming pool if it is a long walk to the beach. It was based on these criteria that we finally chose the Grun Hotel in Kyzylot.
We arrived there around 17:00. Like all previous places for overnight stays and beach holidays, we did not book a room in advance. No one greeted us with bread and salt. We simply drove into the territory and stood in the parking lot in front of the entrance. The owner was quickly found in the hotel itself, busy with numerous matters. He was a young and friendly Turk named Erkam. This, as it turns out, is a family business. The entire staff is his family, including the chef, who cooked delicious food.
We immediately went to look at the room. It was small, cozy and with a balcony, in a word, we liked it. We discussed the price. It turned out to be slightly higher than on Booking, but Erkam also included dinner in the price. Imagine, in Oludeniz our accommodation with breakfast cost 2,500 rubles for two, plus a restaurant dinner - about 1,500 rubles. At Grun, accommodation plus breakfast and buffet dinner cost us the same 2,500 rubles. It should be noted that there are many varied and tasty dishes here. Tell me, who needs lunch when they serve incredibly filling breakfast and dinner? I love to eat, but even for lunch a cup of tea or coffee with cookies was enough for me.
Hotel Grun
The hotel area is small, but quite comfortable. At the entrance there is a master's house with a small garden. Next is the hotel itself, on the back side of which there is a glassed-in veranda-dining room with a bar and a large TV. There is also a swimming pool, behind which the beach immediately begins. One minus is the entrance to the water. Anyone who vacationed in Gelendzhik and swam on a thin cape remembers that going into the sea there is not very convenient. It’s the same here - you immediately find yourself on large boulders or slabs. However, the entire area is surrounded by stunning tropical greenery. Silence reigns here - perfect place for those who want to take a break from the bustle of the city. Holidaymakers in Grun, as in Oludeniz, are young Turks. There are very few of them. It seemed to me that these were mostly good friends of the owner’s family. The main contingent of tourists are older Germans. We swam all day, and in the evening, after dinner, we either played dominoes or just talked.
I had a lot of rest in this paradise. Played volleyball on the beach with neighbors from a five-star hotel. In the evenings I watched Turkish league football matches. My wife, talking with vacationers from Sea Planet, learned that the cost of their rooms starts from 8,000 rubles per day. To each his own.
Sea Planet Resort & Spa
We left the territory of our hospitable hotel twice. One day we went to a small market in the village. Another time we went to Manavgat and to the beach in Side. As always, the market sells a lot of souvenirs. Almost all traders speak Russian. I was a little surprised that in some shops prices are indicated in rubles.
Manavgat is a relatively large city. We drove around it with a navigator. In one place, a Turk was asked for directions, and, seeing that we did not understand each other, he dialed someone on the phone. The woman on the other end of the line explained everything to us in fluent Russian. It was then that we realized that it is impossible to get lost in Antalya. Nothing bad can be said about Sid either: the sea, vacationers, the embankment, the mowed lawn, the music that fills the entire emptiness. In a word, there is everything you need for relaxation. However, we chose another place.
Time flew by quickly
Cool tan on the back.
I'm not tired of resting
Doesn't make you feel hot at night.
Kharya has become a little wider
And it shines in the light.
Maybe somewhere better in the world,
Relax in a foreign land.
But it's time to go home, on the road,
We are four days away.
Yes, we miss you a little
We are Russians, keep in mind...
Indeed, it’s time for us to get ready to go home, because we have to go to work on October 1st. I'm calling the boss. I would like to ask you to move up the schedule a little. He agrees for one day.
On the evening of September 25, we collect our things and, if possible, immediately take them to the car. While still on vacation, I decided to take a new route home. Firstly, it was supposed to pass along the Black Sea coast of Turkey. I read about the climbs through Trabzon and Of on the Internet. The first is quite comfortable, but the other terrified the author of the article. I decided to take a third route, and in the end I chose the Tokat - Unye route. We didn't know what the Sarpi border crossing was. We wanted to stay in Kobuleti for one day and perhaps see Batumi.
On the morning of September 26th at 07:30 we leave towards Konya. We are heading to the north of Turkey. The mountains immediately approach us. We, overcoming a large pass, emerge onto the plain, and from it onto the Konya - Kayseri - Sivas - Erzincan - Erzurum highway. We already know it well. There are three lanes in each direction. You drive and don’t really strain yourself. I would like to add that radar detectors are prohibited in Turkey. They face a very large fine. Exceeding the speed limit is permissible by no more than 10%. There are warnings on the roads that the radar is in use. So, in order not to slow down once again in populated areas, pay attention to local drivers or shuttle buses. They know exactly where, what and who is standing. In addition, since February 2017, all Turkish radars recognize foreign license plates and add traffic violators to the general database. You will not be allowed to leave the country until you pay the fine.
Before reaching Sivas, we go north again. Ahead we see the mountains we are already familiar with. At the very beginning of the road there is a lot of renovation going on. We drive along the gravel for several kilometers with a growing desire to return. The road narrowed and we climbed higher and higher into the mountains. We pass several villages, and finally the city of Tokat rises in front of us. The time was not yet late, but, remembering the second day of our trip, when I “had my fill of the mountains,” we decided not to go further. How they looked into the water.
Tokat is an ancient city founded in the seventh century AD by the Byzantines. Subsequently, it passed into ownership from the Byzantines to the Armenians, from the Armenians to the Turkmens, who were dependent on Ottoman Empire. Tokat had a great trade value, but, with the growth and development of Sivas, it fell into decay. As before, the city lives with trade, which is especially vibrant on the central streets. There is a lot to see in Tokat.
I didn't like the hotel I chose. Or rather, I didn’t like the room itself, although the view from the balcony was beautiful.
It was somehow uncomfortable and noisy because of the next room. However, this is the only hotel that we did not like at all. After checking in, we got ready and went for a walk around the city. We went shopping with great pleasure and a lot of new emotions, where we bought mainly sweets. We went to a cafe where we ate national pastries - pide. How many things Turks bring to the table when ordering just one dish. They took more than half of the food with them in containers. The staff treats this normally, even with understanding. After walking around to our heart's content, we returned to the hotel. The first day of the journey home is over. There are three more to go.
There wasn’t much to cover, but mountains stretched ahead, and then 450 kilometers of coastline. After this, the Turkish-Georgian border will finally appear.
By tradition, we wake up at 07:00. From the room we take a photo of the city and leave at 08:00.
Tokat
The city greeted us with sunshine, but the mountains greeted us gloomily. Low, dense clouds from the very morning, turning into drizzle and rain. A narrow, unfenced mountain road with deep gorges. Fog. The clouds are no longer above us - we were in them.
There are a lot of ancient cars around that are barely moving. Throughout Turkey several times I met the ancestors of our “Kopeykas” with the key in the trunk. Here too we had to look at them and trail behind them. Finally, closer to 12:00 it was all over.
We drove into the small seaside town of Unye. The Black Sea coast began, tedious for me 450 kilometers of a magnificent road with a huge number of settlements and a speed limit. Driving along the Turkish coast is not an amateur activity. Yes, there are many around beautiful places: cities, mosques, an airport with planes taking off over the sea, many tunnels, etc. However, I was already on my way home. As expected, there were no beaches along the way. Maybe, of course, I missed everything while driving. And the weather was “not beachy” all day, with short-term clearings. We took several photos near the Black Sea.
The Park Pide cafe tried Turkish pide again, but now in an original form. It somehow reminded us of pizza. Delicious.
There was very little gasoline left in the tank. We didn’t want to refuel with expensive Turkish fuel, so we somehow made it to the border. Here is Sarpi, and there is an “anthill” in it. We didn't expect this. Two large buses, crowded with people, pulled up in front of us. Everyone got out and headed to the checkpoint. This is the place where we will definitely get stuck... After looking at all this, we decided that the wife would not get out of the car. If anything happens, the Turkish border guard will send her to the checkpoint himself. We don’t know all the intricacies of the work.
In the end, everything worked out fine. Both the Turkish and Georgian checkpoints passed quite quickly. After that we headed towards Batumi. It started to rain again. Batumi greeted us with rain and darkness. I didn't expect this. Maybe we came at a bad time. It was cool and damp, which made us less inclined to stay in the city.
We left to look for accommodation for the night in Kobuleti. It became clear that the beach season was over - the sun was completely hidden. We stayed in Kobuleti only for the night. We started looking for a hotel. It’s dark around again, and we are in a place unknown to us. Private sector we didn't like it. The locals were asked about hotels. It turned out that nearby, right by the sea, there is the Panorama Hotel. I went in, looked at it, liked it. We immediately checked in and went to bed. Tomorrow will be a new day, and we will be even closer to home.
Kobuleti both met and saw us off with rain and coolness. It's only 15-16 degrees outside. We rode comfortably without the sultry heat, but also without rain. We took a photo again as a souvenir and set off.
There are two roads from Kobuleti towards Kutaisi. One, a little longer, leads through Poti. The other road is a little shorter, but it passes through the mountains with gorges and passes. The navigator took us the second way. And again serpentines, narrow roads, lines of cars, and in the morning - livestock in the villages. Romance. On the road we bought caramel-flavored honey and two bottles of chacha. I don’t drink, but I need to treat my friends from work, otherwise they won’t understand.
While driving through the mountains and valleys, the weather cleared up, but in Kutaisi it started to rain again. It was not necessary to visit the city, but we had not yet bought Georgian wines and cognac. Near one of the stores, which was still closed, we got into a conversation with a sociable Georgian who had lived and worked in Russia for a long time. He escorted us around the city in his car, where in one of the stores, on his advice, we bought everything we needed and in sufficient quantities. “For a snack” we also took khachapuri, which was prepared right before our eyes. We were told that real Georgian khachapuri is made only with cheese or cottage cheese. We don't argue. Everyone has their own reasons.
Having said goodbye to the Georgian and Kutaisi, we moved to conquer the Kazbegi pass. Even in the evening I read on the website that cold temperatures, snow and ice are possible. The forecast came true. The higher we climbed, the colder it became.
The water in the washer is frozen. The road is a mess of water, snow and ice. A SUV sits awkwardly on the side of the road. Overall, it was fun. We climbed up, but now we need to somehow get down. That's right, on summer tires. Imagine, just two days ago in Antalya it was + 30, and here it’s already - 2... We’re slowly creeping down. There were about 20 cars ahead, and I was almost at the tail. Then I imagined that now we would arrive at the border in the same order and would stand there for an hour. And this is not counting the Russian part, which was still ahead. Without thinking twice, I took off and ended up first at the Georgian checkpoint. As it turned out, I was in no hurry. While my wife was on an excursion to Duty Free, everyone walked around me and left.
Then there was the Russian border. We were kept in no man's land for a bit. At the checkpoint itself, thanks to the customs officers, an additional passage was opened in the opposite direction.
Russia, Rus' - you are Mother Dear.
And snot, tears, drool, splashes on the cheeks.
How beautiful you are, dear, from edge to edge,
How it draws us home, wandering across the seas.
We didn’t stop in Vladikavkaz - we decided to go to Mineralnye Vody. It got dark. I was driving, my wife was looking for a suitable place to spend the night. I found one option on some website and called. The hotel is new, located in the dacha sector. The owner named several streets, but the navigator did not find them. For the first time I was driving along the coordinates. Somehow we found the hotel. Along the way we had to storm a huge ravine. The owner, a red-haired Chechen, went wide-eyed when he realized where we had come from. The hotel is new, the room is large, the bed is huge. Either I got drunk on coffee in Vladikavkaz, or something else, but I couldn’t sleep until 04:00. It felt like I was sleeping upside down on Mount Mashuk. Only when I turned over on the bed was I able to fall asleep. There were only 1000 kilometers left before home.
In the morning we were fed breakfast. I didn't get enough sleep, but that didn't bother me on the road. We refueled and drove home, but without incident. We had lunch in the Kalmyk steppes. We drove through Volgograd in an hour and a half, and at about 16:30 we left the city. In Kamyshin I felt tired and rested for another 20 minutes, closing my eyes. At 20:45 we were in Saratov. Truckers again helped us - they told us the situation on the road. It got dark, and I again had the feeling that I was driving along a mountain serpentine road. I dreamed about the same thing for two weeks after returning. At 21:30 we were already home.
We traveled from September 14 to 29, 2017, that is, only 16 days. We covered 6900 kilometers. We spent eight days on the road, another eight days resting. We stayed for six nights in hotels and two in beach resorts. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I felt a sense of pride in myself, because I was able to implement my plan without any losses. Many were surprised that it was possible to make such a trip on a Lada. I read that someone traveled 10,000 kilometers across Europe like this. Why am I worse?
Let's calculate the total expenses:
In just 16 days, 90,000 rubles were spent.
IN Lately Traveling by car to Turkey is becoming increasingly popular. The main advantage is the relatively short length of the route, as well as the opportunity to make stops when necessary and enjoy the local landscapes and attractions, of which there are many along the route. It is recommended that people with common interests travel in campaigns so that any unforeseen situation cannot be taken by surprise.
The path is not close, but driving your own car is not a problem if you take care of everything in advance. The list of necessary basic things can be presented as follows.
A trip to Turkey through Georgia is a bold step. You will have to spend from 1 day to several days on the way, depending on the distance of your place of residence from the border. This travel option is most convenient for residents of the Volga, Central, North Caucasus and Southern federal districts.
On the border of Georgia with Turkey there is a border checkpoint “Sarpi”. It is through it that the main flow of tourists passes through, dreaming of having a good rest and getting there on their own.
| Starting point | Distance to the Sarpi checkpoint, kilometers | Travel time without stops |
|---|---|---|
| Moscow | 2 022 | 27 hours |
| Saint Petersburg | 2 747 | 34 hours |
| Krasnodar | 688 | 13 hours |
| Stavropol | 824 | 12.5 hours |
| Rostov-on-Don | 950 | 16 hours |
| Voronezh | 1 510 | 23 hours |
| Samara | 2 038 | 28 hours |
| Kazan | 2 263 | 31 hours |
| Nizhny Novgorod | 2 206 | 30 hours |
| Ekaterinburg | 2 984 | 41 hours |
When driving from the capital of the Russian Federation, the route passes along the M-4 Don highway. The road goes to Rostov-on-Don through Voronezh. This section of the route is about 1,000 kilometers long. You can cover the distance in 1 day, and then stop for the night. The road is spacious (4 lanes) with excellent road surface. On the way you will encounter 2 sections of the toll road (35 and 60 rubles each, respectively).
Highway M-4 "Don"
Then you need to drive through Kushchevskaya and Oktyabrsk until the intersection with the R-217 Caucasus road through Vladikavkaz. Let the rest proceed along the A-161 Georgia-Vladikavkaz highway. The peculiarity of this section is the mountainous terrain with only two traffic lanes. The route has many dangerous descents and ascents. The entire journey will take about 2 thousand kilometers, then it remains to drive another 150-170 km to Tbilisi. On the domestic side, the roads are good, there is everything you need for a small snack and an overnight stay: many cafes and gas stations, hotels.
Most best option– this is movement along the M-10 highway “St. Petersburg - Moscow” through cities such as Valdai and Tver. In Moscow you need to take the Moscow ring road highway take the M-4 Don. The total length of the section is over 2,700 kilometers, so you will have to make 1-2 overnight stays.
Almost the same distance must be covered when moving from Yekaterinburg (about 2,900 kilometers). The path begins from the M-5 Ural highway through cities such as Kyshtym and Ufa. After 1,500 kilometers from the moment you start driving, in the city of Togliatti, it is recommended to stop and take a break. The journey will continue along the P-228 Syzran-Volgograd highway and along the P-221 Volgograd-Elista highway. On the last day of the trip, the path will pass through North Ossetia and Budenovsk to Vladikavkaz, from where you will need to get to Georgia along the A-161 highway.
The path is not very close - about 1,700 kilometers. Start of movement along the P-228 Syzran-Volgograd highway, and then through Vladikavkaz to Upper Lars. You should stay in Volgograd, it is famous for its many attractions and has a developed hotel business.
This option is one of the shortest. You can travel along the previously described route “From Moscow” without stops. The route will run through Armavir and Nalchik.
The most low price for gasoline - along all described sections on the way from Moscow to Vladikavkaz with a gradual decrease in cost during the movement.
You should give preference to well-known brands of gas stations (for example, Rosneft, Gazprom, etc.) in order to avoid unpleasant situations along the way, since the distance to home is significant and any breakdown will entail a lot of unpleasant experiences.
On the M-4 “Don”, M-10 “St. Petersburg - Moscow” and M-5 “Ural” highways there are many restaurants, cafes and small fast-service food outlets (shawarma, pies, pasties, etc.), and also hostels and hotels.
There is only one entry point into Georgia - the Upper Lars checkpoint. Customs officers must present foreign passports for all members of the trip, as well as a technical passport and a driver’s license. After checking the vehicle (no more than 3-5 minutes) and clarifying the purpose of the trip, it will be possible to continue driving. When explaining your destination, it is not recommended to say that you are heading to Turkey. It is better to note that the movement is directed to Georgia for the purpose of tourism.
The time spent standing in front of a checkpoint can vary significantly. In “hot” periods it reaches 10-15 hours, and in usual time no more than 50-100 minutes. You need to take care of water and food in advance.
To enter Georgia, there is no need to purchase international insurance, and the visa regime was abolished back in 2012.
Tourism is developing widely in this country. Therefore, most roads (especially in popular tourist destinations) have undergone major repairs (no more than 3-5 years old). However, you can find multiple off-road areas, the main reason for which is mudflows. They periodically destroy highways and are able to stop traffic completely. Local authorities usually quickly solve these problems, but the quality of the road deteriorates noticeably, and travel time increases. For example, on the highway from Kobe to Gudauri there is no asphalt at all; the path runs along a strip of sand and earth. It is recommended to avoid this direction, as the bottom of the car can easily be damaged.
Traffic in the country is on the right. The speed limit in populated areas is set at 60 km/h, outside cities – 70 km/h. On high-speed highways it is allowed to reach a speed not exceeding 90 km/h. It is recommended to choose large roads, which are distinguished not only by high-quality surfaces, but also by many small cafes where you can have a snack and stop temporarily.
All inscriptions on road signs are made in the local language and are also duplicated in English. Any interesting objects and attractions are marked in brown.
The peculiarity of the local population is a special, “wild” driving style. You need to be careful and constantly monitor the road, especially if the car is rented.
The capital of the state has the best roads and excellent markings. It is recommended to stay there if you need to stop and have a good rest. The smallest hotel room will cost no more than 25-30 US dollars. For these funds they provide a room with a bed (a double bed if necessary), a TV, Internet access, a personal toilet and shower.
From Tbilisi the route runs along the Tbilisi-Batumi highway. The road stretches through many mountains and gorges. Local patrol services carefully monitor the observance of order on the roads, especially the vehicles of foreign citizens. It is better not to exceed the speed; the fine for exceeding it will be 20 lari or 520 rubles. For talking on the phone while driving you will have to pay 10 GEL or 260 rubles. These fines are the lowest in Europe, but the local population does not think so.
1 liter of gasoline costs about 50-60 rubles. A car wash will cost only 200 rubles. Of the most reliable and popular ASZs, Lukoil has proven itself well.
There are 2 main routes - this is the Sarpi checkpoint, located on the coastal area with beautiful scenery, and the Vale checkpoint, which is less popular and is located in the Adigeno region.
The first checkpoint is always clogged with queues; during periods of massive influx of tourists you can stand for up to 5-6 hours. There are usually no queues at night. The Vale checkpoint is almost always free. Both border formations operate around the clock. The verification procedure includes inspection of the vehicle and verification of documents.
According to local customs regulations, you can take with you up to 30 packs of cigarette products, no more than 1 liter of strong alcohol (more than 22 degrees) or no more than 2 liters less strong drink. Other products (tea, coffee, chocolate, sweets, etc.) should not weigh more than 1 kilogram. When transporting devices such as a laptop, camera, sports equipment in quantities not exceeding 1 piece, no unnecessary questions will arise.
If you plan to import a personal car into Turkey, you need to purchase a customs license giving the right to transport the vehicle.
The Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Motor Transport is in charge of obtaining a license. Documents are invalid if:
According to reviews from most tourists, Turkish road surfaces are of high quality. Local services pay considerable attention to the repair and construction of highways, tunnels and transport junctions, since tourism is well developed. The state has many mountain roads with sharp climbs, dangerous turns and steep descents, but they are wide: from 4 to 8 lanes. Mountain highways with serpentines are better suited for vehicles with diesel engines and manual transmissions; in addition, such vehicles will save up to 13-15% of fuel.
Turkish road rules state that the maximum permitted speed in any populated areas is 100 km/h, on rough terrain - no more than 130 km/h. Any radar searches or telephone conversations are prohibited. The country has a lot of free and paid parking. They are labeled Park Yeri.
According to data for 2018, the cost of 95 gasoline is about 6.3 liras (69 rubles) per liter, and 95 - 5.8 liras (64 rubles) per liter. Therefore, it is better to stock up on fuel in Georgia in advance, since its price is 10-20% lower.
Such a long journey has a lot of positive and negative points. The advantages include the following.
There are also disadvantages.
Thus, traveling to Turkey through Georgia can become excellent option, which will give a lot of pleasant impressions, although it will not save time and money. Need to stock up on food consumables and spare money to emerge victorious from any unpleasant situation!
Many drivers want to try their hand and get to Turkey by car via Georgia. To make this exciting journey, you will need to travel 3,700 km along the route: Moscow - Rostov - Vladikavkaz - Upper Lars - Tbilisi - Batumi - Samsun - Corum - Antalya. It is advisable to leave Russia not alone, but as part of a small team that shares the same interests, since anything can happen on the road. Moving through unfamiliar territory in several cars, it is always easier to solve any problem that arises. .
It is quite possible to get from Moscow to Tbilisi in 3 days. During the first day you can drive 1100 km, spend the night in Rostov-on-Don and the next day drive another 700 km to Vladikavkaz.
Road on the map from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don
Route on the map from Rostov-on-Don to Vladikavkaz
In order not to spend a long time looking for a place to stay overnight during your trip, it is advisable to download it to your Navitel navigator in advance. This application contains maps with hotels. You can also book a hotel room through.
In the interval from Moscow to Rostov-on-Don, the road surface is of good quality, since it is part of the M4 Don federal highway.
View of the M4 Don highway
In the period from Rostov to Vladikavkaz (E115/E117), it is better to use a GPS navigator with maps of the Russian Federation from the Navitel company. It is easier to get to Georgia if you follow the main road, following the road signs for Vladikavkaz.
On the route from Moscow to Voronezh there are 7 toll sections where the fare for passenger cars is up to 700 rubles. Beyond Voronezh, the toll sections of the highway end, and with them high-quality coating roads.
In 2019, there will still be no toll sections between Rostov and Georgian territory. There are many traffic police posts in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, so it is better not to accelerate the car to the maximum speed.
The cheapest fuel (if we consider only proven brands) is between Moscow and Vladikavkaz. When traveling, it is advisable to refuel at gas stations of chain brands such as TNK, Rosneft, etc.
Along the entire M4 Don highway there are a huge number of restaurants, cafes, chebureks and other establishments Catering. The quality of food in them can vary widely. In order not to risk your own stomach, it is better to eat food prepared before the trip, or use one of the cafes at the gas station.
Before crossing the Georgian border, it is better to exchange rubles for dollars and reserve a room in Tbilisi. Since Georgia is an unknown country for Russian car enthusiasts, it is better not to spend the night in dubious motels and hotels.
When entering the Russian-Georgian border, you must present a foreign passport, and after checking it and inspecting the car, you can drive through neutral territory to the Georgian border. At customs you should not talk about your desire to visit Turkey, otherwise they will big problems. The purpose of the trip is tourism. At the Gudauri checkpoint, marks are placed in the passport, at the same time a standard interrogation is carried out (what you are carrying, how much money you have on you, whether there are drugs and weapons), after which you can enter the territory of Georgia.
This is what the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint looks like
If you want to quickly go through customs, it is better to do it at night. If you are interested in the local landscape, then go through the checkpoint during the day. But be prepared for the fact that you will have to admire nature throughout the day, since during the daytime there is a large queue at the checkpoint.
Traffic in Georgia is on the right, and the maximum permissible speed for populated areas is 60 km/h, outside their territory - 70 km/h, on highways - 90 km/h. Road surface between major cities Georgia is of European quality, but in other areas it leaves much to be desired. The inscriptions on the road signs are in Georgian and duplicated in English.
Points of interest are marked with signs Brown. The local population of Georgia prefers a unique driving style, so if you are driving a rental car, it is better not to rely on common sense, but to carefully watch the road. In Tbilisi, the road is similar to all European roads: smooth with clear markings on it. This city is worth a stop for a good rest.
Beautiful view of the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi
A small room in a simple hotel can be rented for 25-27 dollars. For this money you will be provided with a room containing: a double bed, a TV, a shower and other amenities necessary on such trips.
The next stage of moving forward is Tbilisi-Batumi. The highway from Tbilisi towards Batumi is of good quality. On the road between the cities you can see beautiful mountains and gorges, but you shouldn’t lose sight of the speedometer while looking at the landscape, which is not typical for Russia. As soon as the arrow on it shows that the limit is exceeded, a Georgian patrol car will appear. The fine for speeding in Georgia is 20 lari (600 rubles), talking on the phone while driving will cost 10 lari (300 rubles). By European standards, these are minimal penalties, but the local population considers them quite harsh.
There are no gas stations like BP in Georgia, so you will have to be content with refueling at LUKOIL. At LUKOIL gas stations you can not only refuel your car, but also wash it for just 6 lari (180 rubles). The cost of the A-95 is approximately 2.15 lari (50 rubles), the price of diesel fuel is 2.10 lari per 1 liter.
Evening view of the Batumi embankment
The “Love” statue, made in the form of male and female figures, attracts a huge number of tourists. Each of the figures moves in its own orbit, intersecting with each other once every 10 minutes. At this moment, the 2 figures merge into a single whole.
Watch the video: moving statue “Love” in Batumi.
Before leaving from Batumi to Turkey It is advisable to have a good rest and fill up a full tank of fuel, since after crossing customs the cost of gasoline will increase at least 3 times.
In order to get from Russia to Turkey through Georgian territory, it is necessary to cross the Sarpi checkpoint. The procedure for going through customs at all points is practically the same: all the same questions (the purpose of staying in the country, whether you have weapons, drugs, etc.), a thorough search of the car, checking documents. After about half an hour, you can go through customs control and continue your trip.
Location of the Sarpi checkpoint
