From Kyrgyzstan to Russia (With Love)

[Fredlepirate]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering if any of you already traveled in Central Asia and/or Russia ?
Planning to ride from lake Issyk kul to Baikal next summer, I'm looking for some information regarding border crossing.
Especially the Kazakhstan/Russian one.
So far I understood you had to certify a commission quarantine site, Register in Argus, get both an Import permit and a Veterinary Certificate...
...to eventually be able to import horses to Russia..
nothing impossible but still, sounds like a challenging step on an already challenging enough horse trip...

Had anyone some information on such a journey, I'd love to hear from you.
Thanks in advance
Fred

 

[joosie]

No idea but that sounds like an amazing trip! I'd love to do something like that but wouldn't be brave enough to try and organise it myself!
Maybe you will get lucky but this is quite a small forum so I suspect your chance of finding someone here who has the answer is fairly slim!- try asking on the Horse & Hound forum as well, you will reach a lot more people. I'd also suggest contacting some of the big international transporters as they may be able to help you find out.

 

[Skib]

I agree you should contact organisations and people who have already done this type of trip. Tho isnt this ride normally done on local horses?
I did once have a portal for a Russian horse internet forum - but a google search will bring up several possible trip organisers.

As tourists, we know about Russian tourist visas for people - Visa conditions and information required depend on the country where you are resident, as many of the conditions appear to be reciprocal. That is, if the UK tightens its requirements, the Russians do too.

We have been to Russia both as independent tourists and as part of a group.Visas which used to be handled through the consulates are now outsourced and computerised.

But one should not need to pay extra to a middle man or travel agency to sort it for you. Because, having done the computer data entry and acquired the necessary proofs of travel etc, everyone then has to go in person to the office to apply. And the people there check what you have written and edit if you have made a mistake.

I know nothing about requirements for horses not whether it is possible nor whether things will change once we leave the EU. But anything relating to Russian travel is a situation where you need to go straight to the Russian authorities and also to the authorities in your own country. Because the demands regularly change.