Georgia to Russia by car

If you stay along the Black Sea you must cross from Georgia into Abkhazia, which is a so called breakaway republic of Georgia. You need advance clearance from Abkhazia to enter but there is no road crossing, you can't take a car between Georgia and Abkhazia. There is a vehicle crossing between South Ossetia and Russia through the Roki Tunnel but it is closed to foreign traffic and just getting into South Ossetia is next to impossible. The only viable vehicle crossing is on the Georgia Military Highway north of Kezbegi which allows you to enter Russia south of Vladikavkaz and this is a very long way from the Black Sea coast and involves a long mountainous drive through the Northern Caucasus to get to Sochi. I am told this is safe but I have not made that trip and cannot say for sure. The only vehicle ferry that I am aware of runs between Trabzon, Turkey to Sochi but that of course means not being able to visit Georgia, unless you wish to back track. What you want to do can be accomplished but it won't be straight forward or especially easy.

A mountainous drive is all the better since it's a road trip :)
Is the area around Vladikavkaz safe?

Only citizens from Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are allowed to cross the border into Russia leading to Vladikavkaz, off the Georgian Military Highway. The border is closed to all other nationalities.

Only citizens from Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are allowed to cross the border into Russia leading to Vladikavkaz, off the Georgian Military Highway. The border is closed to all other nationalities.

#3, that information is completely false, at least two years out-of-date. The border is now open to all nationalities. There have have been at least half a dozen reports on this very site of other nationalities making the crossing. Search for them. (The name of the crossing, for the record, is "Verkhny Lars.")

Is the area around Vladikavkaz safe?

I traveled through there a few months ago. For the moment, the North Ossetia area is probably as safe as any other Russian region. It's close to some rather worrisome neighbors, but there is currently no spillover.

The one main thing to keep in mind is that the Russian authorities are very sensitive about border areas. You're fine on the main roads and main towns, but you'll typically need permits if you want to go wandering into the hills.

#1 is incorrect in saying there is no vehicle crossing into Abkhazia. In 2010 I drove across the Inguri River Bridge. Abkhazia is wonderful, safe and well worth a visit if you can get clearance.

http://eurasiaoverland.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/19/

The Georgian Military Highway is the most likely option though. Vladikavkaz is generally safe, and North Ossetia in general is beautiful and well worth seeing.

#5 makes a good point however - permits are required to visit areas off federal roads in North Ossetia. Don't fall foul of this little known rule and end up being deported and barred from Russia for 5 years.

Hi danielsprague,

Thanks for the info, some great reading on your blog :)

Do you know how to reach the Abkhazian authorities to inquire about permission to enter their territory?

Thanks Erik, hope it will encourage you to see Abkhazia. I was really happy to be allowed in (I had to be very persistent!), it was a convenient and unusual back-door into Russia. Once there however I fell in love with the place, and think it is one of the nicest in the former USSR.

The website seems to change quite frequently, but this is what google came up with searching for 'Abkhazia MFA'

http://mfaapsny.org/en/

Good luck with your clearance application

Hi everybody,
Just to confirm danielsprague: We visited in August 2013 also Abkhazia with our own Swiss licensed vehicle. When we applied we asked to mention the car on the visa form, what was done. But we had to return to Georgia - no way of transiting either way. We met in Sukhumi a German motor-biker who entered from Russia and wanted to continue to Georgia, impossible. He had to get another Russian visa from the consulate in Sukhumi (7 days) and return to Russia. Abkhazia is now very strict that it's not transited, but welcomes any visit from either neighbor - and it's really worth: no problems, no corruption, very friendly and in a way different.