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Adventurous cycling trip: Two friends fail at the border with Russia
Two friends experience an adventurous bike tour from Würzburg to Istanbul that ends unexpectedly. Get to know their unique experiences.
Adventurous cycling trip: Two friends fail at the border with Russia
Today the adventurous journey of two friends comes to an abrupt end. Vinzenz and Paul, known for their unconventional travel method, had to interrupt their bike tour when they encountered insurmountable hurdles at the border with Russia. Their previous journey took them with a team of twelve over 5,300 kilometers in just 45 days from Würzburg to Istanbul, starting without any special cycling training. Paul is studying opera singing, while Vinzenz has completed his studies to become a music and mathematics teacher.
The two adventurers had decided to make the outward journey free of charge, which worked well until Astrakhan in Russia. However, the bike tour ended abruptly there on September 20, 2026 because it was not possible to cross the border with their e-visa. In addition, Azerbaijan had closed its national borders. This forced the two friends to return to Tbilisi, which severely affected their motivation to cycle.
Return to Tbilisi and a new plan
In Tbilisi they left their bicycles with friends and continued their journey by hitchhiking. Due to the long waiting times for a visa for Iran, they decided to fly to Aktau to continue their travel in the desired direction. However, this rescheduling led to further complications as the border with Uzbekistan was also closed. This required a detour of 2,500 kilometers to Tajikistan.
The adventurers traveled through the Kazakh steppes and experienced untouched nature, including sightings of wild camels and horses. Her trip brought numerous unexpected encounters with locals. Highlights included multi-day tramping road trips in the Pamir Mountains, known for its unpredictable weather conditions, with temperatures dropping to less than minus 20 degrees at night.
Adventures and challenges
The experiences ranged from unconventional overnight stays in hostels, guesthouses and under bridges to dangerous encounters. One such was that of a green cobra in the jungle, while a car accident in the Kazakh steppes fortunately escaped uninjured. They were repeatedly checked by the police at the border with China, a total of 16 times.
On October 13, they finally moved on, reflecting on a journey filled with spirituality and surprising rides, including with a Chinese shaman. Their return flight from Bangkok to Zurich had already been booked, but the return journey first took them to Friedrichshafen, where their adventure trip did not end as they had imagined.
Vinzenz and Paul invite you to follow their journey on Instagram at @vinzenzvonpaul_ and use their stories to inspire other adventurers who might want to follow similar paths.
The topic of bicycle travel is rounded off by personal reports from other bicycle travelers, such as the author, who cycled from Berlin to Istanbul and experienced the diverse challenges and beauties of her journey. She experienced a similar uncertainty and desire for discovery that Vincent and Paul experienced. Your experiences are up Globetrotter.de to read.