Overlanding in Russia. One of the great things about being on the road is meeting up with fellow travellers and sharing overlanding stories and experiences. While travelling through Europe during the summer we had the great pleasure of meeting up with Ruth and Jürgen Haberhauer who were both giving a presentation about their recent travels at a popular off road and camping get together in Germany called the offroadhoch2 at Freizeitpark Vulkan, 36399 Freiensteinau/Nieder-Moos. The first thing that became very obvious when chatting to Ruth and Jürgen who are both from Germany was there sheer passion for travelling off the beaten track. These guys are the real deal having been on some very remote trips over the years where they have shared remote wild camps with wild bears and some menacing mozzies. The free spirited Ruth and Jürgen are married and have a number of common interests that suitably evolve around remote traveling and photography and these shared interests allow them not only to experience remote parts of the world but also to share their travels with us all through their professional and creative photography.

Ruth and Jürgen

Ruth and Jürgen

These inspirational nomads drive a well kitted out Land Rover Defender 110 that they have built up into an impressive tourer over the years. The long wheel base has recently taken them on a three month trip to Finland and to the north western part of Russia on the Kola Peninsula.This well planned 12000 km trip took the couple through remote areas that included excursions to the Russian island of Valaam to Kishi and Solovetski in the White Sea and north of the Artic Circle. As Jürgen explained ‘’ when planning these trips our main objective is all about staying as far away from urban settlements as possible in order to experience the remote landscape, wild life and local culture’’. Well from what we have learnt from spending some time with Jürgen and Ruth and listening about their trips we hope to document more of their adventures in future editions of the TURAS Camping and 4WD adventure emagazines. In the meantime check out their website/blog at www.sojombo.de . Russia is the world’s largest country that covers a whopping seventeen million square kilometers or one eight of the worlds inhabited landscapethat covers a whopping seventeen million square kilometers or one eight of the worlds inhabited landscape

The Land Rover proved flawless on the12,000 km trip.

The Land Rover proved flawless on the12,000 km trip.

Safe from bears, camping in a roof top tent.

Safe from bears, camping in a roof top tent.

A remote bridge crossing in Russia

A remote bridge crossing in Russia

Extending over most of northern Eurasia the country is closer to the North Pole than the equator. Having the world’s longest border Russia shares its borders with fourteen countries that include, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania oland, Belarus the Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia China and North Korea. The weather is harsh with big parts of Russia experiencing just two seasons i.e. summer and Winter with a large proportion of the country under snow for six months of the year.Wild Animals With a country the size of Russia you can be sure that there are plenty of wild animals, just a couple to be aware of include the Brown Bear, the Amur Tiger, the Grey Wolf,Polar Bears, Wild Boars,Northern Viper Snakes, the Lynx, Ticks and mozzies, the Karakurt spider, Wolverines and Cat Fish that can grow up to five meters long, so if your bringing a fishing rod be sure to have good quality gut line.

for more information on Ruth & Jurgens adventures

www.sojombo.de 

Overlanding in Russia.

Russia – Objective Murmansk 4WD Touring in the Russian Kola Peninsula

The History and Origins of Overlanding