Traveling the A17 Road from Jezkazgan to Kyzylorda in the Middle of Nowhere

Located in central Kazakhstan, driving the road from Jezkazgan to Kyzylorda is a daunting challenge, not for the faint of heart.

A17 Road

How Long is the A17 Road from Jezkazgan to Kyzylorda?

The road, also known as A344, is part of the European route E123. It’s 439 km (272 miles) long, running from Jezkazgan (or Zhezkazgan), a city in the Karaganda Region, to Kyzylorda (formerly known as Kzyl-Orda), the capital of the Kyzylorda Region.

Is the A17 Road from Jezkazgan to Kyzylorda Paved?

The road includes both paved and unpaved sections, with large potholes and minimal maintenance. It’s a wide road passing through a cold desert climate. The first 130 km are good asphalt (with 20 km of good dirt), followed by about 200 km of decent dirt road (mild corrugations but still a smooth drive at 80 km/h). The last 100 km or so are asphalt, varying in condition from very bad to just OK. The relentless sun melts the pavement, and heavy trucks deform the asphalt, making it almost unusable for smaller cars.

Is the A17 Road from Jezkazgan to Kyzylorda Worth the Drive?

The road passes through several thousand square kilometers of inhospitable landscape between the two cities, ranging from steppe to outright desert. This is total wilderness, offering a scenic yet challenging drive.
Pic: Tetrix Tetrix

 

 

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