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The Ultimate Road Trip in a Kia Sorento – Poland to Korea and Back


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When most customers drive their new Kia Sorento CUV away from the showroom for the first time, the dealer probably expects that they will be doing a little off-road driving during their ownership of the vehicle. However, Dr. Maciej Kalarus is not a typical customer.

Having purchased a graphite colored Sorento 2.0-liter CRDi from Kia Motors Poland last year, Dr. Kalarus set off on an epic road trip in the summer of 2011. The intrepid driver travelled 27,000 km (approximately 17,000 miles) from Poland to the Western border of China and back –crossing vast open grassland and arid deserts, climbing snow-covered mountains and fording rivers along the way.

Pacific 2012 -Poland Asia Tour

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Dr. Kalarus at Kia Motors Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea

Dr. Kalarus is at it again and wants to top last year’s expedition with a 100-day, 40,000 km tour that he kicked-off this past July, which will take him from Katowice, Poland to Seoul, South Korea, and back. The pinnacle of the journey was his visit to Kia’s Hwasung Plant – where his Sorento was originally manufactured, and he is presently on his return journey back to Poland.

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Dr. Kalarus crosses some muddy waters in Mongolia

This amazing route has taken Dr. Kalarus through Eastern Europe, Central Asia and finally brought him to Seoul, South Korea. The courageous driver has passed through savannahs, valleys, waterways, desert and snow capped mountains. He has definitely pushed the Sorento to its limits and beyond.

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Dr. Kalrus demonstrates the Sorento’s off-roading capabilities in Mongolia

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Driving through the grasslands of Russia

Travel Itinerary

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Time: July – October (about 100 days)

Destination: Kia Hwasung Plant (where the Sorento is manufactured) in South Korea

Route: about 40, 000 km (24,845 miles).

Destinations:

  • Poland:  Katowice, Kraków, Rzeszów
  • Ukraine: Lwów, Kamieniec, Chocim, Odessa, Krym, Kercz
  • Moldava:  Soroca, Rezina, Orhei, Kiszyniów
  • Russia:  Soczi, Kaukaz Północny (Osetia, Czeczenia, Dagestan), Wołgograd, Samara, Ufa
  • Kazakhstan:Qostanay,  Kokshetau, Astana, Karaganda, Pavlador, Semey
  • Russia: Gorno Ałtajsk, Ust-Ulagan, Krasnojarsk, Irkuck (Bajkał), Olkhon, Ułan Ude
  • Mongolia: Suche Bator, Ułan Bator, Tereldż, Karakorum, Darchan, Pustynia Gobi
  • Russia: Chita, Skovorodino, Albazino, Birobidżan, Chabarowsk, Władywostok
  • South Korea:  Donghae, Seoul, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju
  • China:  Pekin, Szanghaj, Xi’an, Longmen, Nankin, Jinan, Hohhot
  • Japan: Nagasaki, Hiroszima, Kyoto, Nagano, Tokio, Osaka, Suzuka. Kobe, Nara, Gifu
  • Russia:Władywostok, Irkuck, Omsk, Krasnojarsk, Ekaterinburg, Kazań,  Moskwa, Katyń
  • Ukraine: Kijów, Czarnobyl,  Żytomierz, Rivne, Lwów
  • Poland:  Rzeszów, Kraków, Katowice

Dr. Maciej Kalarus

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Dr. Maciej Kalarus has quite an interesting profile and is sort of a modern day ‘Indiana Jones.’ He is currently employed as a university professor and has all sorts of interesting hobbies like fly hang gliders, and he holds a rally driver’s license to help him race in the Poland Championship rallies. He also writes poems, and his true passion is to travel, especially in his Kia Sorento.

Despite all the difficult road conditions and close calls, we hope that Dr. Kalarus’s journey was worthwhil – he has described Sorento as a “tireless companion” and seeing his companion’s birthplace may have solidified the bond even further. Hopefully there will be many more memorable trips to come in his Sorento.

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What do you think?

When was your last road trip? Tell us your most memorable trip in your Kia.

Learn more

See our previous posts on the new Sorento features:

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