Kashgar (Xinjiang) - Kathmandu (Nepal
13/07/05 - 29/08/05
The route: "The Xinjiang-Tibet Highway” (highway 219) goes from Yecheng to Lhase (2000 miles approximately). We left it in Saga, where we took a short cut to reach the Friendship highway, before Lanlung La pass (5055 mts).
In stages:
Kasghar - Kargilik;
Route
Kargilik - Kudi;
Route
Kudi - Xaidulla; Route
Xaidula - Dahonglitan; Route
Dahonglitan - Tielong; Route
Tielong - Domar; Route
Domar - Rutok Xian; Route
Rutok Xian - Ali/Shiquahne; Route
Ali/Shiquahne - Moincer; Route
Moincer - Hor; Route
Hor - Paryang; Route
Paryang - Saga; Route
Saga - Zhangmu; Route
Zhangmu - Kathmandu; Route
There is hardly any people from Kargilik to Ali/Shiquanhe. Indeed, the hamlets marked on the map are actually lorry stops with Chinese rest-rooms (built with some planks) for lorry drivers travelling along the N219. There are also some military bases and convoys which helped a few time when we ran out of water.
The first real "town" we crossed was Domar (Tibet). Then we pedal through a few of those Chinese modern "cities" in the middle nowhere, like Rutok Xian and Ali/Shiquanhe. From there, nearly all heavy duty traffic takes the northern route to go east. The southern road had only local traffic. From Namru, (a detour to go to the kingdom of Guge in Zada), began the 4x4 tourist traffic, and from Mount Kailash the 4x4's were multiplied by hundreds, mostly Indians. The Mount Kailash is also sacred for Hindus.
The road: it was in a horrifying state. An unpaved road made of big stones, sand, river crossing…, only one-fourth (of that 2335 miles ridden) was paved. The worst was the washing border, due to the lorry suspension, a nightmare.
(*) Unpaved road
Asphalt
Weather: In Xinjiang and Aksai Chin we had sunny weather with blue sky. But as we got closer to the Himalayas it became cloudy and rainy, especially in the evening. Left over from the Indian monsoon, thus it was unfortunately difficult to see high mountain peaks.
Expenses: In Tibet there isn’t much to spend. Then it all depends on how much you can haggle. Normally a package of noodles costs one yuan (0.1 €) but in Tibet the initial price was five (0.5 €) or even six yuan (0.6 €), we could eventually have it for three and a half (0.35 €) or four yuan (0.4 €), Tibetans were more modest, two yuan (0.2 €). Fried rice was eight yuan (0.8 €), but in Kasghar three yuan (0.3 €). Accommodation you can sleep for ten yuan (€ 1), nut honestly your tent is four star accommodation in comparison.
Accommodation.
Acampada libre = wild camping; pension = Guesthouse,
Visas: $ 60 each (60 days) Almaty, within seven day wait.
Permits for Tibet: we didn’t get any Aliens Permit. We passed three checkpoints before Ali / Shiquanhe, the first in Kudi (Xinjiang) and two in Tibet; Domar and Ali / Shiquanhe but luckily nobody was there or we just passed it without stopping. After Ali it was open for foreigner.
- Milos had to pay 300 yuan (30 €) extra to renew his visa, it was a fined for traveling "independent".
Some data;
Kilometres: 2335 km (by lorry 250 km approx). Average 58 Km/day (40 days ridden of 54 days in this stage).
Maximum altitude: 5445 meters. Qieshan La.
(Among the five biggest mountain passes in the world).
Maximum temperature: 30 ° C, minimum: 11 ° C (hours bike ride).
Number of mountains passes: 28 (seven over 5000 meters high)
