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'Wild, mountainous and deliciously remote, the Tibetian areas of western Sichuan are a cultural and geographical extension of the Tibetian plateau in all but name“ and „Western Sichuan sees few visitors, partly because travel is still rough and time-consuming but there are some real Tibetian cultural jewels there. And since we have the permits to continue over the high passes and deep gorges into remote eastern Tibet, you deserve the feel a little smug in the knowledge that you have completed one of the world´s great road trips“ What more to say... besides maybe, there is Lhasa, the Everest Base Camp and so on ... (quote: lonelyplanet.com)
Go to Tibet and see many places, as much as you can; than tell the
world. His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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TIBET OVERLAND - Sichuan to Tibet |
| 1 |
Arrival in Chengdu, Sichuan. Airport pick-up and transfer to our hotel.
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| 2 |
Sightseeing in Chendu and a visit the Panda breeding center. We get our Tibet permits and drivers' licences. |
| 3 |
On the way to China´s tea capitol Yaan we stop in an old Chinese village
for Lunch and a little stroll. |
| 4 |
We leave the plains behind and ride our Zipstars up to an altitude of
2600m. Kangding, our stay for the night, used to be a trading post
between China and Tibet for centuries. |
| 5 |
On our way from Kangding to Yajiang we reach almost 5000m.
Deep gorges and the first yaks. |
| 6 |
Further along the ridge of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and we dive deeper
into Tibetan culture towards Litang at an altitude of 4100m. The
short ride gives us enough time to visit the Chöde monastery built
during the reign of the 3rd Dalai Lama. |
| 7 |
There is a good chance that some of us had problems with the altitude
therefore the night in Batang at 2490m will give us time to recover.
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| 8 |
Along wild gorges and across 5000m passes we ride up to Dzogang
(3800m) |
| 9 |
Picturesque villages and Chorten which reminds us of Ladakh and, of
course, a few passes await us today. |
| 10 |
Pine forests, the spectacular Sundzom valley flanked by snow covered, rugged, mountains which could make you feel like you're in Utah
or Arizona... without the Buddhist monasteries.
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| 11 |
Passes, forests, monasteries and a holy 'Bon' mountain as well as a
few 7000m mountain giants delight us today.
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| 12 |
We reach the Brahmaputra (Yarlung) – valley and, with it, the oldest Tibetan settlements.
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| 13 |
Good road conditions if we turn off the Lhamo-
Latso oracle lake today, on our way to Tsetang.
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| 14 |
We leave the Yarlung-valley after about 100km and wind our way up the road to Kamba La (4794m) and after a lunch stop we travel on to Karo La (5010m) pass. A glacier almost touches the road here. Along the
turqouise waters of the holy Yamdrok-Tso we ride to Gyantse.
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| 15 |
Before leaving Gyantse today we visit the Pelkor Chöde monastery and
the Kumbum Chorten, the only walk-in Stupa in Tibet. We have lunch
in Shigatse and get a frst impression of Tibet's second largest city
before we head on to Sakya.
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| 16 |
From Sakya back to highway 318 and across the 5.220m Gyatso La pass to Shegar. |
| 17 |
A few kilometers after Shegar we turn off the Friendship highway and wind up to the Pang-pass (5120m). Weather provided we can enjoy a great Himalayan panorama from Kanzendonga to Xishpangma including Mt. Everest!!! We stay at the Rongphu monastery guest house at 4980m.
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| 18 |
We get up early in the morning and, depending on the regulations, ride
our bikes or get driven up to the Everest Base Camp. Be sure to have
enough memory and fresh batteries for your camera!! Later on we head
back to Shegar.
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| 19 |
Again we cross the Gyatso-La but this time we turn north after Lhatse to
take a less travelled road back to Shigatse where we will stay for the
next 2 nights.
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| 20 |
The 1447 built Tashilunpo monastery is the home of the
Panchen Lama. It is without doubt one of the most impressive of all
Tibetan monasteries; not just for its gold covered roofs and the
giant Buddha gilded with 250kg of gold.
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| 21 |
We head back to Lhasa on the northern leg of the Friendship Highway.
Time to say goodbye to our ZipStar bikes.
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AT A GLANCE
Touring China and the roof of the World!
DATES: April, May, September, October
START / FINISH: Chengdu / Lhasa
DURATION: 24 day vacation, 17 riding days
ROUTE: Distance covered around 1100 miles / 3800 km
Day rides 50 - 130 miles / 110 - 310 km.
ROADS: Tarmac with stretches of gravel and dirt (depending on last winter or monsoon)
ACCOMMODATION: Comfortable middle-class hotels, guesthouses
REST DAYS: Shigatse, Lhasa
RIDERS REQUIREMENTS: Very winding, up and down hills. Drive carefully and you be ok.
GROUP SIZE: Min. 4 and max. 10 riders - space for pillion rider in our follow up car
WHAT´S INCLUDED: All meals, all non-alcoholic beverages, all entry fees, petrol for the bikes, Tibet permit
HIGHLIGHTS: Panda´s, Himalaya, Tibetan people, Lhasa, Mt. Everest Base Camp, Yamdrok Lake, Monasteries,
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