Independent Tibet travel for foreigners has been officially off-limits for years. The occasional intrepid cyclist does manage to sneak in, but most who try it get booted out by the ever-vigilant officers of the PSB (Public Security Bureau).
Unwilling to risk potential lock up in a Chinese prison, we opted for the next best thing to an actual ride to Lhasa : a tour in Sichuan’s Tibetan regions.
Cyclists are starting to carve out a well-worn trail from Zhongdian(Shangri-La),to Xiang Cheng, Litang, Yajiang, Danba, Xiaojin and on to Chengdu.
Adventure cycling…Chinese style
It’s a demanding route. The road winds its way up one 4,000 + meter pass, only to dip down into a steep and narrow gorge before rising up again for another trek over a mountain top. This cycle repeats itself for around 1,200 kilometers.
The high altitude valleys are inhabited almost exclusively by Tibetans. Prayer flags flutter from the roofs of their lavish multi-storey trapezoidal homes. Old folks tending yaks give a cheery wave as we trundle past and call out a friendly “Tashi Deleg!”
Towns tend to be a mix of Han Chinese (many relatively new to the region, encouraged by their government to resettle in the less populated regions of western China) and Tibetans (who have lived there for centuries). With the Chinese middle-class mushrooming, tourism is taking off in this part of the country. We had the unfortunate luck of touring the mountains during Golden Week, China’s seven day autumn break from the daily grind.
Happy families in shiny SUVs tear through the mountains as if they were being pursued by a gang of dangerous Mafiosos. This, apparently, is their idea of a relaxing holiday.
Suffice to say we had a few tense moments when impatient drivers didn’t like the speed at which we cleared the way for them.
With high demand for hotel rooms, prices can double during Golden Week. You know what that means. We spent a lot of nippy nights in the tent.
Bicycle troubles (again)!
But I get ahead of myself. Bike issues nearly brought the tour to a screeching halt before we conquered even the first pass out of Shangri-La.
It all hinged on my headset. The cartridge somehow opened up and the bearings came out. That meant my steering was shot. Normally, one would simply replace the cartridge. Problem was, there was none to be found in Shangri-La (paradise it wasn’t).
In the end, a local mechanic jury-rigged a solution. It held up over the bone-jaring Daxuenshan Pass and I limped into Xiancheng, barely able to control the bike.
Here’s part 1 in pictures of our tales from Touring Tibet for Foreigners.
More photos and tales from Tibet for Foreigners coming soon.
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yes, the temperature is perfect !!!!
I am in Dali….didn’t cycle a lot the last 2 weeks….
yes it’s green and so different to what I have seen before in China…
BUt less exciting 🙂 Anyway I am winding my way through the hills down
to Laos….I might see you there again…
Hi. Great scenery and tough work. Well done, guys. A quick question on Chinese visa – what is the max length of stay that the Chinese allow for tourists to stay in the country?
Thanks
Hi crazy cyclists 😉
Very nice….I enjoyed the ride soooo much as well….great scenery !!!
Enjoy China…
The pushbikegirl 🙂
You ought to be on to warmer weather by now–hope you’re liking Yunnan!
yes, the temperature is perfect !!!!
I am in Dali….didn’t cycle a lot the last 2 weeks….
yes it’s green and so different to what I have seen before in China…
BUt less exciting 🙂 Anyway I am winding my way through the hills down
to Laos….I might see you there again…
Keep warm up there !!!
Cheers Heike
Instant wanderlust. Thank you.
Awesome. Were you guys there in September? I assume from December-February, this would be a tough route…
Late September-early October is when we cycled this route. Deep winter would be brutal on the high passes–only for the truly tough (ie not me).
Seems like one of the most amazing parts of your travels.
Hi. Great scenery and tough work. Well done, guys. A quick question on Chinese visa – what is the max length of stay that the Chinese allow for tourists to stay in the country?
Thanks
Wow, amazing pictures and nice story!
That’s a pleasure to see theses places again. We were there in october too, although we were much luckier than you with the weather : https://plus.google.com/photos/104511628021386059133/albums/5649197792054479265
It’s also great to see other people found this road hard!
We’re looking forward the rest of your travel in China.
Best wishes
Great photos, can’t wait to get there myself.