Hi mates
I'm in Korea right now, intend to leave within the next weeks, over to China, bound for Chengdu, further west, towards Lhasa.
Questions:
Does anybody know about the current situation about the permits? Where are the checkpoints located exactly? True, that Chinese PSB tries to crackdown on illegal cyclists in Tibet intensively this year?
Anybody with similar plans?
Thanks , seb.

Hello Sebbie,

do not worry so much about permits for Tibet and any checkpoints. Just cycle on into Tibet. Maybe you have heard the same stories I heard 19 years ago. Officially you`ll need a permit for cycling (but nobody will issue one); inofficially nobody takes care of that permit. Normally you will have no problems with the local police or the PSB. Instead you should take your attention on the high altitude in Tibet. You will climb numerous passes more than 15.000 feet which means you should be in good health and do not forget cold-weather-equipment.

I had a look in your profile and I guess you are on a bicycle-tour around the world and on the way back to Europe.

For Tibet I wish all the best and take care of you!

Bernd

Hi Bernd,
I also wrote you in your personal mail.
Lots have changed within 19 years, most to the better for independent travel in China( and Tibet), some worsened.
I quite disagree for not to worry about the PSB. Back 2000 I been always cycling sharp along the Tibetan border for months between 3500 and 5200m, in Yunnan, Sichuan, Quinghai and Xinjiang. More than once I got charged by suspicious PSB officers in perfect English and could just manage to talk my way out. Other bike travelers, who actually entered Tibet without a permit got arested, got confiscated their bikes and had to pay horrendous fines. Yet most manage to get to Lhasa okay. Some PSB -officers are very eager to catch easy-prey western cyclists as they can extract nice bribes, especially so in Markham or in Chamdo, in every big town on Tibetan side near the border.
I may take the risk going without the permit, for risk is calculable, if you know the whereabouts of the checkpoints and retrive some fun from a daring game of hide and seek in great scenery.
www.bikechina.com just wrote me saying, that apparently you can get a valid permit for Tibet in Golmud, yes, even as a solo-cyclist- if you stay on the main road to Lhasa. However, I wouldn t be so sure about that, and this road is not so nice due to the many trucks on this road.
best spirits from Korea, seb.

I did not receive your personal mail!

Bernd

Hi mates, I write you from Spain. In august, I will be heading from Lhasa to Katmandu, through the Friendship Highway. However, I have some doubts. Will you be so kind to answer?
1. Is there any possibility to fly from Katmandu to Lhasa (in an independent way, not with a group)
2. Mi intention is start cycling from Lhasa on the August 20th or so. Anyone knows what will be the weather conditions? Somebody told me about rivers flooding? Is this a real problem for cycling?
3. Does height affect much on cycling when passing 5000 metres mountains?
4. Are dogs and kids as ferocious as people say? (I heard that dogs there are quite big and dangerous, and so kids who´s national sport is based on throwing stones to foreigners.
5. Is food a problem in the friendship highway?
6. Is the route to Mount Everest Base cyclable? If not, is it worth going walking?
Thanks for the help and so sorry for so many questions
Jesus

By the way, is there any problem in flying independently from Beijing to Lhasa?

HI Jesus,
I never been on the Friendship Highway. But I understand, that it's a major trodden path, despite its high altitude and remoteness. This means all the pros and conts about traveling in such an environment, where locals are used of foreigners.
Dogs I experienced the worst and most ferocious wordwide in Tibet. Yes, they get big, and yes, they are aggressive and no, they are not too scared of whirling rocks. I had been forced to kill a dog during my trip.
If there are any problems with floodings, the road would be fixed soon after. And by bike, you may always still be able to cross a river, mudslide.
The altiude will affect you, if you push yourself too much. It won't be an issue, however, if you start slowly, gradually, let's say from lowland Yunnan and work your way up day by day.
Dunno about flights from Kathmandu to Lhasa, but I want to think that they would be outrageously expensive, if there are flighs.
There are certainly flights linked between Beijing and Lhasa.
One flight from Xining costs around 1700 incl. the permit, so I just heard.

One more word here to the Tibet permit:
It seems there is chances you can get the Tibet permit and could penetrate Tibet 'legally' coming from either Golmud or Chengdu, provided you get a group of around six togeher, who are willing to at least pass the checkpoints and it's towns around the 'border' as a group.
I have heard of three cycle travelers so far in Yunnan, Sichuan willing to share the path.
seb. in Korea, on the way to China

Thanks a lot for your help. It helps me a lot, however, a little worry about dogs. I will probably try to enter Lhasa from Beijing, where I believe it will be much easier for independent travellers. I will be starting in Lhasa and will spend like 5 or 6 days acclimatizing myself, so, I believe it will be fine. I have seen that you are travelling along the world. That is really great, it is one of my dreams doing something like that.
Well, good travel and very much thanks for your help,
Kind regards and keep in touch
Jesus

Hola Jesus,
by when do you expect arriving in Beijing? Chances are we are meet and- even share the road and spin some kilometres alongside for some distance. Once arriving from Korea I'll steadily head westwards, towards Tibet, itinerary open, as exit from China is not yet fixed. seb.

Hi Sebbie, I will probably catch a fly aprox August 13th (depends if my boss approves my holiday dates), and will try to fly as soon as possible to Lhasa to acclimatize to height. Will probably be starting cycling on August 21th or 22th. If you are around, that would be good fun to cycle together. Keep you in touch, regards
jesus

hi sebbie,
i did this trip last year. and i was catched by police after seven days in tibet. so take care!
i have some usefull links on my page: http://benniaufreisen.de/tibet-info.htm
the most roadbooks are in english. if you cant open the geocity pages in china, write me a mail.
good luck
Benni

ps: here you can see some pictures Tibet/China

Hi Jesus and Benni,
I'm not sure about whether I will cycle towards Lhasa, simply 'cause I'll meet my girlfriend in Chengdu and she's not really pumped for sneaking around checkpoints by night, encountering unpredictable mudslides, ferrocious dogs. And I'm not so pumped for the rather touristy Friendship Highway and Lhasa. And currently, Nepal doesn't look that bright, either. -
Another bummer would be, that my business visa of three months would expire on half way to Tibet- and no way to extend it there!
However, there are still chances... Thanks, Benni, for the link! Good stuff!

More likely, we'll stear towards Quinghai and Xinjiang, Kazakhstan...
seb. in some rainy mountain town in South Gansu, China

Hi guys,

I'm heading to China the next week and plan to ride Friendship Hwy from Lhasa to KTM. I intend to purchase a mountain bike in Chengdu and start a trip around June 25-27. Also I plan to visit Everest Base Camp (Rongphu monastery).

Does it sound reasonable ? Could somebody give me a tips (weather in June/July, good bike shops in Chengdu, etc) ? Does somebody want to join ;-) ?

Cheers !
O.

Hi Oleska, my intention was cycling in Tibet´s friendship highway on August, but due to unpredictable issues such as forbidding entering into Tibet, I have change of destination, and will be cycling along Myanmar, which seems to be unrestricted.
Have good fun around and let us know about your adventures in the Friendshihp highway....
Jesus

Hi Jesus,

Could you please elaborate on forbidding entry to Tibet :-) ? Does it affect everybody ? Pity you can't ride Friendship Hwy :-( I visited Tibet a 3 years ago and did this way by jeep - it's simply magnificient !!

Oleg.

Hi Oleg,

In my case, I have to buy a ticket from Spain to Kathmandu, which is quite expensive, and, from there, it seems there are difficulties for havings a permit for independent travellers. In my case, I do not have much time, just a month holidays, so, I would be in a rush if any problem with the permit, so, I will try the Friendship highway at any other year (hopefully next one).
Good luck with it !!!
Jesus