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China Guide from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan
China is a
country in which (as of June 2007) foreigners are not permitted to drive
their own vehicles without correct permits and a guide. Strictly
speaking, I believe that the basis upon which they are allowed is as
part of an expedition. What the guide company does is to book an
expedition for over 10 people and then cancel off the other 8/9 places.
You pay for the whole expedition.
I used the
Caravan Cafe in Kashgar to book, but I believe that they have now closed
shop. In any case, Caravan outsourced to Newland travel (www.newlandtravel.net
). The cost was approx USD 750 per bike
based upon 2 bikes. This was for 3 days' with a guide, split by 4 days
in Kashgar.
3 months
prior to entry date, it was necessary to send:
- Photos
of bike from all angles
- Passport
- Licence
-
Registration docs for vehicle
- Payment
Here are the steps that we went through to cross the border:
1) Narin to the first Kyrgz checkpoint - road OKish. Took 3-4 hours.
They stamp passport at checkpoint. We camped here as there was no other
accomodation, but it was freezing cold and the trucks were very noisy. A
local on a horseman offered us his yurt but 2km across grass and we
didn't want to get stuck and miss meeting our guide. Easy to get through
border. No questions asked.
2) Narin to Torugart - not a great road surface. Took around 2 hours.
After the lake, arrive in 2nd Kyrgz checkpoint. Customs (you can show
one of the forms from when you first entered CIS if you still have it)
then passport office. A little slow, but it works OK. They said that if
we didn't get into China, they wouldn't let us back in. Another stamp in
passport.
3) Ride
8km across border to an upper Chinese checkpoint where we think our
guide was meant to meet us but we were early so continued. The guy
didn't speak English so we showed passport, he asked for something and
then waved us on.
4) Ride
down pot-holed road to next China checkpoint. A couple of buildings
here. Pretty slow. They checked bikes. GPS not allowed. If they ask, say
that it doesn't work. They're mainly interested in your books to make
sure not political. This is where our guide met us and we wouldn't have
got past without him. He showed them some paperwork and helped us with
questions etc. Easy enough but time consuming. Still no passport stamp.
5) Ride 80km on gravel road to main border then 10km perfect road. Not a
great road. Little grip. Great scenery. This border doesn’t open until
2.30pm. They spray disinfectant on bikes. Procedure here is customs
declaration form, immigration form and passport, bag search (they like
to scan them, so best if you can remove). Then they check engine/frame
numbers against the tour guide's documents (they got it wrong on one of
our bikes, but eventually let us through). Seemed to take ages.
6) 1.5
hour ride on great surface into Kashgar. We wouldn't have found anything
without guide as road names all in Chinese!
For the trip across to Pakistan, the roads were great in China. At
Tashkorgan, you stamp out of China. This takes quite some time and they
have a good look at the paperwork. You have to get your luggage scanned,
but we just put on the soft luggage and left on the panniers.
Your then ride 90km to the final Chinese exit border. Good roads, but a
little flat landscape! Unfortunately, we ended up in a mini convoy for
this bit. Get to the first exit border (where they stamp you) early as
there will be a queue when the tour groups get there. I'd aim for 8am
latest. When they say that you can go, get on your bikes and leave as
they can change their minds.
Entering Pakistan is easy. 10km after you leave the 2nd China post,
you'll get to the first Pakistan post. A sign says to drive on the left,
the roads degrade somewhat and then the border guard welcomes you with a
cursory look at the passport and then off you go. No stamps or carnet
here.
From here, it's around 90km down to Sust down the winding KKH. Mixed
road surface and at one point a flooded road when we were there. We had
to put the bikes into the back of a truck here as it was too deep.
Couldn't get them off the truck until Sost as nowhere to do so! A couple
of checkpoints along the way with friendly staff. At one of them, you
pay USD4 fee for the Kunjerab pass.
In Sust, friendly border staff stamp passports etc. Customs is around
100m later on the right behind a gate but not behind a road barrier (not
very clearly marked). Here you do carnet etc. All very easy, but it's up
to you to find customs as it would be possible to just ride past and not
bother.
Then you're free in Pakistan. I can recommend that you stay first night
in Charimabad if you can. At Eagle's nest up the top. Exchange rate is
60 but you'll get 58 or 59 in most places. The fuel is quite low grade.
All people incredibly welcoming.
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