China [Xinjiang] transit Kyrgyzstan > Pakistan no escorts
 

I wanted to cross China alone and cheap so organized tour was no option for me. I went to Irkesham border passinf Kirgistan border no problem. In China border crossing (no 1) i had to pay 30 yuan motor tax if you don't have yuan they ask $30. After a few hours paper work everything ok. At second border crossing 25 yuan desinfecting the bike anoter few hours paperwork and i was in. Spend 4 weeks in China a lot of policechecks and it was difficult to get petrol because you need an id card so i depended on locals orpolice to help me. I do not have a chinese driver license nor chinese plates. By exiting however it took 3 days before i could leave because i was missing a form for my motorcycle. I hope this helps for other people to drive in China independently.

china
 

:thumbup1:


?c?


mika

brilliant news! Lets hope this is a good move in the right direction so we are not bound by expensive tour companies.

What nationality are you and the bike if you don't mind me asking?

Did you exit by another border crossing?

I am dutch exited khunjerab pass.

Are you telling us that you entered in Xinjiang on your own motorbike, registered in Netherlands, with just a China visa in your passport? Did I understood it right?

That is correct.

That is amazing news. We were just about to pay out around $2500 for a guide for a 5 day crossing the same route. We will take a chance now, with the possibility of saving a lot of money. Thank you for the information. Me and my wife are travelling on one UK motorcycle with Chinese visas. We will be there late June. We will keep you updated. :)

Keep us updated: I'm very curious to know if this news is completely true and how it works

Moderator
 

Could a moderator pls relocate and rename the thread. Thanks.

@Pkicken. Pls tell us a Little bit more and maybe post a few pics. I have done China myself in 2015 without guide from East to West. You will find my story under Ridereports here on the Hubb.

mika

Extra info and pics
 

Did a trip Kashgar, Hotan, Aksu back to Kashgar and than down to Tashkurgan.
Pic1: Desertroad Hotan to Aksu.
Pic2: KKH.
Pic3: Kunjerab pass

Well, Mr Pkicken.

You are the only 2nd person to do that apart from the 1 st person Mr Mika.

Well done, now the problem with not be able to get petrol due to not having a Chinese ID card is very rare and is mainly in Xinjiang province.

People like to set them self-alight around that area.

Now for other reads who may have this problem just download this message in Chinese to your phone and show it if you need to show a Chinese ID card.
Works for me, but don't ask what it says in English lol.


我不是中国人，怎么会有中国身份证� �请你不要问傻问题了，你连这点常识� ��没有吗？


请你使用你的大脑，做个好人，不要� �傻了，卖给我一些汽油。谢谢！


Ok you win?????



I am not Chinese, how can have Chinese ID card, please do not ask silly question, you even this common sense have not? Please use your brain, be a good person, don't be silly, sell me some petrol. Thank you!


To the point I think lol

我不是中国人，怎么会有中国身份证

PMSL! Brilliant! You'd think that logic would dictate that this would be accepted..

I still have my chinese temporary driving licence and registration plate (the numberplate has POO in it!)

Yes TIC (This is China) The logic free zone??? Mr POO

Translation
 

我不是中国人，怎么会有中国身份证 = I am not Chinese. How can I have a Chinese ID?

Irkesham border crossing
 

So, who is next?

Who will try to cross into China on his own at Irkesham? Of course you will need a Tourist visa and your bike docs.

I will send this link to another crazy bike traveler friend of mine, he will be in Osh in September .... I am sure he will try to do a Loop in China.

Thank you Pkicken for the Pictures.

mika

Awesome news.

What's interesting is indeed how to get a China tourist visa... when I did it a few years ago (traveling on public transport, entering on the bus from Laos), the embassy originally asked for more details. Once I gave them a list of my full itinerary (hotel bookings, buses and trains I expected to take, including leaving China from Shanghai), they gave me the visa no problem, and I don't think I would have had any problem entering via any other border crossing - the visa does not specify details...

I think it is incumbent on every overlander now to get a Chinese tourist visa and just try their luck once they are near the border, just to report back! :D

Hi there riders.
I am planning to do it next year around march-april and feels more possitive about it after reading your news and stories. Because as well I prefer no guide. Pkicken you really didnt need to have all required aprovals from each province you go through before you enter a chinese border?? How did you find out this will work, or you just show up on the border with visitor(transit) visa and wait what gonna happened? :) Mika & Pkicken , guys how is it with wild camping, hiding in the bush, he land is big so I guess its possible to find a place well hide isnt it? How did you found which hotel accept foreign withou chinese? Chees n Well done! :)
:thumbup1:

There are plenty of foreigners backpacking through Western China - finding a hotel is not a problem.

Sorry mate do you live in China?
Then trust me it's my biggest problem when you are tired after a long days ride.
And your told sorry no western people allowed.

Come and live and ride here 365 days a year?

Sorry there was more than what you see
For some reason, I posted it on the HUBB but it all did not come out

Let's see if it comes out now.


我不是中国人 怎么会有中国身份证 请你不要问傻问题了 你连这点常识都没有吗？


请你使用你的大脑 做个好人 不要再傻了 卖给我一些汽油。谢谢！

Just stay at any 5-star hotel and you will be welcome in English but you will have to pay 1500 RMB up.

Apart from that you just don't know until you try and book in?

Many nice hotels from 100 RMB up you wont to be able to stay.

And after you have worked out you cant stay there because of remembering very very few people speaks English.

Then when all this is done you then try and ask the hotel receptionist what hotel does take western people, remembering again "NO SPEAK ENGLISH"

Some days are good to find one straight away or there don't care just needs your money or I have taken 5 hours in the past or left that town and rode 60 km to the next town lol.

TIC (This is China) The logic free zone.

You did very well,Pkichen has done very well, who else has the balls to try?

For the life of me to this day I don't know how you 2 pulled it off and got as far as you did without being pulled up and nicked for not having a Chinese DL.

What can I say lol hats of lads, lets read about the next lucky one.

Very interesting. I will be overlanding on my motorbike (EU plates) in Kirgistan 2nd and 3rd week of August, so it seems that having Chinese visa it will be enough? I'm thinking that if it is so easy, maybe good idea would be to cross China border and stay there for some days.

Wysłane z mojego FRD-L09 przy użyciu Tapatalka

The Famous 4
 

Here are the list and links to there RR on how there rode across China without a guide.
Most had no insurance some had no number plates and all was very brave and lucky

1st. Mika, June 2015.
link....http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...na-i-did-82852

2nd. Singel-Handed Decemnber 2016

Link........http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...frontier-90255


3rd. Doogle March 2017

Link.....Renting my way through Asia | Adventure Rider

Chinese part starts at post 70?

4th. Pkicen May 2018.

Link.... HERE.


The Famous 4


For me sorry all the others, the winner is Singel-Handed.

The main reasons are.

1. 22.000 km
2. Rode all this way with 1 HAND?

Not forgetting Walter Colebatch in 1994. OK, they didnt exactly just show up at a border and wing it, but did do it without any guides.

Please add to list with link to RR if you have.
The more the better.

Walter Colebatch and James Mudie 1994
The Tokyo to London Project

very interesting read.
Not only did he help the police design the new temporary Chinese DL.
Also getting the first temporary Chinese number plates

No 00002 and 00003.
The police chief keep the first one 00001


Thanks for posting the link.


https://s19.postimg.cc/7ykiinbbn/00002.jpg


Must post this part, and this was back in 1994?


Chinese roads were proving to be as dangerous as they were scary. China has by far the greatest number of road fatalities in the world - over a quarter of a million fatalities annually. Sure, they have the largest population, but California has more cars than all of China, yet China has more road deaths than all of the United States! Having witnessed Chinese traffic first hand on the roads now for over a week, that didn't surprise us at all. Accidents were frequent. Seat belts were never worn. Motorcyclists wore the flimsiest helmets. Drivers had little to no consideration for anyone else on the roads. No-one gives way. The bigger vehicles have de facto right of way, since they are more likely to do the most damage. Therefore truck drivers and tractors never give way. As soon as we saw a truck or a tractor the brain switched into full wits mode and we would watch their every little twitch, knowing they could and would change direction without caring about other traffic. It was effectively up to smaller vehicles to make sure they didn't get in a way of a truck or tractor.

Pkicken, I have to ask you, what made you do the "just try it" approach. All everybody has ever said this is impossible, but you made it happen. Fantastic! Was this the plan all along or did you see the turn-off for the border crossing and decided what the hell, lets see what happens.

Or did you surprise the Chinese border guards and they just screwed up, because nobody ever told them this couldn't be done. Did they appear confused by you showing up without the paperwork or guide arrangements?

Just curious and my hat off to you.

Info
 

I just showed up at the border to zee what ould happen. I did no wild camping in Aksu i just went to a police station and gold them i needed a cheap hotel the police arranged it they also helped when i couldn’t get fuel. So use the police!

With the fact you will most likely be mostly illegal, about from your Visa.

So my advice is STAY AWAY FROM THE POLICE?

Get over the hotel problems and use the note I posted about Chinese ID cards or just ride on to the next petrol station.

The problem you had with the Chinese ID card is mainly in the far west and don't happen that often in 10 years maybe only 2 times.

What can be a problem and is more common it that with a lot of cities were bikes are restricted or banned then you need a valid bikes documents book to get petrol?

Our friend Sjaak Lucassen on his famous R1 also drove in China without registration or guide. He, however did not drive across the border. He had put his bike in a train to somehow get beyond the border without permits or paperwork. Hiding his bike somehow from the border guys.


R1 World Tour Route



http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/wp-conte...1018-x-763.jpg

You have a visa, you have stamps from the border guards showing you entered with the vehicle, why are you illegal? :) It's not like you snuck across a mountain!

Laowai Smash is a powerful weapon. Use it! :D

Awesome! I'm very interested in some more information.

So you did not get a Chinese Drivers licence and you did not get a Chinese licence plate?

Adventurous greetings,
Coen

We are 3 canadians crossing from Kyrgystan to Pakistan across China in september 2018. If anybody does this crossing successfully (or not) please keep me posted. We should try it as well then.

So good news

#ridersxeurasia

Unfortunately for us we had no luck with entering on one motorcycle. We had visas, but border control would not let us enter without a tour agency that would collect us. We begged and pleaded, asked them to use our Carnet, offered money, but they would not allow us to enter freely.

As far as I remember Alex Rubtsov was there a bit earlier with his africa twin but without guide:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...8-4#post195981

It is really interesting thread.
If it is true I will start shipping bike from India next year.

Very interesting !

The interesting bit is not that somebody got in by mistake or thanks to some poorly trained official. What's interesting is that these guys got away with it TWICE. Yes, you need to get out of the country too, and not have your bike impounded or pay a huge fee.

I can imagine the local police have no idea it's illegal for foreigners to ride alone, so I'm not surprised people get through checkpoints unscathed. But what if you have an accident ? things will get hairy.

It's a bit like people slipping into Thailand from Cambodia without a guide. You can do it, but it doesn't mean it's legal or safe to do so.

Still, if I were in Kyrg I would try my luck. There's no visa in Kyrg no if it doesn't work too bad, you just go for plan B. It only costs a Chinese visa, which isn't much.

The thing is, if dozens of bikers show up at the border without guides, the Chinese may realize they need to tighten their procedure. Just like when you could get an Iranian visa in Trabzon without authorization letter. Not any more.

Laurent

Apart from Rubtsov, I also know of Bruno Blum ... a swiss guy who we met in China when there on the bikes in 1994.

https://www.amazon.de/Motorradtraum-.../dp/376544152X

China without a guide
 

Yes, this has become an interesting thread, thank all for posting.

@JimboMatrix

Where did you try to enter?

@Colebatch

Yes Bruno Blum crossed China on his own with his own bike. When I lived in Switzerland I met him a few times and he invited me and my ex girlfriend for dinner once, but this was in 2006 or 2007 and we did not talk about China then.

There are others that crossed China on their own a long time ago, but the only ones I remember at the moment are Klaus and Claudia Schubert, Doris Wiedemann and I also recall Dave Barr writing about him doing it. But I am sure there are more.


@Ibendel

I did not get in by mistake, I got in legaly and I still have the legal paper from the person in government.

... you are so right, getting out for me was more difficult, but I managed. But pls dont ask me why I got out, it took ten days and a lot of visits to Chinese Customs Headquaters in Kashgar, and I was never told why I could leave after trying with no luck twice. But I am sure they were not poorly trained officals.

I had two accidents in China, both with scooters crashing into my bike when it was parked. I just went and picked up my bike and told the riders to get lost, no problems. Sure an accident can cause a problem, but deal with it when it happens, and deal with it like a man, and dont be scared. Trafic in China is crazy for an European, and I saw a lot of accidents. Take care.

... or they open the border for bikers, who knows with the Chinese? But I think its worth a try ... just go and try, you have nothing to loose.

@Sambor

Thanks for posting the link. I had never heard of Alex Rubtsov.

Good to see you posting here, remember we met in January here in Bolivia (Tupiza) for the Dakar. Where are you?


@Nuff Said

In general I agree with your advice, maybe six or seven time I rode away when the police tried to stop me ... not because I was doing anything illegal (with the exception of the motorway), just because I had wasted enough time in the "no communication possible game" with the police and I won every time.

But I remember one situation, when I had no more fuel (and I had 36 Liters on a DR350) and the petrol station did not wanted to give me any. What would you do? I tried bribing, did not work, because of all the cameras I guess. So I went to the police station and asked for help, it took about two hours but I got fuel. The petrol station attendent even filled my bike up before he got the offical paper from the police to tell him to do it, but he asked me to wait until the police would bring the paper and I did, having lunch and drinking beer in a restaurant with my bike parked at the petrol station just over the road.


So, who is going to try next? As Pkicken showed us in this thread, and I showed you in my little ride report, it can be done. :mchappy:

Greetings from Bolivia
mika

We tried at the Irkeshtam border. Kyrgyzstan > China.

Irkeshtam border. Kyrgyzstan > China.
 

@JimboMatrix

Thank you for the reply. Pls tell us, if you made it over the border to the border station? Or did you have to turn around at the border? What passport are you using to travel?

Oh, maybe you did not know, but the actual border and the border station are some kilometers apart (if I remember correctly around 30km).

At the Torugat Pass (where I left China to Kyrgyzstan) the border and the border station are 100km apart, and its a military zone ... it will be difficult there to cross the border on your own bike without a guide. But you could try, its a nice ride up anyway ... in 2015 they opened the gate only in the afternoon.

mika

We made it over the border, the first couple of checkpoints were fine we showed our passports and were waved through by the Chinese. It wasn’t until we reached border control where they x-ray luggage and vehicles that we were questioned, “where is your tour agency?” I tried everything including using a Carnet. I tried lying and saying the agency was waiting for us in Kashgar. They tried phoning higher officials to get permission, but there was no way they would let us in without an escort and customs paperwork provided by the agency.

Me and my wife hold British passports and our Chinese visas are multiple entry 2 years.

Irkeshtam border. Kyrgyzstan > China.
 

@JimboMatrix

Thank you very much for the details, I hope this will help others.

Yes, the place where they scan luggage and stamp your passport is called Irkeshtam border station (if I remember correctly).

So you made it over the actual border and you could ride free to the border station.

This gives me an idea, but I am not suggesting this on a public forum as it would be of course illegal.

When I traveled 8000km across China in 2015, nobody ever asked me to show bike documents ... only when I wanted to leave the country.

So, this is it from my side for this thread. Maybe it helps somebody.

All the best with your China Adventure

mika beer

When we met Bruno Blum ... it was July 1994 and we were all in Police Detention in the Chinese city of Jining, near the Mongolian border. He was held by police because he entered China with no Chinese registration and drivers licence. We were being held because even though we did have Chinese registrations and drivers licences, the area near the Mongolian border is considered a military zone and we had entered this military zone without a permit.

The Chinese special border zone cop allowed us to talk with Bruno. We made a deal with the cop that we could go to the Mongolian border if we doubled a tourguide on the back of the bike (so we would not venture off track and observe secret chinese military activity I guess). Bruno and his bike were going to be transported to Beijing on a truck and shipped to America from there. I told Bruno that apart from this guy near the border, I suspect the other cops in China dont really now the rules about foreigners ... its a role for border zone cops. So I suggested he try to make a run for it from Beijing - just get on the bike and ride. He said he wanted to get across the Khunjerab pass to Pakistan. I thought he was optimistic to go that far without docs ... but he made it.

Looking back, its just a funny co-incidence that we ended up 24 years ago in the same city at the same time being detained by the same border zone cop.

Yes I did
 

12 years ago accidentally having just a tourist visa in my passport I got in China via Dostyk (Kazakhstan north of Almaty) by my own AT. I had no problems with fueling, getting accommodation etc. I visited Tibet region (Lhasa, Everest BC) with no permits and guides.
It's a kind of lottery, so you can win or loose. Try your own luck but be ready to turn back. As for me I want to try it again, that's the reason I started watching an information about the subject.

Alex

So whats the plan now @JimboMatrix?