Hi, I am new to this forum, and what a great source for motorcycle travel you guys and girls provide!

I was inquiring about the restrictive tours in China and came across "Ride China" advertised on this website so, I thought I would ask them some questions about a puppy dog ride (Guided tour) from Lao to the Nepalese Boarder (the cost). Apparently, they do not like you knowing to much about Chinese life, and as I have had no response since their first reply, one has to ask the question, why.
You see, I an Aussie married to a Mongolian lady, and therefore have lived in Mongolia and been to China many times. So feel free to pick my opinions on Mongol life if you need to do so. Anyway, here is a copy of what was stated, and more importantly not stated. It seems they go really really quite when questioned about money.
I said:
Hi, I am an individual motorcycle traveler who would like to enter china via Lao and exit via South China and the Tibet/Nepal boarder, on own foreign motorcycle, what would be the costs for this trip? I would like to see such areas as the Tiger Leaping Gorge for trekking on en route, then down through Lhasa, the lakes and ride to Everest base camp and stay a night and ride through to Nepal. I have been to Northern China many times as my wife is Outer Mongolian. One traveler may be a pillion passenger!

Please contact me with your thoughts and any further ideas, if the above boarders are off limits to foreigners.
Their response:
The cost of permits for driving one's motorcycle to China is not cheap, the permit will solely cost 5000USD for such a trip. Plus an accompany vehicle and a guide that can cost 250USD/day.

Pls let me know if you think the amount of will worth the trip.


Thank you and best regards
Jah

My response again:
Hi Jah,

Sorry, but you are trying to over charge. why such a large cost? I have been to China many times (MORE THAN 8 TIMES, I can remember), it does not cost 250 USD a day to live and travel in China, (Shanghai and Beijing may cost 250USD, not the countryside) and I find it hard to believe it costs $5000USD for paper work, permits and a license. I have seen a Chinese license quoted for 270RMB, how do you come to a figure of $5000USD. That is a rip off! Please give me a break down of your charges. Maybe in Australia we should charge Chinese the same to drive their vehicles in our land! Further, given my experience in Chinese affairs, I do not expect you to give me what I want, a breakdown of charges, but nevertheless, it might be advisable, as I will quote my dealings with you on HUBB Horizons, the motorcycle overland forum. SO LETS MAKE IT POSITIVE and provide a breakdown of charges for permits, paperwork and license in RMB, and please tell me how the permit system works for aliens and their foreign vehicles.
Cheers,

P.S. the average working man's wage in Beijing is only 1000RMB per month, approx 200USD how do you get the figure $250USD per day to live and travel in countryside China? I do not spend that much when on the road myself, and I'm use to higher standards of living then many of your fellow Chinese guides.


Well Guess what no surprise, no response. Would be interested if other members have had similar omissions of silence
Cheers, Stewie

Navo-tour bounces my e-mails.

I know, I went in hard with my e-mail but when they are charging rip- off prices, you got to go for the jugular vein.

Navo-Tour has finally responded with the following info for a China tour from Lao to Nepal border via Everest Base Camp. It Itemized too! So if you are wondering how your money is divvied up for a tour in China, here it is.

Dear stewart:




The price is here:



Amazing Driving through China in 2012

Price

1 vehicles + 1 guest


35400RMB+33400RMB(supporting vehicle) = 68800RMB

Service conditions




Price includes




Permits


About 38 % of the whole cost, including state permits, provincial permits and custom ones.

Custom process


About 9% of the whole cost, including the custom process and paperwork at entry and exit ports.

Cost for vehicles


About 8% of the whole cost, including the translation, paperwork, vehicle checking, compulsory insurance, temporary vehicle license and plates.

cost for drivers


About 8% of the whole cost, including the paperwork, photo, translation paperwork, process and temporary driving license.

NAVO's service fee


About 32-33% of the whole cost, including one guide's salary and all NAVO service from start to the tour ends when you exit China.

Cost for guide


About 2.5--6% of the whole cost, including guide's meal, accommodation and transportation from home to the entry port and back home from exit border port.

Supporting Vehicle


33400RMB,including the vehicle cost, the fuel, parking and toll fee, the driver salary, the driver's meals and accommodation during empty drive to Mohan and empty drive back home after Zhangmu exit.

Deposit


According to the related policy, you should pay the deposit to customs when foreign vehicles enter China, NAVO will bear it for you

Price excludes




Accommodation


You may pay the accommodation of driver, guide and yourself along the tour.
For 2-3 star hotel, it is about 180-280RMB/each room each night. Small hostel may be cheaper, better hotel, the rate may be higher.

Meals


It is flexible for you to decide where to eat and what to eat and cook by yourselves or eat in restaurant. The guide and drive will eat with you. If you have noodle, it will be about 10RMB for each noodle, if you have rice and common dishes, it will be about 20RMB for a vegetable dish, and30RMB for a meat dish, and may be higher price for a big dish. The cost depends on what you eat. Averagely, it will cost 50-80RMB each day for you, if you only take the common food, not very bad, not very good.

Entrance fee


We leave this flexibility for you to decide to visit or not and you can pay at spot. Since there may be some difference between your expectation and the real case, if you don't want to visit, you can just drive through.

Vehicle cost


1, Fuel, the present price is 7.5-8 RMB/per liter for the petrol and diesel. You know the fuel price change according to the petrol price in the world, so this is only for reference.
2, Road toll fee for vehicles, for common car, it is about 30-50RMB for every 100kms on expressway and for national road, the toll fee is lower.
3, traffic accident compensation, difficult to estimate. Hope never happen in our tour.
4, repairing, suggest bring the consumable parts of your vehicle, because if there are some problems, sometimes, it is difficult to buy the proper ones in China and have to wait there for post from your country to China, which cost more time.
5, spare parts, difficult to estimate.
6, Parking

Tips


It is recommended to give guide and driver tips if you feel good about their service. 30-40RMBeach guide each day, 20RMB each driver each day.

Personal Expense


Drinking or souvenir etc.

Hope the information above is clear and helpful for you.



Looking forward to hearing from you.

The cheapest way of riding in China seems to be on a push-bike. We entered from Laos and went through the Tibetan parts that require no permits (Yunnan, Sichuan and Qinghai). A good Merida-bicycle here costs from about 3000 RMB.
Today we arived in Kashgar and at the first hotel (it was too expensive) where we asked, there were about 20 western motorbikes standing in front of the entrance. So teaming up is another option to reduce costs. But when you know Mongolia, perhaps no need to come here to China, it's way too developed

Regards

Christian.

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Cycling in Asia: Thailand to Turkey, Siberia and Central Asia