Info about G219 in China - Urumqi to Lhatse
 

Hi All,

Has anyone travelled recently down the G219 from Urumqi to Lhatse in Tibet?

My questions are:

1. what is the road like?
2. maximum distances between hotels/fuel stops?
3. intending to enter China from Kazakhstan - are motorcycles allowed on the expressway?
4. Any cell phone coverage or do I need a satellite phone? If the latter, which satellite system works there Iridium or Inmarsat?

Any info or links to where I might be able to find this out would be much appreciated!

Charles

Are you aware of the special requirements for entering China with your foreign vehicle? If not, then it would be good to search the HUBB, because right here there are many threads about the subject. Also there were reports, that inter-provincial travel there was recently banned, don't know if this is still the case.

Thanks Pecha!
 

Yes, am fully versed in the mountain of bureacracy involved in visiting just 4 countries (China, Tibet, Nepal, India)! Makes you realise the EU's achievement in eliminating all of this nonsense. And yes, China did indeed ban visitors to Tibet in May. I'm hoping that by October 2013 the ban will have been lifted.

Am really not sure what the road conditions, max. distance for fuel/accomm stops anywhere east of Almaty in Kazakhstan. Then there are numerous roads once you cross the Chinese border (near Zharkent) to even get to Urumqi then another bunch before you finally reach the 219! And with sat phones I'm guessing iridium but would be nice to get that confirmed by those who have experienced this.

If anyone can shed any light on this much obliged. And of course, if anyone is interesting in riding the same route then by all means let me know. Planning to leave London end Aug 2013.

Cheers!

G219
 

Hi Charlemagne.

I'm very interested in (I die for) the same route.
Despite I'm in contact with a group, they will start in June (too earlier for me), and they won't run this route.
However I keep in touch with them in order to collect info about Chinese dealers and all the f. paperwork.
For me August or September fits nice.

So we are already two !!!

Max.

No personal experience, but these folks do periodic tours in the region, if
not that specific route, and might have recent advice:

Route to Shangrilá on a BMW motorcycle | China Tierra de Aventura
Madrid: Telephone: 91 856 07 44 | 629 06 55 79
Barcelona: Telephone:. 93 280 20 43 | 619 68 76 72
Email for questions: info@chinatierradeaventura.com

From China

Adress: Block F. No.1 Yang He Bang Road, Jiu Ting Town, Song Jiang District, Shanghai 201612, CHINA
Telephone.: + 86 21 3701 7078 *818
Mobile: +86 1360 162 9475 E-mail: sabrina@chinatierradeaventura.com
Sabrina Li. Telephone: +86 13 601 629 475

Many thanks CourtFisher - will check them out.

@ Max - sounds good. Will send you a PM and we can progress from there. Latest thinking is that a slightlier earlier departure time may be better!

Update
 

Info has now been gathered and tour company selected (NAVO) so will now open this up to other travellers interested in the above route (see my post in Travellers Seeking Travellers) for Aug/Sept 2013.

G219 will be all paved in 2013 hopefully, the section between Ali to Yecheng is now under construction, so very bumpy and you have to ise side tracks.
Maximum distance between hotel and fuel is less than 200KM.
Motorcycles are not allowed to drive on highways in China, but there are smaller roads, roo.
You can buy a China telecom or china unicom sim card for the use in China, the packages also have 3G internet connection.

.
Hi Charlemagne,

Regarding your planning Urumqi to Lhasa.
You mention road G219
I see it as
G30
G215
G109

How did you come up with the G219 ?

Do you mean to pick up the G219 at Kargilik?
Taking the G3012 then G314 ?

Not easy to gain entry into TAR.
Very much so the Eastern part of TAR, so guessing your ending your trip at Lhasa?
I am keeping a keen eye on your plans.
Which Kazakhstan to China border post do you plan for?
Have you found this site?
http://www.caravanistan.com/border-crossings/


vette