Great getting your post. You mention 'we' - is there a group of you? If I am to do China I need other travellers.

My original plan/itinerary was -
Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and then into China, etc. The three best Chinese guide companies (ChinaOverland, Nova and Chengdu Tours) so far have given me itineraries that involve entering via Mohan and exiting via the Korgas Pass. Essentially it means travelling north to Xian and then turning west.

If starting in UK the opposite would apply obviously.

As previously stated the cost of being guided in China is expensive so I need to be travelling with a large group to make it cost effective for me. See other posts for costs involved.

Let us communicate more as plans solidify.

David

Lot of questions, private and posts, regarding my route through China. Nothing decided as yet but I have attached a link which shows a route for which I has been approved and quoted for by a guide company.


https://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?m...422eab6f&msa=0.

This could be done in either direction.

David

This route through Tibet is on offer by China-tours. They have a vehicle with six already to go in May, 2013. Have a look at the link.

https://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?m...2121,39.506836

Something to consider.

David

Hi! My name is Andy and I'm also interested in joining you with my bike going north, home to Europe.
I live in Cambodia and I want to cross China as quickly and cheaply as possible in spring/summer 2013.
How many does that make us? Are we getting down to a reasonable cost soon?

Andy

Great to hear from you.

Myself and other HU travellers that I have communicated with still have not committed to a particular route - if I understand what has been said correctly. Certainly for myself I am still undecided.

What is looking feasible and probable is - the route starting from Laos through Tibet exiting China into Kyrgyzstan in May/June, 2013. Possibility of as many as 4-6 other riders joining a family group in a vehicle. The itinerary is for a trip of 34 day duration. Potential for the costs reducing down to as little as $2000+ per vehicle.

Don't know if the tour company have a number limit for a single guide but as far as I am concerned - the more the better.

My suggestion is to stay in touch. More than happy to share what my research comes up with.

Cheers
David

Cool, yes, I'll do some more research too and we'll see how this turns out. Hopefully south to north then... ;-)

I met a guy a few days ago who drove Tibet-China-Laos, 2 cars, 2 people, 21 days and paid $3000 per person, but he said that he knows the shortest trip through China would be Laos-Mongolia which would take only 10 days. And I guess less days=less money...

So I'll dig some more and see what I find...

Andy

I will keep looking around for the best deal as well. Stay in touch as I reckon there will be several options for us to choose from.

David

The AUS govt. ( like other govts ) is constantly re-assessing and putting out revised 'Travel Advisories'.

For information the advisories currently fall into the following categories (but they need to checked for changes conditions often) -
1.Do Not Travel
2.Reconsider need to travel
3.Exercise high degree of caution
4.Normal safety precautions

At last look most of the countries I propose to travel though have a 'Normal safety precautions" advisory such as Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, China, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Europe generally. A couple of countries have an "Exercise High Degree of Caution" advisory such as Turkey, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan. Travellers "need to pay close attention to personal security"

Countries that were in the mix such as Iran and Pakistan have a "Reconsider need to travel" advisory. It means these countries have "volatile unpredictable security". Shame about Iran - many bloggers that have been there report it to be a beautiful and welcoming country????

I don't presume to know better than the advice given so will take it on board when deciding the route. Stay home and be 100% safe? Yes I have to be sensible and take advice of those in the know BUT ....

Europe, Turkey, the Stans, China, South East Asia or vise versa. Borders open, travel advisories reasonable, nothing stopping me so far.

David

David-
A friend of mine rode his motorcycle from Laos to Uzbekistan last year using Tibet Reisen tour company (Tibet Reisen und Tibet Trekking, Selbstfahrt durch Tibet, Kailash Trekking | Greatway). I currently live in Kyrgyzstan and am planning to drive to Singapore in spring 2013, where I will the ship my car (1986 Land Rover Defender) to LA and drive to NY to complete my around the world drive.
Anyway, my friend recommended I get on Horizons to try and meet up with folks like you. As you well know, China is tough and expensive, but it can be done. I would be willing to host the guide in my car saving you the cost of having to rent a car from the guide. They proposed a total price around $9,000 for a 39 day trip from the Tourgat Pass in Kyrgyzstan through Tibet to the Laos border @ Mohan.
If we could get a group of 6 or 8 bikers together, as my friend did, the prices start to become more reasonable. If this is something you are interested in pursing please let me know.
My time constraints mean that I must be in Singapore by mid-July at the absolute latest, but I am free to leave as soon as the snow is cleared.

Grif

I would also add that I drove London-Bishkek (and on to Mongolia) last year in a school bus. Governments put out warnings consistently for nearly every country on earth. I would not want to drive much in Afghanistan or increasingly Iraq, but other than that I don't think there are many areas on your proposed route that you need to avoid. I was unable to secure an Iranian visa as an American citizen but may friends have gone through. Parts of NW Pakistan are dicey but it can still be done if you really want to.

Grif
Thank you for the message.
This is where I am at - I am communicating with two main groups one travelling north/west and the other south/east. No decision has been made as to which group I will join as yet - this decision will have to be made soon so I can commence planning.
Your generous offer is definitely of interest and I will make it known to the guys that are doing the UK to AUS route.
I'll put it out there and keep in touch - other interested travellers may read your post and contact you direct.
Thank you again.
David

Grif
I agree and would love to do Iran (Afghanistan and Iraq have never been in the mix) (northern Pakistan KKH was for a short time) but have decided not to push my luck to much.

During my travels the only place where my life hung in the balance was during a visit to Compton, south central LA. I had to pick up my bike from a warehouse. On my way there a group of gangbangers had a bit of sport with me. They had more weapons than the entire AUS army - well it just seemed that way at the time.

As a US citizen you may know of the area.

Thanks for the info.
David

pm you David
thanks Richard

May I ask what the tally is going from Laos through China now?

Clarissa and I are still assessing our options and if it was becoming more economically feasible to go through China we could join in on the fun too. We're in SEA at the moment (Cambodia). That would be another two bikes.

Take care,

Neil

Neil

Thank you for the interest. China is looking good - just waiting on more detail from tour companies.

So far I have communicated with the following -
'sanpedro' has 2 X bikes X 4 persons definite plus several other possibles who have approached him via his post. They are happy for more riders to join.
'TrippingOver' has expressed interest.
'olionel' has expressed interest.
'andykarn' has expressed interest.
now yourself.

Don't think I've missed anyone - there have been others asking questions or offering advice but no interest expressed.

ChinaTours has a family in a vehicle prepared to join others in May, 2013. The guide would be accommodated in the vehicle = costs come down.

Assuming everyone listed above plus myself = 7 X bikes 9 X riders and pillions + 1 X family group 1 X vehicle.

Hope that helps your deliberation. Will provide more info. as it comes to hand.

Cheers
David