Driving through China: Advice needed!
 

We will be driving through China as part of an expedition driving from the UK to Oz in London Black Cab.

at present we have been quoted by an agency to sort out:
guides
visa
driving license
driving permit
driving through Tibet


we are keen to bypass the need for an agency but dont know if this is possible...

first of all do we need to have guides with us all the time? has anyone done it without any?

Can we have a chinese citizen join us to act as a guide and the official driver (with a chinese driving license)

has anyone driven through the friendship highway into tibet or driven in tibet? any advice?

Kind regards

Paul

It's on the Meter Expedition
It's on the Meter - Home (join the facebook group and tell your friends!)

Hi there,
We drove through China and put very detailed information on our webpage - hope it will be of some use to you. Paul Gowan from the RAC usually recommends our China pages to people when they inquire about carnets.
When we did the trip you had to use a Chinese government approved guide and go through a government recognised agency (we also asked about using a Chinese friend instead). You cannot legally enter China without one of these guides and, strictly speaking, you cannot drive without one nor change your itinery once you are in the country. Luckily our guide seemed to be the exception to this rule but only for small changes. Most folks we met complained bitterly that their guides were 'unimaginative and rigid' re the rules.
Either way, you will love China and it's people. If you can, try to spend the full 60 days.
Have a great trip and if you need any other help, please feel free to contact us.
Best wishes, Nessie

Home

I had a chat with a aussie guy in kathmandu about going into china and how he did it with his overland trucks (uk plated), his truck got into Tibet, and has to put down $ for the equivelant of the Carnet. It is strick and he has to go and get the vehicle inspected on his trip. Research the correct visas for the trip also as differnt things are required for differnet areas and for where you are going, especially when arriving from kathmandu -> tibet -> china main.

It apparently is possible to drive from Kathmandu to Laos and if you are going that way and need to share some guide prices I am working to January next year and have to leave nepal by March on the bike, so i'm always interested on anyone comming this way and going through china.

China Transit
 

As per Rose & Dave of Nessie Adventures, we've just completed China using 2 x 4wd vehicles and the nothing has changed regarding regulations - you cannot transit without a guide. We just posted our report and costs re: China using 2 x 4wd vehicles - page down to second half.

[url=http://www.overlandwithkids.com/2010/10/mud-n-tow-laos-plus-china-report-costs/]Overland With Kids |

Sjaak Lucassen, a dutchman on a R1 managed to ride illegal China without permission or a guide.
Trick. He loaded his motorbike on a train as cargo and after a a few 100km het left the train and rode from north to Laos without any problems. Because more inland nobidy knows the rules.
He did this 5 years ago.
Maybe an idea to put your bike on a truck.

driving through China
 

My name Eric Xu, I'm Chinese living in Xi'an China. You have a exciting plan, I am interested in becoming a member of it. contact me if you like, see what can I do for you. xueric1115@gmail.com