KASHGAR TO LHASA

absol KMute mark distan er ce (km)

-265 -195 -145 -92 -65 0 0

distan description ce betwe en (km) KASHGAR/ KASHI 70 YENGISAR 50 53 27 65 KIZER(?) QUARAK YARKAND YECHENG / KARGILIK

altitu de

remarks

road conditions

1310 Highway 315 Town, good stores, hotels Small town, shops, last water for 50km. Desert starts after town Food, water

Asphalt, very good road, flat

1260 Turn left for this big town Asphalt 1340 End of highway 315, now highway 219. Turn right just after end of town: KM-marker 0 at turn off; maybe no water for 61 kilometres 1600 1890 1990 Basic food and beverage, shops, small restaurants 2120 Basic food and beverage, shops, small restaurants 2570 2690 Water. Very small shops, nothing to buy. 2700 3300 2570 Road-repair-station, end descending down in the valley, water Good dirt road Bad road; start river until top Chiragsaldi Pass End of asphalt, but still good dirt road

25 56 62 71 93 100 104 112 126

25 56 62 71 93 100 104 112 126

25 31 6 9 22 7 4 8 14

army base Small village village village PUSA end of asphalt AKMEQIT begin ascending to pass Pass village

133 160

133 160

7 27

army base KUDI

2590

Start asphalt, new road

179 194 206

179 194 206

19 15 12

2970 Basic food and beverage, shops, army base, road-repairstation, restaurants, CHECKPOINT at the end of the village, no permit asked Old road repair 3280 Deserted, one empty station building left begin ascend of 4030 pass Old road repair 4300 Deserted, good place station for sleeping, close to river Chiragsaldi Pass MAZAR

217 241

217 241

11 24

254 271 289 292 302 309

254 271 289 292 302 309

13 17 18 3 10 7

Old truck stop

324 340 354

324 340 354

15 16 14

Truck stop/Road Repair Station Road-repair4070 Deserted but buildings station open in 2007 Begin 4090 ascending pass Last water Junction up to mine? before pass Small buildings here too. Xaidulla 4955 Steep Climb. First Pass/ Keycha water after pass c. km Daban, 317 Kirgizjangal/ Daban Old road4420 Deserted. Water repair-station Old road3950 Deserted Water repair-station End of 3615 Ruins, reaching the descending Karakash He-Valley & follow river.

4980 Steep switchbacks last few km. Can only see K2 if climb above road. A lot of gravel, 3800 Restaurants, small! Shops, dormitory, turn first bad road, left for Ali up the corrugated Yarkant He-Valley, road follows river to B4 pass. 3860 Deserted & Locked 2007. 3960 Re-built & occupied in 2007

End of asphalt; start hairpins, still quite good road, cold valley on high level Ok road; end of hairpins

Less gravel, ok Less gravel, ok Bad road, gravel, corrugated Gravel, corrugated

Gravel; lowest point of the valley

364

364

10

XAIDULLA/ SHAHIDULLA

405

405

41

425 437 487 512

425 437 487 512

20 12 50 25

518 536 539 545

518 536 539 545

6 7 3 8

560 578 635

560 578 635

17 17 58

moderate road 3670 Only important town until Rutok Xian, restaurants, shops, dorms, army base at the end of the town; no shop for next 123 km. Last decent shops B4 Aksai Chin. Petrol. Turn off over 3700 Turn off to the bridge. Karakoram Pass and South-Western Aksay Chin Kosbel Pass Very bad 4290 Pass (shortcut of a river bend) downhill, gravel, stones Kangxiwar Road-repair-station, Bad corrugated 4030 end descending, back road to river. DAHONGLIUTA 4220 Restaurants & Bad corrugated N dormitories. Basic road, large shops. parts corrugated Road-repair4630 Deserted but Open. station Cyclists Inn. Water. (Old Building) Steep climb from here up to Aksai Chin. Top of steep Moderate road, 4945 Begin of the Soda climb Plains of Aksai Chin sandy parts Khitai Pass Gentle uphill climb Cool downhill 5190 shortcut end of Ok road 4930 descending Freshwater Bad sandy road, 4930 Cold water spring in spring bend of road. Sheltered corrugated camps behind rock gravel, with outcrop. good parts Moderate 4715 Tianshuihai Bad, but good 4735 Army base, boiled water from soldiers. secondary roads Also river here. Begin 4960 Reaching the end of the Sandy, ascending to Aksai Chin plains corrugated, pass secondary roads better; after rains/snow many small and bigger rivers to cross Lake on left of ? First water after army As above. road. base. From here to top of pass look for antelope and gazelle. Big Lake before 5075 Fresh water. Also small Better road. ascending pass stream by road up to pass.

650

650

15

660

660

10

672 676

672 676

12 4

Pass TIELONG/ SI REN GOU

5205 Crossing the border from Aksay Chin to Tibet! Lake & flooded 5005 buildings, then river crossing B4 reach truckstop shacks. Restaurants, dorms, basic supplies. 5350 5170 5190 At km 707 on Xinjang side, but only km 705 on Tibet side. KM markers only every 5km from here. 5080 Lungmo Lake ? 5170 Changtang nature preserve, new valley

Moderate gravel road

690 692 703

690

14 ca.4

703

11 4

Satsum La Pass Start beautiful plain Small pass Border Gate to Tibet

Moderate road

707/ 707 705

c. 712 715

712 715

7 3

Begin ascending pass Small pass (just 25m downhill afterwards) Pass Lowest point SUMXI

Steep, bad uphill. Moderate road Corrugated

720 725 731

720 725 731

5 5 6

5265 5200 5230 First Tibetan Town, small shop inside house noodles & beer only. Small River before town. Unreliable dormitory, no food. Be prep. to camp. 5400 Highest pass on the west Tibet route. Downhill into dry valley with bad road. Bridge at freshwater spring approx. 20km after pass. Scattered houses, river close to road.. 4450 Checkpoint (easy, no permit asked), military base, restaurants, dormitory/hotels, good shops, bakery, petrol.

741

741

10

Quishan La Pass

Very bad road esp. at upper part, corrugated, stones Generally bad road Bad sand in places, side tracks not much better.

790 828

790 828

50 87

Road reaches marshy river valley. DOMAR

845

845

17

Pass

4655 Gentle, long easy uphill Rather bad climb. No water from downhill, Domar until just B4 corrugated Pangong Tso Corrugated

853

853

End downhill

895

895

42

918 930 933

918 930 933

23 32 15

965 967

965 967

32 2

1020 1020 53 1025 1025 5 1058 1058 6

4300 Road turns into new valley with salt lakes, over easy low pass B$ descent to Pangong Pang Gong Freshwater river & lake 4150 Lake B4 main lake. Scattered nomad houses, often empty. Village 4250 Fish Restaurant & Boat Jetty. New big hotel nearby. Asphalt!! New Asphalt highway. Also KM stones every km again. RUTOK XIAN 4350 Hotel (expensive), good shops, market, restaurants. Next shop 125 km. Turn left off main road into town. Turn off to Road follows river Rabang, beside 4380 valley from Rutok. small lakes. Prehistoric 4250 Flat road following river Petroglyphs of valley until c.10km Rupudong before pass, last water c.20km B4 pass. Roadworks / Probably water here? ? Stone Crushing Plant Lame La Pass 4840 No water between pass and Ali.

Often stony, bad Ok road. Excellent Asphalt highway Excellent Asphalt highway

Excellent Asphalt highway Excellent Asphalt highway ALI / Turn left for town, right Excellent 4300 SHIQUANHE for bypass. Asphalt SENGE KHABAB Capital of Ali highway (on some maps prefecture, everything, also false: Gar, internet, hot shower, Gartok) money change (cash only), ATM.

1082 1082 24 1094 1094 12 1121 1121 27 1131 1131 10.5 .5 .5 1133 1133 2 .5 .5 1141 1141 8 1150 1150 9 1161 1161 11 1192 1192 31

Pass

4720 Excellent

4280 Gar Valley, end descent. River far from road. Bridge over Gar 4250 Easy Water. Short river. climb B4 Namru. (old) NAMRU Old village, turn off to 4330 Zanda, Tholing Monastery, Guge Kingdom (new) NAMRU 4330 New village, shop, dormitory, restaurants Small Pass 4730 Steepish climb

Excellent Asphalt highway

Excellent Asphalt highway Excellent Asphalt highway

1201 1201 9 1218 1218 17 1243 1243 25 2

1259 1259 16 1276 1286

missin g missin g

End of descent. 4480 Back in Gar Valley. Road follows river. Small Village 4480 Teahouse & basic shop. Nice people. SHANGSHA Basic food and beverage, Tibetan 4575 teahouses. Second turn off to Zanda at 1190km Small Village 4630 Teahouses. Last water B4 pass. Jerko La Pass 4820 Nomad tents on top so water. Follow river down to Misar MOINCER 4340 Important town. (MISAR/MENSI) Restaurants, shops, dorms. Turn left into old Tibetan town. More expensive Chinese places on main road. Sometimes CHECKPOINT B4 town. Two bridges in 4630 Asphalt ends at 1259 2 kms in 2007. River Pass (high point of plateau) Turn off to DARCHEN and KailashKora. 4740 Temporary bridge 2007, new one under construction. 4820 First view of Mount KAILASH! 4630 Rough tracks & river crossings on shortcut, but avoids entry fee tent on main road into town.

18 10

1304

missin g

18

New Road under Construction. Part good, part bad due to preparations for new asphalt road. Expect new road in late 2008?. 219 around town is as above until Barga.

1310 1313 1333

missin g missin g missin g

6 3 20

DARCHEN Back on 219 BARGA

4680 Restaurants, shops, clothes, hotels. 4620 Km-markers often not right from here 4620 Shops, restaurants, dormitories, turnoff to Purang, 12km to Chiu Monastery (4575m, 4620m) over Pass (after 6km, 4715m -4800m) 4600 Shops, hotels, restaurant in old town. Stock up with supplies here. Next shops in 231 km Road from Horqu mostly near river until here. 4840 Ca. 20km before pass junction: go straight 4800 In October partly frozen, in November completely. Water from lake salty, 2 inflow rivers here are fresh. Bridge & Nomad Houses. Last water B4 pass at stream c.9km after here. 5225 Border Ngari-Xigaze prefecture 4880 Empty & abandoned late 2007. 4880 Only passport check. River and Bridge 1km after Checkpoint. Fill up water 4820 No water after checkpoint bridge. As above until Barga. Moderate road; secondary roads sometimes excellent Maybe will be prep for asphalt in 2008? Moderate road

1357 1365 24
(wron g)

HORQU (Manasarovar Lake) Bridge over small river Pass before lake Kongyn Tso Lake (start of lake)

1402

missin g

45

As below. Bad road stones, corrugated, sandy parts. Secondary roads little better As above

1406 1417 4 1409 1420 3

1427

missin g

18

End of Lake

1451 1465 24 1471 1485 20 1474 1488 3

Maryum La Pass Maryum (house) Checkpoint

Moderate road;

1492 1506 18

1495 1509 3 1518 1536 23 1564 1585 46

First ok, but getting worse Very bad road, stones; but good secondary roads Small Pass First sandy, then ok with more and more ripple and sand again Plain (end Reaching plain, several Stones 4650 descent) rivers and bridges (first at marker 1536) Bridge & Tea Water & food here. As below. tent with basic Several rivers and shop. bridges after this Village & Bridge 4610 No Checkpoint here Wild road, quite anymore in 2007. No sandy but again shops either. sec. roads

1581 1602 17 1604 1628 23 1620 1642 16 1626 1649 6 1651 1675 25

PARYANG Soge La Pass Village

4600 Shops, restaurants, hotels, sand dunes. Tourist Prices. 4780

better Often very sandy, bad! First very sandy, but soon ok road Bad, sandy road OK road.

4600 No obvious shop or teahouse. Ask for water in houses Small pass 4670 Reaching Brahmaputra afterwards, and follow to New Zhongba. turn off to NEW 4590 Turn off to the North ZHONGBA just after reaching the (modern plain. 5,5km to NEW Chinese new ZHONGBA: Big shops, town) restaurants, hotel, but relatively expensive. 2nd junction to New Zhongba. 4590 Petrol Station & 400m of asphalt at junction!

1657 1680 6

1658

Bridge & Big River

4590 Water & views South to Dhaulagiri in Nepal.

Different tracks, not too bad. After New Zhongba 5 km of new asphalt road back to 219 219 bypass road is terrible, but good secondary tracks. Bad road, secondary tracks not much better. Moderate, corrugated Corrugated

1672 1704 14 (?) 1691 1721 19

1697 1727

OLD ZHONGBA 4580 Tibetan hotels, small trad. Tibetan shops, restaurants. town Gompa Road-repair4730 Road mostly following station & some streams to here houses Sing La Pass 4925 End of descend 4580 Village but no shops Lowest point 4550 Reaching Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) 4600 Leaving Yarlung Tsangpo Valley again after 6km but water all way to town. In Niugu: hotels, rests. & small shops. Big police station. 4625 No water for 16km after Niugu. OK after this.

Corrugated

1705 1735 8 1714 1744 9 1732 1760 18

Bad road, corrugated and sandy

NIUGU

Bad road, corrugated, sandy and stones Ok road at first, then corrugated,

1763 1790 31

Mia Zhu river

1767 1794 4 1775 1800 8 1795 1819 20 1811 1835 16 1814 1838 3 1823 1847 9 End 219

Nice ruins

4590 Following River 4420 Dargyeling Gompa above road 4km after bridge. 4625 Basic food and beverage, teahouse, dormitory. 4550 Deserted

Bridge

DARGYELING village Road-repairstation Pass SAGA

stones, sand & mud. Corrugated, partly good, partly stones Corrugated, partly good, partly stones Good road first, then corrugated Good road

1826 3 1836 13 1845 22

3 10 9

Bridge Bridge & Small Village Pass

4900 Only short climb to this Moderate road pass. 4515 Important town. Restaurants and shops, intnl phone calls, internet, public showers etc. For Zhangmu turn right in town. The 219 Moderate road continues to Lhatse, but bad CHECKPOINT at east end of town 4420 Bridge over the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) No Shops Moderate road 4760 Good road, steep uphill last 2 km Shop & Teahouse. First a bad Snacks only downhill, then ok Steep climb from village to pass, rough road. Lowest point; salt lake. Sandy road Nomad tent places but empty & streams dry in Oct. 2007 Uphill from lake to here, first reliable Sandy road water since village. In use 2007. Water. OK road, sandy parts. Turn left for Zhangmu OK road, sandy on new shortcut road, parts. ahead for Kiryong.

1849

missin g

Village

4535

1858 33.5 9

Pass

4840

1865

missin g

Lodu Loney Lake Stream/River Crossing Road repair station Turn off to Zhangmu

4700

1878 51 ? 1889 1892

60 63

13 11 3

4860

1900

missin g

??

1918

missin g

12

Reach valley and re-join old road, which crosses pass further to the south. Psiku Lake

4605

1926 1947

missin g missin g missin g missin g

8 21

Tibetan Teahouse Top of plain

4605 4750

1959

12 21

1980

1991 5266 11 2001 5256 10 2003 5254 2 2025 5232 22 2041 5216 16 2049 5208 8 2051 5206 2 2058 5199 7 2063 5194 5 2065 5196 2

Nature 4645 preserve centre near SILING Bridge over 4690 Stupa & Prayer flags in river at the road 1km later. Ruined right. At the Fortifications. left river crossing Reaching 4550 Small village but no highway 318 shops. Turn right for (Friendship H.) Nepal, left for Lhasa. MEMBU village Sleep in houses in village. No shops or Rests. Truckstop by Hotels & restaurants. bridge GUTSO Shops, restaurants, dormitory, hospital! Small Village Teahouses - but only instant noodles & beer Road repair station Hot Springs Village 1km later. Good views to Everest & Cho Oyu! Asphalt Starts Start of good asphalt road all way to Lhasa. TINGRI Shops, hotels, restaurants, ruined Gompa on hill. Junction to Old Trekking route Everest Base now jeep track Camp following hills at edge of valley. Sign at junction. Highway continues to Shegar.

Cross small pass before descending into valley. We didnt take this new shortcut but advise to, it is shorter and better road. Probably salt lake; water in rivers fresh. Amazing views to Gang Benchen & Shishapangma. Dorm rooms, beer &instant noodles, river crossings. Long, gentle climb. Ruins on left and right, small river crossings Dormitory. Instant noodles.

Looked like good road! Def. better then old, longer route. Moderate road down valley to lake Bad road from the lake up to friendship highway; stones and gravel, corrugated, very bad. Bad road, as above

Bad road, as above OK road, corrugated in places. Bad corrugated road Bad corrugated road Bad corrugated road Bad corrugated road Bad corrugated road Good Asphalt Highway. Good Asphalt Highway. Good Asphalt Highway.

2070 2074

none

5 4

Ra Chu village Fork in track

No shops? Left to Tashi Dzom, ahead to Everest. Signed in 2007. Enter Core Zone after village. Dorms in village? Start of climb up side valley following tributary river, cross bridge after app. 6km Crossing smaller ridge before real pass. Steep climb up from bridge over (dry) river. Good camp here.

None

2080 2088

None

6 8

LangChung village Turning away from Ra Chu river. Top of false pass

Jeep track; sand, mud, not too bad! Very Bad; corrugations, big stones, sand etc. Getting even worse. Worse still!!

none

2101

None

13

2103 2104 2114

None

2 1 10

None None

Stream in valley before pass Lamna La Village

Still bad, less big stones but very loose on steep climbs. Pushing As above Bad road

Lots of streams and camping places on descent from pass.

2119

none

5 3 15

Bridge Reach Rombuk highway Rombuk Monastery

2122 79 2137 92

2147

none

Chomolungma Base Camp

2168 79 2175 72 2187 61 2197 51

23 7 12 10

Return to Lamna La junction Chu Dzom PADSUM village TASHI DZOM

Bad road / great downhill mountain bike trail. Reaching Rombuk After village not Valley and crossing big so bad, but still river rough Views to Cho Oyu Tracks from bridge very bad big stones. Guesthouse, rest. & New dirt shop. Ugly new govt. highway in hotel. Amazing Views. 2007 but already corrugated. Army Checkpoint Rough, loose only passports. Spring gravel, Water. Camp by army corrugated base, ask to walk higher up. Return back same way As above. down valley via Rombuk. Small village & Moderate dirt guesthouse road Guesthouses & shops Moderate dirt road Larger Village. Junction Moderate dirt turn left for Shegar. road Hotels, shops, restaurants. Army.

2227 22 2245 4

30 18

Pang La CHAY/QIE Village & Checkpoint Back to FShip Highway Bridge &
CHECKPOINT

5050 Long climb. Incredible views of Himalaya. Entry Gate to Chomolungma, checkpoint for entry ticket. No probs on way down/out!

Good dirt road Good dirt road

2249 5144 4 2254 5139 5 2260 5133 6

Good dirt road Army/PSB? Checkpoint, but only check passport & visa. Village & junction to Shegar/Tingri main town. Hotels, rests., small shops, petrol station. Good Tibetan g-house 500m B4 town, Long but easy climb, only steep last 5km. Water all way up to 4-5km B4 the top. Police Checkpoint no checks on cyclists! Road down pass follows river. Hotels, rests, shops, internet, hot showers etc. Short steep climb for last 10km B4 pass. End descent. Small shops. Dorms & restaurant. Bus & Truck stop place. Small town: shops, rests, nice guesthouse. Easy, no real climb at all. Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway

BAIBA/BEBER

4250

2312 5083 52

Gyatso La

5105

Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway

2336 5058 24

Junction with 219 from Saga & CHECKPOINT LHATSE / LHAZE Tropu La / Lagpa La Village Mt Everest Tibetan Meal hotel GYADING / JEDING Tra la Pass SHIGATSE 3990 4450

2342 5052 6 2381 5014 39 2388 5008 7 2398 4998 10 2426 4960 28 2454 4933 28 .5 2484 4900 30 4905

3875 3975

2534 50 2575 91

50 42

Town GYANTSE

3825 Big City supermarkets, hotels, rests., internet etc. 2 roads to Lhasa: 1 north along Tsangpo valley, other via Gyatse & Yamdrok Tso. Shops, restaurants, hotel. Now on S2 highway. 3985 Turn off S2 into town and take diff. road to Nangartse. Hotels,

Asphalt Highway Asphalt Highway

2600

none

25

Village below dam. Pass above reservoir Karo La

2607 2653

none none

7 45

4275 4960

2683 90? 2708 75 2709 67 2716 60

30 25 1 7

NANGARTSE

4410

Shortcut track 4400 across marshes Re-join 4400 highway Village Start of climb to pass from lakeshore Kamba La End Descent

shops etc. in town Teahouses & small shops. Road following river along valley to here from Gyantse Steep climb, not true pass. Long but easy climb along valleys, only steep last few km. Water all way to top. Town: shops, rests., hotels, tourist prices. Start of Lake Big shortcut only 1km along dirt track.

New Asphalt road in 2007. No km markers yet. As above As above

Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Rough dirt track, main road asphalt. Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road Good Asphalt road

4400 Shops & Teahouses 4400 No water on pass 4700

2734 42-1 18 2741 35 2765 11 7 24

2776 4703 11 2783 4696 7 2833 4646 50 2844 4635 11

3565 Reaching Yarlung Tsangpo. 2 Villages just before this have small shops. Reach 318 3565 Across big bridge over again river to town with shops & food. CHUSUL Leave Tsangpo valley & enter Lhasa valley Start of LHASA 3600 Eastern Crossroads of Lhasa, junction to Golmud. Central LHASA 3600 Potala, Jokhang etc.