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Tibet Overland
Excerpt:
Contents List
Contents List | Introduction | Planning Your Trip | Mountain-biking in Tibet | Sample route guide
INTRODUCTION
Tibet - a destination and a journey 9 - Overland travel in Tibet 10 - How to use this guidebook 12 - Special issues for travellers in Tibet 14
PART 1: PLANNING
Overland travel options
Jeep tours 17 - Mountain-bike tours 17 - Independent cyclists 17
When to go
Seasons 19 - Further information 19
Visas and permits
Visas 20 - Travel permits 21 - Other permits 22
Costs and money
Costs 23 - Money 23
Mountain-biking in Tibet
What bike? 23 - Equipment 24 - Preparation and risk limitation 24 - Routes - levels of difficulty 25 - Road conditions 25 - Hazards on the road 26 - Food and drink for cyclists 26
What to take
Clothing 27 - Equipment 28 - Photography equipment 29 - Bicycle equipment 30 - Topographical maps 31 - Road maps 33 - Guidebooks 33
Language 34
Travellers' health
Before you go 35 – Tibet-specific health issues 35
Women travellers in Tibet
Preparation 41 - Specific health issues 42 - Safety and other issues 43
Planning
Getting to Tibet
Mainland China from Hong Kong 43 - Tibet from mainland China 45 - Tibet from Nepal 46
PART 2: LHASA
City guide
Introduction 47 - History 48 - Information 49 - Maps 50 - Services 52 - Where to stay 53 - Where to eat 53 - What to see 54 - Transport 58
Around Lhasa 60
PART 3: ROUTE GUIDE
Lhasa to Ganden and beyond
Introduction 63 - Information for cyclists 63 - Lhasa to Ganden 64 - Ganden monastery 66 - Beyond Ganden 68
Lhasa to Nam Tso
Introduction 70 – Warnings 70 - Accommodation and food 71 - Bus travel 72 - Information for cyclists 72 - Lhasa to Yangpachen 74 - Yangpachen to Damshung 78 - Damshung to Largen la 78 - Largen la to Nam Tso 79
Lhasa to Yarlung Valley
Introduction 81 - Information for cyclists 82 - Main sights en route 83 - Tsetang and its surroundings 93 - Yarlung Valley 94
Friendship Highway - Lhasa to Kathmandu (Southern F'ship Hwy)
Introduction 96 - Lhasa to Pede Dzong 98 - Pede Dzong to Gyantse 100 - Gyantse to Shigatse 109 - Shigatse to Lhatse 115 - Lhatse to Dingri 118 - Dingri to Dram 122 - Dram to Kathmandu 125
Central Friendship Highway 128
Northern Friendship Highway 129
Everest Base Camp
Introduction 131 - Chay to Mt Everest Base Camp 132
Qinghai-Tibet Highway (Xining to Golmud to Lhasa)
Introduction 138 - Lanzhou 139 - Xining 140 - Xining to Golmud 141 - Golmud 142 - Golmud to Lhasa 144
Sichuan-/Yunnan-Tibet Highways
Introduction 147 - Cycling/by bus/hitching 149 - Route options 149 - Chengdu 149 - Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Southern Route - Chengdu to Lhasa) 150 - Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Northern Route - Chengdu to Lhasa) 154 - Yunnan-Tibet Highway (Dali to Markham/Lhasa) 156
Xinjiang-Tibet Highway (Lhasa to Mt Kailash and Kashgar)
Introduction 158 - Getting to Mt Kailash 160 - Southern route to Mt Kailash 161 - Mt Kailash to Ali 166 - The Paiko Tso shortcut 169 - Kashgar to Ali 169
PART 4: MOUNTAIN-BIKING IN NEPAL
Introduction 172 - When to go 172 - Visas and permits 173 - Other useful information 174
Four classic mountain-biking routes in Nepal
Classic route 1: Nagarkot Vista Tour 175
Classic route 2: Northern Valley Rim 176
Classic route 3: Touring routes 177
Classic route 4: Pokhara Lakeside to Sarangkot and beyond 179
APPENDICES
A brief history of Tibet 181
Tibetan Buddhism 186
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