Crossing into China via Irkeshtam Pass (from Kyrgyzstan)

[Bjorn]

Hi,

I heard news from a couple of polish bikers ( Singapore2Poland ) who got into China via Irkeshtam Pass. They're now at Tashkorgan.

I'm not sure, but from what I see on their blog, it was a last-minute decision to go that way... so maybe even without the right paperwork.

I tried to contact them to get any more details about the crossing, but I guess they've got limited internet access.

Does anyone know them/how they got in to China? Or does anyone have reliable news about crossing Irkeshtam with your own vehicle?

Bjorn

[Chris Scott]

I got the impression they had it all organised in advance but at Irk their van man let them ride.

It was not clear whether he was with them in China but in early Sept you could not even go from Kashgar to Tashkurgan without an escort or ATP (as in Tibet) due to the Kashgar army attack on Olympic opening day.

It seems unlikely they would have got through the border-like checkpoints on the KKH at Ghez canyon (120km from Kashi) and some place beginning with K... 60km before Tash - let alone let out of Tash on the way to the Pak border. If anything security was tighter than ever. We met our escort/lift just before Ghez and he left us just after K... to ride into Tash (where we had to bus to Sost).

This KKH/Ghez restriction may be temporary - till the end of the Khunjerab season?

fyi. Maybe everyone knows this but I was never sure until I asked the man at Sost: you can definitely get a Pak visa on arrival. $90 for a UK ppt he said.

Fuel in west China: petrol 5.6 - diesel 5.4 yuan
Fuel in north Pak: petrol 86 - diesel 64 roops

Like the Polish website says - the riding is brilliant.


Ch
(we were on pushbikes)