China - guide sharing August 2008
 

Hi, we're planning on entering China from Mongolia mid-late August 2008, and making our way from the border crossing down to Beijing.

We're in a 4x4 (just) and unlike almost everyone else we're not adventurous to try getting in without papers guides etc.

Our route's not totally fixed yet and there's nothing better than staring at maps with a bunch of people, all comparing places to visit, so as we'll have a seat for a guide does anyone 4 wheeled or 2 wheeled want to share the guide?

Will a guide be sufficient?
You will also need a Chineese driver's license and plates. In August / September we will be motorcycling from Turkey to Mongolia. If you can get into China, I like to hear how you did it.
Cheers
Peter D

Indeed we'll also need those as well, but they're not as expensive as a guide and of course can't be shared. A guide on the other hand can be, as you can have one guide for a whole convoy, and if you're a biker of course you need a guide in a car as he won't just sit on your pillion. So for anyone interested in getting to Beijning from Mongolia, we could meet up and share.

OH and I have to ask, you're not the Peter Duncan, former Blue Peter dare-devil presenter and current Chief Scout are you?

You dont get number plates anymore... just a creditcard size look alike that you sick on the windscreen (car) or keep with your docs (bike).

John

John
Very interesting.
Is it possible to get the "sticker" and a drivers license before arriving at the border?
Peter

Stay in touch
 

I'm planning on trying cross into China from Mongolia in mid September
and will be interested in your experiences with paper work, guides etc.
so keep us informed here on the HUBB if you can.
Have Fun MAX
maxvert@cox.net

hello alex,

i'm researching possibilities 2008 west to east route from the stans. am advised by one chinese agent it may not be possible for two-wheelers to tag along a convoy or car (to share guide / cut costs), since the request for 4 wheels vehicules permits and motorcycles are handled separately (??). let us know what your contact says, or is this a little BS ??

sheen

China ,08
 

Hi all,

I am planning a west to east crossing of China either towards the end of June '08 or beginning of July '08 over a two week period. Entering from Pakistan and leaving from Shanghai.
Haave had two quotes so far:
First to join a group entering from krgystan and travelling via Xian to Cambodia or Vietnam-costing approx 2000euros in total, but no flexibility in dates or route (i.e all bikes have to travel together on the same route at the same time.
Secondly, travelling my route fro Pakistan to Shanghai, cost approx 9000 euro.
Anybody interested in this route? Sharing the cost?

Peter, sorry for the late response. I think the numberplate and licence are obtained by the agent before you arrive. I doubt that they will sent them to you. They also have a VERY finite life!
The driving licence was for 1 month.
The number plate card was valid from 22-06-2007 to 03-07-2997... very tight!

We spent 6 days getting in! Cock-ups by the agent and new rules from Chinese customs. Do you know they want a deposit for each vehicle? Ours was 5000 yuan each.

John

Out of interest what agents are you guys using? I've had a couple of quotes and hopefully have a contact through FIAT which they're following up, but the more the merrier, or alternatively we all find out we're using the same people, but getting wildly varied quotes.

China Guide
 

hi,

Newland Travel services provided the first quote.

Abdul Wahab provided the second quote for a full guided tour from Pakistan to Shanghai. I am hoping to reduce my costs by only using his services as far as Kashi, and then taking off on my own, but I'm not sure if he'll allow that. Otherwise it's too expensive.

china crossing
 

Hello H-A,

Doing that may spoil the fun of visiting china. I've put some info on this topic today on the UK to Thailand thread. Its at least a 4 weeks journey for the money. If its of interest pls PM me.

B rgds, Sheen

Hi Alexlebrit,

Do you have any idea of how much the guide costs would be if I was to join your group in heading from Mongolia to Beijing by motorcycle?
Also how much would the other permits cost?
I have been given a provisional figure of 9000 euros to travel across China entering from Pakistan and travel via Kashgar to Shanghai, and that has pretty much put a halt to my plans.

regards

Riding into China
 

Check out this Brits ride from Europe ,through China. After some delays
he managed to ride through China without a guide. I'll be trying to enter
from Mongolia next Summer and ride to Tibet along route 219. So this
is good info.
www.slowbikes.com/Past Tripz
Click on Jakes Journey
He was on a KTM 990 which will be the bike I will be riding.

Twist It MAX

Thanks Maxvert for the link.
If only I had the courage to travel that far without the correct papers.
Are all the papers available from the embassy at Almaty?

regards

China paperwork
 

It appears the that after a couple of attempts at getting into China
and quite a bit of time spent at embassies and having paper work
translated into Chinese he got into China. You have to give him props
for his resolve to do the ride, and work at it until he achieved his goal.
That's really the gist of adventuring, working through all the problems
one encounters along the way and finding a way to finish the journey.
Angle you have the correct papers, they are a positive attitude and
an open heart, everything else is just gist for the mill.
Get a bike and go riding.
MAx

Maxvert
 

I will be trying to enter China from Mongolia around June this year 2008, when do you think you will be there?? I am on a bike and at this stage I am going to try the truck method, if you can call it a method, and see what happens, heard of a few people doing it and ncein China had no problems, I will be heading south to exit out into Loas, of course thats tha plan but things can change, problem is at this stage I have no plan B so I am going to give it my best shot. email me at alroberts996'at'hotmail.com

Cheers

Robbo

China 1 June
 

Hi
Check out the Thailand thread as we are also entering China around 1 June 08 and exit Laos 4 weeks later and so the more rider's we have the cheaper it will cost so any info you need give me call.
Ken

to Alexlebrit:
Hi, Also, I´m in my 4x4, and want to get Mongolia on Agost, 1st to watch the total eclipse.
So, it´ll be nice to match cross the China border together to share guide cost.
Please, stay in contact, I´m thinking to departure from Spain next June, may be to join in route.


[

+1 for Mongolia - China - exit Laos.
 

I am up for sharing a guide and all the assorted BS paperwork as well. I am in Djibouti now (with Robboxrv) waiting for the bloody Yemese visa and then the boat.
Plan is to be in Mongolia August, and south through China to Laos.
I am on a motorbike.
Will watch this thread for any updates..
cheerio

Today's Quote - stand by for a shock
 

This came through my inbox today:

Suggested itinerary:

Day 01 Arrival Day
Drive into China through Erlian-hot Pass. Our guide will greet you at the customs and help you to deal with border police and customs declaration. Then you can drive to Jining. Overnight in Jining.

Day 02 Jining / Datong
Enjoy the Yungang Grottoes and the others.

Day 03. Datong / Beijing
Visit the Great Wall before driving into the Beijing city.

Day 04-05 City Sightseeing
During the city sightseeing, we will offer a car for you because it is very difficult to park your cars. During these two days, our guide will show you the Tian-An-Men Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Olympic Game venues and the others.

Day 06 Beijing / East Imperial Tombs of Qing Dynasty ( Jixian)
You will drive on hilly area to East Imperial Tombs of Qing Dynasty via east suburb of Beijing and Jixian where you can also visit another pass of the Great Wall. Overnight in Jixian after visiting the tombs.

Day 07 Jixian / Tianjin Port.
Today you will drive to the port and hand over your vehicles to the Customs for shipping.

Day 08 Tianjin Port / Beijing by train.
Overnight in Beijing

Day 09 Departure Day.

Quotation:

$4500US per person based on two sharing room including permits, one English speaking guide, customs declaration fee, vehicle and personal documents’ translation fee, hotel accommodation(Beijing, Tianjin Port &. Datong are 4*hotel, others are 3*hotel), vehicle checking, compulsory vehicle traffic insurance fee, travel injury insurance fee, road toll, parking fee, driving permits, vehicles’ number tags, sightseeing tickets & company service fee.

Aside from not being able to find the Erlian-hot Pass on any of my maps, and so not even knowing if this is the right entry point, it seems a bit over the top to me. Also 4* hotels are really not my thing (well OK one night in Beijing to scrub up might be nice). So now I'm in the wittling down process.

Wow - they're not shy about asking for cash are they? At that price I am out. I agree with your comments about 4* hotels. If they are working for us surely we can talk about which hotels we would like to stay at?

And I am not clear about the exit - do we have to ship the bikes (cars) by sea out of china?

Thanks for doing this leg work.
Cheers,
Rene

I've mailed back to ask for how that price breaks down in terms of

• paperwork - visas, permits, plates etc
• accomodation
• guide

I did explain how it was perhaps just a little over-budget, and also a small query as to why the price didn't seem to get slightly cheaper for more vehicles (bikes, cars, buggies etc), and pointing out that personally as I'd have been sleeping in tents almost all the way from Scotland, I might not need a 4* hotel (apart from maybe one night as a reward in Beijing).

The shipping out bit is more specific to our trip which in theory finishes in Beijing itself, and from there the buggies will be shipped back to France, so I wouldn't worry about that. I'd asked for assistance to the port (Tianjin), but we're also looking at the possibility of bunging the buggies in a 20' container in Beijing and either having it transported to the port, or alternatively by rail on the Trans-Manchurian/Siberian line, back to Europe.

Obviously if people want to go further on, well I'm sure something can be arranged. Or perhaps it's worthwile taking the risk and "going it alone" from the capital.

Thanks for the clarification.
To give you an idea of my budget, it would make sense for me to pay up to ~$100 / day for the services of an agency. Any more than that, and its getting close to the same price of flying the bike from South Korea to Bangkok (Plan B).
Nothing would tickle me more than 'going it alone' from Beijing, but I think I will be prepaying all these hotels and services, so makes sense to use some of them.
Cheers,