Trip around the East! Problems.
 

Am leaving January 27th 2007 on my RTW trip.

I am really annoyed that i dont think im going to be able to do china (this was one of the places i wanted to explore the most), so am planning a route which will have alternative routes if china fails.

My current plan is to go thourgh turkey, iran and pakistan. My problem emerges here as i want to ride the KKH. Is there anywhere to go (i.e. any other way out) if i am refused entry at the chinese border or do i have to roll straight back where i came from (backtracking as such)?

Also...if i come from the north, is there a Tajik/Pakistan border and can i gain access to the top of the KKH and ride back down towards islamabad.

You have to go back at least part of the way. Further down there are other roads or tracks you can use, within Pakistan.

If you look at a map you will see that Pak only has borders with China, India, Afghanistan and Iran.

I think China is possible, if you are prepared to pay for it and plan months ahead. See the mis-named topic "China is open".

Joe, I think the problem you will have is that most central asia Stans have only 30day 1-entry visa. So you get stamped out of say Kyrgyzstan, go to China border and if refused entry, cannot go back into Kyrgyzstan? maybe. What then? The stakes could be a little higher than oh well that didnt work, go to plan B. You could find bike impounded until you get it all sorted, which may be weeks/months. See posts by davidmc in china tread mentioned. good luck

John

hello,

is there a Tajik/Pakistan border : no, my map shows there s afghanistan in between.
about going back : some people have managed to cross at different borders, some had to go back ...
and visa problems : some people, depending on nationalities, manage to get a visa longer than 30day 1-entry visa.
check also other posts related to this area and problems on the northern asia forum for example.
happy trails,

We enquired at several Central Asian embassies along our route about the possibility of getting multiple entry visas, especially with the jigsaw borders in the region.

A few embassies (I don't remember which) told us the only way to get a multiple entry visa was back in our home country at their embassy. And not only were our Central Asia visas for 30 days, but 30 specific days. We had to state the exact dates on the visa form. This makes planning critical.

If you want to extend your visa once you are in one of the Central Asian countries, be ready for a true test of endurance with bureaucracy, we tried twice and failed miserably each time.

I wouldn't try to get into China without having a guaranteed way back into the country you came from, ie a double entry or multiple entry visa. And don't try to enter China at the Torguart Pass, I don't think anyone has gotten across this one independently.

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Dave
www.mototrekker.com

Try caravan cafe in Kashgar for China permits. That way you could ride the KKH through Pakistan to Kashgar then across to Kyrgystan. It will cost you a bit but the road across the plateau past Mustag Ata is cool.

www.caravancafe.com