You want to cycle through Tibet? No problem. Avoid the TAR and drop into the former Kham province. Here the Tibetan culture is maybe even more present and the landscape more varied than elsewhere. Meet pilgrims on their long way to Lhasa and enjoy a fantastic ride through deep gorges, over rough passes and wide high planes, where the wind is playing with millions of prayer flags and the people welcomes you with a warm "Tashi Delek".


Access and road condition
The start from this off the map is Litang. You reach this small town from east over the southern Tibet - Sichuan Highway or south over the road 217 from Zhongdian (Shangri La). For both ways you'll find excellent route descriptions here.
Asphalt on this altitude is always of poor quality. We tracked only the biggest gravel parts, so count with smaller ones not marked in the description. The road on the high plaine between Picha and Jachi is bad.
The whole route is out off the TAR. Normally you should be able to cycle it without restrictions, but try to check in advance if all roads are open.


Accommodation and supplies
There are hotels in Litang, Bayu, Dege, Manigango and Garze. Camping is never a problem.
Don't cross the pass after Picha when there are weather warnings from local people. The pass ends in a wide marshy highplaine where snow and wind can cause you a problem. Highplain can get very muddy after rain/snow. Yaqing is a teaching and pilgrimage center. There are at least two poor-value (50Y/bed) guesthouses.
All shops between the major towns are small and extremely limited in supplies (instant noodles & biscuits). Stock up luxury goods (like milk powder, oats, dried fruits etc.) at the good shops in Litang, Bayu and Dege. There is no possibility to get or change money in this area til Garze (ATM). So take care and bring enough cash.


Roadbook
If you have GPS, download the digital roadbook on the left side of this page.
For a simple overview or a print check the paper version here.


Feedback
Trails always change. Please send us your comment or update info!

Add new comment

Philipp & Corina from CH wrote on 16.06.2011 21:21
Hi there

Highplain (first 4600m pass after Litang) can get VERY muddy after rain. We had a quite hard time to cross this pass... So if there is a lot of rain before or you are early in the season you might get stuck...

Cheers and thanks for your work with the very helpful roadbooks!

Ivo from Switzerland wrote on 06.08.2010 18:56
Hi Bill
Thank you for your mail and the update info. I added your corrections to the road log.

Enjoy your trip
Ivo

Bill from Xining wrote on 06.08.2010 18:42
Thanks again for the information in your www.globoride.ch/off-the-map/tbt1-tro-la.html that was very helpful on my ride through northwestern Sichuan! After the run-in with police near Yaqing, I didn't have any more trouble with the police. In fact, things were so relaxed the rest of the way to Xining that I never had to fill out another police hotel registration form. The ride went very well with the friendly people and fine scenery. The Qinghai section lacked the glacier-clad peak scenery of NW Sichuan, but people were as friendly as ever; road conditions were much better in Qinghai and I had more sunshine as well.

Bill


Bill from Garze wrote on 06.08.2010 17:43
Hi
Thanks for the road log. I was cycling Ganzi to Baiyu, but was turned back by police at the Yaqing turnoff because I had the wrong visa (only L visas are accepted by police in Baiyu area--crazy!). So I looped back to Ganzi via the 4600-meter pass route that you described - a great ride. What you call Jachi is actually more commonly known as Yaqing. You probably noticed a lot of nuns at the southern end of Yaqing, but many monks and laypeople flock here to hear the teachings. There are at least two guesthouses/restaurants, but poor value at 50Y per bed. Now I'm back in Ganzi and will try to ride to Dege via the main highway; hopefully the police there don't have the silly visa requirement. (I have a business F visa, which has never been a problem before.) Biciclown, Alvaro Neil, rode your Sichuan route and told me about your website; he's near Xining now. I also hope to ride to Xining, but probably on the main highway north of Yushu.

All the best, Bill