Asian Current

Bikers the world across are a different class. They think different, they behave different, and of course they travel different. Bikers form communities and go on expeditions to places that are extreme, much like the way they think. Perhaps the Tibetan Plateau is much like the mind of a biker, harsh and cold, and yet warm and inviting. And so it was sure to be a matter of time before biking expeditions started to enter the Plateau and even reach Lhasa, the ‘Roof of the World’. Biking through Tibet has become a latest fad.

One beneficial aspect a non-biker would notice immediately is that when you are on your bike, you are closest to nature, non-bounded by the steel body of the vehicle. And this adds on a whole new meaning when you are crossing the stunning landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau.

Biking through Tibet was simply not possible particularly for people from other parts of the world. However the restrictions have been relaxed only recently, in anticipation of a number of foreign tourists taking the train to Lhasa. Though a biker still needs many permits and this can be a real hassle, but the expedition is at least possible today.

Most biking trips to Tibet start off either from Beijing or from Kathmandu. It is better to form your own interested group and then approach a travel agent who can arrange all the permits for you. Or may be you can also join a group that has already been formed.

You will first be taken to Shigatse which is the second largest city in Tibet. From Shigatse you will bike on to Lhatse and then halt for the night at Shegar. The morning view from Shegar is awesome as you are very close to Mt. Everest. Your next destination will be the Everest Base Camp, from where mountaineers climb the north face of the highest peak in the world. While you are biking through this region in Tibet you will also cross Ronghpu which has the highest monastery in the world. Spend a few hours in the monastery to know how the monks spend a solitary life in such extreme seclusion. You can also meet the head monk to receive his blessings for the rest of your biking trip.

On the way back you will cross the Friendship highway and reach Tingri and then onto Nyalam, which is where most bikers rest for the night.

However there are operators, who take bikers on a different trail and cross the Khamba-la Base Camp, the Khamba La pass at 4970 meters, Nakartse, Yumdrok, the Karo La pass at 5045 meters, and then onto Gobsi and the Simi La pass. There is yet another third route that goes through Sichuan, Zhongdian and Qinghai. While biking through Tibet you will come across watermarks on rocks indicating that once the Himalayas was under the sea, and you may even come across fossils if you are lucky.

Biking through Tibet is an endurance test both for the biker and his mean machine. So keep your bike in top condition before you even plan to come on this trip. Remember, this is the ‘Roof of the World’, and so it is going to be really cold. Though the day temperature will be warm, but the nights can get bitter. Storms can happen with snowfall anytime, so you have to be ready. April to October is the best season for biking through Tibet.

Tibet the ‘Roof of the World’ is all set to become accessible like never before. For centuries Tibet ranked at the top among the most inaccessible parts of the world - both geographically due to its extreme terrain, and politically since international movement was strictly restricted. But all that is set to change now with the opening up of the railroad that is going up to Lhasa, which is the capital of Tibet.

The new railroad is popularly referred to as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and it goes from the Western Chinese city of Lanzhou to Lhasa. In between it passes through some of the finest terrain you can ever come across making it among the most scenic railroad journeys. The Euro Rail routes, Rocky Mountain routes, railway lines in Canada, Scandinavia and Australia included. Though the Qinghai-Tibet Railway originates from the city of Lanzhou, but the fact is that, trains to Lhasa go from six other cities - they include Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xining and Guangzhou. The longest stretch is the Beijing-Lhasa route, and this 4064 km journey takes 47 hours 27 minutes to cover.

Since the train to Lhasa passes some of the highest passes and mountains, Altitude Sickness may be a worry, and so, the train has 2 Oxygen sources - Oxygen is released into the cabins when the train enters Tibet after Golmund, and there are personal Oxygen Canisters as well. You might need it because after Golmund the air becomes really thin, actually you get half Oxygen as compared to what you get at sea level. So take the precautions to enjoy a world of stunning landscapes you are about to enter.

Snow capped mountains are all around you as you pass through stark lunar landscapes. Not a green leaf anywhere. This is some landscape that is not available anywhere, at least in such a huge magnitude. After all, you are passing through the Tibetan Plateau - the Roof of the World. The only animals you will come across are sheep, donkeys, a wide variety of birds, and herds of wild yaks. And of course the endangered Tibetan Antelope. The cars are completely transparent, and so, you are always close to the scenery all around you.

En route, you will pass through Lake Namtso, the huge Qinghai Lake where as many as 20 rivers and streams flow into, Kunlun Mountain, Yangbajing thermal spring as well as the incredible and famous Potala Palace.

Here are some facts on the Train to Tibet:

• It is the highest railway in the world. As many as 960 kilometers are located 4,000 meters above sea level. The highest point is at 5,072 meters, 200 meters higher than the Andes Railway in Peru.
• 550 kilometers run on frozen earth, which us another record.
• Tanggula station at 5,068 meters above sea level is the highest station in the world
• Fenghuoshan Tunnel at 4,905 meters is the most elevated tunnel.
• The Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa is also referred to as the ‘Sky Train’, the ‘Lhasa Express’, ‘Rocket to the rooftop of the world’, and simply the ‘World’s highest railway’.
• To say the least, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa is an engineering marvel.

Before it was closed to foreigners in 1949, the north face of Mt. Everest was as popular as the south route to the summit. While the south ridge has to be approached from Nepal, the north face needs to be climbed from China and Tibet. Though there are 15 other routes to the summit, these are the 2 routes that have been most popular - the southeast ridge, and climbing the north face. The southeast ridge is technically not as challenging as the north ridge and this is another reason why the north face is less frequented. However the fact that the north face is more challenging means that many mountaineers prefer this to the route through Nepal. In recent years, foreigners have again been allowed by the local authorities to scale the north face of Everest.

As described earlier, an expedition to the north face needs to approach the summit from Tibet. All groups must first go to Rongbuk Glacier which is at 5,180 meters (17,000 ft) above the sea level. This is where the mountaineers set up their Base Camp. While trekking to the Base Camp, you will also pass through Rongphu Monastery, which at 18,000 feet’s is the highest inhabited place on earth. Many western travelers spend a day at the monastery to get the blessings of Buddha and also for a first hand experience of an alternative way of living up in the Himalayas.

The view of the north face of Mt. Everest is incredibly spectacular from the Base Camp. So even if you are not a mountaineer it might make sense to just visit the Camp and view the peak. Plus, since you are on the other side of the Himalayas, you will then be standing on the bare and alpine Tibetan plateau, and will be able to view the vast expanse of snows of the Himalayas. All the mighty peaks of the world, including the north face will be exposed in front of you. Let me tell you, just standing there with all that snow ahead and the vast Tibetan Plateau behind, can be overwhelming.

After the Base Camp, members of the party begin the ascend by slowly climbing to Camp II at 20,000 ft, Camp III that is also the ‘Advanced Base Camp’ at 21,300 ft and then need to climb the Rongbuk Glacier to reach Camp IV at 23,000 ft. At Camp IV, they come across the rocky north ridge that needs to be climbed to reach Camp V at 25,500 ft. Above this lies the legendary and scary ‘Death Zone’. Mountaineers now need to manage several gullies, steep climbs, slabby slopes - not for the weak at heart to reach Camp VI at 27,000 ft. This is where they rest a night, make all the prayers, and finally go for the peak after negotiating the First Step, Second Step and Third Step. Behind these steps, lies the highest point in the world. And you have climbed the north face of Mt. Everest.

There are commercial expeditions to the summit that start off from Katmandu, go to Lhasa, on to Rongphu Monastery and then on to the peak. These expeditions will take you up the hill, and also make you have a taste of the cultural and religious sides of Nepal and Tibet.