A short introduction to Cycling in Tibet for foreigners.
When foreigners travel to Xizang / Tibet, they are required to have travel permits, to have a guide/car and/or be on a tour, and are restricted to certain areas. This makes recreational cycling and traveling by bike there complicated, very expensive, somewhat frustrating, but worthwhile and ultimately highly recommended if you have the time and money.
The Race / Challenge Path
I believe there are one or two amateur cycling races there each year that are open to foreigners. Search around for the Tibet Epic or Extreme Cycle Challenge. Entrance is not cheap, but I assume it gets you the permits, etc. The route looks interesting. Don’t forget you need to factor in proper altitude acclimatization, and can you really race at such altitudes? Probably not, unless you live at a high altitude or have been up at similar altitudes for a few weeks.
The Package Tour Group Path
The cheapest and easiest option is if you want a basic taste of Tibet / Lhasa or a visit to base camp or Kailash. Check out CBTravel, who helped me organize my trip.
Also look at a professional cycle tour option such as https://www.serk.cc/everest/ (a few friends have done and enjoyed the experience). It’s not cheap, but the whole route and experience are tailored for cyclists by cyclists, so since you’re going to all the effort and cost, you might as well go for the best cycling experience.
The Tour Guide Path
Get some friends together and plan out your own itinerary. Basically, split a guide and a car between a group of you. Remember, many border areas are closed to foreigners. The G214 (Yunnan), G318 (Sichuan), and G219 (west of Lhasa, south or east closed), and north of there are mostly open, south not. Plan your route wisely; some places you can cycle through, but many you cannot stay in, even if they are Chinese resorts/tourist areas. Don’t overestimate how many km you can do at altitude.
Search online for a tour guide. They will need a car or van. They are responsible for your well-being and your group following the itinerary. Many guides are from Sichuan but do seasonal work / seasonally live in Tibet. There are also many native guides. Take your pick. They or their company can check your itinerary, apply for permits, and organize the guide and car. Give that all at least 3 to 4 months. This includes about a month for permit issues.
The Alternative
If you cannot deal with the expense, have issues with the sustainability of the whole trip (flights in/out, hotels, car/guide, etc.), or don’t want a guide taking you everywhere or being stuck to a fixed itinerary, then Tibet is not for you. Parts of South Qinghai / West Sichuan / Northern Yunnan are part of the Tibetan plateau and have ZangZhu (Tibetan) populations and areas. Actually, quite a few are also off limits, so check before you go, but you can still check out the vast majority, and these areas hold some of China’s best cycling.
给外国游客的西藏骑行简要介绍。
外国游客前往西藏旅行时，必须持有旅行许可证，配备向导和/或车辆，并/或参加旅行团，且活动范围受限。这使得在当地进行休闲骑行和自行车旅行变得复杂、费用高昂且略显棘手，但若您有充足的时间和资金，这仍是一次值得体验的旅程，非常值得推荐。
赛事/挑战路线
据我所知，当地每年会举办一两场向外国人开放的业余自行车赛。不妨搜索一下“西藏史诗赛”（Tibet Epic）或“极限自行车挑战赛”（Extreme Cycle Challenge）。报名费不便宜，但我推测这能帮你搞定旅行许可证等手续。赛道看起来很有意思。别忘了，你需要预留足够的时间进行高海拔适应，而且在如此高海拔的地方真的能参赛吗？恐怕不行，除非你平时就生活在高海拔地区，或者已经在类似海拔高度适应了数周。
跟团游路线
如果你只想简单体验一下西藏/拉萨，或者去珠峰大本营或冈仁波齐，这是一种最便宜、最省心的选择。不妨看看CBTravel，他们曾帮我安排过行程。
也可以考虑专业的骑行旅行团，比如https://www.serk.cc/everest/（我有几位朋友参加过，都觉得体验很棒）。虽然费用不菲，但整个路线和体验都是由骑行爱好者专为骑行者量身定制的。既然你已经投入了这么多精力和金钱，何不追求最佳的骑行体验呢？
自驾游路线
召集几位朋友，自行规划行程。基本上，由团队成员共同分摊向导和车辆的费用。请记住，许多边境地区对外国人是封闭的。G214（云南）、G318（四川）和G219（拉萨以西，南部或东部封闭）以及该区域以北的路段大多开放，南部则不开放。请明智地规划路线；有些地方可以骑行通过，但许多地方即使是中国境内的度假村或旅游区，你也无法停留。不要高估自己在高海拔地区能骑行的公里数。
上网寻找一名导游。他们需要配备轿车或面包车。他们负责确保你的安全以及团队按行程安排行进。许多导游来自四川，但在西藏从事季节性工作或季节性居住。也有许多当地向导。你可以自行选择。他们或其公司可以审核你的行程、申请许可证，并安排向导和车辆。这些准备工作至少需要3到4个月。其中包括大约一个月用于办理许可证。
替代方案
如果您无法承担相关费用，对整个行程的可持续性（往返航班、酒店、车辆/向导等）存有疑虑，或者不希望向导带您到处走，也不愿受固定行程的束缚，那么西藏可能不适合您。青海南部、四川西部和云南北部的部分地区属于青藏高原，拥有藏族人口和藏区。实际上，其中不少地区也属于禁入区域，因此出发前请务必确认，但绝大多数地区仍可探索，而且这些地区拥有中国最棒的骑行路线。
FAQ 常见问题
> How much will it cost me? There is a huge difference in price and what you get. Assume 1000 USD and up. 5000 USD pp for an upper mid-end option for 10 days!.
> What time of year to visit? When there is less chance of rain and cloud coverage. You’re there to see the landscape. Do your research depending on where you are going. Autumn followed by May. Cold, wet weather cycling is not fun.
> How is cycling on the G318; where there is no adjacent motorway its dangerous and full of trucks (trucking route) and some crazy drivers who overtake on blind corners and have no regard for speed limits or what side of the road they are on. Just have a look at all the horrible posts on Redbook or Facebook on crashes. Where there is an adjacent motorway, it’s very peaceful and generally safe traffic. Sometimes the road traffic gets blocked, and you get a couple of hours of peace and quiet, and it’s great. Some sections are crazier than others. Don’t cycle it unless you’re an experienced cyclist. There are places to stay for foreigners along it, with only one or two sections where foreigners are not allowed to stay for 200km or more. You will see many Chinese self-supported and supported cyclists on it of all ages and types, which is great. You will also see lots of motorcyclists, motor scooters, electric scooters, e-bikes, people walking the route, and people praying along the route (3 steps forward, one bow to the knees, repeat a million times!). Unfortunately, I hear too many stories from local drivers about them getting run over, especially at night. There is stunning scenery along the G318 or just off it. The G318 is a feat of amazing engineering, and the sweat, pride, money, and blood that these roads take to maintain and keep open is truly amazing. Hats off to China and the unsung heroes who make that possible. My personal suggestion is do NOT cycle it now. Wait for another 5 years while the new motorway is built. That should help to take traffic away from it and make it a safer and nicer experience. For now, focus on small areas or loops, and you will get the same and nicer sense of its greatness. Anyway, hats off and deep respect to anyone who cycles the G318…. Also, cycling a lot of the G318 towards Lhasa feels like you are in Sichuan, as so many of the restaurants and hotels along the way, and the sounds you hear are Sichuanese. I guess off the beaten path that changes very quickly.
> Hows cycling on the G214; same as the G318 but there is no adjacent motorway. New roads are being built so that might change. Again, another engineering and maintenance marvel.
> What are other good routes: I have not done enough cycling there to comment now. I really like the lowlands near Yigong and the lake area north of Basong Lake. I hope to return in a more economical way and explore a few loops I have planned.
> Can foreigners camp in Tibet? I’m hearing different viewpoints on that. Safe to assume not in most cases. “Depends on maybe”!
> Are all the checks, permits, and guides intimidating? No, not at all. I went through 2 checkpoints over my entire month-long journey. Your guide checks you into hotels with your permit and passport. I had zero police visits. In a few areas, the guide had to visit the local police station to check me in. Guides are polite and friendly. Just follow the plan…..
> Can I book my own hotels and meals? Yes, I booked all my hotels through trip.com as I went, and I chose restaurants I ate in and paid through wechat or Alipay.
> Can I walk around by myself? I’m not 100% sure of the regulation on that, but it seems to be fine, and I saw lots of foreigners walking by themselves in Lhasa. Just be very mindful, and if the police tell you to do something, don’t question and just do what they say. That saves everyone a headache.
> Did I feel Rip off? Not at all, other than in a few places such as the stunning Basong Lake, where the only options for foreigners to stay are either a 2000 RMB-a-night luxury hotel or a 600 RMB run-down local government establishment, which should only charge you 150 RMB for a faimei disintegrating room. Why not allow foreigners to stay in other places in these tourist areas?, I do not know, guess locals are playing the system! Other hotels, food, etc., are the same as those for Chinese tourists.
> How best to acclimate for cycling at those altitudes; This is certainly the main thing that will make or break your trip.
Get a full health check before the trip if you have not had one in the past few months.
Have emergency medical evacuation insurance. Its not crazy expensive and could save your life! I use:
Sleep low, cycle high. I really did not enjoy sleeping above 4000m. You might be different.
Get enough rest, plan for some non-cycling days to split the journey.
Get in lots of long rides before to build the needed fitness. Don’t try to fight fitness/endurance or power AND altitude at the same time.
Your lungs will suffer, so look after them on return. Well, mine did, and I ended up wth Pnenomia and PE on my return, which I think was due to high physical exertion at altitude and pushing it too hard on return….
Listen to your body. If you have any discomfort in the chest, then get yourself to a local hospital asap for a blood test and CT.
Thats about it. Tibet is highly recommended. The scenery is truly epic, and the culture is super interesting!
Also, check out my guide for cycling in Xinjiang.
> 费用是多少？价格和所获得的服务质量差异巨大。预计费用在1000美元起。10天行程的中高端套餐每人需5000美元！
> 什么时候去比较好？选择降雨和多云概率较低的时节。你此行的目的是欣赏风景。请根据你的目的地做好相关调研。最佳时节是秋季，其次是五月。在寒冷潮湿的天气里骑行可没什么乐趣。
> G318公路上的骑行体验如何？在没有相邻高速公路的路段，那里非常危险，不仅卡车云集（这是卡车运输路线），还有一些疯狂的司机，他们会在盲区超车，完全无视限速规定，甚至不顾自己行驶在道路的哪一侧。只需看看小红书或Facebook上关于事故的那些可怕帖子就知道了。在有相邻高速公路的路段，骑行非常宁静，交通通常也很安全。有时道路会因交通堵塞而停滞，你就能享受两三个小时的宁静时光，这感觉棒极了。有些路段比其他路段更危险。除非你是经验丰富的骑行者，否则不要尝试骑行这条路线。沿途有面向外国人的住宿点，只有一两个路段（长达200公里或更长）不允许外国人留宿。你会看到许多中国骑行者，无论年龄或类型，既有自给自足的，也有有后勤支持的，这很棒。你还会看到许多摩托车手、踏板车、电动踏板车、电动自行车，还有徒步者，以及沿途祈祷的人（向前走三步，跪地鞠躬一次，如此重复无数次！）。遗憾的是，我从当地司机那里听到了太多关于他们被撞的故事，尤其是在夜间。G318沿线或附近都有令人惊叹的风景。G318是一项令人惊叹的工程壮举，为了维护和保持这些道路畅通所付出的汗水、自豪感、资金和心血，确实令人惊叹。向中国以及使这一切成为可能的无名英雄们致敬。我个人建议现在不要骑行这条路。再等5年，等到新高速公路建成。这应该有助于分流交通，让骑行体验更安全、更愉快。目前，不妨专注于小范围路段或环线骑行，你依然能感受到这条公路的壮阔，甚至会有更美好的体验。无论如何，向所有骑行G318的骑行者致敬并深表敬意……此外，沿G318向拉萨方向骑行时，你会感觉仿佛置身四川——沿途的许多餐馆和旅馆，以及耳边的声响，都透着浓浓的川味。我想，一旦偏离主干道，这种感觉就会迅速改变。
> G214公路上的骑行体验如何？和G318公路差不多，但旁边没有高速公路。目前正在修建新路，所以情况可能会有所改变。这又是一项工程与养护方面的杰作。
> 还有哪些不错的路线？我目前在那里的骑行经验还不够丰富，无法发表评论。我非常喜欢易贡湖附近的低地以及巴松湖以北的湖区。我希望下次能以更经济的方式重游，并探索我计划好的几条环线。
> 外籍人士可以在西藏露营吗？我听到过不同的说法。可以认为大多数情况下是不允许的。“可能要看情况”！
> 所有的检查、许可证和向导让人感到紧张吗？不，完全不会。在我整个为期一个月的旅程中，只经过了两个检查站。你的向导会凭你的许可证和护照帮你办理酒店入住手续。我一次也没被警察找过。在少数几个地区，向导需要去当地派出所为我办理登记手续。向导们都很礼貌友好。只要按照计划走就行……
> 我可以自己预订酒店和餐食吗？可以，我是边走边通过携程预订所有酒店的，餐厅也是自己挑选的，通过微信或支付宝付款。
> 我可以独自四处走走吗？我对相关规定并不完全确定，但似乎没问题，而且我在拉萨看到很多外国人独自步行。只要格外小心，如果警察让你做什么，不要质疑，照做就好。这样能省去大家不少麻烦。
> 我觉得被宰了吗？完全没有，除了少数几个地方，比如令人惊叹的巴松湖——那里外国人唯一的住宿选择要么是每晚2000元人民币的豪华酒店，要么是600元人民币的破旧地方政府旅馆，而那样的破旧房间按理说只该收150元人民币。为什么不允许外国游客住在这些旅游区的其他地方呢？我也不清楚，大概是当地人钻了制度的空子吧！其他酒店、餐饮等，都和中国游客享受的待遇一样。
> 如何最好地适应高海拔骑行？这无疑是决定你这次旅行成败的关键。
如果过去几个月内未做过全面体检，请在出发前进行一次。
务必购买紧急医疗撤离保险。保费并不离谱，却可能救你一命！我的办法是：
“低海拔睡觉，高海拔骑行”。我实在不喜欢在4000米以上睡觉，但你的情况可能不同。
保证充足休息，计划在行程中安排一些不骑行的休息日。
出发前多进行长距离骑行，以建立必要的体能。不要试图同时对抗体能/耐力或力量与高海拔的双重挑战。
你的肺部会受到影响，所以回来后要好好照顾它们。我的肺部就受到了影响，回来后患上了肺炎和肺栓塞，我认为这是因为在高海拔地区的高强度体力消耗，而且回来后又过度运动……
请倾听身体发出的信号。如果胸部有任何不适，请尽快前往当地医院进行血液检查和CT扫描。
大致就是这些。强烈推荐去西藏。那里的风景确实壮丽，文化也超级有趣！
另外，不妨看看我撰写的《新疆骑行指南》。
费用是多少？价格和所获得的服务质量差异巨大。预计费用在1000美元起。10天行程的中高端套餐每人需5000美元！什么时候去比较好？选择降雨和多云概率较低的时节。您此行的目的是欣赏风景。请根据您的目的地做好相关调研。最佳时节是秋季，其次是五月。在寒冷潮湿的天气里骑行可没什么乐趣。公路上的骑行体验如何？在没有相邻高速公路的路段，那里非常危险，不仅卡车云集（这是卡车运输路线），还有一些疯狂的司机，他们会在盲弯处超车，完全无视限速规定，甚至不顾自己行驶在道路的哪一侧。只需看看Redbook或Facebook上关于事故的那些可怕帖子就知道了。在有相邻高速公路的路段，骑行非常宁静，交通通常也很安全。有时道路会因交通堵塞而停滞，你就能享受两三个小时的宁静时光，这感觉棒极了。有些路段比其他路段更危险。除非你是经验丰富的骑行者，否则不要尝试骑行这条路线。沿途有面向外国人的住宿点，只有一两个路段（长达200公里或更长）不允许外国人留宿。你会看到许多中国骑行者，无论年龄或类型，既有自给自足的，也有有后勤支持的，这很棒。你还会看到许多摩托车手、踏板车、电动踏板车、电动自行车，还有徒步者，以及沿途祈祷的人（向前走三步，跪地鞠躬一次，如此重复无数次！）。遗憾的是，我从当地司机那里听到了太多关于他们被撞的故事，尤其是在夜间。G318沿线或附近都有令人惊叹的风景。G318是一项令人惊叹的工程壮举，为了维护和保持这些道路畅通所付出的汗水、自豪感、资金和心血，确实令人惊叹。向中国以及使这一切成为可能的无名英雄们致敬。我个人建议外国游客或当地居民现在不要骑行这条路。再等5年，等到新高速公路建成。这应该有助于分流交通，让骑行体验更安全、更愉快。目前，不妨专注于小范围路段或环线骑行，你依然能感受到这条公路的壮阔，甚至会有更美好的体验。无论如何，向所有骑行G318的骑行者致敬并深表敬意……此外，沿G318向拉萨方向骑行时，你会感觉仿佛置身四川——沿途的许多餐馆和旅馆，以及耳边的声响，都透着浓浓的川味。我想，一旦偏离主干道，这种感觉就会迅速改变。公路上的骑行体验如何？和G318公路差不多，但旁边没有高速公路。目前正在修建新路，所以情况可能会有所改变。这又是一项工程与养护方面的杰作。还有哪些不错的路线？我目前在那里的骑行经验还不够丰富，无法发表评论。我非常喜欢伊公附近的低地以及巴松湖以北的湖区。我希望下次能以更经济的方式重游，并探索我计划好的几条环线。外籍人士可以在西藏露营吗？我听到过不同的说法。可以认为大多数情况下是不允许的。“可能要看情况”！所有的检查、许可证和向导让人感到 intimidating 吗？不，完全不会。在我整个为期一个月的旅程中，只经过了两个检查站。你的向导会凭你的许可证和护照帮你办理酒店入住手续。我一次也没被警察找过。在少数几个地区，向导需要去当地派出所为我办理登记手续。向导们都很礼貌友好。只要按照计划走就行我可以自己预订酒店和餐食吗？可以，我是边走边通过携程预订所有酒店的，餐厅也是自己挑选的，通过微信或支付宝付款。我可以独自四处走走吗？我对相关规定并不完全确定，但似乎没问题，而且我在拉萨看到很多外国人独自步行。只要格外小心，如果警察让你做什么，不要质疑，照做就好。这样能省去大家不少麻烦。我觉得被宰了吗？完全没有，除了少数几个地方，比如令人惊叹的巴松湖——那里外国人唯一的住宿选择要么是每晚2000元人民币的豪华酒店，要么是600元人民币的破旧地方政府旅馆，而那样的破旧房间按理说只该收150元人民币。为什么不允许外国游客住在这些旅游区的其他地方呢？我也不清楚，大概是当地人钻了制度的空子吧！其他酒店、餐饮等，都和中国游客享受的待遇一样。如何最好地适应高海拔骑行？这无疑是决定你这次旅行成败的关键。
低海拔睡觉，高海拔骑行”。我实在不喜欢在4000米以上睡觉，但你的情况可能不同。
/耐力或力量与高海拔的双重挑战。
Supporters: A great thanks to the companies and individuals who support me; wildhomestay for my logistics, Specialized for my bikes, SRAM for my components, Coros for my gps navigation, rekkiworks for my custom luggage, chinabasetravel for my Tibet travel support and Outopia, thenorthface, and lululemon for my apparel & gear!