China Travel Forum

[Dominic]

can I pick up a China guidebook in Kashgar, and are there ATM's? (I'm coming from Pakistan)

Also, if I have two months to get from Kashgar to Beijing, do I have time for a detour into Tibet (either by booking it across the Taklamakan to Golmud and south to Lhasa from there, or directly south to Kailash -- those are the only two options I know of)?

thanks!

[kammal]

Last spring there wasn't any ATMs accepting foreign cards. It was possible to make withdrawals at the main Bank of China. It's a problem in the whole Xinjiang province. have some travellers cheques or cash USD, Pound, EURO just in case.
2 month to make it to Beijing will give you time to visit Tibet. The Kailash option is quite difficulty. No one is allowed without a 4wd and a handfull of permits. hitchhiking might work maybe not.
Going to Golmud is the best option. from Golmud its easy to pick up a permit. The PSB sell a package with permit, one way sleeper bus, 4 nights in a dorm and some sightseeing for 1800 rmb.
You can then return either overland to Golmud (busticket less than 200 rmb) or fly out to Chengdu.
The busride between Golmud and Lhasa takes less than 24 hours if no serious breakdown. Not all the buses are the best quality. Last year the PSB didn't want to put me on a bus the same day I arrived in Golmud but the next day because they said the buses of that day were not very good.