km-table kashgar-kathmandu

(updated to year 2001!)

this table was updated by [martin adserballe] during his journey from kashgar to kathmandu in summer 2001. he added some additonal points, remarks and especially the GPS datas.

look also to [janne corax km-table].

notice that situation is always changing - especially in tibet. this table should be helpful for all hard-core-tibet-biker who are going through nightmare to cycle one of the most impressive and hardest roads of the world. all information are taken with care, but i take no responsibility for any mistake of course. additional infos or corrections are welcomed.

text formatted this way

= important towns where you can get quite everything

km - abs.	KM-marker	distance (km)	description	altitude (m)	remarks
0	0	0	KASHGAR	1300	highway 315
214	-	214	yarkand	1300	turn left for this big town
250	250	36	yecheng	1300	end of highway 315, now highway 219. turn right just after end of town.
275	25	25	army base	-	-
307	56	32	village	-	-
308	57	1	end of asfalt	1850	-
312	61	4	village	-	basic food and beverage, shops, not friendly
322	71	10	village	-	basic food and beverage, shops
325	74	3	begin asfalt	-
344	93	19	end of asfalt	-	until kilometer (abs): 2462 (barabhise)
351	100	7	akmeqit	-	nothing to buy
355	104	4	begin ascending to pass	-	-
363	112	8	pass	3150	-
377	126	14	village	2400	road-repair-station, end descending
382	131	5	army base	-	-
413	161	31	village	-	basic food and beverage, shops, army base, road-repair-station, restaurants
431	179	18	small army base	3280	maybe abonded now
446	194	15	begin ascend of pass	3900	-
458	206	12	small road repair station	4300	-
469	217	11	pass	4740	4993 by GPS, switchboard road
493	241	24	mazar	3600	restaurants, small(!) shops. not that we ve expected! turn left for ali, right for K2.
506	254	13	truck stop		small restaurant, small shop in main building
542	289	36	road-repair-station	3860	3992 by GPS, uigur food, dirty dormitory
545	292	3	begin ascending pass		-
562	309	17	pass	4670	4955 by GPS, swichtboard
577	324	15	road-repair-station	-	not in use
593	340	16	road-repair-station	-	very friendly guys, play volleyball or chinese chess with them!
607	354	14	end of descending	3430	-
617	364	10	xaldulla	3450	only important town until rutok xian, restaurants, shops, chocolate!
680	425	63	pass	4100	4305 by GPS
692	437	12	kangxiwar	3800	road-repair-station, end descending
744	487	52	dahongliutan	4000	restaurants, shops but not much, dormitory
770	512	26	road-repair-station	4500	road-repair-station, truck driver will tell you its KM 509
792	534	22	pass	5200	5215 by GPS, flat uphill
795	537	3	end of descending	4940	-
801	543	6	tent	-	basic food and beverage, very good
836	577	35	tianshuihai	-	military base, basic food in shelter near road
891	630	55	begin ascending to pass	-	-
934	672	43	tielong	5200	basic food and beverage, shops
950	688	18	pass	5350	5356 by GPS
974	712	22	begin ascending pass	4850	-
977	715	3	1st pass	5100	5206 by GPS, border between xinjiang and tibet
982	720	5	2nd pass	5272	by GPS
992	730	10	sumxi	-	basic food and beverage, dormitory, ask prices for everything, rip-off place! river before town.
1002	740	10	pass	5401	by GPS, nomads around. highest pass on the west tibet southern route.
1094	829	102	domar	4350	military base, road-repair-station, basic food and beverage, restaurants, no shop.
1110	845	16	pass	5000	4664 by GPS, flat uphill
1159	893	49	house	-	basic food and beverage when open
1161	895	2	reaching nyak lake	-	-
1184	918	23	village	-	basic food and beverage, boats, dormitory. you can eat fish from the lake here!
1199	933	15	rutok xian	4160	occasional checkpoint PSB! you can get quite everything here. international calls, bank of china, market, shops. after the city turn left for ali.
1227	960	28	nomad tents	-	-
1229	962	2	tibetan houses	-	-
1289	1020	60	pass	4800	flat uphill until 1km before top
1330	1060	41	ALI	4370	capital of ali prefecture. everything, incl. hot shower and backpacker girls.
1354	missing	24	pass	4735	by GPS. turn left after ali for shortcut. dont follow telephone lines for 41 km longer nightmare road!
1359	missing	5	main road	4285	by GPS. very sandy and steep. descend of pass
1365	missing	6	basic food and beverage	4430	-
1387	missing	22	basic food and beverage	-	-
1395	1164	8	bridge	-	end of short cut
1408	1175	11	gar	-	old village
1412	1140	4	gar	-	new village
1436	1164	24	bridge	-	just finished! short cut from ali
1447	1175	11	namru	-	old village, turn off to thoeling
1450	1178	3	namu	-	new village, noodles, drinks
1456	1184	6	pass	4670	-
1466	1194	10	army base	4480	-
1477	1205	11	basic food and beverage	-	-
1510	1237	33	army base	-	basic food and beverage, shop
1519	1246	9	pass	4720	-
1533	1260	14	pass	4820	-
1559	1285	26	misar	-	important town. restaurants and shops. turn off to tirthapuri hot springs
1604	missing	45	pass	4900	4820 by GPS
1619	missing	15	turn off darchen	-	after rivercrossing. very bad road on downhill section.
1625	missing	6	darchen	4600	restaurants, shops, clothes. big rivercrossing just before town, small ones after town.
1645	missing	20	turn off to purang	-	-
1648	missing	3	checkpoint	-	turnoff to purang
1649	missing	1	barga	-	shops, restaurant, gazoline station
1674	missing	25	horqu	-	shops, restaurant. stock up with supplies here. turn left into the valley after town, not around the lake.
1736		62	lake	-	catch fish by hand! very sandy road.
1772	missing	98	mayun pass	5250	5215 by GPS
1792	missing	20	tents and house	-	basic food and beverage
1844	missing	52	tents	-	basic food and beverage, shops, guesthouse. rivercrossing.
1887	missing	43	checkpoint	-	just after crossing the bridge
1908	missing	21	paryang	4630	basic food and beverage, hotels
1931	missing	23	pass	4800	4777 by GPS
1945	missing	14	basic food and beverage	-	-
1952	missing	7	pass	4800	4727 by GPS
1984	missing	32	turn off to new zhongba	-	big shops, restaurants, road-repair-station, international calls. 7 km retour.
2002	1703	18	first marker after misar	-	turn left for town just after entering the big plateau. 5km to town, shortcut back to main road.
2003	1703	1	old zhongba	-	basic food and beverage, shop, road-repair-station
2021	1721	18	road-repair-station	-	-
2026	1726	5	pass	5000	4912 by GPS
2035	1735	9	end of descend	4580	by GPS
2045	1745	19	road-repair-station	-	-
2054	1754	9	road-repair-station	-	-
2059	1759	5	niugu	-	basic food and beverage, shop, road-repair-station
2089	1799	30	road-repair-station	-	-
2100	1810	11	road-repair-station	-	-
2119	1829	19	village	-	basic food and beverage, ambulance
2122	1832	3	road-repair-station	-	-
2135	1845	1845	road-repair-station	-	-
2137	1847	2	pass	4930	4811 by GPS
2145	1855	8	saga	4510	important town. restaurants and shops, etc. turn off to zhangmu. end of highway 219
2147	missing	2	ferry crossing	-	2,5 Y per vehicle or free
2170	missing	23	pass	4830	4768 by GPS
2175	missing	5	end descending	4530
2182	missing	7	pass	4860	very bad road!
2187	missing	5	first marker: 53	-	-
2215	59	28	road-repair-station	-	-
2222	66	7	turn off to zhangmu	-	-
2231	missing	8	pass	4946	by GPS
2282	missing	60	nature preserve center	-	basic food and beverage, sleep when open. checkpoint?
2306	missing	24	roadsplit	-	turn left up into the pass just after the bridge
2313	missing	7	pass	5011	by GPS
2316	5266	4	reaching highway 318	4600	begin ascending pass
2327	5277	11	pass	5150	5025 by GPS
2332	5282	5	road-repair-station	4900	end of descending, begin of ascending. basic food and beverage. sleep. 4882 by GPS
2339	5289	7	pass	5120
2353	5303	14	village	4580	road-repair-station
2361	5311	8	village	-	shop
2368	5318	7	road-repair-station	-	-
2376	5326	8	road-repair-station	-	army base
2387	5337	11	road-repair-station	-	-
2395	5345	8	nyalam	3810	important town. checkpoint before entering the town.
2426	5375	31	checkpoint	-	-
2427	5376	1	zhangmu	2800	important town, chinese border
2435	8	8	kodari	-	nepalese border town
2462	85	27	barabhise	-	begin of asfalt
2487	60	25	pass	-	-
2491	56	4	bridge	640	by GPS. lowest point of entire route!
2502	45	15	pass	-	-
2517	30	15	pass	-	-
2547	0	30	KATHMANDU	1200	-