Beijing To Islamabad Group Overland Tour

Accommodation

You will spend 100% of your time on this expedition staying in local hotels, guest houses & hostels. One night is planned to stay overnight in a cabin on a ferry in Bangladesh. There is no camping on this tour.We always try to use decent, clean budget hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get – good or bad. When staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of both sexes.There is usually an opportunity for anyone to upgrade to a single room or a superior room if they so wish. All accommodation upgrades are at your own expense.

Guide

Driver/guide is provided during this tour.

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being. We always strive to provide you with one healthy, wholesome and plentiful meal every day, usually breakfast at the hotel.Occasionally we may decide to cook lunch or dinner using our own kitchen on the truck but in general you are responsible for your own lunches and dinners.For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare. In the evenings after you are checked into the hotel you are free to choose where you want to eat.Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive.

Others

Services of your expedition leader/driverUse of our own custom-built expedition vehicle and equipmentDiesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicleFerry tickets (when travelling as a group)An average of 1 meal per day (usually breakfast)All accommodation costs (100% hotels/guest-houses/hostels/boats)National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicleLocal transportation costs when required

Transport

We will be travelling in a purpose-built Madventure overland vehicle 75% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. The other 25% of the time we will be travelling on local jeeps, buses & boats.Please be aware that if our vehicle is refused entry into Bangladesh (as sometimes happens) we will conduct that part of the tour on local transport while our truck transits around to meet us at the border near Kolkata.The overland vehicle we use is a custom-built expedition truck which can accommodate up to 36 people although most of our expeditions travel with approximately 25 people.Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery.Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your all your gear safe.Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to.There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board.We usually carry 500 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots, pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, etc. should we ever need to prepare a meal on the truck.All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for lunch or dinner food only when we have to prepare a meal on the truck. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.Fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days.Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet & head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment at the hotels we stay at.We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we recommend you bring your own for general use.

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour.You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first.There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for a comprehensive reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, Telephone: +44 20 7938 1734, https://microsite.campbellirvinedirect.com/madventure/. They are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you.For people based in North America a company called Allianz offers good cover – Telephone: +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.comIf you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Others

Personal travel insurancePersonal spending money (£120 – £150 per week recommended)Visas & Letters of Invitation (approximately £450 depending on nationality)Lunches & evening mealsAccommodation upgradesEntrance fees to optional sites and national parksAny optional activitiesAny flights (no flights expected during tour)

Flights

No flights included or expected during this tour.

Optional

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only.ChinaForbidden City, Beijing £6Great Wall, Beijing £5Pingyao city pass £15Terracotta Warriors, Xian £15Panda Research Centre, Chengdu £10Big Buddha, Leshan £12 TibetPotala Palace, Lhasa £45Jokhang Temple, Lhasa £9Norbulingka, Lhasa £9Lake Yamdrok Tso FreeKumbum Monastery, Gyantse £7Tashilhunpo Monastery, Shigatse £9Mt. Everest Base Camp Free NepalMt Everest flight £1102 day Annapurna Mountains trek £150Paragliding, Pokhara £1001 day rafting trip, Pokhara £30Elephant safari, Chitwan NP £30Walking safari, Chitwan NP £10 BhutanTiger’s Nest Monastery £6Dordenma Buddha FreePunakha Dzong Free BangladeshShrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal FreeRatargul swamp forest tour £20Lalbagh Fort £2Ahsan Manzil Palace £52 night/3 day Sundarbans NP boat tour £150 IndiaGangtok Zoo £3Victoria Memorial £3Belur Math FreeSouth Park Street Cemetery FreeBodhgaya sites FreeVaranasi sunrise boat tour £5Bara & Chota Imambara combined ticket £6Taj Mahal £15India Gate FreeHumayun’s Tomb £5River Lotus Temple FreeOutb’minar (Stone Tower) £5Nek Chand’s Rock Garden £1Golden Temple Free PakistanLahore Fort £1Lahore museum £2Badshahi Mosque £1Rohtas Fort £3Truck workshop FreeDudipat day hike guide fee £10Nanga Parbat base camp hike guide fee £25Herrligkoffer base camp hike guide fee £15Shigar Fort £1Khorpocho Fort £1Altit Fort £3Baltit Fort £3Duiker Hunza Valley sunset trip £10Taxila £1