Tibet Motorcycle Tour: Munich to Lhasa

Munich is the starting point of this Tibet motorcycle tour. In the afternoon all participants meet at the tour hotel, get to know one another over a shared dinner, and receive the detailed briefing for the weeks ahead across Eurasia.

After breakfast the Silk Road motorcycle tour heads over the Eastern Alps into Slovenia. On arriving in Ljubljana there is time for a walk through the charming old town along the Ljubljanica before the first stage draws to a close.

Central Asia is still weeks away, but today the adventure already begins: through the dry Croatian hinterland all the way to Belgrade, where the fortress and old town sit at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

A relaxed riding day on this Eurasia motorcycle tour takes the group from Belgrade to Niš in southern Serbia. There is time for a stroll through the historic old town in the afternoon before heading towards the Balkan mountains tomorrow.

Serbia and Bulgaria form the heart of this Eurasia motorcycle tour: vast, wild landscapes of a kind rarely found in Central Europe. The night is spent in the small, authentic town of Koprivshtitsa with its rustic timber-framed houses.

This guided Asia motorcycle tour is already approaching the gateway to the Orient: from the Beklemeto Pass above 1,500 metres the view stretches far over the central Balkan Mountains, before winding roads descend towards the Black Sea coast.

On this Turkish Black Sea coast motorcycle tour the route first follows the coast south, then cuts through the forested Strandzha Mountains of Thrace and reaches the metropolis of Istanbul on the Bosphorus across the dry steppe.

A sightseeing day in Istanbul breaks up this Turkish Black Sea coast motorcycle tour: time for bazaars, mosques and the unique atmosphere on the Bosphorus before the group heads back into the North Anatolian highlands tomorrow.

The Mediterranean feel gradually gives way to an alpine mountain world on this Turkish Black Sea coast motorcycle tour. Safranbolu, with its historic half-timbered houses, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994.

Amasya lies in the Pontic Mountains directly on the river, with five bridges linking its two halves. On this Turkish Black Sea coast motorcycle tour there is time in the evening to explore the charming town at leisure.

Further east this Turkish Black Sea coast motorcycle tour follows the North Anatolian Fault through idyllic steppe landscape to Bayburt, a town high on the Anatolian plateau.

A beautiful, winding mountain road brings this Turkish Black Sea coast motorcycle tour to Şavşat. The night is spent in a simple lodge amid Anatolian mountain scenery, far from civilisation.

This Georgia motorcycle tour leads to the cave city of Uplistsikhe on the ancient Silk Road and to the famous fortress of Gori. After the Anatolian highlands, the Caucasus mountains make their first real impression here.

On this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour today heads north to the Russian border with customs formalities, then continues to Grozny, the capital of the Russian constituent republic of Chechnya.

Astrakhan on the Volga displays architecture from several eras, from Renaissance to Classicism. This Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour pauses at the Astrakhan Kremlin and the Trinity Church.

A rest day in Astrakhan for laundry, minor repairs and recuperation. For everyone on this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour, it is the last calm stop before the Kazakh steppe.

Today this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour crosses the border into Kazakhstan. With a little luck the first camels appear along the way. Atyrau on the Caspian Sea lives off the region's oil and gas deposits.

Across the vast Kazakh steppe this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour continues to Beyneu. Endless horizons and almost no traffic define this quiet but long riding day towards Uzbekistan.

Crossing the desert of Uzbekistan on this Uzbekistan motorcycle tour, the route approaches the dried-up Aral Sea. The view over the resulting Aralkum Desert is one of the most striking landscape images of the entire journey.

Following the traces of the ancient Silk Road, this Uzbekistan motorcycle tour reaches Khiva, once the capital of the Khanate of Khwarazm with its thriving textile industry. The historic city centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.

The Kyzylkum Desert lies between Khiva and Bukhara, one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan. This Uzbekistan motorcycle tour reaches an impressive museum city of the Silk Road with over 140 architectural monuments.

Samarkand, the pearl of the Silk Road, awaits this Uzbekistan motorcycle tour at the end of a demanding riding day. Islamic architecture of the highest order earned the city its UNESCO World Heritage designation.

A sightseeing day in Samarkand: Registan Square with its madrasas and further landmarks feature on the programme of this Uzbekistan motorcycle tour before the route heads for Kyrgyzstan tomorrow.

From west to east, this Uzbekistan motorcycle tour crosses the country over a scenic pass near the Tajik border. In Kokand, the richly ornamented palace of Khudayarkhan is worth a visit.

Around 150 kilometres east of Kokand this Pamir mountain motorcycle tour crosses the border into Kyrgyzstan. The night is spent in Osh, the gateway to the mountains of the Alai and Pamir ranges, where the second half of the journey begins.

Mountains at last: this Pamir mountain motorcycle tour follows partly rough gravel tracks and four passes through a remote, striking mountain landscape to the small village of Kazarman.

Tash Rabat, a well-preserved 15th-century caravanserai, is today's destination on this Pamir mountain motorcycle tour. The night is spent in a yurt camp at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains.

This Torugart Pass motorcycle tour crosses the adventurous gravel border track between Kyrgyzstan and China. The motorcycles are parked 120 kilometres before the customs post; a transfer brings the group to Kashgar, where the bikes are collected the following morning.

In Kashgar, temporary Chinese driving licences and licence plates are issued on this Torugart Pass motorcycle tour. A brief technical and medical check of the vehicles is also on the agenda – patience is required.

A further rest day in Kashgar for any remaining paperwork on this Torugart Pass motorcycle tour. In the evening a stroll through the old town and the lively night market with its famous grilled food is well worth it.

Close to the Taklamakan Desert this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour shows its most demanding face. From the deep Tarim Basin the route climbs into the Tibetan mountain world, crossing the first pass above 5,000 metres.

Another pass at around 5,000 metres awaits this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour straight after breakfast. The route then crosses a wide plateau past mountains and rivers to tiny Dahongliutan.

Past Pangong Lake, which straddles Chinese and Indian territory, this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour reaches Ali, the administrative capital of western Tibet and the first real town in many days.

A short riding day on this Himalayan motorcycle tour leads to the sacred Mount Kailash. With luck the group encounters pilgrims who have travelled from far away to circumambulate the snow-covered peak.

Along the deep blue Lake Manasarovar, above which snow-capped peaks stand guard, this Himalayan motorcycle tour heads to Saga. A further spectacular mountain pass closes out this riding day across the Tibetan plateau.

Skirting Lake Paiku and close to the Nepalese border, this Himalayan motorcycle tour crosses winding passes to Everest Base Camp at 5,200 metres. The night is spent near Rongbuk Monastery at 4,980 metres.

The final kilometre to Everest Base Camp is covered on foot – the view of the 8,848-metre summit rewards every effort. This Himalayan motorcycle tour then descends over the 5,220-metre Gyatso Pass to Shigatse.

Across the vast central Tibetan plateau, past the great stupa of Gyantse and the turquoise Lake Yamdrok, this Himalayan motorcycle tour finally reaches Lhasa – the destination of the entire journey from Munich.

A buffer day in Lhasa for shipping the motorcycles and handling any delays. For every participant on this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour there is time to let the arrival sink in.

The Bharkor market in the old town, the Potala Palace as the former residence of the Dalai Lama, and the sacred Jokhang Temple are on the programme of this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour before departure the following day.

Departure from Lhasa by flight and transfer to Chengdu. Those who wish to extend this Munich-to-Lhasa motorcycle tour can stay on independently in Chengdu or join the optional onward journey to Dali.

Individual departure from Chengdu and a moment to reflect on an extraordinary Tibet motorcycle tour – from Munich through 13 countries and around 11,800 kilometres to the roof of the world, along Silk Road cities and into the Himalayas.