jasmoker

So I'm going to be in Chiang Mai in late May and I'd like to afterwards head to Manipur, India to visit a friend. I don't really want to travel to Bangkok and take two connections flying, and I'd really like to see some more of the country travelling overland, even heading north around Myanmar if it means the Himalayas. I had considered busing to Kunming, China, then training northwest into Tibet before cutting south, but it looks like I'd need to go all the way to Lhasa before cutting south through Nepal and then back east in India to Manipur. That's just a little too long, but anything short of that would be fine. I would be fine also with just going straight through Myanmar if anyone can find/knows of a reasonable route that isn't just flying or renting a car and driving. So basically that's what I'm working with, any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

FWIW I am young, strong, and relatively experienced trekking in Asia, and I'll be with one friend who is the same. I say that to say don't worry too much about things being too tiring, scary, or dangerous.

Kathie

Crossing Myanmar overland is the big question. In the last two years, they have allowed a few people to cross the Indian/Myanmar border. People have long been able to cross the Thai/Myanmar border. There is nothing "scary, or dangerous" about crossing Myanmar, but it may be expensive. The issue is whether you will be allowed to do it. I expect they will require a permit, and you may be required to hire a local to expedite portions of your crossing.

I'd recommend taking a look at Thorntree, as I expect there are travelers there who will know what would be involved in getting the appropriate permissions.

kvchina

You'd best focus on the Myanmar option if you want to try an overland. At least it is possible, whereas the China/Tibet option is not going to be. Reasons:
1) Access to Tibet by foreigners requires (expensive) prearrangements for guide, private vehicle and driver. Arrangements must be made through an authorized agent who will get the required Tibet Travel Permit and deliver it in China before one flies or trains to Lhasa. As train tickets on the line to Lhasa are difficult to get, usually the agency has to get that as well.
2) The Yunnan-Tibet road is closed to foreigners, so you can't overland that way.
3) Currently the land border Tibet-Nepal is closed to foreigners and there is no guarantee it will reopen by the time of your trip. We've been hearing promises of imminent reopening for at least 18 months now.

kvchina

This might help:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...-chennai-ferry

One issue with Myanmar overland is that you can get from Thailand via the Mai Sai/Tachilek crossing then up to Kyaingtong (Kengtung). But the authorities will still not let foreigners overland between Kengtung and Taunggyi in Shan State, requiring you to fly it. So you might want to check into the status of other crossings such as that at Mae Sot/Myawaddi. I had heard that the road from Myawaddi west to Mawlamyine is now open to foreigners.

thursdaysd

It may also be possible to cross into Myanmar from China. Friends of mine crossed from Ruili to Muse in 2008. They were able to go to Bhamo instead of the more usual Lashio, but one of them speaks fluent Mandarin which no doubt helped on the Chinese side. They needed a car, driver and guide on the Myanmar side.

jasmoker

Thanks for the thoughts guys! Appreciate it!

FWIW I came across this article while I was researching and just thought it was kinda interesting. Obviously the suggested route is incredibly long and even an abbreviated version (straight from Chiang Mai to China to catch the Shangri La Express) would be longer than I intended. Would be kinda fun to do this over a week or three sometime though.

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/trave...ain-43253.html

thursdaysd

I can't find a date on that article, so I wouldn't rely on it. For one thing, it says there's a once a week bus connecting Tibet and Nepal, while seat61, which it also references, says the only way to do that is with a tour group. Chinese restrictions around travel to/from Tibet are a moving target - what worked last week may not be allowed next week, and if there is a religious holiday you can forget it.

kvchina

That article seems to date from 2011. Lots of outdated and now-inaccurate information--I suggest you completely ignore it. FWIW, the set of restrictions that foreigners wishing to travel to/through Tibet must abide by, have been pretty static for the past few years and do not change weekly.