ROTW Event Guide 2017

Timetable for the

all new, 10 th anniversary edition to china and tibet The

Timetable for the

Timetable for the

WHAT?

DRIVE THROUGH CHINA TO TIBET!

The roof of the world charity rally takes you on a 16,000km sky-high journey to some of the highest roads in the world. You’ll follow in the footsteps of marco polo and kublai kahn, discover the silk route through china and tajikistan, brave the pamir highway to the roof of the world’s highest region on earth, and maybe even hit everest base camp on route. Starting in brussels and ending in dushanbe, tajikastan via china and tibet, this is truly a once in a life time opportunity.

This rally is one step beyond anything you’ve ever done before. Or even dreamt of doing before. It’s a jaw-dropping, hair-raising, teeth-clenching adventure over the highest peaks, the sheerest cliff roads and the most untouched regions in the world. This isn’t on your bucket list, it IS your bucket list!

WH0?

This rally is for the brave, the adventurous, the hungry and the driven. Are you strong, in need of a challenge and desperate to do something less than 0,01% of the world’s population will ever do?

ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH ? DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

WHY? Passion? Adventure? Charity? Sure, but also, the highest region in the world! By car!

We’re suggesting you drive all the way to ancient cloud-grazing tibet, be a buddhist for a bit and then drive on to tajikistan where the needy and worthy are waiting eagerly to take ownership of your ever-useful vehicle.

WHERE? We’ll wave you off in brussels and greet you with open arms in dushanbe, tajikistan, but not before leading you on the toughest and coolest 7 weeks of your lives, through central asia, incredible china, breathtaking tibet and finally the jaw-dropping pamir highway!

HOW? The roof of the world rally is a semi-convoy 4x4 rally that sees you and a maximum of 3 of your friends source a worthy 4x4, get yourselves prepped for serious overland adventure, and join one of the most inspiring trips you could dream of. Part non-support, part convoy, this rally gives you the freedom you want combined with the support you need to visit some of the hardest places in the world to drive to!

The roof of the world charity rally is an annual event kicking off with a launch event in brussels in early july and then the 7 week adventure begins!

This is an incredible 16000km charity roadtrip over seas, across deserts, over the highest mountains, and along the most dangerous roads to one of the pivotal places on the ancient silk route, dushanbe, tajikistan.

Not just an unparalleled adventure, this rally is also about charity. Raising money for go help’s ambulance project tajikistan, teams take to the road and in the process raise a load of cash for charity, donate a vehicle to a good cause and have a hell of an adventure on the way.

The basics in a nutshell: • The Roof of the World Charity Rally is 100% for charity, run by a charity, for charity.

• You’ll need courage to sign up, and even more to take part!

• Your team can be made up with you and a maximum of three of your friends.

• Fundraising is a must – the first £1,000 you raise goes to Go Help, the adventure charity that organises this epic event – any fundraising above that goes to the region China/Tibet/Nepal.

• The launch is on July 1, 2017, in Brussels.

• The route is split into 2 parts, the first is a free-choice route to Bishkek; the second is either in convoy to China and Tibet and across the finish line, or straight over the border from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan.

• Finding a vehicle and ensuring it complies with the vehicle rules is your responsibility, but we’ll help you figure it out.

• Your vehicle must be 4×4, no more than 12 years old, and have been checked for ability to handle the rough terrain and high altitudes.

• A £1000 vehicle deposit is due before departure to cover eventual repair costs upon arrival.

• We’ll organise all the bureaucracy and costs of entering China!

Timetable for the THE CHARITY - GO HELP Go Help is a UK adventure charity that is committed to working with local communities in Central Asia and Central America to improve their access to education and healthcare services. It is run by volunteers, and began as an effort to launch and operate ambulance services in third world countries. The cause is now much broader and we endeavor to help local organisations in any way we can.

Our charitable activities are largely in the fields of healthcare and education.

Go Help is staffed by past ralliers. As part of Go Help, enterprising ralliers have pioneered and trialed a number of other projects in recent years, including an ambulance to Nepal and tuktuks through the Cambodian jungles. There are always new and great ideas in the pipeline.

Timetable for the Taking part in the Roof of the world Charity Rally 2017

Go Help’s core objectives include: • Promoting charitable adventuring • Enabling access to primary healthcare through the provision, distribution and maintenance of emergency vehicles • Fostering local talent, through providing scholarships and employment opportunities for young people • Supporting education projects which provide opportunities for literacy and self-improvement • Facilitating the placement of skilled health and education volunteers with the aim of enhancing the capacity of local communities

Pick your team. You’ll be spending 7 weeks in a 4×4 with your teammates so choose carefully!

Teams are a maximum of 4 people as you’ll need a seat free for the occasional addition of your Chinese travel guide. Once you’ve found three worthy people, you’re good to get started!

Pick a Route: This rally is a semi-convoy rally. It is split into 2 sections: Brussels-Bishkek is un-supported and you’re free to pick your own route; taking about 7000km respectively, you’re on your own to explore before meeting up in Bishkek to start the second part of the rally: Bishkek-Lahsa!

From Bishkek, teams convoy to the Chinese border where your guide will be waiting to prepare paperwork and get you sorted to cross over the Chinese border to start the climb to the Roof of the World. This section is 100% convoy and teams will stick together all the way to Tibet, and back again for the second half of part 2: Tibet-Dushanbe!

Now here’s where we like to remain flexible. While we’re all about the most awe-inspiring journey you’ll ever know in convoy into China, all the way to Tibet (yes, TIBET!), and looping back round to Dushanbe, Tajikistan along the Pamir Highway, we understand this level of adventure, not to mention the time it takes, is not for everyone. So our doors in Dushanbe are open to you even if China is not your thing, baby. From Osh, simply hop on over to Tajikistan and come on down to Dushanbe.

Pick a car. Given the complexity and high-altitude roads you’ll be driving, you’ll be needing a 4×4 to handle the journey. And because the vehicles will ultimately be going to charity, we want to make sure that they make it to Tajikistan in (almost) one piece! So we’ve devised a few guidelines to help you out. You can find more info further down under vehicle rules.

Hit your fundraising target. This Charity Rally has three objectives, first: charity. Second, did we mention charity? Third: charitable adventuring. Teams fundraise a minimum of £1,000 for Go Help, the charity that founded the Roof of the World Charity Rally, but hopefully more. The £1,000 goes straight to Go Help’s projects in Dushanbe, but anything over that will be going to partner charities in Tibet.

Find some sponsors. No trust fund? Not necessarily a problem. This journey isn’t cheap, but boy is it worth it! And there are always people willing to help out a great cause, so don’t be shy in asking! Teams in past years have got sponsorship form friends and family, local businesses, employers, and even multinational companies (Subaru even lent a team a car once!).

Beat the bureaucracy. Yep, this is not going to be a hassle-free experience. Between Europe and China you’ll need a few visas, and then, well, there’s China. Driving in China is no mean feat and takes a lot of time and effort in preparation. But that’s why we’re here to help. By keeping that part of the rally in convoy, you’ll benefit form the years of experience, and reduced prices, as well as the added adventure, of our partner association. We work with people who will help you with visas, Chinese paperwork, entering Tibet, and importing your vehicle into Tajikistan.

Timetable for the How to Sign Up

Timetable for the SELECTING YOUR VEHICLE Choosing a vehicle for the Roof of the World Charity Rally is an important step in getting yourself prepared. Given the high altitudes, rough terrain, and long distances, it is imperative to have the right wheels; There are very few rules about your vehicle choice, but they are importnant ones, and non-negociable.

The RULES: • All vehicles taking part in the Roof of the World Charity Rally must be approved by the charity rallies team before purchasing. Email all specs to jeroen@gohelp.org.uk.

• Vehicles must be no more than 12 years old due to incremental taxes in Tajikistan. If you are doing a round trip, this rule does not apply.

Registration for the Roof of the World Charity Rally 2017 entry fees start at £299 and increase by £100 for every 10 teams that sign up, so sign up early to get the best price!

You can sign your team up on our website at charityrallies. org/rotw/. You’ll be asked to create a small team profile and once this is ready your teammates can join your team!

Now to think about the three key things to make your trip a success: Your vehicle The choice of vehicle is an important one due to the terrain you’ll be crossing on the roof of the world. Both Tibet and the Pamir highway can be tough, so a 4x4 is essential.

WHAT WILL IT COST? • The entry fee starting at £299 • The min. £1,000 fundraising • The £1000 vehicle deposit (Returned - see conditions) • The cost of your vehicle • The cost of your visas • Your travel expenses • The China/Tibet leg

Your fundraising While your entry fee goes towards keeping our little organisation going, the funds you raise go straight to our projects in Tajiistan to ensure they can continue to run smoothly, and to charities in the China/Nepal/Tibet region.

Your Visas Visas take time so make sure you start early. We work with Real Russia, our partner agency who are happy to help you. For th China leg, your China/Tibet fee will cover all your visas, guides and admin paperwork.

• If you are doing the China leg, your vehicle must be a 4x4 to be able to handle the roads, altitude, and distances.

• If you are driving straight to Tajikistan and donating your vehicle, ambulances are the vehicle of choice.

• We are here to help! Any questions at all, drop an email to your Rally Command team:

Jo - Rally Commander - Joanna@gohelp.org.uk

Jeroen - Rally Office and Chief Vehicle Adviser - jeroen@gohelp.org.uk

Timetable for the

OUR PARTNERS

China and tibet Driving through China is truly a once in a lifetime experience, if for no other reason than it can be ridiculously expensive. But we’ve found a way around that! By taking you on a chairtable adventure, working with experienced partners, and leading a convoy group on a set route, we’ve reduced the costs per person to €2000-€2500. The exact price will depend on how many ralliers and teams take part. The more, the cheaper!

Still sounds expensive? Check out here below what our money gets you!

What is included?

Timetable for the Real Russia - http://realrussia.co.uk/charities Real Russia supports Go Help by offering a bespoke visa service for all the rally teams taking part in the Roof of the World Charity Rally. Visas for the teams are heavily discounted and they have dedicated staff and website pages for assisting the Rally teams.

Real Russia is an independent company that specialises in Russian and Central Asian visas and travel services for business people, tourists and independent travelers. They have a 100% success rate, even with problematic or urgent visa applications.

ROTW

OTHERS

Special travel permits from both the central governments and local authorities of the concerned departments

YES

YES

visa invitation letter

YES

NO

personal visas

NO

NO

Tibet travel permits

YES

YES

Temporary vehicle number plates

YES

YES

Temporary driving permits

YES

YES

vehicle import & re-export permit from China Customs

YES

YES

Ingosur - http://www.ingosur.nl/

Vehicle checking fee at the police station

YES

YES

Border checking fee

YES

YES

Compulsory traffic insurance of cars

YES

NO

One English speaking guide accompanying the group the whole trip

YES

YES

Ingosur is an insurance company who have extensive experience dealing with utility vehicles and trucks from all over Europe, traveling to all over the world. They can provide insurance for many nationalities purchasing vehicles in many countries. And if they can’t provide it themselves, they can at least give you advice.

Hotel and accommodation for the guide and the guide´s transfer to the border

YES

YES

All accommodation during the 30 days in China and Tibet (Hotel & guest house, and wild camping where possible) single room supplement

YES

NO

Mogao grotoes and Potala Palace entrance fees

YES

NO

Fee for customs declaration into and out of China

YES

YES

Personel expenditures and food

NO

NO

Sightseeing tickets (except Mogao grotoes and Potala Palace entrance fees)

NO

NO

Road tolls

NO

NO

Parking fees

NO

NO

Fuel and any costs related to the vehicles

NO

NO

Deposit (based on value of the vehicle)

YES

NO

Extra fees for larger vehicles

YES

NO

SignKings - http://signkings.nl/ Sign Kings is a graphics company with extensive experience in indoor and outdoor advertising. They design and manufacture all kinds of visual advertising such as : full color , cut texts, vehicle graphics, wall advertising, carwraps , signage and more .... They provide all of Go Help’s signage.

Timetable for the OUR SUCCESS

Timetable for the DANGER!

This table shows the number of teams per rally, per year, who finished the rally and raised funds for Go Help:

Year

Teams for MCR

Money raised

Teams for ROTW

Money Raised

Total teams

Total Money raised

2008

67

£214,764.36

/

/

/

£214,764.36

2009

27

£48,933.26

7

£5,002.93

34

£53,936.19

2010

34

£55,472.55

10

£8,311.56

44

£63,784.11

2011

34

£32,372.27

5

£9,072.93

39

£41,445.20

2012

33

£38,637.51

4

£6,240.43

37

£44,877.94

2013

31

£53,331.00

7

£7,816.00

38

£61,147.00

2014

27

£35,789.19

11

£7,944.00

38

£43,733.19

2015

23

£36,820.00

2

£2,000.00

25

£38,820.00

TOTALS

289

£530,488.38

47

£44,387.85

336

£574,876.23

Since 2008, Go Help’s Charity Rallies have helped 290 teams raise money for third world countries. That means 290+ vehicles, carrying 1000+ people, have driven a total of over three million miles, over the course of six years, raising an incredible £520,000, and counting, through Go Help. We’ve worked on over 10 different projects with 20+ partners, watched teams get sponsorships from hundreds of companies, conquered new continents and grown from one to three rally events since 2008 .

We would love to hear from you.

You can find us at the Charity Rallies event website at http://mongolia. charityrallies.org Or through the Go Help charity website at http://gohelp.org.uk Or better yet, for general information you can email us on info@gohelp.org.uk

We’ve said this before, it’s mentioned time and time again, but we can’t stress this enough.

Driving 10,000 miles half way across the world can be dangerous.

Once we’ve helped you pick the right vehicle, get your paperwork sorted, and waved you off the starting line, you are on your own.

This is not a walk in the park. This is not a country jaunt. This is not a jolly excursion to look at the pretty views. This is adventure. This is a challenge. And it’s dangerous.

We do not handhold, we do not assist. We do not give you emergency numbers to call. No back up van will be escorting you, or hidden in the shadows should you fall flat on your face.

No mechanics will be positioned in strategic places across the Kazakh desert. No satellite will be following your every move. No translators await you at border crossings, and helicopters will be dropping food to you in the middle of nowhere.

You will be fending for yourselves. You will be dealing with irate foreign border guards, demuddying the wheels of your vehicle when you get stuck in a ditch. Be prepared to pull, push, shove, kick and abuse your car when it just can’t take any more dust and sand from dirt roads.

Forget comfort, soft warm beds and temperate running water.

No one will be there to give you advice. There is no one you can call.

We repeat, you are on your own.

We take no responsibility for you or your vehicle, so be prepared. Read up, ask questions before you leave, our team is here to help you in any way we can before you set off, so put us to good use. Take thousands of photos, bring back a million memories, do some good, but be careful, it’s a jungle out there!