Timetable for the
all new, 10 th anniversary edition to china and tibet The
WHAT? 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.
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 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 nonsupport, 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!
DRIVE THROUGH CHINA TO TIBET... 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! This is an incredible 16,000km 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 £2,000 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 Sunday 1 July 2018, location TBC! • The route is split into 2 parts, the first is a free-choice route to Bishkek; the second is in convoy to China and Tibet and then over the Pamir highway to Tajikistan. After that you either donate your vehicle to our projects or continue Europe-bound! • If you choose to donate your vehicle, you only have to raise half the funds for the projects. Though you’re welcome to raise as musch as possible! • Your vehicle must be 4×4 and have been checked for ability to handle the rough terrain and high altitudes. If you’re donating it to us, it must also be no more than 12 years old. • We’ll organise all the bureaucracy and costs of entering China, and even your accommodation while you’re there!
... and raise money for 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.
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
Taking part in the Roof of the world Charity Rally 2018 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: Launch-Bishkek is unsupported and you’re free to pick your own route. The northern route through Russia and Kazakhstan and down into Kyrgyzstan, or Southern route through Turkey, Georgia and the Stans; taking about 6500km 8000km respectively. Part II leaves Bishkek as a 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: TibetDushanbe! 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, fom Bishkek, you’ll 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. If you’re doing a round-trip, this is the only stipulation - if you’re donating your vehicle, it must also be no older than 12 years and be pre-approved by Go Help. Hit your fundraising target. As a charity we rely on fundraising to run our projects. £2,000 goes straight to Go Help’s projects in Dushanbe, but anything over that will be going to partner charities in the Tibet/Nepal region. If you choose to donate your vehicle, you only have to raise half the funds for the projects (£1,000), but you will need to pay a £1,000 (refundable) deposit in case the donated vehicle needs repairs on arrival. 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.
How to Sign Up
Registration for the Roof of the World Charity Rally 2018 is open and entry fees start at £499 if you can bag one of the first five earlybird spaces! After that its £599 per team of up to 4 people. 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 you can invite your teammates to 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 £499 • The min. £2,000 fundraising • The £1,000 vehicle deposit (Returned - see conditions) if donating • The cost of your vehicle • The cost of your visas • Your travel expenses • The cost of the China/ Tibet leg of the journey. See below for more info!
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.
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 for approval. • 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 to you. • 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
the China and tibet bit Driving through China is truly something you’ll only do once, if for no other reason than it can be ridiculously expensive. But we’ve found a way around that for you! By taking you on a charitable 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! And merrier of course! Before you collapse at how expensive that still sounds, check out what that price includes! What is included?
ROTW
OTHERS
Special travel permits from both the central governments and local authorities of the concerned departments
YES
YES
Chinese visa invitation letter
YES
NO
Personal Chinese 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
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
Hotel and accommodation for the guide and the guide´s transfers
YES
YES
All accommodation during the 30 days in China and Tibet (Hotel & guest house, and wild camping where possible) single room supplement applies
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 - anywhere upwards of €5000)
YES
NO
Extra fees for larger vehicles
YES
NO
In short, it’s: • All your paperwork and admin (including the Tibet travel permit), • Your guide and his expenses • Your accommodation for 30 days (mixture of camping and pre-booked accommodation) To see all of this!!
OUR PARTNERS 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. 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. Ingosur - http://www.ingosur.nl/ 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.