Myanmar – Ride organised across Burma from Thailand to India

Dec 5, 2013
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Want to give yourself a New Year’s present and be one of the first people to ride across Burma?

I am presently riding my Triumph Tiger 800XC around the World, and have so far completed N America, Australia & NZ, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.

http://cnbworldtour.wordpress.com/

Not wanting to fly my bike now I am back on dry land, I have finally managed to organise a reliable tour guide, leading car and a supervisor from the Ministry of Hotels & Tourism to take me across Burma from Myawaddy to Tamu.

However, the only problem is the price, and to reduce it I need to find at least 4 other riders to do it with me. If you are interested, please read on!

1. Price will be $1,674 USD per person (minimum 5 riders), paid cash on arrival into Burma. This will include everything except for fuel. It will include permission & royalty fees to the Ministry of Tourism, leading escort car fees, all accommodation & catering fees (breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea breaks), third party liability insurance, temporary importation & driving licence fees, tour guide and entrance for all sightseeing tours.

2. Tour will last 9 days/ 8 nights and include major tourist attractions along the way. Itinerary below:

D-1, Myawaddy to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda (well-known Buddhist pilgrimage site with a gravity-defying granite boulder covered with gold leaves, precariously perched on a ‘strand of the Buddha's hair’). Leg is 270 km (30 km of poor roads), ride time approx 7 to 8 hours. Night in mountain top hotel.

D-2, Kyaiktiyo Pagoda to Taungoo. Leg is 280km, roads are good, ride time 6 to 7 hrs. Night in hotel.

D-3, Taungoo to Mandalay. Leg is 370 km, roads are good, ride time 8hrs. Night in hotel.

D-4, Mandalay – full day sightseeing tour (includes mini bus for the whole day). Night in hotel.

D-5, Mandalay to Bagan (ancient city of 11 AD, full of things to be seen). Evening sightseeing tour. Night in hotel.

D-6, Bagan - full day sightseeing tour on ‘e-motorbikes’. Night in hotel.

D-7, Bagan to Monywa. Leg is 120 kms, ride time 2.5 hrs. Evening sightseeing tour to the highest Buddha statue in the world. Night in hotel.

D-8, Monywa to Kale. Leg is 230 kms (80 km poor roads), ride time up to 10 hrs. Night in hotel.

D-9, Kale to Tamu. Leg is 160 km, good roads, ride time 3.5 hrs. Cross Indian border into Moreh.

3. All ride times are conservative & will of course depend on us!

4. A Carnet de Passage is not required in Thailand or Burma, but it is essential in India. Third Party Insurance is also compulsory in India (contact Western Indian Automobile Association http://www.wiaaindia.com/motor-insurance ). For those without their own bike an option could be to buy a cheap one in Thailand or Malaysia and leave it at the Indian border (maybe sell it?), unless you can get a Carnet for it.

5. We will be the first group of International Riders to ride across from Thailand into India, to my knowledge (it has been done before by a few solo bikes and a group of Thais). My contact successfully led the group of Thais across and a couple of car convoys. He will meet us at Myawaddy and has contacts on the Indian border to aid our crossing.

6. If I struggle to get enough riders I will open up the offer to car drivers as well.

7. Aimed start date into Myawaddy from Mae Sot is 11 Feb. We could all meet in Chiang Mai around 9 Feb.

I really hope I find enough people as this trip sounds amazing! If you’re interested or want to know more, please email me at chrisnbowen at gmail dot com.

Hope to see you soon!

Chris
 
Mar 15, 2003
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www.daveearly.com
Chris,

I wish you the best of luck with your journey. I have completed two trips from Thailand to Myanmar in 2013 (Jan and Dec) on my own Thai registered bike. With only one month until your proposed departure date, It appears to me that you are exceptionally short on time. For each trip our group had to have all their personal and bike information (and copies and photos) submitted at least two months in advance. it is necessary to get a temporary license/permit for the motorcycle, a temporary Myanmar driver's license and of course your Myanmar visa. Also, Thailand does not issue Carnets and this would be a problem for a Thai bike, as you mention . Perhaps your 'fixer' has a way of expediting this, but at this late date I would be thinking seriously of an alternate plan or a very expensive trip.

I hope it all comes together for you and, for sure, have a safe trip. :thumbup:

Please keep us posted as your trip progresses.
 
Dec 5, 2013
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Hi SilverhawkUSA,

Thanks for your mail and you're right - it takes a lot of planning. However, my 'fixer' used to work for the Ministry of Tourism and says he only needs 15 days to get all this together. That still doesn't leave much time, but I'm a dreamer! I can always delay if required, as long as I get across into India somehow.

I'll keep you posted, of course :)
 
Dec 5, 2013
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Dear All,

Trip now delayed to 19 Feb to wait for a couple of people. Got 3, need 2 more! Let me know if you're interested!

Chris