Overview map and itinerary

We arrive in Delhi, India on August 30, 2004. We then travel by train to Bikaner near the India/Pakistan border. From Bikaner, we set out into the Great Indian Desert (also known as the Thar Desert) to buy camels. After equipping our caravan, we ride towards Lucknow and hope to be there in early October. Then we curve north towards the Himalayas, eventually reaching Kathmandu, Nepal in late October. Leaving Nepal, we begin our elevation rise onto the Himalayan plateau with our arrival in Lhasa, Tibet in mid-November. We fly home on December 3.

Of course, whether or not we can keep to this time line depends on our ability to keep the camels healthy, avoid bandits, erect solar light systems in remote villages efficiently, cross swollen rivers, and handle whatever else comes our way.

Detailed maps

Map 1

The trip starts in the Great Indian Desert where we travel to Bikaner, the location of the Bikaner Camel Research Station. Along the route, we have planned some interesting side trips. In Deshnoke, we plan to visit a temple where rats are worshipped. Near Shahpura, we will stop at the Sariska Tiger Reserve to look for the big cats. In Agra, we will stroll through the Taj Mahal.

On the next leg of our trip, we approach the border with Nepal. We anticipate the crossing at Raxaul Bazar to be a rowdy affair. Some friends and family will come down from Nepal to greet us and smooth our entrance into the Mountain Kingdom.

Getting across the border into China (Tibet) is going to be one of our challenges. The highest pass we encounter in Tibet is 16,793 feet.

Itinerary

The first columns in the following chart show where we expect to be, mileage covered, and when. But goals do not always go according to plan. We will need to make adjustments for how many miles a day our camels can cover, where water holes and good campsites are located, sandstorms, bandits, and grocery shopping. The last two columns will be updated to show what actually happens.