Part 2 starts where Part 1 ends, in Lijiang, and heads south through Yunnan, the land of tea and rice terraces, and through the karst country of Guizhou and Guangxi, with the Dong villages and the Li River at Yangshuo. At Dongxing the route crosses into Vietnam.
From Ha Long Bay and Hanoi the convoy follows the country south: Phong Nha, the imperial city of Hue, the Hai Van Pass and Da Nang, then the coffee highlands, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. The last border leads into Cambodia, past the pepper fields of Kampot and Phnom Penh to the finish in Siem Reap, next to Angkor Wat.
Hotels will be inspected and chosen for location and calm. Navigation will run offline, with permits and borders prepared in advance. The route is indicative until our inspection trip.
A capable 4×4 is required. Think Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Hilux, or similar. Essential items include adequate ground clearance, underbody protection, quality all-terrain tires, two spare wheels, a compressor, and a VHF radio; helpful extras include a dual-battery system, a fridge, tablet mount, and additional USB power. All modifications are documented so any mechanic knows what sits where. Technical support will be on the road, border assistance is arranged, and the goal is simple: everyone reaches the finish.
We select and personally inspect hotels for location and calm before departure; dinners and breakfasts are included on driving days, and in larger stops you can dine independently with recommendations provided and costs reimbursed to keep the experience simple. Where the route enters very remote areas, expect a few simpler nights that trade luxury for access and atmosphere.
Part 1 begins in Calcutta and leads through Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal onto the Tibetan Plateau, past Lhasa and through eastern Tibet and Yunnan to the finish in the old town of Lijiang.