The movement curve on the stage ([ The time-table  of the stage 2 ]

Stage 2. Tibet
(expert judgement of stage complexity on the ten-point Scale = 8.0)
Dali (25 ° 33') — Dunhuang (40 ° 07')
Extension – 3150 km
Locomotion – bicycles, hiking

On the territory of China we find ourselves in Yunnan province which occupies the homonymous highland (up to 5596 m). Its western part is broken by the deep valleys of  the Mekong River and the Salween River. Here and there theses rivers flow in gorges about 1-2 km in depth. The expedition crosses both rivers in the area of the city of Baoshan.
The climate is subtropical, monsoon, but rainfall is not so heavy as in Myanmar, because numerous chains of mountains hinder south-western monsoon from getting. Intermountain basins are dry, an agriculture needs artificial irrigation. The rice, tea and fruits cultivation is common for this area. The average temperature of the hottest month- July – is +19-25 °C.
The fifth of the province territory is occupied by rainforests with palm-trees, rubber plants, bananas, orchids, ferns, and bamboo. In the mountains they are changed by subtropical forests, in particular by oak and pine-tree forests. Thin forests and savannahs fill intermountain spaces.
The second stage begins in the city of Dali on the bank of the lake Er Hai. It is a sizeable (about 45 km by 8) reservoir, situated at a height of 1965 metres above sea level. Mountains surround the lake. Among peaks the highest is 4122 m on the western bank.
Northwards of Dali the road towards Tibet crosses twice the biggest (the length is 5800 km, basin area is 1.808.000 sq. km.) river of Eurasia – the Yangtze. Calling Jinsha-jiang, this section of the river crosses Sichuan Plateau, forming numerous rapids in narrow and deep gorges. In some places the river narrows to 100-120 m, while its depth 100 m!  At that when it is flood in the gorges water level comes up to 40 m!
Near the boundary of the province Yunnan and Tibet Autonomous Region the road comes back to the Mekong river and there it crosses administrative frontier. This place is unique. There is no other one in the world where three biggest rivers Yangtze, Mekong and Salween flow in parallel and so close to each other. In separate places the distance between them does not exceed 15-40 km but for all that high ranges divide the rivers! Then we go along upland road full of steep descents and rises – that’s why we must be especially accurate while moving.
Tibetan Autonomous Region is situated within Tibet Plateau. Mountain ranges have mostly latitude direction. Plains and river valleys are at a height of 3000-5200 metres. Becoming higher and higher southward mountain ranges are crowned by The Himalayas with the highest peak Everest (8848 m). Gradually the expedition crosses the ranges Ningjing Shan, Hengduan Shan, Gaoligong Shan in the country between three great rivers mentioned before and moving westward to the town Lhasa. Furthermore the road joining Tibet and the rest of China is drawn to the Yarlung and Nyang river valleys. Another considerable pass is located about 100-120 km from Lhasa and leads to the Ji-Chu (Lhasa) river valley - Brahmaputra’s right confluent.
On the Tibetan part of rout bicycle motion is complicated because of highlands peculiarities. The highest rout passes lie at the heights close to 4800-5200 m (for example, the Tanggula pass is 5180 m high). Roads abound in difficult sections, numerous serpentines alternate steep ascents and descents ending in deep precipices and gorges. In upper reaches many rivers can be forded. Roads are mostly unpaved. On the other hand, the climate, animal and vegetal life are close to the habitual regions of Pamirs and Tien Shan and harbour no perils like alien tropical forests. In the valleys July is the warmest month, +14-18 °C. But even in summer there can be frosts because of rarefied air. Precipitates are rare, mostly they take place in winter as a snowfall. Typical for Himalayan famous monsoons don’t penetrate into the inner regions of Tibet.
To any extent luxuriant vegetation is typical only for big river valleys: rhododendron, juniper, tugai forests from willows. Higher there are mountain steppes (fescue, feather-grass, fowl-grass), which are changed by mosses, lichens, mountain deserts and perpetual snows. Here and there waterlogged and saline lands are found. From animal world yaks, antelopes, argalis, hares, voles are widespread in the Tibet Plateau. Predators are represented by bears, wolfs, foxes and jackals. Rivers and lakes are rich of cyprinoids and salmon family.
The capital of Tibet Autonomous Region Lhasa (pop 108.000) was founded in VII c. by Tibetan king Songtsan Gampo. It is located at an altitude 3650 m.  Lhasa is a religious centre of  lamaism. City attractions are Potala Palace (VII-XVII c., former residence of Dalai Lama), Jokhang Temple (VIIc.).
 From Yangbajain we move towards Southeast. Beyond pass “the Hundredth meridian” expedition organizes Tibetan base camp to mountaineer the Nyaingentanglha. Its peak is one of the highest in homonymous range on the eastern part of Gandisк Shan with the altitude up to 7088-7117 m (from different sources).
Nyaingentanglha range divides basins of the rivers Tsangbo (Brahmaputra) on the south and Ngu Chu (head of Salween) and Namtso lake on the north. It is formed by granite, limestone, sandstone. The range axis line is an endless chain of snowy mountains with comparatively even ridge. Along all its 600 km extent the range has no one pass lower than 5000 m. Slopes are rocky, there are many taluses. The range characteristic feature is an extremely high snow-line located within 5400-5800 m. This fact is connected with climate dryness. Southward the range is approaching by mountain steppes and semi-deserts, on the northern slopes cold desert landscapes prevail.
Rise to the peak is planned in alpine style without making intermediate camps. The preliminary acclimatization is reached through consecutive training ascents at the altitudes 5400-5600 and 6200-6400 m with following descents for rest. Possible on the considerable altitude falls in temperature about –20-25 °C are very dangerous as well as strong local winds with frequent dust storms caused by its great day-to-day variations. The rise occupies 20 days.
Literally about 20 km from the Nyaingentanglha mountain one can find one of the largest mountain lake of the world  - Namtso (Tengri-Nur area 2000 sq km, goes for 80 km from east to west, altitude 4627-4718 meters above sea level). The lake is closed and salt. It is frozen from November to May. It is rich of fish. The lake can be visited in radial going out, for example, during the descent for rest. After passing over the Nyaingentanglha range expedition route is crossed by well-known to us Salween for the fourth and fifth time (!), called in the head of Ngu Chu. Mountain steppes and stony (pebble and rubby) cold deserts are typical for this region. Tanggula Shan range from glaciers of which Salween originates raises about 1000-1500 m above these deserts and reaches the altitude 6096 m (Basatongwula Shan). The range consists of flat enough and domelike peaks and, in spite of its great altitude above sea level, has middle mountain appearance. Only separate snowy peaks have the features of alpine character.
Beyond the Tanggula pass (5180 m) lands of Qinghai province begin. The road descends into the area of numerous sources, generating the great Yantze. The principal one called Moron Us flows in partially waterlogged valley.
The next pass is over the Marco Polo (Bokaliketag) range which is included in the system Kunlun. Exceeding of north slopes over the Qaidam Basin is 2000-2500 m, south slopes with the altitude about 1000 m fluently turn to Tibet plateau. Range watersheds are wide and poorly divided, north slopes are considerably steeper that south ones. Mountain bottoms are occupied by deserts and steppes. In some places small islands of forests and meadows are found. The Kunlun climate is dry, temperate, and continental. The average temperature of July, the warmest month, is only +10 °C.
The descent from Kunlun system leads to the Qaidam Basin. Its northwestern part is a sandy desert, the southeastern part, separated by ledge 100 m high, is occupied by salt-marshes. The northwestern section is practically waterless, but in southwest (where exactly our route goes) in falls there are intermittent lakes, for instance, Dabsan Hu near the road. Along temporary currents bushes of saxaul are found.
The Basin climate is dry, July temperatures reach +16-18. To the middle of May when the expedition is here, probably lakes don’t dry up finally, but obviously water problems will take place. They can be solved in inhabited place (town?) Golmud (pop.30-100.000). Golmud environments are famous by sedge-cereal meadows, reed swamps, and also by salt and oilfields. Probably here we can find also small forest blocks, which are typical for northern slopes of Kunlun mountain system.
The final pass of the second stage of expedition is situated at the turn of ranges Altynag and Ulan Daban (Humbolt). The last one belongs to the Nan Shan mountain system. Near the pass mountain slopes are covered by stony placers, practically without vegetation, higher there are alpine forms of relief, glaciers. Slope for the pass brings to the inhabited place Dunchuang. For some time mountains are left behind, Gobi desert is in front of us.