EXPEDITIONS IN CHINA ARE RELATIVE TO THE COST OF WHAT YOU GET.
UNLIKE PLACES SOUTH OF THE HIMALAYA/KARAKORUM, CHINA IS A STABLE HIGH ECONOMY WITH MANY THINGS NO DIFFERENT TO EUROPE OR NORTH AMERICA. THIS MEANS LIVING STANDARDS CAN BE HIGH, WAGES CAN BE HIGH & INFRASTRUCTURE IS VERY DEVELOPED. IF YOUR IDEAS OF CHINA ARE BASED ON THE HISTORIES OF FAMINES OR IMAGES OF NOMADS THEN YOU MAY BE SURPRISED.
UNLIKE THE SUBCONTINENT, EXPEDITION COSTS DON’T CENTER ON DOLLAR-A-DAY HUMAN LABOUR. ALL OUR STAFF ARE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES & SPECIALISTS IN THEIR FIELDS, OUR OPERATORS HAVE UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONS & TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY AND LIVE IN MAJOR CITIES. PART OF THE GOVERNMENT’S RULES ARE THAT PROPORTIONATE WAGES ARE PAID. THE FOLK THAT LEAD THE HORSES & CAMELS ARE SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE COSTS SET BY THE AUTHORITIES.
IN CHINA, ROADS THROUGH XINJIANG AND TIBET ARE SIX LANE TOLLWAYS COVERING HUGE DISTANCES, SO TOLLS REFLECT THAT AS DOES GASOLINE. LIKEWISE THE HOTELS WE STAY IN CAN BE ON PAR WITH EUROPE, AND IF EVER REQUIRED THE HOSPITALS EVEN IN REMOTE AREAS ARE CAPABLE FOR MOST EMERGENCIES.
A MAIN FACTOR TOO IS THAT CHINA HAS VERY LITTLE OF THE HIGHLY COMMERCIAL MASS TOURISM TO MOUNTAIN AREAS THAT NEPAL & PAKISTAN DOES. THIS MEANS NEARLY EVERY TRIP IS BESPOKE, UNIQUE & INDIVIDUALLY ORGANIZED. THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 SIMPLY DOESN’T HAVE THE OPTION OF GETTING SLOTTED INTO AN EXISTING TRIP THAT’S BEEN PRE-BOOKED FOR YEARS.
SO YES, CHINA COSTS SOMETIMES MORE THAN SAY PAKISTAN, BUT THAT’S BECAUSE COSTS REFLECT DIFFERENT THINGS. AS ALWAYS, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
