Yunnan Discovery

Cycling through this charming southern province will expose you to a fascinating history, breathtaking scenery, ancient architecture and diverse cultures. The old houses and cobbled streets will be accented by the colorful attire of ethnic tribes. The scenery will be dotted by snow capped mountains, terraced rice fields, green forests and raging rivers. Your Yunnan days are filled with jaw-dropping scenery and enough culture to fill even the most culturally starved traveler. 

Tour Cost	US$2150	Single Supplement	US$395
Bike Hire	US$170	Total Cycling Distance	570 km
Tour Grade	out of 5	Number of Days	14 days / 13 nights
Number of Cycling Days	8 full days	Tour Meets	Lijiang
Tour Ends	Kunming	Group Size	Minimum 2. Maximum 16.
Minimum age on scheduled departures	18 years old

Day 1

We meet in the ancient Naxi town of Lijiang where you'll want to wander the many alleys of the old city. As you explore you'll find shops selling herbs for medicine, gems and gold, traditional silk clothes and lots of tempting food stalls. In the evening enjoy an optional performance of the Naxi Orchestra or be entertained by the musicians performing at one of many lively bars.

Day 2

Time to see how the lungs have acclimated to the altitude of Lijiang (2,400 meters or 8,000 feet) with our first bicycle ride. We cycle north to Baisha, a photogenic Naxi town and then visit the Yu Feng Monastery and take in the views over the plains that surround Lijiang.

Day 3

Few rides can match the magnificent scenery and sense of adventure when cycling through the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge of the Yangtze River, but before reaching it there are some high points to attain, followed by a spectacularly long downhill. This is a fantastic stretch to cycle with some stunning views of snow-capped mountains.

Day 4

A free day in Tiger Leaping Gorge. Get up close and personal with the Yangtze River by hiking to the bottom of the gorge following small dirt paths along its dramatic cliff edges.

Day 5

We cycle out along the spectacular gorge road which is literally carved into the side of the mountain and then ride through rice fields and Naxi villages with the ever present stunning backdrop of snow capped peaks.

Day 6

Today we'll notice a change is culture and altitude. Cycling north we start seeing a more Tibetan influence on the architecture and of course in the people. The alpine scenery will now be punctuated with rhododendron bushes as we get closer to the snow line. Overnight in the mystical Shangri La.

Day 7

We spend a rest day in Shangri La, also known as Zhongdian, and is the center of Kham, the traditional land of the tall, turbaned Khampa horsemen. Visit the spectacular Ganden Sumsanling Monastery, built at the instruction of the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, where more than 800 monks now live and practice.

Day 8

We ride through relatively flat grasslands before descending to Qiaotou and visit the 'first bend' of the Yangtze since leaving Tibet. There are more alleyways to explore in the ancient town of Shigu, or Stone Drum Town, where we overnight.

Day 9

Today's memorable ride into the heart of rural Yunnan takes us along the 'Old Tibet' road—past tranquil scenes of mud brick villages, bamboo groves, rivers, and paddy fields. We are cycling towards Shaxi and our wonderfully restored hotel.

Day 10

Today is a rest day and you are free to explore the surrounding villages and countryside in the valley or the old town of Shaxi.

Day 11

Time to get those legs pumping again with some climbs that will be rewarded with inspiring panoramic views and of course exhilarating downhills. Cycle through villages and see how the locals tend their fields.

Day 12

The last riding day will take us to the historical town of Dali, home to the Bai people, one of the nation's largest minorities and once the centre of the powerful 8th-century Nanzhao Kingdom. Explore its gated city walls, bustling old streets and lakeside setting.

Day 13

We transfer to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. Time to explore the city in the afternoon.

Day 14

Time to say good bye to the Yunnan you have to know so well.

• We had an absolutely brilliant time and would do the whole thing again in the blink of an eye.

  Astrid Morgan - May 2011

• Yunnan was beautiful and we had a wonderful time. I particularly loved the food. Our favourite place was Shaxi - a delightfully relaxed and sleepy town and the hotel was brilliant.

  Miriam Davies - March 2011