Tour Description

Western Sichuan - Pandas, Snowy Mountains, and the Tibetan Plateau 7-Day Bike Tour

Dates: Tuesday, April 23 to Monday, April 29, 2013

Western Sichuan - Pandas, Snowy Mountains, and the Tibetan Plateau 7-Day Bike Tour

Dates: Tuesday, April 23 to Monday, April 29, 2013

This 7-day cycling tour begins and ends in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. This tour is designed as a moderate to challenging ride. Average daily cycling mileage will be about 74 km or 45 miles. There will be a support vehicle to transport luggage (and cyclists when needed). This tour will visit both well-known and little-known sights and will appeal to those who have cultural, social, and geographical interests.

On the first day, we will take transport to tour Baoxing and up the valley to the base Jiajingshan pass where the Long March crossed 50 years ago.

On the second day, group will head up to Jiajinshan Pass (partially using transport) through a Nature Reserve. The pass is at 4,144 meters (13,590 feet). Yaks can be seen grazing on the slopes tended by Tibetan herdsman. At the top of the pass we will then coast down into a gorgeous valley to Rilongguan, at the base of Four Girls Mountain.

Wori Defensive Tower On the third day we will cycle (mostly downhill) first visiting the village Wori with an impressive defensive tower and then on to Xiaojin Xian where there is a Buddhist Temple, an Islamic Mosque and a Catholic Church where Mao spent some time on the Long March. The group will end up in Danba, located on the Dadu River, a major tributary to the Yangzi. Along the way we will visit a lamasery and a Tibetan Buddhist Temple.

On the fourth day, the group will go from Danba and head southwest up to the of Bamei, then along the Tibetan Plateau to the village of Tagong partially using transport. There is a hot springs along the way and in Tagong there are a Tibetan monastery and temples in this color town.

On day five, we will go to Kangding, a well-known Tibetan town straddling a fast-flowing river. We will visit a Tibetan temple and have an opportunity to soak in another hot spring.

On the sixth day, we will cycle to Luding and drive through the tunnel under Erlangshan pass and return to the Sichuan Basin to Ya'an.

On the last day in the morning we will visit the Bifengxia Nature Reserve to see the Giant Pandas and have lunch. Afterwards, the group will cycle the back roads to Pingle village and then get transport back to Chengdu airport, concluding the tour.

Photos and Cycling Travelogue in Western Sichuan

Mark Jay's Bike Tour in Western Sichuan

Some Photos Highlights in Western Sichuan

A Travelogue in the Western Sichuan.

Itinerary

Day	Location	Cycling Distance KM/Miles	Total Distance KM/Miles	SICHUAN PROVINCE
0	Chengdu	0/0	41/25	Take Airport pickup and transfer to hotel
1	Yaoji	75/46	260/159	Take Drive to Baoxing then cycle up the valley to Yaoji
2	Rilongguan	90/55	110/67	Partially using transport, head to Jiajingshan Pass (4,144 meters or 13,590 feet) then cycle down to Rilongguan at the base of the Four Girls Mountains.
3	Danba	120/73	120/73	Cycle mostly downhill to Danba stopping in Wori and Xiaojin to visit defensive tower, Tibetan and Buddhist Monastery and a Catholic Church.
4	Tagong	50/30	129/79	Partially using transport, cycle up to Bamei then across the Tibetan Plateau to Tagong
5	Kangding	65/40	111/68	Continue across the plateau then down to Tibetan town Kangding bisected by a fast moving river
6	Ya'an	60/37	185/113	Cycle to Luding then transport through the tunnel under Erlangshan and cycle to Ya'an
7	Chengdu	40/24	88/54	See the pandas in Bifengxia Nature Reserve in the morning, then cycle the back roads to Pingle, drive to Chengdu Airport with a flight to other cities. End of tour.
	Total Distance	515/314	1091/667

Details

Dates: Tuesday, April 23 to Monday, April 29, 2013

Start location: Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

Finish location: Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

Tour type: This is a vehicle-supported tour.

Geographical location: Southwest China Elevation range: 1,640 feet (500 meters) to 13,590 feet (4,144 meters)

Terrain: Flat, rolling and mountainous

Cycling tour level: Moderate to Challenging - a support vehicle provided and may be used when needed.

Total cycling distance: Approximately 314 miles (515 km): Average distance per ride day: 45 miles (74 km).

Days: 7

Nights: 6

Climate: The best time to tour is in the spring and fall.

Group size: 1 - 8

Private room supplement: US$190

Rental bike: US$0 (included).

Accommodations will be basic Chinese hotels generally of the 1-3 star variety. At least once it will be necessary to use a no-star hotel.

The prices are for double occupancy rooms, and will vary depending on the number of people who participate. This tour is limited to no more than eight people. This will permit more flexibility in the program and allow more spontaneity for taking photos or exploring villages along the way.

Prices include the following:

1. Bilingual bike tour guide to accompany the group throughout the tour
2. All hotel accommodations for six nights
3. Meals eaten as group (private meals, snacks and alcoholic beverages are not included)
4. All group land transportation costs (van and taxis) including a support vehicle to accompany the tour
5. All group entrance fees
6. Rental bikes (US$0) and related biking gear including helmets, gloves, bike bags, and raincapes

This will be a vehicle-supported ride and may be utilized whenever needed.

If you decide to do something on your own, you will be responsible for those costs.

Cost: Prices depend on the total number of people going on the tour and the time of year. Below are the price per person (pp) and quoted in US dollars (US$) for non-holiday periods*:

Group size:
2 people: $1,750 pp
3 people: $1,550pp
4-8 people $1,320 pp

Current Registrations

There are two people registered as of

An announcement of the cost of the tour will be made to the group 45-days prior to the start based on the number of registered members.

A deposit of $500 per person is required. Submission of a deposit will guarantee your place on the tour. Balance is due at least 45 days prior to the beginning of the tour and payable by credit card, wire transfer, or personal check.

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