Tour Description
Yunnan and Guangxi 11-Day Bicycling Tour:
Shangri-La, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang, Guilin and Yangshuo
Dates: Sunday, May 26 to Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Cycling in the hills near Yangshuo
Yunnan and Guangxi 11-Day Bicycling Tour:
Shangri-La, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang, Guilin and Yangshuo
Dates: Sunday, May 26 to Wednesday, June 5, 2013
This 11-day cycling tour begins in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province and ends in Guilin, Guangxi province. There will be a support vehicle to transport luggage (and cyclists when needed). The tour is designed as an moderate to challenging ride. Average daily cycling mileage will be about 55 km or 33 miles. This tour will appeal to those who have cultural, social and geographical interests and will visit both well-known and little-known sights including Tiger Leaping Gorge.
On Day 0 (the day before the first day), the group will meet in Kunming and prepare for an early morning flight to Shangri-La (Zhongdian) on Day 1.
On the first day we will fly to Shangri-La (Zhongdian), a predominantly Tibetan town located at about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) elevation. We will spend one day exploring the area of grasslands and visit the Limestone Bridge and hot springs.
The next day, the group will visit Guihua Tibetan temple on the outskirts of town and the wild lakes of Bitahai and Shuduhai.
On the third day, we will cycle over several mountain ridge on one of the most scenic rides in Yunnan from Shangri-La to Baishuitai, the back door route to Tiger Leaping Gorge.
On day four, the group will enter the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest and most dramatic gorges in the world. We will visit the narrow spot of the Gorge where it takes it name pictured below. It is a powerful spot with the whole of the Yangtze River confined to a 20- meter (70-foot) width. The night will be spent in the Gorge in simple cabin-like lodgings.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
The next day, we will cycle out of the gorge and then along side the Yangtze River to Lijiang.
On the sixth day, the group will explore Lijiang. This is the center of the creative Naxi minority group with a strong artistic and musical tradition. The group will explore the unique old town with fast flowing open canals and distinctive architecture. In the afternoon we will ride to the village of Baisha.
On day seven, the group will fly to Guilin with a stopover in Kunming to change planes in the morning. The Guilin area is well-known for the unique karst landscape (limestone hill formations jutting up from an otherwise level ground and the subject of countless traditional Chinese paintings). This area is also riddled with caves used extensively by locals to hide when the Japanese invaded during World War II. Arriving at the Guilin airport, we will then transfer to the hotel. After a settling in, we will take a short bike tour to see the sights of this interesting town.
On the eight day, we head out into the countryside for some fresh air by taking transport part way, and then cycling the rest to Longsheng. Longsheng is located in an area that is known as the Dragonback Rice Terraces where entire mountain sides have been transformed into wedding-cake like sculptures. There are also some hot springs to relax in.
The next day we will travel by vehicle to back to Guilin, and cycle to first to the fishing village of Xingping, then to Yangshuo. Yangshuo is a relaxing tourist town and will provide opportunities to explore the karst landscape, several temples, and various surrounding villages, and watch the cormorant bird fishing at night.
On Day Ten, we will cycle to several small nearby villages and take a short boat ride on the scenic Li River. At night the group will view fisherman on bamboo rafts using their Cormorant birds with to fish.
On the last day we cycle to Moon Hill in the morning then transfer to the Guilin Airport for connections back to the West or other parts of China concluding the bike tour.
A travelogue and photos covering portions of the route:
Cycling Yunnan Province with Bike China Adventures
Photos from Yunnan
Weiss Yunnan Bike Trip Photo Gallery
Some Photo Highlights of Exploring Guangxi's Wonders
| Itinerary and Tour
Details Yunnan and Guangxi 11-Day Bicycling Tour: 600 km - 366 miles |
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| Day | Location | Cycling KM/Miles | Notes |
| 0 | Kunming | 0/0 | Group meets in Kunming. |
| 1 | Shangri-La(Zhongdian) | 30/18 | Early morning flight to Shangri-La, visit Limestone Bridge and grasslands |
| 2 | Shangri-La(Zhongdian) | 30/18 | Visit the Guihua Tibetan Monastery, and the wild lakes of Bitahai and Shuduhai |
| 3 | Baishuitai | 105/64 | Ride this scenic route to the back door of Tiger Leaping Gorge |
| 4 | Tiger Leaping Gorge | 70/43 | One of the world's deepest gorges. An up-close look at the raw power of this historical river. Last year to see it in its raw state |
| 5 | Lijiang | 119/73 | Cycle along the Yangtze River to Lijiang. |
| 6 | Lijiang | 30/18 | Explore this historical town with fast flowing water canals and wooden architecture |
| GUANGXI PROVINCE | |||
| 7 | Guilin | 30/18 | Flight to Guilin with a stopover in Kunming. Explore Guilin by bike in the afternoon |
| 8 | Longsheng | 60/37 | Zhuang Minority area, Rice Terraces, and Hot Springs |
| 9 | Xingping | 30/18 | Vehicle transport to Guilin then cycle to Yangshuo. |
| 10 | Yangshuo | 30/18 | Cycle to several small villages and take a short Li River boat ride. At night view Cormorant bird fishing |
| 11 | Yangshuo | 30/18 | Explore Moon Hill in the morning. Transport to Guilin Airport for connections to the West or other destinations in China. End of tour. |
| Total Distance | 630/384 | Miles/Kilometers | |
