Cycle Eastern Tibet

We will welcome you at the airport and take you to your hotel. You are free to refresh and relax before we hold a briefing about the trip, later in the afternoon. With your guides, you will run through the itinerary and learn about local road safety and cultural considerations, as well having the opportunity to ask us any questions you may have. After being fully briefed, in the evening, we will hold a welcome dinner to celebrate the beginning of your journey. We will feast on some of the best food Chengdu has to offer and eagerly anticipate the coming journey that lies ahead.

Altitude: 500m
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Chengdu

Due to the high-altitude nature of this trip we recommend beginning slowly to allow for acclimatization. On the first day we will drive from Chengdu to Kangding. It is a gateway city for Tibet, historically being an important trade post and, with a fairly equal ethnic split between Han Chinese and Tibetans, you will get your first taste of Tibetan culture. After lunch, time permitting, you will have the opportunity to visit the Ngachu Monastery and take a cable car up Paoma Mountain, which provides stunning views over the town.

Meals: All
Overnight: Kangding
Altitude: 2850m
Transfer time: 4 to 5 hours

A much shorter drive takes you up onto the Tibetan plateau and to Xinduqiao. Dubbed a ‘photographer’s paradise’, the scenery and lighting here are fantastic. Firmly upon the ‘roof of the world’, you can expect beautiful rolling hills, mountains, streams, pastures and Tibetan architecture. You can visit Muya Stupa, opposite your hotel and a very short drive through a valley takes you to Juli Monastery. Another day taking it easy and acclimatizing, before starting your cycling.

Meals: All
Overnight: Xinduqiao
Altitude: 3480m
Transfer time: 1.5 to 2 hours

Set within the surroundings of Xinduqiao the day’s cycling is immediately beautiful, nestled in a flat plain, with traditional Tibetan homes beneath the lush mountains around. At around 35km you will reach Songlinkou and notice many mantras and colorful Buddhist murals painted onto the rocks in the mountains and river, as well as a small wooden bridge heavily decorated with prayer flags – the first religiously important site of the day.

A short while further and you will reach Tagong, a small picturesque town based around a large monastery, which was built during the Qing Dynasty to honor the journey of a Chinese Princess on her way to marry the Tibetan King. We will lunch at a local restaurant in Tagong.

Continuing through the Tagong Grasslands with its monasteries, rolling countryside and, on a clear day, the impressive snow-capped Ya’la Holy Mountain (5884m) in the foreground, we will make our way to Ani Gompa. This is the largest Buddhist Nunnery in the area and where you can see many people circling one of the largest constructions of ‘Mani’ stones – these are pieces of slate, on which people write their regrets, wishes and prayers and then stack, to form an impressive structure.

Leaving the Tagong grasslands behind us, we have an incline before a generous descent taking you past Bamei Stone Forest – an impressive geological wonder with sharp rocks raising like spears from the mountainside. A few kilometers later take you to gorgeous Bamei, where today’s journey ends.

Riding Distance: 72km
Altitude: 3428m
Elevation: +475m / -513m
Meals: All
Overnight: Bamei

We will begin the day by visiting Huiyuan Temple, a stunning Buddhist complex with history reaching back to the Qing Dynasty. Founded in 1729, to bolster relations between Tibetans and mainland China after an invasion from Mongolian tribes, it once housed the 7th Dalai Lama. What’s more, the 11th Dalai Lama was born nearby. From here, we will begin the cycling on the beautiful road that leaves the temple. Shortly after passing through Bamei, the scenery changes, taking you through forested valleys. With little ascent and plenty of descent, it is a very comfortable ride through the valleys, passing by the occasional hamlet or religious site.

After 50km we will reach Longdeng Grassland, which holds Ranggu Monastery and Zhumucuo Lake. Ranggu Monastery, set beneath a mountain of prayer flags, has over 180 tantric paintings, offering a glimpse of one of the more peculiar forms of Buddhist art. From here, there is a stunning descent taking you down 400m in altitude and to the village of Gake, where we complete the day’s ride, before driving to Daofu. Gake showcases particularly beautiful Tibetan architecture, being extremely colorful with ornate structure, carvings and paintings, displaying a wealth of imagery.

Riding Distance: 50km
Altitude: 2900m
Elevation: +561m / -1025m
Meals: All
Overnight: Daofu

Another easy ride today and we will continue through a valley with tree covered mountains and traditional homes. For most of the ride we will follow Xianshui River, which, at 50km, will take us to the Xialatuo Wetlands. Inside the wetlands, it is possible to take a bridge to complete our journey to Luhuo.

Luhuo is another historically important town for Buddhism, famous for its large monastery. Historically having 277 halls and chambers, it used to hold over 1,000 monks making it the largest in Kham, until an earthquake in 1973. The main temple sits centrally, set in the mountain, with the traditional red roofed chambers sprawling out from it. Today’s hotel, sits right underneath.

Riding Distance: 70 km
Altitude: 3180m
Elevation: +360m / -154m
Meals: All
Overnight: Luhuo

Riding away from the Luohuo we will make our way towards Ganzi, one of the most important towns in Kham. The day is another one for beautiful scenery and cultural interest and we will pass several important sights. At 24km, you will notice Bangda Monastery on your right and a little while further at 32km, a view of some impressive snow-capped mountains will emerge. Another 5km will take you past Muniang Monastery.

At 55km we will reach the main focal point of the day, Kasa Lake. Set within a stunning valley, this beautiful lake also marks the most challenging portion of the day – a 15km ascent, taking you from 3450m to 3930m. Fortunately, the ride continues to provide views of both the lake and the raw rocky mountain peaks surrounding it, with several viewing points offering rest. Once you reach the top, you are rewarded with a spectacular snowy mountain range in the distance. From here, it is a 25km drive to reach your destination, Ganzi.

Riding Distance: 55 – 70km (it is up to you to decide whether or not to ride the 15km ascent)
Altitude: 3380m
Elevation: +1473m / -1214m
Meals: All
Overnight: Ganzi

Today is a rest day and an opportunity to make the most out of this historically famous town. Set in a large valley, the town is over shadowed by both the impressive Chola Mountain range and its monastery. With over 300 years of history and 400 resident monks, Ganzi Monastery is almost as bustling as the town below. The monastery sits above the Tibetan old town with its winding alleyways, slowly snaking up the hillside.

The monastery is worth a visit for the view alone, providing a commanding panorama of the town and countryside below. To the left and right you can see traditional Tibetan homes sprawling out until they break into plains and terraced fields, while, in the centre, a large white Stupa towers over the town.

Back in the town, Jiefang Street offers a colorful and lively Tibetan shopping street. With small restaurants, colorful architecture and shops selling everything from yak cheese to beautiful keepsakes, it is perfect both for cultural interest and for getting a souvenir.

Altitude: 3380m
Meals: All
Overnight: Ganzi

We will begin with a 27km drive to Dajin Monastery. Large and beautiful, with an ornate, colorful structure and a few main temples to visit, it is one of the more interesting roadside monasteries on our journey. From here our ride becomes more remote and people are more or less free to live as they wish. You’ll start to see more nomads tending to their yaks grazing in the fields. We are also on the 317 road, which is one of two roads linking Chengdu with the famous Lhasa. Less used, and more remote, you will be far more likely to stumble across unique events and encounters from here on in.

After 50km of riding, we will reach Tashi Triling Retreat Centre, an important training centre for monks. Passing through grasslands and with another huge mountain range in the distance, after another 10km you will begin to approach Manigange. A nomad town and historic stopping point on the Tea Horse Road, it is simple and small but set within stunning surroundings. With pastel colored buildings and a very friendly population, it is the perfect place to relax in after a day’s ride.

Riding Distance: 60 km
Altitude: 3870m
Elevation: +838m / -459m
Meals: All
Overnight: Manigange

Our riding today begins straight from the town and we have 10km to complete until you reach some of the most gorgeous alpine scenery of the trip – Yilhun Lhatso Lake. A short walk off the road takes you to this gorgeous turquoise lake formed from the glaciers of the Chola Mountain range. Sacred, with many rocks inscribed with prayers, it is an exceptionally peaceful place, visited by locals and monks taking advantage of a prime spot for meditation.

Continuing the ride, the mountains get more and more extreme, with sharp peaks rising into the sky as you ascend. 15km after the lake, we reach an impressive tunnel – at above 4000m it is reportedly the highest tunnel in the world, taking 15 years to complete and under cutting the Chola Mountain range. From here we will drive for 22km to Menza Monastery before continuing the ride.

From Menza Monastery, it is 30km of gentle riding until we come to the Sleeping Buddha Mountain – a range which resembles a Buddha lying on his back. This comes into view as you reach the monastery below, dedicated to the religious significance of the mountains. From here you enter a steep ravine – offering downhill riding. Following a river, it provides an excellent final push to Dege.

Dege is an incredibly important cultural hub, both for Kham and all Tibetan areas. Situated close to the border of Tibet it holds the Parkhang Printing House. First established in 1729, it accounts for over 70% of Tibet’s literary heritage, printing everything from religious works to historical and scientific texts. Around the printing house, which resembles a temple, you can still see people printing and inscribing stone to this day, as well as the many Tibetans circling to complete their prayers and pay homage to the site.

Riding Distance: 68km
Altitude: 3294m
Elevation: +622m / -1125m
Meals: All
Overnight: Dege

There is no cycling today, and we will drive from Dege to Xinlong, and on the way we will pass Manigange and Ganzi again, but after Ganzi we will head south to the direction of 318 road, which is also known as South Sichuan-Tibet Route. Xinlong is located just half way between the north Sichuan Tibet Route (also called 317 road, along which we have already cycled during the past few days)and south Sichuan-tibet route.

Whilst a little more ‘concrete’ than other towns we visit, it is still a nice riverside town with some traditional architecture and a monastery above.

Altitude: 3029m
Elevation: +770m / -1595m
Meals: All
Overnight: Xinlong

Today will be the last day of biking on the trip. You will start directly from your hotel and continue to make your way along a valley. The final day’s ride is very comfortable, through more gorgeous scenery and picturesque Tibetan homes with some slightly different architecture. You will notice more mud used as plaster on the exterior of the homes and wooden toilets sticking out from the side of the upper stories. A few more villages and religious sites to pass through until you reach Zhunba Village at 75km and complete your riding! From there we will drive the remainder of the journey to Litang, one of the highest towns in the world and where you can celebrate your achievements.

Riding Distance: 50 – 75km*
Altitude: 4000m
Elevation: +1772m / -884m
Meals: All
Overnight: Litang

Now you have completed the epic bike journey through Kham, we will have a rest day in Litang. Khamba Tibetans are famous for being wild and nomadic and for their love of horses. With the locals being obsessed with horses and wearing cowboy hats, it is in Litang that this really becomes evident. Each year there is a famous horse festival, where thousands of Khambas descend on the town for trading and racing. Because of this, horse racing continues to be a big theme all year round and, besides the locals looking like cowboys, in the evening looking off the street, you’ll see people huddling around TV sets watching cowboy films.

Besides having the feeling of a true wild west town, Litang is also one of the most interesting cities on our itinerary for sightseeing. Litang Monastery is relatively large and has beautiful temples – the main one holding a huge hall where the monks assemble to learn in the morning. From the monastery it is not far to the birthplace of the 7th Dalai Lama; well preserved you are able to go inside to get an example of a traditional Tibetan home.

Besides these two religious sites, there is also one of the largest prayer wheels in the world and it is situated in a temple constantly playing sutras, adding to the atmosphere. Litang is also famous for being one of a few sites that has traditionally carried out Sky Burials – these funerals are peculiar to Tibet and involve corpses being returned to the sky through being eaten by vultures.

A little further out of town offers opportunities to visit beautiful grasslands and there are even some shallow, but natural, hot springs where you can have a soak. Within the town there are nice restaurants and cafes, altogether making it a very pleasant place to do some light sightseeing and take some rest.

Altitude: 4000m
Meals: All
Overnight: Litang

Today will be the final day in Kham Tibet. Timed at your discretion, we will take a drive back to Kangding. You are free to relax and enjoy the final piece of Tibetan nature at Kangding before you return to the city.

Altitude: 2600 m
Transfer Time: 6 hours
Meals: All
Overnight: Kangding

Today we will drive back to Chengdu, and on the way we will take a visit of Bifengxia Valley Panda Base located in the countryside of Ya’an, which is a good place for you to take a close look at the pandas. We will spend about two hours exploring the panda base and visit th adorable giant pandas, including cubs and adults.

Drive back to Chengdu in the late afternoon.

Meals: All
Overnight: Chengdu

Your last day is free for you to relax and enjoy as you wish in Chengdu. Of course, please let us know if you have any special requests and we will always do our best to accommodate you. After spending your day enjoying the remaining time you have in Sichuan, we will take you to the airport and bid you farewell!