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7 |
Trek |
DAYS |
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Holiday Overview
Holiday Overview
Highlights
- Lijiang and Shangri-la Cycling
- Ganden Sumtseling Monastery: the Yellow Sect center in the Sichuan-Yunnan region, known as the "Little Potala Palace"
- Tiger Leaping Gorge: the deepest gorge in the world
Map & Itinerary
Map & Itinerary
Shangri-la, located in the beautiful Northern Yunnan province of China, captures China’s beautiful nature at its best. As we Travel to Lijiang from Shangri-la by bike over a period of 7 days we’ll charter through high mountain passes, visit the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge, and bike around beautiful alpine lakes.
Elevation range: 1900 meters to 4100 meters
Terrain: Flat, rolling and mountainous
Cycling tour level: Moderate to challenging - alternative transportation may be used if needed.
Total cycling distance: Approximately 300km; Average distance per ride day: up to 75KM.
Holiday Itinerary
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BEIJING-SHANGRI-LA
Shangri-la: Introductions & Getting Acquainted
Arrival Shangri-la. Here you’ll meet and greet one of our expert guides and transfer over to the local hostel in the famous old town, Shangri-la (Zhongdian).
Old Town is a Tibetan town located at about 3,400 meter and offers a picturesque and fascinating look into Tibetan culture and life, as this area is considered a gateway to Tibet. Here we’ll find the Gandan Sumtseling Monestary, Paducuo National Park, and of course Tiger Leaping Gorge.
After a short rest at the hostel we’ll hop on our bikes for a test ride to make adjustments, begin getting adjusted to the altitude, head to a nearby restaurant fro some delicious dinner. You’ll have to try to Barley Wine made from “zanba” (a roasted highland barley flour). Thereafter we’ll head in for a good night’s.
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Accommodation local hostel in Shangri-la
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SHANGRI-LA
Road Condition: Paved. On the way to Napa Lake, 10km from town, we’ll encounter a small slope
Distance: 22km
Elevation: 3400M
Time: Half day casual biking with visiting spots along the way
Today we’ll spend our day doing more sightseeing and cycling around Old Town of Shangri-la and getting further adjusted to the high elevation.
This area is rich with Tibetan-style architecture and dates back 1300 years! We’ll eat breakfast and ride to Songzanlin Monestary, 5km north of the old town center. The Songzanlin Monestary (constructed in 1679) is the largest Tibetan Monestary in Yunnan and is nicknamed the “Lesser Potala” due to its resemblance to the magnificent structure in Lhasa. We’ll visit for 2 hours until lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch we’ll cycle over to a small hill to visit Napa Lake about 6km away. The Napa Lake Nature Reserve is the country’s largest grassland and most scene area of the plateau. We’ll have time to walk around and take everything in, enjoy the Tibetan culture and take lots of photographs before riding back to Old Town.
Upon returning to our hotel in the evening we’ll have a delicious dinner. We’ll be getting a good night’s sleep tonight - we have a big day tomorrow!
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Accommodation local hostel in Shangri-la
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Distance 22km
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Meals B
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SHANGRI-LA - BAISHUITAI
Road Condition - Paved. Three difficult uphill and downhill section in a row. High altitude elevation
Elevation: 3300m - 4100m
Time: 5-6 hours cycling
Distance: 101 km, about 60 km riding with 40 km vehicle transfer (this section is really a 2-day ride but there is no suitable accommodation half-way and the first part is a very tough, steep, uphill mountainous climb with little scenery. For this reason, we will use vehicle support to transfer the group to the high mountain pass, where the rest of the day is a much more interesting downhill ride)
After breakfast we’ll say goodbye to the beautiful Shangri-la and will be transferred directly to a high mountain pass (4100m) where we’ll start our cycling for the day. As we begin today’s journey at the top it will be apparent there is little wildlife, few trees or brush but only some moss, and large rocks. As we make our way down its fascinating to watch this change.
After scanning this beautiful Yunnan view we’ll mount our bikes and will be immediately challenged by two 3900-meters-high mountains in a row. It will be worth it though! On the way we’ll stop and choose a nice spot for a picnic lunch.
Our destination is Baishutai, the backdoor to the Tiger Leaping Gorge area. As we descend, we will pass through large coniferous forest that is famous in Yunnan. There area is very undeveloped as the only sounds we’ll here are the animals and the wind as it passes through the enormous pines that line the roads. After a long day’s journey we’ll check into a local hostel, take a shower, grab some delicous food, and relax!
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Accommodation small local hostel
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Meals B
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Time 5-6 hours cycling
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YILIK / RIVER - CAMPING ALONG THE RIVER
Road Condition: Paved. 4km uphill at the very beginning, then most of the road continues downhill. As we approach Tiger Leaping Gorge, there will be a 3km long gravel section, but its still downhill. After entering Tiger Leaping Gorge itself, we will ride another 10 km on a paved road to reach our destination.
Distance: 73 km
Elevation: 3400 - 1800 m
Time: 6 hours cycling
Before we set out for today’s Yunnan biking journey we’ll first visit the unique Baishui Terraces (“bai shui” means “white water” in Chinese). For thousands of years, mineral-laden spring water has flown down the mountain, leaving crystallized sodium carbonate along its slopes, leaving us now with the awesome view of a series of limestone basins full of water that look like huge marble sculptures! Its a lot cooler when you see it than when we try to describe it!
After an hour or so of visiting and taking photos, we will start on our day’s cycling tour. We’ll start with initial 4k uphill section until we head downhill the rest of the way to the Gorge. Lunch will be in Haba, a small but unique village on the way.
In the late afternoon we will enter the world-famous Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest most dramatic gorges in the world, and still quite wild despite enormous efforts to tame it. We’ll bike another 10km after enter in the gorge until we finally arrive at the “middle” of Tiger Leaping Gorge. Here we will spend the night.
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Accommodation cozy hostel at Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge
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Distance 73 km
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Meals B
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Time 6 hours cycling
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CYCLING THE YANGTZE RIVER
Road Condition: Paved. 10km in the beginning as we ride along Tiger Leaping Gorge, then a steep 8km uphill stretch. Afterwards, the road will alternate between flat terrain and gentle slopes.
Distance 70km
Elevation: 1800 - 2400 m
Time: 6hours cycling
In the early morning we’ll spend an hour or so hiking down the narrow spot of the gorge where the entire Yangtze River is forced through a gap only 20 meters wide! We’ll be unable to talk here because of the tremendous, thundering roar!
Once we head out on our bikes we’ll ride along a 10km stretch on a packed gravel road. Once we pass this we’ll reach smooth and rolling roads and get a view of the might Yangtze on our right and the majestic Snow Mountains on our left.
After passing Songyuan Bridge, we will have lunch in local restaurant. Later in the afternoon, we will reach “The First Bend of the Yangtze River” where the mighty Yangtze turns almost 180 degrees. This is the first of several abrupt turns it makes on its way eastward across all of China, before it finally empties into the East China Sea at Shanghai.
The mighty Yangtze, the third-longest river in the world (after the Nile and the Amazon), originates from a glacier in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, "the roof of the world", where it surges into Yunnan from the northwest, cutting through the high mountains and deep gorges of the Hengduan Mountains, and rushing southwards from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Here, where we stand, the Yangtze is blocked by the Hailuo Cliff, which forces it to turn roughly to northeast, forming a great "U"-shaped bend, which is called the First Bend of the Yangtze.
At this first bend the river is wide, so the water seems to flow in a gentle, slow pace hiding the power beneath the surface. Large willow trees grow luxuriously alongside the river that is banked on both sides with lush, fertile deep green vegetation and immense, steep mountains that rise up from the river toward the sky above. On the fertile soil deposited as the river makes its turn lies the town of Shigu, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here is where we will stay for the night, in a local hostel. Shigu (Stone Drum) town is named after a white marble monument, carved in the 1500’s in the shape of a drum, to commemorate victory by the Naxi ruler over an invading Tibetan army.
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Accommodation local hostel in Shigu
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Distance 70km
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Meals B
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Time 6hours cycling
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SHIGU - LIJIANG
Road Condition: Paved. Flat road most of the time. Heavy Traffic.
Distance: 60km
Elevation: 2200m-2400m
Time: 4 hours cycling
Today, we will depart from Shigu and ride to Lijiang, our final port of call for this challenging route. In this final leg of the race, we will pass by Lashi Lake. This lake is situated 8 km west of Lijiang City with an area of about 9 square kilometers. In the Naxi language, Lashi means "New Basin". This beautiful lake is not only a scenic spot but also a provincial nature reserve because of the rich biodiversity of life forms found here. Rich in cultural and biological diversity, the Lashi Lake watershed is home to two minority ethnic groups, the Naxi and the Yi, and provides another critical habitat for the endangered black-necked crane, the only alpine crane in the world. The watershed is also the primary water supply to a large downstream population and the rapidly growing tourism industry in the historic city of Lijiang.
This last leg will be a pretty easy and relaxing part of the tour. Upon arrival, we will celebrate our accomplishment
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Accommodation local hostel in Lijiang
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Distance 60km
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Meals B
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Time 4 hours cycling
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LIJIANG - BEIJING
We did it! Today you are free to do whatever you please before flying back home. We’ll take you on over to the airport afterwards. Thanks for a great trip! Keep riding!
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Meals B
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Price Policy
Tour Price Policy
Additional details
1. Before you pay deposit to book the tour, we haven’t made any reservation yet. The train, flight tickets and the hotel may different from the itinerary listed.
2. The visiting order of the scenic spots in the itinerary may change according to the traffic condition and other unforeseen things.
3. Tourist insurance is a must before going, please provide us the confirmation of insurance company when sign up.
The price includes
1. Entrance Fees: to scenic spots as listed in the itinerary
2. All the activities fee mentioned in the itinerary: Hutong rickshaw in Beijing; Sichuan Opera show in Chengdu;
3. Private Transfers: Transfers between airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing during the trip by private air conditioned vehicle with a driver.
4. Meals: All meals as indicated in the itinerary (B-breakfast, L-lunch, D-dinner), include Peking duck dinner in Beijing; Hot pot dinner in Chengdu.
5. Guide: As outlined in the itinerary an English-speaking guide and driver will be provided in each city, who will remain with you throughout your time in that city. A new guide and a new driver will meet you at each city on your tour, to provide you with the best local knowledge available
6. Hotel: hotel fees are based on two people sharing one room with king-size bed. All hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily western or Chinese breakfast
7. Internal flights
** Day 11/ Flight from Yichang to Shanghai (based on economy class);
8. Trains
** Day 04/ High speed train from Beijing to Xi’an (based on 2nd class);
** Day 06/ High speed train from Xi’an to Chengdu (based on 2nd class)
** Day 06/ High speed train from Chengdu to Chongqing (based on 2nd class)
9. Arrangements: the tour cost includes planning, handling, operational and communication charges
10. Travel Agency Liability insurance
The price does not include
1. International airfare or train tickets to enter or leave China
2. China entry visa fees
3. Excess baggage charges
4. The medicine for the sickness or accident while on the way
5. Personal expenses: expenses of a purely personal nature such as laundry, drinks, fax, telephone calls, optional activities, sightseeing or meals which are not included in the tour itinerary
6. Meals: any meals which are not specified in the tour itinerary
7. Single room supplement
8. Please notice that the price will be much higher during the festival of Labors’ Day, National Day, spring festival
9. Tips to tour guide and driver (recommended USD10-15/guest/day).
10. Tourist accident insurance. NB - you are strongly suggested to buy travel and health insurance before you start out from your home country.
Payment conditions
To confirm your reservation, you must pay a deposit of 30% of the total amount due via the payment link that your local agent will share. The balance is due 30 days prior to departure. The quoted exchange rate is valid for the next 7 days – if the deposit is not paid within this time, the quote will be re-calculated.
Terms and conditions for cancelation
i. Cancellation of the Tour by CAT (local agent):
CAT reserve the right to cancel the postpone tour at any time up to the date final payment is due under the following condition: in our opinion, health and/or safety factors related to conditions in China would make the tour inadvisable. And in this case, all money paid by the participants will be refunded. If the tour is postponed, CAT will offer all those who have signed up the opportunity to have the same tour for a later time, but the price may be changed according to the season. We will notify you of any change, and give you a reasonable period
of time to make your decision. Consumers may, but are under no obligation to, take the tour under these new terms. After final payment has been made, we may cancel the tour only if, in our opinion, health and/or safety factors related to conditions in China would make the tour inadvisable. Since cancellation in this case involves factors which may arise suddenly and are entirely outside our control, including but not limited to natural disasters, civil unrest and epidemic disease, we cannot guarantee a full refund in this case. This is because payment will already have been made to finalize the arrangements and reservation.
ii. Cancellation of the Tour by Consumer:
Any cancellation must be made by sending an email to the local agent. The cancellation fee varies according to how many days prior to departure the cancellation is made:
· More than 30 days prior to departure: 5% of the total holiday cost
· Between 30 and 22 days prior to departure : 25% of the total holiday cost
· Between 21 and 8 days prior to departure : 50% of the total holiday cost
· Between 7 and 3 days prior to departure : 75% of the total holiday cost
· Less than 3 days prior to departure and after the departure date: 100% of the total holiday cost
All cancellations must be in writing and will be effective upon receipt by CAT. No refund will be made to those participants who break the journey regardless of the portions of the package unused. If, owing to serious illness or injury, the participant withdraws from the tour, a refund will be subject to the consent of the local travel agent.
No refund will be made to those participants who have failed to secure valid travel documents such as passport or visas.
