CHINA's SILK ROAD Cycling Tour

August 30 - September 13, 2009
[Does not include travel dates from U.S.]

$3700 US double occupancy
$680 single hotel supplement

Cycle in the footsteps of Marco Polo and Alexander the Great!

This cycling adventure travels one branch of the exotic Silk Road, a network of ancient trade routes across Asia from China to the Mediterranean, Europe and North Africa. Traveled by countless caravans with riches from the Orient, these passages connected hundreds of bustling markets in oasis towns along its 9,000 miles of roads. The Silk Road was not only a passageway for silk, jade, ceramics, spices and more, but a conduit for technology, culture and ideas.  In the 4^th and 5^th centuries, Buddhism spread to China from India along the northern route that we’ll be cycling. 

As you cycle through Northern China and near the Mongolian border, a new adventure will unfold for you every day … in each new village and around every curve in the road.  We’ll ride by dramatic Gobi desertscapes, see the terra cotta soldiers at Xi’an, visit the geographic center of China, the farthest city from any ocean in the world and the lowest place in the country. You'll walk on the Great Wall in Beijing, then travel to the Wall's western terminus to see the “Suspended Wall."

To our eyes every scene is new and amazing, but more often than not we will be the curiosity, with our late-model bicycles, helmets and colorful lycra clothing.  As one cyclist put it “We create a spectacle wherever we go.”  Perhaps the most incredible discovery will be the people we meet. Children laugh and cheer when we pedal by, and love to try to keep up with us if they’re biking to or from school.  We try to say “good day” in Chinese and they practice their greetings in English. In the quiet countryside, farmers stop plowing or harvesting to stare at the sight of all the cyclists riding by … and we watch with interest as they plow with water buffalo or thresh rice by hand.  Riding into a small town we might find our way blocked by truck after truck haphazardly parked to unload produce. You’ve never seen gridlock until you’ve experienced the chaos of a Chinese market day. We quickly learn to navigate streets clogged with trucks, busses, autos, scooters, bicycles and buffalo carts – and laugh when we think of commuters back home who are bound by parking regulations and vehicle codes. 

Cycling through China is an experience like none other, and you’ll remember the trip for the rest of your life.  Guaranteed.
 

Tour Features
·   All 3- to 4-star hotel lodging
·   All meals  
·   All domestic airfare & soft sleeper train
·   Use of bicycle (bring own helmet, water bottles & accessories)
·   Entrance fees for all cultural & historic sites & special activities
·   Guides, mechanics & interpreters
·   Vehicle support by van or motor coach
 

Not Included
·   International airfare & airport taxes
·   Chinese Visa
·   Gratuities to local guides and hotel staff
        

ITINERARY

Day 1-2: DEPART USA. Your exotic journey to China begins!  Allow two days to reach Beijing; one day is lost en route crossing the international dateline.  To arrive in Beijing on Sunday, August 30, most flights depart from the US on the evening of Friday, August 28.

Day 3: ARRIVE in BEIJING, China’s vibrant capital.  Plan to arrive in Beijing at least by mid-afternoon, but most flights arrive in the morning.  After clearing customs and claiming your baggage, it’s an easy bus transfer to our hotel, located in the heart of the city. You can join other arriving participants to do some sightseeing until we meet the tour group for dinner. This evening you’ll enjoy a special banquet featuring the city’s famous “Peking Duck”. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 4: BEIJING. Start your day with a visit to the Forbidden City, the former seat of the emperors throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties.  It’s a true architectural masterpiece and home to the National Palace Museum.  After lunch you'll visit the Summer Palace, built in classical Chinese style in 1750 as a royal recreational resort. Among its famous features are the 700-meter-long corridor with its wonderful Painted Gallery, the Marble Barge, and several magnificently painted pavilions and pagodas. Tonight you'll enjoy a mesmerizing acrobatic show. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 5: BEIJING. On today’s exciting excursion you’ll scale the ramparts of the legendary Great Wall, built 2600 years ago and extending over 3,700 miles. Walk atop this ancient wonder of the world, one of the two man-made structures seen by US astronaut Neil Armstrong from outer space.  Next you’ll visit the Ming Tombs, the burial place of thirteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty and their families.  Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Beijing.

Day 6: BEIJING / XI’AN. This morning we fly to Xi’an, the cradle of Chinese civilization and the historic gateway to the ancient silk trading route. Xi’an was the state capital of 73 emperors spanning 11 dynasties during the 1100 years dating from 4,000 B.C. After lunch you’ll visit the Ancient City Wall, the Bell Tower and the Dayan Pagoda, also known as the Wild Goose Pagoda. A special treat awaits us this evening – enjoy a delicious banquet and spectacular Tang Dynasty show. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Xi'an. 

Day 7: XI’AN. On today’s tour you'll visit one of the century’s great archaeological discoveries: a buried army of life-size Terra Cotta soldiers and horses guarding the tomb of the Qin Shi emperor. After lunch you'll visit the Huaqing Hot Springs, also known as the site of the famous Xi'an Incident.  Later today you'll tour the ancient Banpo village.  Discovered in1953, this Neolithic village holds the remains of ancient Yangshao culture from 4500 BC until 3700 BC. Overnight train to Lanzhou in soft sleeper.

Day 8: LANZHOU.  In the morning the train pulls into the station in Lanzhou, the capital city of northwest Gansu Province. Lanzhou is not only the geometric center of China, but also a center in the northwest in terms of transportation, telecommunication and the Silk Road Tourism Ring. First we head to the hotel to pick up our bicycles and make any adjustments needed.  After lunch we’ll take the bikes for a test ride to explore this interesting city and its local markets. Tonight you'll enjoy a dinner with famous local flavors.  Cycling today: short city tour. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Lanzhou.

Day 9: LANZHOU / ZHANGYE.  Today you’ll ride through many small villages in beautiful northwest China, meeting friendly local people along the way. After a roadside picnic, cycle amid rolling countryside, then continue by bus to Zhangye.  Zhangye is situated in the western part of Gansu province, midway along the Hexi Corridor.  This famous commercial port on the Silk Road was once one of the biggest international trade markets in the country. Cycling distance today: 80 km.  Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Zhangye .

Day 10: ZHANGYE /JIAYUGUAN.  We cycle to Jiayuguan today, located in the Gobi desert in the middle of the Hexi Corridor. Historically Jiayuguan was a small township engaged in local trading, catering to the needs of the military garrisons stationed at the fort.  As a Han outpost in 1372 during the Ming dynasty, a fortress was built to protect this last frontier of the Chinese empire. In Jiayuguan you can explore ancient ruins and surrounding fortresses. Distance today: 60 km. Overnight at the 3 star hotel in Jiayuguan.

Day 11: JIAYUGUAN /DUNHUANG.  This morning you'll climb stunning Jiayuguan Pass, the western terminus of the Great Wall and the most impressive site in the Hexi Corridor. You’ll also visit the Great Wall on the Cliff, built on the ridge with a gradient of 45 degrees. Also known as the Suspended Wall, this section looms far above the ground and looks as if it fell down from the top of the hill.  In the afternoon you’ll cycle along a valley road on the edges of the Taklamakan Desert, then ride the rest of the way to Dunhuang by bus. Distance today: 40 km. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Dunhuang.

Day 12: DUNHUANG.  Long ago referred to as 'Sha Zhou' (beautiful desert oasis), Dunhuang lives up to its name. Strategically located on the confluence of the Silk Road’s northern and southern routes – the city is on the common boundary of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang Provinces – Dunhuang became an vital trade center between China and its western neighbors.  Today we'll cycle to visit Mogao Grottos, Crescent Lake and Roaring Mingsha Hill.  The magnificent Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was constructed over a millennium, from the 4th to the 14th centuries, and more than 500 caves hold the world's richest treasure house of Buddhist sutras, murals and sculptures. As a perfect finish to the day, don't miss one of the greatest sunsets in the world. Distance today: 60 km. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Dunhuang.

Day 13: DUNHUANG  / KUMUL.  We ride scenic rolling hills today to Kumul, a picturesque oasis in the Hami prefecture (area) of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.  This region neighbors Gansu Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and is famous as the home of the Hami sweet melons.  Here we’ll be very near Mongolia; the region shares a 365-mile boundary with its northern neighbor. Distance: 60 km. Overnight at 3 star hotel in Kumul.

Day14. KUMUL /TURPAN.   Turpan is our destination today, and you'll ride through this remote region with striking landscapes that’s home to many colorful minority groups. Turpan is an old city with a long history. Traces have been found of humans living there as far back as 6,000 years ago. The city was known as Gushi in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC -24 AD).  In the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) it got the name Turpan, which means “the lowest place” in the Uygur language.  Turpan is the city with the lowest elevation in China, and most of the places in the Turpan Basin are at elevations below 500 meters (1,640 feet). Try a donkey taxi for a unique view of the city!  Distance today: 60 km. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Turpan.

Day15:  TURPAN / URUMQI.  Today we'll cycle to Gaochang, an oasis city and another stopping point for merchant traders along the Silk Road.  We’ll visit the Ancient City, the cool vineyards of the Grape Valley and the Flaming Mountain, in summer the hottest place in China. In the afternoon we drive to Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the most 'inland' city in the world. With a population of two million gaily-dressed ethnic inhabitants, the city has been likened to a piece of emerald embedded at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains.  Distance today:  70 kms.  Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Urumqi. 

Day 16:  URUMQI. You'll get started early this morning, cycling to Heavenly Lake (Tian Chi).  Famed as the "jewel in the crown,” the Heavenly Lake is a very beautiful mountain lake 2150 meters above sea level.  Formed more than million years ago in the 4th glacial epoch, its water is pure and icy.  After a picnic lunch you 'll transfer back to Urumqi by bus.  Distance today: 60 km. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Urumqi.

Day17. URUMQI /BEIJING. This morning you’ll have time for shopping or sightseeing in this lively and interesting city before you board your plane to Beijing. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Beijing.

Day18. BEIJING / USA.  Have one last breakfast in the hotel, then we transfer to the airport for afternoon or evening flight departures. Here’s where we make up our lost day, and you’ll arrive in the US on the same day!

Our China Host
We are so fortunate be working again with Grand China Bike Tours, our partner of many years. Our China host company provides our bicycles, guides, interpreters and mechanics, and the staff has an intimate knowledge of China's history, culture and language. GCBT has designed another fabulous adventure for us this year!

A Typical Day
Our day starts with a wake-up call at 6:30 or 7:00 a.m. (we may start a little earlier or later, depending on the weather and the day’s itinerary) and breakfast in our hotel dining room. We load our luggage on the bus and get on the road, sometimes driving by bus out of the city to a drop-off point where the roads are best for cycling.  The terrain is as varied as the road surface, and the mountain bikes provided by our China host company are best suited for the conditions.  We’ll ride mostly asphalt or concrete roads, but sometimes the best scenery and the most quaint villages are off the highways on rural dirt roads. Or sometimes the roads are filled with potholes or under repair.  It’s all part of the adventure!  Lunch is often a roadside picnic or at a local restaurant en route. If the distance is long or cyclists are weary, the bus will provide a ride the remainder of the way to our hotel and a truck carries the bikes.

Cycling Ability
To best enjoy this trip, cyclists should be able to ride at least 40 miles per day in hilly terrain and in weather conditions that may be less than ideal at times. There will be lots of rural riding, but occasionally we pass through cities and you should be comfortable riding in traffic and have the necessary cycling skills.  Van/bus support is always available if needed.
 

Passport & Visa
Participants must obtain a visa for this tour (instructions will be provided) and have a passport good for at least 6 months after our visit. These expenses are not covered by tour fees.

Payment
Payment and cancellation fee table below is unique to this tour. The registration link above doesn't work on all browsers, so for more registration details try the link from the home page.

* All fees are due 60 days prior to the tour.  Single supplements can be paid with the final payment.  

   To register and/or make payments by credit card with
   Active.com, click on the logo to the left.

Additional service charges by Active.com:
Payments $150-$499 (deposits): 3.5% of tour fee plus $5.50
Payments $500 or more: 2.5% of tour fee plus $10.50

Cyclists must bring their own helmets, water bottles and other cycling accessories. Wearing a helmet while riding and adherence to local vehicle laws are required. We require a signed waiver of liability before participation. Riders under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a guardian. 

All tour details will be sent to registered cyclists by email only.