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13-Day 4+2 Biking Tour through Sichuan to Qinghai Lake

Tour Outline: Hongyuan(1N) - Tangke(1N) - Ruoergai(1N) - Flower Lake(1N) - Xiahe(1N) - Xining(1N) - Menyuan(1N) - Qilian(1N) - Gangcha(1N) - Heimahe(1N) - Huangyuan(1N) - Xining(1N)

Trip Overview

This 13-day Sichuan to Qinghai Lake biking tour is an epic journey for you to enjoy the fabulous natural landscape from Chengdu to Xining. It covers a part of G227 Road, the most beautiful road in China, with vast prairie, straight roads, sea of flowers, picturesque view of Tibet highland dotted with yaks, sheep and yurts. You will first cross the boundless grassland of Hongyuan and Ruoergai, and get amazed by the beautiful scenery at Flower Lake. Then you will continue to see the largest rapeseed flowers scenic spot in China, Mengyuan, together with the majestic Mount Qilian on the way, after a visit to the famous Labrang Monastery. The most exciting part of this journey may be the cycling trip around Qinghai Lake in the next. It will be quite enjoyable to cycle through the enchanting lakesides with amateurs from all over the world. Finally, you may pay a visit to the quaint Ta’er Monastery, to enjoy a great escape from urban insanity.

  • Best Time to Visit

    April to October

  • Physical Demands

    Strenuous tour; strong physical condition for the high altitude

Day by Day Itinerary

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Day 1: Chengdu – Hongyuan County (Total Driving 460 km)

We will drive from Chengdu, the Land of Abundance, to Hongyuan directly. On the way, you will see the Wenchuan Earthquake area and Miyaluo Natural Scenic Spot, and climb over Mount Zhegu (4500m) and Chazhen Peak Pass (4345m). You will be fascinated by the intriguing views transitioning from the plain to highland en route.

Overnight in Hongyuan

Day 2: Hongyuan – Waqie – Tangke (Total Cycling 83km)

Hongyuan Grassland

Hongyuan Grassland

Hongyuan Grassland

Flowers in Hongyuan Grassland

Today is a fully cycling day. You will go from Hongyuan to Tangke Township through the vast, boundless grassland, with extremely broad vision. You will enjoy seeing yaks, sheep, nomads and their yurts, totally get immersed in the real Tibetan prairie landscape.

Overnight in Tangke

Day 3: Tangke – Ruoergai (Total Cycling 107km)

You will leave Tangke for Ruoergai County, climing over one nameless mount pass on the way. Ruoergai County is totally a highland Tibetan county.

Overnight in Ruoergai County

Day 4: Ruoergai – Flower Lake (Total Cycling 44km)

Flower Lake

Flower Lake Wetland

Flower Lake

Cycling to Flower Lake

Today, you will cycle from Ruoergai County to the Flower Lake Wetland Natural Scenic area. The best time to travel to this wonderful place is from June to August. You can see colorful flowers blossoming on the surface of the lake. Birds rest on the flowers. Mists float above the water. It just looks like in a wonderland.

Overnight at Flower Lake

Day 5: Flower Lake – Langmu Monastery – Xiahe (Cycling 52km, Driving 208km)

Today is a day combining cycling and driving experience. First, you will cycle from Flower Lake to Langmu Monastery, and enjoy the same prairie view on the way. Then you transfer to your vehicle to finish the remaining distance until you get to Xiahe.

Overnight in Xiahe

Day 6: Xiahe – Labrang – Xining City (Total Driving 285km)

Labrang Monastery

Labrang Monastery

Labrang Monastery

Labrang Monastery

Today's trip is not good for cycling, but you can rest well for the next day's cycling. You will pass Labrang Monastery and arrive in Xining City. If you have enough time, you may stay for a while in the monastery, and have a little tour around this grand monastery of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. After Labrang, you will drive on to Xining City. 

Overnight in Xining

Day 7: Xining – Datong – Menyuan (Total Cycling 153km)

Menyuan

Rapeseed flowers of Menyuan

Mount Qilian

Mount Qilian in the distance

You won't drive today. Cycling is the best choice, or it will be a total waste to go fast through all the scenic spots. You will feel no boundaries as you cycle through grand prairies, down majestic snow mountains. After you pass Datong, you will get to the largest rapeseed flower scenic spot in China, Menyuan. Thick flowers span dozens of kilometers along the road in July-August. The vast golden color seems to connect you and Mount Qilian in the distance. You won't want to finish today's cycling trip quickly. You will want to linger there in the prairies of Northern China, in those unforgettable rapeseed flowers.

Overnight in Menyuan

Day 8: Menyuan – Ebao – Qilian (Total Cycling 150km)

Qilian Mountain

Qilian Mountain

Qilian grassland

Qilian grassland

The road from Menyuan to Ebao is part of the G227 Road, known as the most beautiful road in China. You will see Mount Qilian erupting into the sky in the distance, while the road you are moving on is extending straight ahead, as if it paves a road between you and 'Heaven'. Today is a little rough. You have to climb over a peak of 5245 m, with very steep slope. The last portion of the trip is the section of S302 provincial road connecting Ebao with Mount Qilian. Your day ends as you drive along through the vast Qilian grassland.

Overnight in Qilian

Day 9: Qilian – Ha'ergai – Gangcha (Total Driving 302km)

You will drive through the day, from Qilian to Ha'ergai to Gangcha. The road is very smooth. You may relax in the vehicle as you enjoy the familiar northern China scenery. Mount Qilian is always in sight in the distance. It feels extraordinary as if you can never drive out of its embrace. 

Overnight in Gangcha

Day 10: Gangcha – Niaodao – Heimahe (Total Cycling 134km)

Qinghai Lake

Qinghai Lake

Birds Island

Birds Island

Starting from Gangcha, you will officially begin your cycling trip around Qinghai Lake. This portion of the cycling trip is the closest to the lake water, with the most beautiful landscape. You will pass Niaodao and Heimahe. Niaodao is literally Birds Island in English. In April-June, several hundred thousands of sea birds migrate to the Birds Island, before they return to the south in fall. You will see the one-in-a-life-time view of birds flying in their tens of thousands! Today's trip ends in Heimahi, where you stay overnight.

Overnight at Heimahe

Day 11: Heimahe – Xiangxigou – Erlangjian – Huangyuan (Total Cycling 116km)

cycling around Qinghai Lake

Cycling around Qinghai Lake

Cycling around Qinghai Lake

Cycling through Vast Grassland

It is your second day of cycling around Qinghai Lake. You will be farther away from the lake water. On your left is the lake in the distance; on your right is the vast grassland. You will feel like in the wilderness, which you do not know where it originates and where it leads to, but you will just want to stay cycling along, never going back. You will start from Heimahe, cycle past Jiangxigou and Erlangjian before ending the day's trip at Huangyuan.

Overnight at Huangyuan

Day 12: Huangyuan – Ta'er Monastery – Xining City (Total Driving 225km)

Ta'er Monastery

Ta'er Monastery

Ta'er Monastery

Ta'er Monastery, also known as Kumbum Monastery

Today, you will move away from the wilderness back into urban area. You have to drive today to cover much longer distances. You will start from Huangyuan to Xining on express roads. You may visit Ta'er Monastery, the largest one in Northwest China.

Overnight in Xining

Day 13: Xining Departure

Our guide and driver will transfer you to the train station or airport. Say goodby to Xining.

Service Guide

Price Inclusions

  1. Domestic train/flight tickets as indicated in the itinerary;
  2. All lodging listed in the itinerary. If you travel individually, you will need to share one room with another tourist. If you prefer to stay in one room by yourself, you will have to pay the single room supplement;
  3. Private transportation to the destinations and sites listed in the itinerary; ranging from 4WD land cruiser to bus depending on the group size and trip route; car gasoline, road toll and in-transport refreshments (free bottles of water, air pillow and headscarf) are included;
  4. Meals listed in the itinerary;
  5. Experienced English-speaking Tibetan local tour guide;
  6. Entrance ticket fees for all the sight spots listed in the itinerary;
  7. First aid kit;

Price Exclusions

  1. Chinese visa;
  2. International flight to and out of China;
  3. Tips and gratuities for the trip leader and driver;
  4. Meals not specified the itinerary (Averagely a meal in the 3rdpole region cost 3~15USD per person in Tibet Autonomous Region);
  5. The expense of a personal nature like alcoholic beverages, laundry, phone call, etc;
  6. Optional activities and excursions not specified in the itinerary;

Itinerary Alteration

Once we receive your tour deposit, which is followed by signing the contract, your reservation is secured with legitimacy. Our staff will reserve the accommodation, vehicle, site tickets, meals and more, and pay the deposit for our suppliers. So if you want to alter to another itinerary, you need to cover the deposit we've paid, while no service charge is needed if you make some changes on the itinerary you booked.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you cancel the tour beacuse of your personal issues, you will be liable to pay cancellation charges that are bounded by 3rdpoletour.com cancellation policy as follows:

1.) If you cancel the tour more than 30 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 10% of the total land cost per person;
2.) If you cancel the tour 15-30 days prior to your trip start date, 20% of your total land tour cost will be forfeited as a cancellation fee.
3.) If you cancel the tour 7-15 days before the trip starts, you will forfeit 30% of land cost.
4.) If you cancel the tour 7 days prior to your tour start date, you will forfeit 50% of land cost.
5.) If you fail to show up or cancel at your scheduled arrival time without prior notice or later than that, you will forfeit 100% of the land cost.

If the tour has to be cancelled because of the natural disaster or the government restrictions that is beyond both parties control, we will charge only USD50 per person, this is just the service fee and larbor fee during the preparation. This is a rare occurrence!

The cancellation fee charged by 3rdpoletour.com will be kept under your name (person who contacted us) for a usable period of 2 years. Within the applicable period you can use it for next time or you can kindly pass your authority to any of your family, friends or colleagues to use by booking a tour with 3rdpoletour.com. A certifying email from you is necessary to pass the cancellation fee to others, but it is only applicable for private group.

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