A week is not long, but I am keen to see the highlights of Yunnan, as well as spend some time off the beaten track during early Jan. Any suggestions of places, cycling routes, bike rentals, cycling tour groups....?
Thanks!

The Fat Tire club, based out of the Xiong Brothers' Bike Shop does regular trips, but they're usually day trips.

Northwest Yunnan has some amazing biking, but you won't cover much ground in a week unless you're superman. Maybe you could do the Dali - Jianchuan - Lijiang route, which is pretty nice.

A route that I've done a few times is to head southeast from Kunming, passing through Fuxian Lake, Tonghai, Jianchuan (and/or Shiping), and down the Red River all the way to Honghe (Vietnam border) if you have the time. There are plenty of options for side trips and diversions along the way, and there are some great downhill stretches. This area has some real gems, and is much less traveled by tourists than the Dali-Lijiang-Shangrila corridor.

Yunnan is covered in a network of old state highways, which is what you'll mostly be using on a bike (can't use the new ones). You'll find great stuff in just about any direction, but make sure to take a look at the terrain in google maps, because sometimes what looks like a short trip ends up being a long, winding road up and down a massive mountain. Flat maps can be deceiving.

Now, winter is coming, to go west, east or north will be cold, better to go the south, Honghe, Jinghong will be warm all the time. From what day you want to do the cycling trip? Maybe I can help you, I have done a lot biking trips in Yunnan already, and I can also help you to get a good bike for trip, call me if you need, 15204672549 Juan.

If you have a week time, it's enough for cycling to Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, I have cycled through this trip line several times, following this trip, there will be these places to see.

Shangri-La which has world famous snow mountains Meili\Haba\Baimang, tiger leaping gorge, Lancang or Mekong river gorge, wild grass land, forests, lakes, this is a magic world...
Tibetans, Lisu, Han, Naxi, Yi, Bai, Muslim...They all located in this area, and they turely keep their own custom, dressing, architecture and wedding ceremony.

Lijiang Old Town, a familiar name, it located in Yunnan has another name called Dayan Town with 800 years old history, and it is the only famous old town in China that doesn't have gard walls.

Since a long time ago, Lijiang became an important town for its military location and trading merchandise. In Lijiang the Naxi people is the major residents, the people here is still doing their tradional handicraft industry such as copper and silver forging, leather working, spinning etc..

Dali, cycle into the Bai village, you will find it's so interesting about their native god stories, each village has one native god for protecting their property and family, they have their own belief, but still there are christians.
The dress of Bai people is interesting too, you can read if the girls are married or not from their dressing, and the old Bai women are wearing different kind of clothing from the young girls.
When you are cycling in Dali, never forget to eat the local food and drink, Xizhou pancake\ fish en casserole\ Erkuai\ plumwine etc.

Up
Hi, We are planning to go for a bicycle trip from Shangrila to Kunming on June 12th for a week /10days.
Is the itinerary suitable for a safe and pleasant ride?
Does it exist a special map for bicycle leisure on this road?
Thanks a lot, Gil

Bootsy, is this political? There seem to be plenty on these old threads showing up. CatFrench, BootyGarlic....

So.. normal discussions/opinions have become politicized, saying one dont like mixian is a political statement.... Do you really think politizising personal opinions will succeed....

@Peter99. If you try the search function you will realize old threads seem to pull up first. So new users might end up reviving them. Though there are some users who do have a strange habit of reviving old threads for no particular reason.

@BootsyGarlic. It's rainy season. Have some rain gear ready. I rode Shangri-la to the eastern ring road to Tiger gorge back entrance. One of the best rides I have done China.

If you want anything done on this forum, tell Peter99 to shut the fuck up first.

BootsyGarlic, now that we've taken care of that, Shangri-La to Kunming could be very beautiful. My suggestion if you don't have a tent is:

Day 1: Shangri-la to baishuitai on the East Ring Road. 130 km and fucking heavy, probably acclimatise to 3200m of altitude before you start doing this. Super worth it though, and no traffic.
Day 2: rest in Baishuitai and look at the fancy pools in the morning and the evening.
Day 3: cycle to Haba or directly to the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Day 4-5: take a mianbaoche to the other end of the gorge and fucking walk the gorge
Day 6: get a Ride to Lijiang.
Day 7: Ride to Jiantan
Day 8: Ride to Shaxi.
Day 9: Ride to Yangbi and Dali.
Day 10: get a bus to Kunming.

Reason is that unless you have ample time, it really is a waste of time to ride Dali-Kunming. Landscape on the shortest stretch which will still take you 4 days is fairly monotonous and traffic quite dense.

Read up on my blogs:

Saigon to Shangri-La: www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=8542&v=VG

and

Acrophobia: www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=14040&v=4H

and (maybe):

www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=tS&doc_id=15123&v=74

Don't follow me blindly though, a good adventure you make yourself!

Good luck and don't hesitate to contact me about more info.

@AlexKMG

Just a guess, there were 2 ppl "working" here in the past, now they up to 3-4 or something. Heh!

Anyway, suppose theres nothing wrong with old threads and more discussions.

@bluppfisk

Thank you, I'm looking at your blog you have very cool things on it especially the tibetan plateau and sichuan trip it looks amazing; I think we will go through your suggestion, thanks a lot Sir.