Bike to Amnye Machen Mountain Tour

Welcome to Qinghai Province, China! Your guide will meet you at the airport or railway station and accompany you to the hotel. Explore Xining at your leisure before settling into the hotel to sleep.

After breakfast, the group will venture out to visit an ancient Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Huangzhong county. The multistory gompa will astound you with its intricate architecture and spiritual atmosphere. Fun fact: the 14th Dalai Lama was born in this monastery. Many monks continue to worship here to this day. Spend the night in Xining and prepare to bike tomorrow with a good night’s sleep.

Time to get on the bikes! Make sure you fuel up on breakfast because you start the day with a climb over Lajishan Pass at 3,820 m / 12,533 ft. This biking route takes you through otherworldly landscapes of red rock mountains and snowy peaks. Once you’re over the pass, the road descends toward the Yellow River, which you’ll follow until reaching Heyin Town for the night.

Today’s ride will provide a challenge for your legs! After breakfast, you’ll begin climbing about 1,200 m / 3,937 ft of elevation to reach an open plateau with epic views of the red rock mountains in the area. Continue riding on a rolling route until you reach Wangjia Village, a charming remote place nestled in unreal landscapes. You’ll set up camp tonight or sleep in a local guesthouse.

Start your day by waking up in the mountains and hop on your bike to continue the exploration. You’ll climb some elevation today and come through a mountain pass at 4,000 m / 13,123 ft with sublime views. Finish your ride for the day once you reach Hebei Village to either set up camp or check in to a guesthouse. In this ancient village, you’ll see locals dressed in traditional garb walking on the old stone roads.

Today presents a good challenge! You’ll cycle up high mountain roads that will require a lot of strength, so make sure you eat a hearty breakfast before hitting the road. First, you will ascend to Kemuda Pass at 4,234 m / 13,891 ft, then ride down towards the Ragya Monastery for a visit. The monastics at this site are of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. After a visit and viewing the nearly 500 inhabitants of this monastery, continue cycling through the mountain roads until Lajia Town for the night in a guesthouse or camping.

Enjoy breakfast with your group, then prepare for another day riding along gorgeous mountain roads. Today you’ll traverse Heitushan Pass that sits at 4,320 m / 14,173 ft. You’re riding through some very remote locations a week into your bike journey—enjoy the tranquility while it’s available to you! Continue cycling to Maqin where you’ll get a good night’s sleep in a hotel.

Here’s the day you’ve been working towards: today, you will reach the base of Amnye Machen Mountain. Leaving Maqin behind, you’ll ride over various terrain of gravel, sand, and dirt, and cross over three mountain passes. You’ve already been immersed in such a spiritual place, and the ubiquitous prayer flags around here will maintain that vibe. After a challenging morning of riding, the route suddenly opens up to a jaw-dropping view of Amnye Machen Mountain. This impressive peak is nothing short of holy as it’s a common destination for a pilgrimage. Take a well-earned break in Xueshan Village for a cup of tea, then hop back on the bike to complete the ascent to base camp at 4,440 m / 14,567 ft. Settle into your campsite surrounded by impending snow-capped peaks.

After a week of being on your mountain bike, you have earned a rest day. Explore the area near the base camp on foot, find a spot to meditate, chat with your group, or nap in the afternoon. The day is yours! If anyone is keen to keep riding, there’s an optional ascent to a higher mountain pass near the base camp where you’d earn some spectacular panoramic views of the mountain range’s huge peaks. Spend another night under the stars at base camp.

With one rest day in the books, you should feel ready to mount your bike again. This is your last day riding, so enjoy every moment. After breakfast, you will ascend the north side of Amnye Machen Mountain and traverse Guozhihejianli Pass at 4,650 m / 15,256 ft. Once you cross over this pass, start descending, passing by a stunning glacier and ending in Xiadawu. Say goodbye to your trusty mountain bike and rest well knowing that you’ve just ridden over 500 km across Qinghai Province. That’s something to brag about!

Your last full day of the tour includes a visit to an absolutely stunning lake, Qinghai Lake, the biggest saltwater lake in China. If you haven’t taken enough photos already, this is a superb opportunity. Hills and peaks surround the massive bright blue lake in the distance. You can get some pretty cool perspective shots and reflections here, so take some time to explore before heading to the hotel for the night.

Have one final breakfast with your group before you pack up and begin your journey home. Once you’re packed, you’ll get a ride to Xining to the airport or railway station to check-in for your flight or train.