Guilin & Guangxi

This is the China one often imagines: hardy farmers tilling lush rice paddies with water buffaloes, bamboo lined emerald rivers snaking through farmland and pine forest, mist swept limestone peaks with ancient villages dotting the countryside below. It’s no wonder the region has been favoured by poets and painters for centuries.

Whilst the area is quietly gaining recognition abroad, it is still possible to lose yourself in a timeless rural lifestyle that remains unchanged over centuries as we cycle China's little trafficked back roads and trails. We’ll visit several ancient villages and river towns, explore secret waterfalls and epic viewpoints, marvel at local markets and feast on fresh farm-to-table local produce that is a culinary adventure in itself.

Our ride begins in the National Park of Bajiaozhai, populated by the Dong Minority group, and follows a stunning route through the Yuecheng Mountains, famous for the impressive Longji, Dragon’s Backbone rice terraces where we’ll meet the friendly Zhuang, Yao and Miao people who have carved out their living on the mountain sides over centuries.

An undoubted highlight is cycling through the thousands of limestone karst peaks and ancient villages along the Li River, some of the most impossibly spectacular scenery imaginable. Our ride ends in the karst scenery paradise around Yangshuo, a popular “little” tourist town where the famous “beer fish” dish meets craft beer, a fitting end to an epic adventure.

Highlights

• UNESCO heritage site of Bajiaozhai National Park
• Walking Longji (Dragon’s Backbone) Rice Terraces
• Drifting jungle streams, swimming in secret waterfalls
• The smiling faces of the local Han, Zhuang, Miao and Yao
• Amazing limestone karst scenery of Guilin
• Ancient villages and river towns