Taiwan Traverse

Known for its hyper-modern coastal cities, the interior of the island of Taiwan is an assemblage of peaks. Two mountain ranges predominantly cover most of the island’s geography, the Central and Eastern Mountain Range, and you’ll traverse both of them on this challenging road cycling tour of Taiwan.

Beginning outside of Taipei, gear up for the real ride, with 4 of the tour’s most demanding days coming in quick succession. You’ll tackle peaks and passes, and test your legs on nearly 8,000 meters in this stage as you climb through the Central Mountain Range. The environment is raw and pristine, mostly populated by Taiwan’s aborigines, and we’ll make the most of the humble accommodations available in this remote region. But the best is yet to come. Day 4 culminates in a 60 kilometer descent through Taroko Gorge in the East Rift, a highlight of any trip to Taiwan and special experience to ride through it on two wheels.

A rest day exploring Taroko National Park gives the legs a chance to recover, before heading southbound along the coast and through the foothills, on a route lined with natural hot spring resorts- sure to become an integral part of your evening routine! Over the course of five days, you’ll make your way down the east coast of the island to the Kenting Peninsula and the southernmost point of Taiwan, now having navigated almost the entire length of the island. A final ride into the mountains again, into the aboriginal settlement of Wutai, bids the mountains goodbye as you head for Taiwan’s second city of Kaohsiung for departure.

Incredible and diverse scenery, welcoming local culture, and unparalleled cycling on fabulous roads with minimal traffic set the stage for one of the most challenging rides your legs are sure to remember for a long time to come!