I can recommend Bike China without hesitation. I used them for 15 days for a trip in Sichuan Province. BikeChina, run by an American expat out of Chengdu, Sichuan, has an elaborate website that makes it easy for you to get an advance idea of what you will actually be doing and allows you to sign up etc. very easily. They don't stint on anything and they do what they say they are going to do. (Maybe slower, maybe a bit differently; this is China, after all!
Expect the unexpected.)
The only thing is, that you should be a little cautious. I come from New Jersey, where the highest hill is 2500 feet. In Sichuan Province, where I was, hills went up 10% grades for literally all day, and once I reached 10,500 feet, I just couldn't breathe. Hell, I've not piloted a plane as high as 10,500 feet! And, in New Jersey, I mostly did road biking, and I learned real fast that you can't evaluate your likely progress on a mountain bike by de-rating what you do on a road bike. I elected to purchase "support", whereby you are followed by a van you can ride in when you get exhausted, or when it rains, or when the altitude is so high you can't breathe. I was not required to use the van, but boy was I glad it was
there! On the other hand, I was 53 when I did the trip, and if you are in your 20's or 30's you are probably
indestructible and will not likely get tired or need protection from rain or relief from altitude. You pays your money, and you takes your choice ....
Another thing. You may wish to consider the type of guide you want. I don't know if Godspeed Wu (Wu Shiling) still works for Peter, but if you are a "bike-centered" person, you will likely love him. If on the other hand you want someone who is truly an authoritative guide, you will love Danny Chen (Chen Naxin). Godspeed is younger (around 24 or so), exuberant and astoundingly athletic; "bike-centered" people will love him. Danny is around 33 or so, quieter, ironic, and a fount of information on history and Tibet; "tour-centered" people will prefer him. Both are English-fluent, each is great company and easy to get along with. Any of them will set up whatever tour you want, whether by yourself or with others. All it takes is money (and, quite honestly, not that much of it, especially if you are a European
benefiting from the valuable Euro).
Another thing. They will get you the best accommodations that there are, but if you are in remote places, those can get pretty sketchy. Nothing like having to get out of a warm bed and stub your toe as you stumble into a rather unclean outhouse with a flashlight ...
Peter, Godspeed and Danny treated me right. I got full value from them and I have recommended them to my bike club. In fact,
I had written an article about my trip last year. <a href="ct-mj-sichuan-04.html"][Click
here to read.]</a>
Mark J. Short Hills, N.J. USA on the Western Sichuan - Pandas, Glacier, Tibetan Plateau, and Snowy Mountains 15-Day Bike Tour in October 2004.
The food was excellent! Godspeed's help in choosing dishes was immeasurable. All the dishes we ate were flavorful and filling. I thoroughly enjoyed tasting the provincial specialities.
The route was excellent! Godspeed worked with us to tailor the original trip to better suit the
disparity in our cycling experience and desire. While I would have enjoyed more time on the bike, I was happy that we added other
cultural attractions to our route to satisfy both participants.
The sights were excellent! Wow! The more rural, the better. I was happy to be out of the big cities.
Godspeed worked hard to make sure that we enjoyed our trip. His English is excellent and he was able to teach us about the history and culture as we
traveled through the various provinces.
The tour value was excellent! I will recommend Bike China to anyone who inquires.
Margo A., Chicago, IL, USA on the Yunnan and Sichuan - Shangri-La, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang and Chengdu 7-Day Cycling Tour in August 2005.
Bike China did a great job in planning, organizing, and leading the bicycle trip along the Silk Road.
Our guide, Danny Chen, was organized, competent, and very knowledgeable.
Without any hesitation or reservations, I wholeheartedly recommend Bike China's Services for a Bicycle Tour. If appropriate, you can use my name as a Reference for Bike China.
Fred T., Burlingame, CA USA on the Urumqi to Hotan 21-Day Bike Tour in September 2005.
The food was good, although I am not the hot spicy type!
The route was excellent! The cycling was great. Love the climbing. It was tough.
The countryside, panda preserve, watch towers were wonderful.
I can't say enough good things about Godspeed. He worked hard to make sure we were taken care of and was great company!
Kathy F., Spokane, WA, USA on the Western Sichuan - Chengdu to Dege and the Tibet Border 13-Day Cycling Tour in September 2005.
Ian and I have had one of the most extraordinary experiences of our lives. We had decided to travel to China this year and wanted to add to the experience. Our first thoughts were to travel alone and use public transport and to bumble along discovering things on the way. Suddenly we had cold feet and imagined spending most of the holiday trying to get from A to B and not actually enjoying the sights and the culture. We discovered “Bike China” on the Internet. Our fear then was that the whole thing was a rort, a scam, but then we thought, “What the heck, we only stand to lose our deposit!” So we took the gamble and won and didn’t look back!!
“Every day is a surprise, every day is different” became our catchcry. We rode, we hiked, we drove, we talked and we ate. We slept in great hotels and saw many wonderful sights. Every day presented us with new delights and new challenges.
I cannot give Mike enough praise for the job he did. He certainly made our time in China a real pleasure and an unforgettable experience. He was a mine of information, with a story for every occasion. He looked after us, worried about us and told me I was the “number one age” that had been on the trip (much nicer than being the oldest!) Thank you Mike for such a gracious and elegant way of putting it. Without Mike we might not have eaten and ours fears of organization would have been realised.
Thanks also to Peter for organising everything, including a few extras for us and for running such a slick and professional business. I would recommend Bike China to any cyclist wanting an extra dimension to their time in China.
Thank you Bike China for a once in a lifetime experience!!!
[Read their complete travelogue with more photos here.]
Jan Hoggart and Ian Dyer, Victoria, Australia on their tour of Beijing, Xi'an, Sichuan, and Shanghai 17-day Bike Tour in July 2005.
Godspeed went out of his way to ensure that I had the best trip possible. I really appreciate his efforts and attention to detail! I think the tour is a rare opportunity and you guys certainly made sure it was worth the time! - Leo C., Alberta, Canada on his tour of Western Sichuan - Chengdu to Dege and the Tibet Border 15-Day Cycling Tour, October, 2004.
The food was much better than we expected!! Godspeed could lead an eating tour. He introduced us to many Chinese specialities and we always enjoyed the selection. We absolutely loved Hot Pot, Peking Duck and some of the other specialties. Even though we have relatively (compared to Chinese) difficult eating habits, Godspeed always found things that we enjoyed. We particularly loved visiting the minority villages and interacting (as much as possible) with the children in the towns / villages we cycled through.
Godspeed was first class. His understanding and comprehension of English is superb, his care for his clients was top notch, and his warmth / personality make it easy to interact and like him. we loved his openess / honesty -- he gave us a great flavor of the country we were cycling through. The only advice I'd give him is to try and do a little more research about the area we were visiting (however we realize that he was on trips most of the months preceeding and wasn't able to do as much advance preparations as he would have liked). I'd recommend him to anyone visiting China!!
We have already recommended the trip to all our cycling buddies so hopefully you will hear from them. We would definitely like to join Bike China again (leaning towards a trip in Yunnan or Sichuan), and would love to have Godspeed as a guide again! Keep in touch as we'll likely plan something again in a few years.
Stanley B., San Francisco, CA, USA on his tour of South China - Guangzhou (Canton) to Guilin 11-Day Bike Tour , October 2004.
Danny could run "foodies tours" through Yunan. I have never tried so many weird food combinations in my life. Apart from Tibetan Yak tea, the food was an absolute highlight. Snails, bugs, spitting fish bones onto table clothes, unrecognisable water weeds .....fabulous.
The route was full of plenty of weird old ladies in strange clothes to keep me amused for hours. Plenty of mountains, people in weird clothes, dead yaks on the road sides, truck exhausts - fabulous.
Danny was absolutely fantastic. I would recommend him to anyone
wanting to travel in China. He is probably not the best one for "Aussie small
talk" but when you get him chatting on a topic he is passionate about he will talk
for hours! Danny was extremely professional, attentive and made the trip one of the best
holidays I have had in many years.
Suzy A., Victoria, Australia on her tour of Yunnan
14-Day Bike Tour - Kunming, Dali, Shangri-La (Zhongdian), Lijiang, and Lugu Lake,
November, 2004.
The tour value was excellent! I just *loved* that trip. After this one, I was part of a more 'classical' tour ( also in Guangxi ), it was rather boring compared to this one ! I'm convinced that bicycle is the best way to discover China ( and probably many other countries ), and I really hope to do this again in 2005 ! So, expect a few questions from me this spring !! Thanks again for making this trip possible...
The food was excellent! Danny made me discover many dishes, I always ate well and *lots*. Also, we ate many fruits, which is very agreeable when having a break during a ride !
The route was good. Sometimes I was very glad that we had mountain bikes :-) The road conditions were in some cases bad, but it was pleasant. Also, it didn't climb much, which was great as I'm primarily an 'urban' rider!
The sights were excellent! Yangshuo area is very beautiful, and riding around Sanjiang was wonderful... The landscapes there are so green and peaceful !
My Bike China guide was excellent! Danny's not the most talkative person I've ever seen, but he's an excellent guide. I learned a lot about China during this trip, both about everyday life in China and about the history of the country. He looks like a very trustworthy guy, and that's important when traveling a special way like we did ! Also, some days I felt like riding a bit more, and he managed to make us ride a few more kilometers, that's nice.
Jerome F., Asnieres sur Seine, France on his tour of South China Bike Tour - Exploring Guangxi's Wonders 6-Day Bike Tour , September 2004.
The route was excellent. I could have been fitter, it was more uphill climbing than I thought. I especially loved Tiger Leaping Gorge and surrounds, the off road stuff on the way to Daju and especially the long down hill run to Lijiang!! and the Bai Frescoes. The days get mixed up but the leg from Dali was also very picturesque. I loved the mix of terrain, traffic and scenery. We got a lot of transport which i wasn't sorry about because there was no way we would make the distances some days and it was a welcome rest. I liked the mix of towns,villages,cities,lakes, mountains,rivers,springs. I liked the mix of transport, cycling,vans,boats and ferries.
The sights were excellent. As above loved what we saw, it was a good mix. spectacular scenery.
The guide was excellent. Godspeed was a godsend! He was perfect for us, tailor made our tour, endlessly patient, good humoured, culturally sensitive to both us and the chinese. he is a man mature beyond his years, we enjoyed his company immensely and had great chats about cultures, sociology and life. Big thanks Godspeed!
The hotels were excellent. We had a fantastic range of hotels, particularly loved the one in Dali which was one week old at the time, loved Dijou,Woody's in Tiger leaping Gorge and Lijiang and kunming.
The food was excellent. We certainly didn't lose any weight!! We had an amazing variety of very delicious food and mealtimes were always a treat. No matter where we were Godspeed found something. Even when i didn't feel like rice noodles for breakfast. The food was one of the many highlights.
The value was excellent.
Recommend to others? Yes! Definitely! I had a fantastic time. We will hopefully be back to do a different tour.
-- Christine L. Victoria, Australia, Dec 2004 on her tour of Yunnan 8-Day Bike Tour - Kunming, Shangri-La (Zhongdian) and Lijiang
Once again, I want to tell you how much I enjoyed the trip! Godspeed was an engaging, mulit-talented, and enormously athletic free spirit, while Danny was a wonderful guy with a very deep understanding of Tibetan culture and Chinese history. This was an experience of a lifetime and I am glad that I took the leap of faith to sign up with you. People should be encouraged to go on a trip like this! Mark J. - Short Hills, N.J. U.S.A. on his tour of Western Sichuan - Pandas, Glacier, Tibetan Plateau, and Snowy Mountains 15-Day Bike Tour, October, 2004.
I wanted to let you know that Eleanor, Will and I had an excellent time on our bike tour. Mike is a fantastic guide and did a great job. Lynn C. - Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Peter, This is a long overdue "thank you" for our wonderful trip. As soon as we got back to the states, we were swallowed up by work and school... but I have been meaning to write and tell you how much we enjoyed ourselves. The Yunnan Province was incredibly beautiful, our weather and other events turned out great, and Godspeed was a very capable, attentive, and thoughtful host! Again, thank you -- the trip was just great. Tess C., Houston, Texas, USA on her tour of Yunnan 8-Day Bike Tour Kunming, Shangri-La (Zhongdian) and Lijiang, July, 2004.
Melanie and I really enjoyed our trip and would definitely recommend it to others. The sights were unbelievable -- truly lifetime experience material... Mike was a conscientious guide. The food was great -- we are adventurous eaters and Mike was very good at ordering a variety of (non-meat) dishes for us. Thanks for the adventure!! Josh G. - Alexandria, Va., U.S.A.
The scenery was the highlight of the trip - the natural beauty of the area was just astounding. Frank M. - Sydney, Australia
All the sights were interesting. I have been in China long enough -- and in Asia other times -- that I have seen plenty of temples and the like. But these were interesting, and I'm sure they were even more interesting to people who have not been to Asia much, if at all. I liked the route because it provded a good cross-section of things -- rural areas where you could see animals and people working in the fields; small villages with really "local" restaurants and animals tied up by the side of the road; smaller cities with the attendant smells, people and traffic; highways where trucks cut around you and blasted exhaust in your face; off-road riding, etc. In other words, I got some good and some not so good (i.e., dust, exhaust fumes and crazy traffic). I actually liked this, in a way, because I got a fuller view of what this part of China is like. Danny was very knowledgeable, easy going and down to earth. He didn't talk too much, or too little. He seemed to know when I was not in a particularly talkative mood. - Carter C. San Francisco, U.S.A.
It was a fabulous trip and I will highly recommend it to all my friends. Mike was a fabulous guide! Very enthusiastic, knowledgable and really put in enormous effort to accomodate us and make our experience pleasant. Eleanor B. Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Much better than we expected! It was a physically challenging trip, which is what we expected. The option of truck rental when necessary was a nice benefit, especially when a broken derailleur cable delayed our departure one morning and reduced our riding time that day. The downhill from Xiao Gao Shan to Yanyuan is one of the best we've ridden anywhere! Every day was a new adventure with more to see and experience! Danny's scenery, nature, culture and history knowledge is impressive. And he's a great cyclist, too. He was very perceptive about our needs and interests. We're already planning our next trip with Bike China and Danny for either 2005 or 2006. Carol Y. Hood River, OR, U.S.A.
The sights were AWESOME! Mike was knoweledgable, considerate and willing to accomodate. The route was great, well conceived and executed. Harve B. Portland, OR U.S.A.
Overall it was a good trip through some splendid scenery and towns, and with much great food. Godspeed was an energetic and enthusiastic guide. He is certainly a good cyclist. Giles M. London, U.K.
I loved all of it. Godspeed is absolutley excellent at ordering the best food at each place. His choices were always right on and made for an excellent experience. I thought the hotels were sufficient for the job. One night we stayed in a very basic "roadhouse" that was not very nice, however I believe it gave the experience of how chinese travelers would stay and that was important to me. Godspeed is a unique individual. He has excellent knowledge, is a true patriot of China and is a lot of fun. Sometimes we would see things that he was seeing for the first time and it was nice to see his reaction to some of the sights. He is a very ethical person. Jack G. - Calgary, Canada
Godspeed was a great guide! His enthusiasm for biking and for China made it really fun. He was also flexible in adjusting the plan each day as needed - when one of us were sick or tired, etc. The food was great. Godspeed did a great job ordering for us. I liked that we were eating the same food as what the locals ate. Mark W. - Portland, OR, U.S.A.
"Overall the trip was great and you can send anyone looking for recommendations my way. I want you to know that Godspeed was a super guide and did a great job. He handled all issues well and adapted to the conditions and situations as the unfolded. I have been on guided trips before and for someone of his age I was amazed at his professionalism. He treated us more as a friend than as a client. It was like going on a trip as if we had all been friends for a long time. He added significantly to the enjoyment of the adventure. Most of the positve aspects any trip are the small intangibles and how you feel, we felt great." Peter E. - Diamond Bar, CA, U.S.A.
"The trip proved to be much more demanding than I had expected, but well worth it. No regrets about it. I would recommend his service to anyone. Don B. - Toledo, Ohio, U.S.A. [Read the Travelogue.]
"We had a wonderful time on our bike tour and I would highly recommend that you go! I'm convinced biking is the only way to see China. My boyfriend and I spent 10 days biking around the Sichuan area. Peter was our guide - we couldn't have asked for a better experience. It is really a door-to-door operation; he picked us up and dropped us off at the airport, dealt with the hotels and got us rooms, helped us order food... you name it, he did it. Plus, there was enough flexibility that if we saw something interesting, we could stop and check it out. Plus, the tours go to places that other tours don't... you'll probably find that you're the only non-Chinese at most destinations. Definately cool. The tour was organized well. We biked between 35-50 miles a day and spent the rest of the time visiting interesting places and people. There was no way we could've seen the stuff we did without the tour --when we returned to the States, we couldn't even find info in tour books about the stuff we did -- a true adventure." Stacy M. - Berkeley, CA, U.S.A.
"The whole trip was a hoot. We had a wonderful trip and loved the experience with Mike. He is a very interesting person, very flexible and fun to spend time with." - Kristina S. - St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
"Everything went fine amd I could cycle without any problems. The bike was really good. I am glad that I made the tour, even though I had not planned on traveling alone with a guide. Thanks for the organization. - Dr. Edmund R. - Innsbruck, Austria
"We can't tell you how wonderful the trip was. It met and exceeded our expectations in every way. The biking, the countryside, the food, the accomodationsand the wonderful help and companionship of Mike and Chen. It truly was an incredible adventure." Dr. Stephen S. - Baltimore, MD, U.S.A. [Read the Travelogue.]
"What I learned from
my experience is that it is probably physically possible to bike most places
in China, but that there are few routes that are beautiful, safe and able
to teach you about the Chinese way of life. To find a route that
you will enjoy at least part of the time, you need to rely on local opinion
from someone who understands your values. In my case, Peter Snow Cao organized
the trip, and it would be hard to imagine a more ideal tour for me—along
a beautiful and lightly traveled road, up into the mountains, and into the
shadow of Tibetan culture. There was plenty to see and no other tourists
in sight, and I never would have found the route on my own." - Dr.
Danni R. Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. [Read
the Travelogue.]
"For me it was marvelous, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got a chance to mingle with and meet lots of Chinese and that was so much fun for me. At the same time I didn't have to worry too much about logistics and schedules and making sure [my son] Glenn got what he needed." - Dee W. - Richland, WA - U.S.A.
"I had a great time and I believe the description of the tour on the web site is accurate. Thanks again and looking forward to visiting China again. I really had and great time on the last tour!!" Steve H. - Pasadena, CA, U.S.A.
"I greatly enjoyed the trip and have already gotten good mileage out of some of the stories." - Larry L. - Ellicott City, MD, U.S.A.
"I wanted to pass on my thanks to you for the great trip I had with Godspeed (Chengdu-Danba). Although the bike tour didn't go to plan for health reasons, Godspeed managed to make excellent use of our time, and I really enjoyed both the cycling that we did manage, as well as his hospitality around Chengdu. Godspeed is a great guy, and a fabulous guide. I found China fascinating, and love the mountainous scenery west of Changdu. I am very keen to come back next year, and cycle further west (or perhaps in another province...), and I have no hesitation in recommending 'Bike China', and specifically Godspeed as the guide, to my friends here in New Zealand." David R. - Wellington, New Zealand
"Wanted to send a note saying thanks for the trip -- we had a grea t time and plan many similar adventures over the next couple of years." Paul P. - American living in Seoul, South Korea
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