Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1 Saturday 29 july 2023

Fly to Ulan Bator. Saturday 29 july 2023 Departure with international flight to Ulan Bator. Overnight stay at the airport to be decided pending the connection. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 2 Sunday 30 july 2023

Arrive in Ulan Bator. Pick up moto. We arrive in Ulaan Baatar. Bus transfer for overnight stay in a 4-star hotel. In the afternoon collection of motorcycles in the customs center. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 3 Monday 31 july 2023

Visit Ulan Bator e surround A day at leisure for the latest paperwork and to visit the center or the surroundings of Ulan Bator. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 4 Tuesday 1 august 2023 Km 660

Ulan Bator – Zamiin Uud A long transfer through the desert landscapes of Mongolia, on the edge of the Gobi desert, up to Zamiin-Uud, the last town close to the border with China. Overnight in a modest local hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 5 Wednesday 2 august 2023 Km 360

Zamiin Uud – Ulanqab Once in China, travel south to the first major city of Chinese Inner Mongolia. Here there will be the motorcycle import formalities and Chinese license for which our presence is essential (everything else will have been done first by the local agencies). Overnight in the best hotel in the area. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 6 Thursday 3 august 2023 Km 360

Ulanqab - Beijing Last hundreds of kilometers to reach the immense Chinese capital. Overnight in a 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Days 7-8 Friday 4, Saturday 5 august 2023

Visit Beijing. Two whole days to devote to visiting Beijing. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square above all. But even more, compatibly with the time available. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 9 Saturday 6 august 2023 Km 510.

Beijing – Anyang Transfer on national roads and (if possible) on highways to reach the city of Anyang. This was the last capital of the Shang Dynasty (1700-1046 BC). It is undoubtedly the most important Bronze Age site in East Asia. For centuries its secret past lay hidden beneath the city streets,but in 1899 hundreds of elaborately carved bones, ox shoulder blades and turtle shells were found. According to legend, the discovery was made by a doctor looking for "dragon bones" to treat a sick man who was an administrator of the city. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 10 Monday 7 august 2023 Km 320.

Anyang - Yangcheng We start from Anyang and reach Guoliang village. This small Chinese village is located high in the Taihang Mountains in Henan province. For a long time almost no one knew about its existence due to its inaccessibility. The only way to get there was in fact to climb steps carved into a steep cliff. In 1972, thirteen inhabitants of Guoliang wanted to change their situation of inaccessibility to the outside world and began to excavate by hand an external route in the eastern side of the cliff, succeeding in a work which would put any medium-sized construction company today in difficulty. The road, called "Guoliang Tunnel", very famous in China, entirely excavated in the rock has a diameter of about 4 meters, a height of about 5 meters and a length of about one thousand three hundred meters. It took thirteen workers nearly six years to dig by hand that road, which was opened in 1977, and is regarded as one of the 8 road wonders in the world. After Guoliang village, we continue until we get to Yangcheng. Interesting here is a large complex built during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) called the "house of the Chancellor of Huangcheng" (imperial city) as, many centuries later, it was the residence of Chen Tingjing, who was the Grand Secretary of the Qing Dynasty Literary Works Pavilion and teacher of the Kangxi Emperor (1654-1722). Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 11 Thuesday 8 august 2023 Km 160.

Yangcheng - Luoyang We leave from Yangcheng to travel the short distance that separates us from Luoyang, the ancient Chinese capital famous for the Longmen grottoes, to the south. Located on both sides of the Yi River, they comprise more than 2,300 caves and niches carved into craggy limestone walls over a 1km long stretch. They contain the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang dynasties (316-907). These works, entirely dedicated to the Buddhist religion, represent the highest point of Chinese stone sculpture... Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 12 Wednesday 9 august 2023 km 450.

Luoyang – Xiangyang From Luoyang we move in a south-easterly direction until we reach, near the town of Dengfeng, the slopes of Mount Shaoshi where the Shaolin Temple or Monastery is located. The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple is famous for its school of Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu, the Chinese martial art that originated here. The "pagoda forest" and other historical buildings in the area are considered one of the top 10 tourist attractions in all of China. We continue south to reach Xiangyang. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 13 Thursday 10 august 2023 Km 485.

Xiangyang – Changde We head south from Xiangyang to reach Yichang. Here we find the "Three Gorges Dam", a hydroelectric power plant that affects the course of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang in Chinese) from the city of Sandouping, located in the Yiling district, to the city of Yichang, Hubei province, China. The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest power plant in terms of installed capacity (22,500 MW) and the largest hydroelectric facility in terms of annual power generation, generating 83.7 TWh in 2013 and 98.8 TWh in 2014 We continue south until we reach the city of Changde. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 14 Friday 11 august 2023 Km 450.

Changde - - Enshi From Changde we go west to the town of Zhangjiajie. Here we find the "Tianmen Mountain Road", considered one of the most spectacular (and scary) mountain roads in the world. We continue northwest to Enshi. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 15 Saturday 12 august 2023 Km 600.

Enshi – Zigong A very demanding day made up above all of landscapes. A stop is worth the ghost town of Fengdu, located on the north bank of the Yangtze River. Fengdu is a city with a long history, known as the "Ghost City" by most Chinese people. It got this sinister fame of "Ghost City" in the ancient times of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - AD 220). According to superstition, the dead come to Fengdu Ghost City, and the devils go to hell from here. We continue to Zigong. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 16 Sunday 13 august 2023 Km 280.

Zigong - - Chengdu From Zigong we move west to Leshan. Here we find the Leshan Giant Buddha, a statue of Maitreya (a Bodhisattva usually represented as a very robust monk with a broad smile on his face and with his bare breasts and belly exposed for visualization) in a seated position. In December 1996 it was included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites. Begun in the year 713 during the Tang dynasty, it took 90 years to complete it in the year 803. We arrive in Chengdu where we visit the "Panda Research Center" to the north of the city. The 45-minute walk through the peaceful bamboo groves is well worth it, for great photos of dangling pandas and glimpses of baby pandas that are born here with astonishing regularity. For those interested in genetic biology and ecological conservation, this research center is one of the most important in the world. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 17 Monday 14 august 2023 Km 450.

Chengdu – Xichang A day of scenery through the mountain valleys of Sichuan to Xichang City, Qionghai Lake. This is the second largest freshwater lake in Sichuan Province (the largest is Lugu Lake) with an area of 31 square kilometers and 35 km of shoreline. Qionghai Lake has crystal clear water that reflects the magnificent nearby mountains to form a fascinating scenic spot. There is still no certainty about the origins of the lake, but most scholars believe that the lake was formed due to an earthquake. The water comes mainly from rainfall and underground rivers. Like other large mountain lakes in Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet, Qionghai Lake is famous for its tranquility. The scenery is different during different seasons. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 18 Tuesday 15 august 2023 Km 480.

Xichang – Kunming Another day in the mountain valleys to end in Kunming, a large city on the edge of a large lake, the Dianchi Pool, which has completely different characteristics than the one of the previous day. Also known as Dian Lake and Kunming Lake, this lake had the nickname "the Sparkling Pearl embedded in a mountain" and was the model for Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing. It is a freshwater lake in 1,886.5m above sea level covering 298 square kilometers with an average depth of only 4.4 meters.It is the eighth largest lake in China and the largest in Yunnan province.Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee

Day 19 Wednesady 16 august 2023 Km 420.

Kunming – Puer We continue our journey south to Yunnan province, where the largest number of different ethnic groups in all of China is concentrated. We pass the Red River, one of the most important Chinese rivers and certainly the most important for the neighboring nation, Vietnam, where it ends up in the ocean in a large delta which constitutes a large agricultural area of Vietnam dedicated to the cultivation of rice. The name derives from the perennial color of the water, red-brown, due to the constant presence of a high load of silt coming from the erosion of soils of that color. It is known for its severe floods and very large seasonal fluctuations. Once in the city of Puer, overnight in a 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 20 Thursday 17 august 2023 Km 280.

Puer - Mengla Our stay in China is about to end. The last offshoot of Yunnan goes wedged between Laos and Burma and here we find the city of Mengla. Very interesting we find the Menglun Botanical Garden: located in front of the Luosuo river, on an area of over 900 hectares, it was founded in 1959 and today you can find more than 8000 different plant species. A small ethno-museum exhibits the flora of a model tropical forest. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 21 Friday 18 august 2023 Km 280.

Mengla - Huay Xay (Laos) We leave Mengla in the morning as early as possible. Formalities for leaving China and entering Laos. As usual, a lot of patience will be needed. We enter and the first town we find is BOTAN. From here diagonally east - west on Asian Highway 3 we cross the Nam Ha National Park and reach HUAY XAY, close to the border with Thailand. Overnight in one of the best hotels in the area. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 22 Saturday 19 august 2023 Km 200

Huay Xay – Tha Ton (Thailandia) Also woke up very early this morning. Customs procedures await us to enter Thailand. On the border between the two countries is the "Friendship Bridge". The looks of the local people will tell us without the need for translations "welcome to the land of smiles" even if the name "THAI LAND" more properly means "country of freedom". We proceed on provincial roads along the Mekong River. We are near Chiang Khong, the most important city in northern Thailand, medium-sized but very famous for being part of the well-known "GOLDEN TRIANGLE" (as indeed was the stretch of Laos that we crossed yesterday) . Up until a few years ago, most of the opium on the planet was produced in this area, but it has recently been overtaken by Afghanistan. The Mekong River crosses this region and gives it a geographical unity. We leave the Mekong at Sop Ruak to venture into the mountainous area on the border with Burma. In Mae Salong lives a Chinese community who moved to Thailand from Burma in 1961. The area has spectacular landscapes of tea crops and other medicinal plants. We continue to Tha Ton Overnight in 4 star hotel or better than the place. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 23 Sunday 20 august 2023 Km 390

Tha Ton - Mae Hong We continue driving in the mountainous area bordering Burma. Hundreds of curves and ups and downs. Highway 1095 is also known as Mae Hong Son Loop. Mount Chiang Dao is the third highest peak in the country. A cave has been converted into a Buddhist temple. We pass Pai. Lod Cave is one of the largest caves in Asia, visitors can enjoy 12km of stalactites and stalagmites. We arrive at the Sa-nga River. The territory is covered with rice fields. A long bamboo pedestrian bridge, the Su Tong Pae Bridge, stretches over it with enchanting photographic views. Finally we arrive in Mae Hong. Overnight in 4 star hotel or better. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 24 Monday 21 august 2023 Km 310

Mae Hong – Chiang Mai Controversial is the tourist visit to a particular original tribe of Burma, from which it fled. And the Karen tribe, famous for the "giraffe-necked women", with brass rings around their necks that seem elongated in that way (it's just an optical illusion). According to one line of thought, the visit should be avoided as the influx of tourists would be the only reason why these women have been convinced of this "uncivilized" practice since they were children. There would also be rumors that only if they submit to this "torture" can they stay in Thailand, as they represent a source of income for the country thanks to tourism, but if they decide to remove the rings they must leave, Thailand would not allow them to do so a "normal" life. According to others, however, these traditions are handed down without any constraint and are only exploited by the tribe's members themselves for tourist purposes, no more or less than what other particular ethnic groups do in all other parts of the world, with the sale of their handicrafts. Thailand would only have indirect benefits thanks to tourism from their choice to exploit that tradition in that way. Be that as it may, we will leave it to the sensitivity of each participant to decide what to do in relation to this visit according to their own thoughts. On the internet it is possible to find articles both for and against this visit in order to be ready on arrival with your own decision. The “giraffe women are found in the small town of Huay Pu Keng, very close to Mae Hong, across the small river Pai which can be crossed with small boats. Whether or not the village has been visited, we head south on secondary roads, also passing Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand. On the top two stupas and a wonderful panorama. We go down to Chiang Mai. Overnight in 4-star hotel or better on site. Dinner NOT included in the fee

Day 25 Tuesday 22 august 2023 Km 340

Chiang Mai – Phitsanulok In the morning we head south on Highway 11, towards Lamphun then Lampang and Uttaradit We reach the evening destination, PHITSANULOK, crossed by the Nan River. It is a lively city but decidedly more peaceful than many others scattered throughout Thailand. It houses one of the most admired and loved Buddhas in the country: Phra Buddha Chinnarat, inside the Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat (temple). Dinner (not included in the fee) and walk along the river between stalls and cafes. Overnight in 4-star hotel or better.

Day 26 wednesday 23 august 2023 Km 380.

Phitsanulok - Bangkok In the morning we leave to "grind" the last km of all this fantastic tour that will take us inside one of the most modern, but also bizarre and exotic cities in the world: BANGKOK. The city is loved by Thais, their neighbors and almost all Westerners and is visited by almost 15 million tourists every year. It bears the incredible local name of “Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahastan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam” whose literary translation is “«City of angels, the great city, the city of eternal joy, the impenetrable city of the god Indra, the magnificent capital of the world endowed with precious gems, the happy city, which abounds in the colossal Royal Palace, which is similar to the divine house where the reincarnated gods reign, a city blessed by Indra and built for Vishnukam ”. In reality, entering the city, one cannot remain indifferent to the swarm of activity and "movement" that distinguishes it, to the point of being disconcerted and annoyed and even having to think for a moment "what the hell is this? “. A thought that will last only long enough to remain bewitched instead. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 27 Thursday 24 august 2023

BANGKOK. The priority of this day will be the preparation of the bikes for shipping home. After those operations, free time to visit the city. Overnight in 4-star hotel. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 28 Friday 25 august 2023

Bangkok – international flight. We basically have the whole day or almost to visit Bangkok again, even if we have to leave the hotel rooms free in the morning. In the evening transfer to the airport for the international flight. Dinner NOT included in the fee.

Day 29 Saturday 26 august 2023

flight arrive in Italy. The flight will arrive in Italy in time for everyone to reach their homes.

Start from Ulaanbaata July 29，2023

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Finish in Bangkok on Aug. 26, 2023

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Prices in EURO per person

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Motorcycle Shipping:  €2500/bike

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Included in the cost:

All hotels on shared basis (or a single room, if booked)

Chinese Visa letter of invitation

China Customs Deposit for imported Vehicles

Chinese Driving License

Chinese Bike License Plate

Daily route notes

Expedition Tour Shirt

Stickers

English Italian Speaking Expedition Leader

Support Vehicle

Local guides