The Dragon Ride

Sixteen days across Yunnan in southwest China, from Kunming to Lijiang, which is the most ethnically and geographically varied province in the country and almost unknown to touring riders.

Kunming is called the City of Eternal Spring for its climate, and the route works south from there to Mi’le and a rest day at Jianshui, which has a Confucius temple second in size only to the one at Qufu. Yuanyang follows, and the reason to be there is sunrise: thousands of hectares of rice terraces cut into the hillsides by the Hani people over centuries, which fill with water and catch the light.

Tengchong gives the second rest day in volcanic country, and then the route turns north into the Nujiang valley, the Angry River, a deep gorge running towards Tibet between parallel ranges. Deqen follows near Meili Snow Mountain, a peak sacred to Tibetan Buddhists and never summited, then Shangri-La and the Songzanlin monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in the province. Lijiang closes the trip, its old town UNESCO listed and laced with canals.

Edelweiss include a choice of CFMoto motorcycle, which is a Chinese marque rather than the usual BMW and reflects the practicalities of operating in China, along with fifteen nights in comfortable star-rated hotels, a guide and a tour book. This is a one-way tour between Kunming and Lijiang, flights are separate, and the inclusions are not itemised in full. Prices are per person for 2026. Altitude climbs steadily through the second week, which is worth preparing for.