China´s Hidden Treasures – A Journey Through the Middle Kingdom

This tour takes you to the highlights of China. Discover Beijing and drive on the roads of this vast empire to the Terracotta army of the first emperor and to Xi’an. On the way we will discover Buddhist cave temples that are thousands of years old, sacred mountains, old towns, the most adventurous cliff tunnel in the world, the shores of the Yellow River and the cradle of Chinese culture. An adventurous journey through the Middle Kingdom!

Google maps only offers a basic overview on the route.
Many smaller roads are not documented.

China´s Highlights & Hidden Treasures – A 4WD Journey Through the Middle Kingdom

Day	Route: Description
1	Arrival in Beijing: Arrival in Beijing and pick-up service from the airport. Transfer to your hotel and free time for acclimatization. Shared dinner in the evening.
2	Beijing Sightseeing: Visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City – two of the most important and interesting sights of China.
3	Beijing– Guangling: Ride to the outskirts of Beijing. We start our journey in the beautiful scenic hilly landscapes of Beijing. In the late afternoon we reach Guangling. The Buddhist Shuishen Halls in Guangling belong to the monuments of the People’s Republic of China and can be visited.
4	Guangling – Datong: In the morning we head to the Datong Grottoes of Yungang. These impressive cave temples belong to the three most important ancient rock sculpture centers across China. The meter-high frescoes of Buddha and those built into the cliff temples are particular examples of Chinese craftsmanship of the 5th and 6th centuries. In Datong we have time to visit the newly built city walls and the old town.
5	Datong – Wutai- Shan: From Datong we continue south till we arrive at the hanging monastery Xuangkong Si, which was built in a cliff. In the afternoon we get to Wutai Shan, one of the 5 sacred Buddhist mountains. The mountain has five peaks, which are named after the cardinal points. One of the peak is 3058 meters high and the highest mountain in North China. We stay in a small village at the foot of the mountain near a small Tibetan stupa.
6	Wutai Shan – Yangquan: We drive deeper into the mountainous landscape of northern China and spend the night in Yangquan City.
7	Yangchuan – Pingyao: In Pingyao we get to the next highlight of our tour through China: The old town of Pingyao. During the Qing Dynasty Pingyao was the financial Center of China, and was established by wealthy Chinese with many traditional properties. Even today, 50,000 people live in the old town. Pingyao was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
8	Pingyao – Jincheng: We follow small rivers and lakes before we reach Jingcheng in the afternoon. A little further south there are the underground tunnels and the fortress of Zhangbi. The 1400-year-old fortress was built in the Sui Dynasty but never got used against attackers. Very close there is the village Zhangbi Cun which was built in the Yuan Dynasty. This village takes you back in time.
9	Jing Chen – Guoliang Tunnel: Today’s driving day will probably be the most adventurous of the whole trip. We make our way to the village of Guoliang: till the 1070s years the only way to reach Guoliang was over a little pass. It took up to 6 years to build the most winding and dangerous tunnel in the world. The road runs partly through the mountain and partly along sheer rock walls.
10	Guoliang Tunnel – Luoyang: From the mountainous landscapes of North China we drive down to the central plain of China to Luoyang at the Yellow River. The area around Luoyang is considered by many to be the cradle of Chinese culture. Luoyang itself was once the capital of China and home to the oldest Buddhist temple in China – the temple of the white horse.
11	Sightseeing Luoyang: Luoyang and the surrounding area has a lot to offer. A well-deserved day of rest can be used for relaxation and sightseeing. It is worth to visit the famous Shaolin Temple where still hundreds of young monks from all over the world train Kung Fu.
12	Luoyang – Hua Shan: Today we follow the Yellow River through small villages and farmland for several hundreds of kilometers until we reach Hua Shan. Hua Shan is the second of the five sacred mountains of China. The view from the summit offers a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. From the small settlements at the base we take a ropeway up the mountain and enjoy the sunset from the top.
13	Huan Shan – Terracotta Army – Xi’an: Our last day on the bikes. Before we reach the city of Xi’an, we visit one of the most famous sights of China: The Terracotta Warriors of the First Emperor of China.
14	End of the trip in Xi’an: The trip ends in Xi’an after breakfast. If you like we also help to organize airport or train tickets back to Beijing or to other parts of China.

China´s Highlights & Hidden Treasures – A 4WD Journey Through the Middle Kingdom :

13 Overnights stays in hotels and guest houses
Vehicle
Temporary Chinese driver´s license
Meals (Breakfast, Lunch), Mineral water
Toll gate fees, gas
English speaking Tibetmoto tour guide
Help with Applying a Chinese visa