"A salubrious cycling saunter through Ningxia’s wineries, food and history; featuring desert and mountain backdrops and green agricultural oases"
One of China's newest wine regions is to be found in the unlikeliest of locations on the arid loess plateau of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Fed by irrigation from the Yellow River (Huang He), and overlooked by the imposing peaks of the Helan Shan Mountains, these wineries are winning international recognition and curiosity (as wells a few awards) for their surprising production of wine in an environment not considered exactly conducive to grape growing. In fact, the vines have to be completely buried in order to survive the 5 month long, sub-zero cold winters. Innovation and passion, along with imported expertise from traditional wine growing regions internationally, make for a fascinating look at this burgeoning industry in a region that is making great strides to turn it's desert landscapes into green agriculture oases.
Historically, the region is extraordinarily rich: sections of the Great Wall from the Qing and Sui Dynasty eras, along with their accompanying ancient fortified towns, can be seen crumbling back into the desert. Giant Xi Xia mausoleums dot the arid landscape beneath the Helan Shan mountains (some of the only remaining remnants of this once powerful Qiang dynasty completely wiped out by Genghis Khans' Mongols in the 13th century). Pre-historic rock etchings of animals and human figures that are to be found on rock walls of the Helan Mountains indicate the long inhabitation of humans in the area. And in more modern times, the Muslim Hui people whose customs and culture were imported from Persia with the merchants that arrived along the Silk Road in the 13th Century, settling and intermingling with the local Han population and enduring until today.
Despite all these potential draw-cards and huge local government investment, Ningxia sees relatively few tourists (especially westerners), outside of one or two desert resort playgrounds. This makes it an ideal destination for a new Bike Asia tour: friendly locals are happy to welcome visitors, where life is slower and relaxed, the food is plentiful, unique and tasty, and there's a lot to see and experience. We've designed a cycling route that combines all this but with a winery focus: you'll visit, stay in and sample the produce of many wineries from the more famous to the offbeat and unusual. The cycling is mostly flat and accessible, with the obligatory undulating sections (of course!) - appropriate for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and a decent level of appreciation for wine! All the usual support will be available, including our attentive guides and support vehicles, so you will be able to ride (or indulge!) as much or as little as you wish.
This trip starts and finishes in Yinchuan (Airport Code INC), the capital of Ningxia Province, China. It is a domestic airport connecting all the major cities/airports in China. To check flight details, times and costs we can recommend Trip.com. It is in English, reliable, and you can pay for these flights by credit card. If more convenient you can also book domestic China flights through us (a small service charge applies per ticket) at competitive rates. Just let us know when you book.
High speed trains also make stops at Yinchuan. This often a convenient, fun and environmentaly friendly option for travel throughout China.
Airport/ train station pick ups and drop offs are included in the tour price. Please make sure you give us details of your arrival and departure, including flight details, date and time, so we can arrange your transfers.
Arriving early or want to stay on after the tour ends? No problem! Just let us know if you'd like to book extra accommodation in the tour hotel at either the start or finish of the tour and we will arrange it for you. Just include your request on the booking form.
Once we have recieved your booking and deposit we'll send you a tour info pack that will include tour notes, training tips, preparation info and joining point instructions. If you have any questions about the tour at all please don't hesitate to contact us.
For additional information regarding guides, accommodation and sleeping arrangements, cycling grades, food, bikes, etc you can head over to our About section to see more about how we run our tours.
