Sichuan · Rental itinerary
Monastery towns, mountain valleys and the Amdo grasslands.
The ride
From Chengdu through Wenchuan and the Taoping Qiang village, Sertar, Banma, Jiuzhi and the Amdo grasslands. Return via Hongyuan, Heishui and Maoxian.
1,902 km is the subtotal of 10 source-listed motorcycle stages, not the complete journey distance. Day 2 riding distance and transfer figures are unavailable. Sertar’s stated 4,127 m is an approximate destination reference, not the route’s confirmed highest point.
The Amdo Loop
Approved China vector geography; tour connections and visit contexts are schematic. Roads © OpenStreetMap contributors via Geofabrik · ODbL · Road extract.
Destination, featured-visit and stated-pass references.
Day references, not a terrain profile. Stated heights are approximate; missing figures remain unavailable. No missing heights are estimated.
Surrounding geography: Natural Earth (public domain). Road context © OpenStreetMap contributors via Geofabrik · ODbL · Scoped context road extract.
Day by day
Original descriptions include historical accommodation and visit details. Confirm current arrangements before travel.
Arrive in Chengdu Arrive in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, the home town of Panda. Pick up and transfer from airport to the hospital for a short physical examination. 1N at 4*Xinliang Hotel
Chengdu - Wenchuan - Lixian In the morning, get your temporary Chinese driving license. In the afternoon, the motorbike tour begins, today ride to Taoping, a Qiang People's stocked village. The ancient Taoping village has a great appeal for the numerous experts and tourists with its old and wonderful fortress buildings. Later, ride to Lixian. 1N at 3*Jixiang Hotel
Lixian - Ma'erkang - Guanyinqiao 215km, 4h30m. Ride motorbike to Guanyinqiao via Ma'erkang. Visit Guanyinqiao. 1N at Lidu Hotel or similar
Guanyinqiao - Onda–Sertar (4127m) 205km, 6h40m. Ride via Onda to Sertar (Seda), the real cultural and religious center for the Tibetans living in Sichuan. At Sethar, we will ride to visit the Larung Gar Monastery and Wu Ming Buddhist College. Located in the valley about 20km away from Sethar downtown, the Buddhist College is the biggest Vajrayana Buddhist College in the world. You can enjoy the landscape of the sunset and the night scene. 1N at Kalong Hotel
Sertar - Banma 133km, 3h43m. Enjoy the landscape of the sunrise. And visit the Wuming Buddhist Institute, including the place of sky burial. Then ride ahead to Qinghai Province, on the way visit Nianlong Monastery. 1N at Three Colors Banma Hotel
Banma - Nyenpo Yutse - Jiuzhi 174km, 3hrs26min. Today we ride to Jiuzhi, on the way, we will visit Nyenpo Yutse. 1N at Sunshine Hotel
Jiuzhi - Maqu 147km, 4hrs10min. Visit the First Bend of Yellow River, Maqu Grassland, Nimawaixiang Monastery and Gesar Square. 1N at Shouqu Hotel
Maqu - Gahai - Langmu Si 120km, 2hrs30min. Visit Gaihai and Langmu Si. 1N at 4* Langmusi International Hotel
Langmu Si - Tiebu - Zhagana - Diebu 150km, 4hrs 10min. In the morning, ride to the Sika Deer Nature Reserve at Tiebu, we can see the wild sika deer. Then ride to Zhagana to visit Stone City and Tabanfang House. In the afternoon ride to Diebu. 1N at Luoke Zhouji Hotel
Diebu - Chonger Town - Ruoergai - Tangke - Hongyuan 268km, 5hrs26min. In the morning ride to Chonger Town to visit the Sika Deer, then ride to visit the First Bend of Yellow River and Waqie Buddha Forests. 1N at 3*318 Hotel
Hongyuan - Heishui - Maoxian 284km, 6hrs. In the morning take photos of the Hongyuan Grassland and the Moon River. Then ride to visit the Canyon of Heishui River and take view of the Dagu Glacier. 1N at 3*Guibinlou Hotel
Maoxian - Chengdu 206km, 5hrs17min. Ride back to Chengdu, return the motorbike. 1N at 4*Xinliang Hotel
Chengdu After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Services ended.
Riding details
The published route starts and finishes in Chengdu. Day 1 includes an airport transfer and physical examination; Day 2 includes license formalities and motorcycle riding. Day 12 returns the motorcycles, and Day 13 is the departure transfer. The historical rental itinerary does not confirm current models, availability, prices or support inclusions.
Current access to Larung Gar, sky-burial visits, Nyenpo Yutse and other named visitor sites requires confirmation. The source’s Dagu Glacier passage is a view; no additional glacier riding or hiking stage is invented.
Enquiry
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