16-Day Yunnan Motorcycle Tour: Rice Terraces to Meili
Overview
Yunnan changes character several times on this journey. Begin with the courtyards of Jianshui and the rice terraces of Yuanyang, cross the tea country around Pu’er, then turn north through Dali and Shaxi towards the Tibetan landscapes of Shangri-La and Meili. The route finishes in Shangri-La, avoiding a long final ride back to Kunming. It suits riders who want time in the places between the mountain roads.
Trip style: Private guided ride for experienced motorcyclists. Adjust the pace, rest days and overnight stops to your group before booking.
Rider documents and motorcycle arrangements
Tell us whether you intend to bring a foreign-registered motorcycle or use a motorcycle registered in China. These arrangements have different requirements. A rental-car temporary permit must not be assumed to authorise a rental motorcycle. Read our motorcycle licences, guides and permits guide before paying for a motorcycle or arranging flights.
Make the route fit your group
Tell VeroTrip which motorcycles you ride, your recent multi-day experience, passenger plans and comfortable daily riding time. Your trip proposal sets out the motorcycle arrangement, guiding, luggage support, hotels and return logistics before you commit.
Explore VeroTrip motorcycle tours or send us your riding plans. If you will use an overseas-registered bike, read our guide to bringing your own motorcycle into China.
Useful route planning
Motorcycle packing, bike fit and daily support · Choosing the season for a motorcycle route
Destinations on this journey
Kunming · Yuanyang · Pu’er · Dali · Lijiang · Shangri-La
Meals and services: Your written trip proposal lists the included meals, visits, transfers and support arrangements.
Image credits
Water-filled Duoyishu rice terraces reflecting dawn light in Yuanyang. Photo: chensiyuan. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Shuanglong Bridge spanning the water near Jianshui. Photo: Xin. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Tree beside Erhai Lake near Dali. Photo: Mx. Granger. Source and photographer · CC0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Illuminated historic theatre at Sideng Square in Shaxi. Photo: Rod Waddington. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Lijiang Old Town at night. Photo: chensiyuan. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Golden roofs and temple buildings at Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La. Photo: Colin W. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Meili Snow Mountain at dusk. Photo: Kevin Poh. Source and photographer · CC BY 2.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Daily Itinerary
Settle into Kunming and meet the local team. Review the route and your riding background before the motorcycle handover. An easy city walk is enough for this first afternoon; keep travel documents available and leave any mechanical or luggage questions for the preparation session.
Overnight: Kunming.
Complete the confirmed document appointments and inspect the motorcycle, controls, tyres and luggage attachment. A short local ride takes place only once road use is lawful and the team is satisfied with the arrangement. If a document is delayed, the itinerary shifts rather than beginning without it.
Overnight: Kunming.
Leave the city on the confirmed motorcycle-permitted road and travel south to Jianshui. Park outside the pedestrian lanes for an old-town walk. If arrival time allows, visit Shuanglong Bridge; the bridge stop and a courtyard visit need not both be squeezed into the riding day.
Overnight: Jianshui.
After a measured morning in Jianshui, continue towards the terrace villages above the Red River valley. The final climb has frequent bends and village traffic. Reach the overnight base in daylight, then choose one accessible viewpoint according to the weather rather than chasing several sunset stops.
Overnight: Yuanyang terrace area.
Use a second night here to visit Duoyishu and Bada at suitable times. Terrace colour depends on cultivation, water and cloud; the photographs are examples, not a seasonal guarantee. Leave the motorcycle parked for village walks where appropriate, and ask before photographing people or entering homes.
Overnight: Yuanyang terrace area.
Descend from the terrace country and continue west towards Pu’er on the agreed road corridor. This is a transfer-focused riding day with pauses for fuel and lunch. Keep any tea tasting for a comfortable arrival or the following morning, rather than adding an unconfirmed plantation detour.
Overnight: Pu’er.
Turn north through the tea-growing region towards Jingdong. A booked tea stop may fit before departure, but the priority is a realistic arrival at the next overnight town. Confirm the route independently of expressway navigation, and allow more time than a car app suggests for village sections.
Overnight: Jingdong.
Continue north to the Dali basin, with the day’s road and fuel stops agreed at the morning briefing. The two-night stay ahead creates room for laundry and a motorcycle check. Finish riding before exploring the old town on foot; dinner can be chosen around your arrival time.
Overnight: Dali.
Spend a day around Dali’s old town and the Erhai villages using permitted roads and designated parking. Lakeside ecological paths are not assumed to admit motorcycles. A visit to Xizhou can be arranged with time for a walk, while riders wanting rest can keep the day mostly off the bike.
Overnight: Dali.
Leave the lake basin for Shaxi, a small market town where the evening is best spent walking. Park at the accommodation and explore Sideng Square and the lanes nearby. This deliberately shorter stage makes the old town part of the journey rather than a hurried photo stop.
Overnight: Shaxi.
Continue to Lijiang and settle outside the vehicle-restricted old-town lanes. Walk into the historic centre after arrival or choose a quieter visit to Baisha if the schedule permits. Parking and luggage access are confirmed with the hotel, especially when accommodation is inside a pedestrian area.
Overnight: Lijiang.
Follow the approved road towards the Jinsha valley and Shangri-La. A managed Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint may be included if operating and accessible; this is not a High Trail hiking day. Allow time for the climb into the highlands and reduce optional stops if the group needs an earlier finish.
Overnight: Shangri-La.
Keep the morning unhurried before a confirmed Songzanlin Monastery visit or a walk around Dukezong. Use this second night to assess how the higher elevation feels and to review the next road stage. Extra rest takes priority over completing every sightseeing suggestion.
Overnight: Shangri-La.
Travel north through the highland corridor towards Deqin, with the exact road choice checked for weather and local restrictions. Feilaisi offers an established setting for viewing the Meili range when skies clear. The visit is to the viewpoint area; it does not include a mountain ascent or a Yubeng trek.
Overnight: Feilaisi.
Look towards the mountains if conditions permit, then return to Shangri-La with a generous daylight margin. Avoid delaying departure for a hoped-for break in the clouds. Complete the motorcycle return inspection and discuss any outstanding rental administration before the final evening.
Overnight: Shangri-La.
Arrange the airport or onward transfer to match your confirmed ticket. The riding programme has ended the previous day, so a delayed mountain-road stage is not deliberately tied to a same-day flight. An additional hotel night remains a useful option when the wider travel schedule is tight.
Overnight: Tour ends.
