15-Day Yunnan and Yading Motorcycle Tour
Overview
This cross-regional ride links the familiar towns of northwest Yunnan with the mountain scenery around Yading in western Sichuan. Start in Dali, pause in Shangri-La, and leave the motorcycle outside the protected scenic area for the Yading visit. The return uses a staged approach through the Daocheng–Litang–Xiangcheng region before Lugu Lake and Lijiang, with the final roads and overnight bases checked for the dated journey.
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
Dali · Lijiang · Shangri-La
Meals and services: Your written trip proposal lists the included meals, visits, transfers and support arrangements.
Image credits
Valley near Xiannairi in Yading. Photo: Toni Wöhrl. 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.
Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La. 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.
Lugu Lake and Lige Peninsula from a viewpoint. Photo: N509FZ. Source and photographer · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for web use under the same licence.
Daily Itinerary
Settle into Dali and meet the team for a route discussion. Review your recent riding experience and how the group will handle sustained mountain stages. The day is kept easy after arrival, with practical preparations scheduled before the first intercity ride.
Overnight: Dali.
Complete the confirmed rider and vehicle arrangements, inspect the motorcycle and adjust luggage. A short local familiarisation ride follows only when the requirements are met. Discuss the crossing into western Sichuan and agree how the itinerary changes if a road or accommodation becomes unavailable.
Overnight: Dali.
Ride north on the agreed motorcycle-permitted road, allowing for a full transfer day. Keep extra sightseeing limited so there is time to rest after reaching the higher town. The following day is deliberately kept in Shangri-La before the more remote mountain stages.
Overnight: Shangri-La.
Visit Songzanlin or Dukezong at an easy pace if you feel comfortable. Use the second night to assess readiness for the next section and complete maintenance. Additional rest can be inserted; the route is not a fixed test of how quickly the group can gain elevation.
Overnight: Shangri-La.
Travel into the western Sichuan corridor on the road confirmed for the group. Expect changing surfaces and a mountain-day rhythm rather than expressway timing. Reach Xiangcheng with time to rest, refuel and review access towards the Yading gateway.
Overnight: Xiangcheng.
Continue towards the Yading gateway, choosing the actual road from current local information. Riwa, also called Shangri-La Town, is in Sichuan and is different from Shangri-La city in Yunnan. Settle near the scenic-area entrance and confirm the following day’s tickets and transport.
Overnight: Riwa / Shangri-La Town, Sichuan.
Leave the motorcycles parked and enter the scenic area using the required visitor transport. Choose a manageable walking programme according to current trail operation and your condition. The high lakes and long walks are optional possibilities, not an automatic part of a motorcycle holiday.
Overnight: Riwa / Shangri-La Town, Sichuan.
Make the short repositioning journey towards Daocheng, allowing time for rest after the park visit. A simple afternoon and motorcycle check are more useful than adding a demanding side road. The next two stages depend on the confirmed regional road plan and accommodation availability.
Overnight: Daocheng.
Continue through the highland landscape towards Litang on the approved road. This remains high-elevation travel even when the road distance looks modest. Stop at permitted viewpoints, keep the day flexible and agree any extra rest or route adjustment with the team.
Overnight: Litang.
Ride south towards Xiangcheng on the confirmed connection. Mountain weather and roadworks may affect the schedule, so the group carries a practical fuel and arrival plan. This staged return avoids making an unverified direct Yading-to-Lugu-Lake shortcut essential to the itinerary.
Overnight: Xiangcheng.
Return to Shangri-La in Yunnan on the approved road. Use the evening for supplies and maintenance before heading towards Lugu Lake. If the western Sichuan section has required an extra day, review the remaining programme without compressing every stop into the final stages.
Overnight: Shangri-La.
Descend from Shangri-La towards Lijiang on the approved road. This overnight deliberately breaks the journey to Lugu Lake into two stages. A managed gorge viewpoint may fit if open and accessible; the day does not include a High Trail hike.
Overnight: Lijiang.
Ride towards Lugu Lake with scheduled breaks and an arrival before dark. The confirmed road and traffic conditions determine the available sightseeing time. Park at the agreed accommodation and enjoy a short lakeside walk on permitted paths, keeping the next morning flexible.
Overnight: Lugu Lake.
Take a measured morning near the lake using permitted roads and viewpoints, then ride to Lijiang. Do not assume every shoreline path admits motorcycles. Complete the return inspection in Lijiang and leave time to explore the old town on foot if arrival permits.
Overnight: Lijiang.
Transfer to the airport or railway station for your confirmed onward journey. The motorcycle programme finishes the previous evening. Any extra night needed by the final road plan should be agreed before booking a tight onward connection.
Overnight: Tour ends.
