Close to the Sky: Riding China

Lhasa, the main city of Tibet, lies in a wide river valley at about 3,650 m. The Lhasa River runs along the south of the city, and a deep blue sky stretches over the brown mountains around it. The air is clear and the sun is strong, so on a fine day the sky feels very close. That is where the route gets its name.

The loop starts near the Potala Palace and the Jokhang in the centre, follows the Lhasa River along its banks, and visits Drepung and Sera monasteries on the hillsides to the west and north of the city. The city itself is nearly flat, but the last stretch to each monastery climbs the slope, and that is where the e-MTB earns its keep.

For your first day or two in Lhasa, leave the bike and explore on foot while your body adjusts to the altitude. Once you are less out of breath, start with short rides and add a little distance each day.

Yamdrok is one of the large lakes Tibetans hold sacred. It sits at about 4,400 m, and its colour shifts from turquoise to deep blue with the weather and light. The lake reaches into the mountains in many arms, so from above its shape looks intricate.

From Lhasa you follow the river southwest, cross the Yarlung Tsangpo and climb a winding road to the Kamba La pass (about 4,800 m). The moment the lake opens up below you at the top is the highlight of the route. The climb gains more than 1,000 m, so many itineraries cover part of it by support vehicle and ride the descent and the lakeshore.

The road along the shore has fairly little climbing and passes barley fields, small villages and herds of yak. At this altitude even walking leaves you breathless, so plan this ride after several days of acclimatising in Lhasa.

The Tea Horse Road was an old trade route where tea from Yunnan and Sichuan was exchanged for Tibetan horses. Caravans of horses and mules carried loads over high mountains, and in northwest Yunnan the old villages and markets that grew up along the way still stand.

Dali, between Erhai Lake and the Cang Mountains, is a good place to start. Ride the lakeside road through Bai villages, then cross the hills north to Shaxi. Shaxi was a market town on the Tea Horse Road, and its old market square, stage and stone bridge are well preserved.

The ride ends in Lijiang at about 2,400 m. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with streams running between the lanes and rows of tiled Naxi houses. On a clear day the snowy summit of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain shows to the north.

The Taihang Mountains run north to south along the borders of Henan, Shanxi and Hebei in northern China. Reddish rock forms cliffs hundreds of metres high, cut through by deep canyons.

The region is known for roads carved into the cliffs. Rock wall on one side and open valley on the other means the view never stops. Most roads are paved and good for riding, but short steep climbs and fast descents come one after another.

Xinxiang and Linzhou in northern Henan make good bases. Cliff villages and canyon scenic areas are close together, so you can choose anything from a short day ride to a long ridge crossing to suit your legs.

The Karakoram Highway starts south of Kashgar, in Xinjiang at China's far western edge. On its way to Pakistan it crosses the Pamir plateau, with snow peaks over 7,000 m lining both sides.

Leave Kashgar and climb through a gorge to reach Karakul Lake, overlooked by Muztagh Ata (about 7,546 m) and Kongur (about 7,649 m). Kyrgyz herders set up yurts on the grassland by the shore, and on still mornings the peaks are mirrored in the water.

Further south is Tashkurgan (about 3,100 m), home to Tajik communities. The stretch along its wide grassy valley has gentle gradients and is a pleasure to ride. This area is close to the border, with permits and checkpoints, so plan your route with a local travel agency.