Motorcycle trip

China

Geography China

China is a vast country, 17 times the size of France, covering a quarter of the land area of Asia. It is equally big in terms of number of inhabitants, diversity of climates, topography and people. A motorcycle trip in China takes you to the heart of this magnificent mountainous country with its rice terraces, tea cultivation and colourful markets. The plateau of Yunnan-Guizhou and Sichuan basin can be found at an average altitude of 1500m. Located in southwestern China, Yunnan province shares its frontiers with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Three major rivers originating in Tibet flow through Yunnan: Yangtse, Mekong and Nujiang (Salween). Yangtse or the blue river is the largest river of the country and the third largest in the world after Amazon and Nile. Sichuan is the biggest province in southwestern China. With the region of Yunnan, it boasts of the biggest biodiversity in China including the famous giant panda. From the sacred mountain of Emeishan and the mythical city of Shangri-La to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, among the deepest in the world, you will discover one of the most authentic mountainous regions of Asia.  

History and Culture in China

During a motorcycle trip in China, you will explore on the oldest civilizations of the world. For centuries, China went from dynasty to dynasty and was united with the arrival to power of the Qin dynasty in the 3rd century BC. Then it was the great Han dynasty, which reigned till the 3rd century AD. During major expeditions to Korea or Mongolia, several highways were built, including the “Silk route”. From the 13th century onwards, the Chinese empire has to face the great Mongolian invasion under the leadership of Genghis Khan. It is the first time in its history that China was invaded and dominated by a foreign force. The Chinese Ming dynasty subsequently reinforced its frontiers with the construction of the present Great Wall. Thereafter, it was the Qing dynasty which ruled till the beginning of the 20th century. With the decline of the dynasties, the first Chinese Republic was proclaimed in 1911 by a revolutionary doctor. China’s history was then marked by the creation of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921. The Proclamation of People’s Republic of China in 1949 concretized Mao’s victory in the face of nationalist supporters and led to a unified China.