China - Guilin and Guangxi - Cycling Holiday

Experience of a lifetime!

There is simply no better way to explore a new country than to cycle, having the opportunity to visit such a culturally diverse country such as China on such a well organised trip is an experience of a lifetime. All accommodation was clean and as expected, the accommodation improved as the trip went on which is definitely the way to do it. Visiting rural China accommodation will always be different to that previously experienced by westerners. This is rural China, food is a big part of the trip and a huge change in culture. I found the whole trip to be excellent, enough balance of distance spread across the days to suit a mixed group, great scenery and backdrops. I would not change this trip. The leader on this instance made the trip, his knowledge of the area was second to none and management and integration with the group was the best I have experienced. His support team were also excellent and the trip felt as though we were all one group, excellent service throughout.

Mark, Tyne and Wear

I look forward to many more holidays with Skedaddle!

Fantastic as always! This was my 8th trip with Skedaddle and I’m about to book my 9th. The guides were fantastic, the food was amazing and the cycling and hiking were great. As always very professional and friendly. To sum it up I had an amazing time with a fantastic group of people. Couldn’t have asked for any more. Keep up the great work that happens behind the scenes as I look forward to many more holidays with Skedaddle. Thank you.

Caroline, Northants

The whole thing was nothing short of magical!

Within an hour of the adventure starting I realised that my 25-35 mile training runs along the canal banks of north west England didn’t cut the mustard for cycling in the mountains of south west China. As I trudged up the hill with the rest of the party disappearing and the ever-patient – he needed to be – Scott chaperoning the old timer, who was giving the rest of the party at least 15 years I questioned the wisdom of taking on such a challenge at 73. But the whole thing was nothing short of magical. Great country, great company and a great organisation from start to finish. FANTASTIC! Every day had much to commend it and the choice of a rest day at Pingan and then the final day and half in Yangshou were just perfect.

Trevor, Merseyside

Brilliant holiday!

Thank you Skedaddle for a brilliant holiday. It was great to travel round such a beautiful area of China and experience the area by bike, on foot, via rivers and relax at the end of the day in a couple of fresh springs. The guides were all excellent and nothing was too much bother. Snow in particular was great, very well organised and knowledgeable. The mixture of rural and urban areas was great so we got to experience mostly the rural areas but also to have a taste of the city life.

Good mixture of modern & traditional hotels, inns and homestays. Overall the accommodation was much better than expected. Food was delicious, all very fresh. Great that Snow was able to choose a varied selection for us each day so we got to taste a wide variety of local and seasonal meals.

Anne, Warwickshire

A privilege and a delight.

The alchemy of superb food, organisation, planning and most importantly, our enthusiastic, supportive and warm hearted team, (for whom nothing was too much trouble) made this wonderful trip both a privilege and a delight.

In China, particularly at a point in its history when change is so rapid, I think we were very fortunate to see rural landscapes and hardworking Chinese farming and going about their daily lives much as they have been for centuries. The routes and the rides were a really good mix and not without some hilly, muddy or otherwise technical interest and there was plenty of opportunity to meet and greet people as and when we stopped in colourful markets and villages.

Our brilliant team, made us laugh, kept our bikes in good condition, followed at a discreet distance, transported us and our luggage with unfailing good humour and provided us with prompt picnics in great spots. We also ate in well chosen roadside village cafes. Noodles and noodles!One of the most striking things was that everywhere we went a personal connection had already been made so that accommodation was reliable and the banquets just got better and better.

In short, Skedaddle are ‘people people’ with cycling an equal first priority. For me this meant I could confidently relax, enjoy the rides and make friends.

Jenny, UK

It just got better and better...

We had high expectations for this holiday, yet found that each day succeeded in surpassing anything we had anticipated. It just got better and better day after day. So much variety of activity and experiences which the trip notes couldn’t adequately convey!

We were pleased with the help offered by the office team for the additional requests which we made in connection with extending our trip. It is good to phone the Newcastle office, say my name, and have someone instantly know which trip I am booked on without having to quote a reference number, and to remember know that we have travelled with you in the past. It feels like a really personal service.

Teresa, Somerset

Undoubtedly, one of the best trips I have been on

Very friendly and helpful staff. I loved the rural hotels and guest houses and was amazed at the amount of research that must have been needed to find these in locations which were often almost hidden away. I’m not a huge fan of British Chinese cooking but this was in a different league and was both fresh and healthy.

Some fabulous views from the top of the passes of the iconic Karst mountains and wonderful trails in the country with hardly another cyclist in sight. The accommodation was really good throughout and way of the beaten tourist track providing us with a real insiders view of rural southern China. Extremely helpful pre-holiday information with relevant support.

Good value for money – especially since so many meals were included in the package price. I have been on many cycling trips abroad with companies such as Explore & Exodus with whom I have a loyalty discount but the Skedaddle experience has yet to be beaten!

Mark, Edinburgh

Any queries were promptly dealt with!

This was our first Skedaddle holiday, in China. The trip notes described the holiday perfectly. Any queries were promptly dealt with. Plenty of reminders regarding visa applications etc. East to contact if needed. Excellent trip notes and supporting information.

Ruth, Cheshire

Super helpful team!

The team were super helpful and looked after our bikes very well – they were continually checked and cleaned and any adjustments requested where done with a smile. Hard to choose a favourite day – each day was varied and enjoyed the cycling, rafting and hiking.

Nicolette, London

Brilliant!

The team are fantastic and strike a good balance between making sure everyone is having a great time and not fussing over us. They are Brilliant and as far as I’m concerned, it’s impossible for them to raise their game any further. Saying goodbye to them was like leaving old friends.

Bernard, Hampshire

Truly wonderful!

To be perfectly honest, every day was truly wonderful. It is hard to single one out on its own. However, at a push, I’d choose Day 5 with the long climb up to the rice terraces.

Generally speaking, the accommodation was really very good. The only reason I didn’t mark it as excellent is because a couple of the places were not quite up to the usual Saddle Skedaddle standards, however we realise that this is because of the choice of accommodation on offer in those specific locations. The hotel/guest houses in question were situated in wonderfully scenic locations and so were very contented to prioritise location over comfort.

Paul, Scotland

Truly excellent!

Having independently cycled in this region some 13 years before, I thought I knew roughly what to expect. However, I was amazed at how much more there was to see. The Skedaddle tour took us to some of the most amazing scenery I have ever seen. The rice terraces and karst mountains are astounding, not to mention the heavenly smell of the Guey Whah (Ozimanthus) blossom, which is wonderfully pervasive at this time of year. I would strongly recommend anyone to go and experience this region before it becomes overly engulfed by tourism. I have noticed a huge increase in tourist facilities for the Chinese population since my last visit 13 years ago, which I am sure will continue to develop at a pace.

On the whole the accommodation was excellent. There were a couple of places which were perhaps not quite on the same level as most, however, these properties were located in some of the most outstanding areas of beauty and their slight shortcomings were vastly outweighed by their beautiful location.

All of the food was excellent. The food was locally grown and freshly cooked. Perfect for keeping our strength up on our days of cycling.

Paul, Scotland

Every day just kept getting better than the day before!

The guide was really informative, not just about the trip but about Chinese life and culture. We were always informed of what to expect each day of the trip, made to feel comfortable to travel at our pace and be able to stop and take photos at random, plus he was a fun and gregarious leader! The support staff of – Sam, Li and Pompom were all brilliant and friendly, and would out of their way to help you at any time. Our water bottles were constantly filled, our bikes maintained beautifully plus they were lovely companions to have on the trip we even had morning and afternoon tea every day whilst cycling with a wonderful selection of GOOD tea and coffee, biscuits, nuts, fruit and the very welcome Snickers!

Gina, Australia

The lovely Snow, Queen of the Saddle

Over the years we have been on several guided trips with various companies and organisations and we both have to say that Snow (our guide) really has been the best! Bright, sparky, confident, informative, cheerfully, patient and always willing to go that extra mile but that was mainly due to me getting lost and Snow having to come and find me! Nothing was too much trouble for her. Favourite day: tricky one this as every day was so varied but probably cycling up to the Longi rice fields. The weather was perfect, the ride varied, the views spectacular and the village and hotel location breathtaking.

Tim, Yorkshire

A totally brilliant holiday!

I found every day really different and totally enjoyable so not easy to have a favourite one! This was a totally brilliant holiday. Really well organised with our guide and her support crew being fantastic in making sure we had everything we needed. The route was varied and every day brought something new. Having enjoyed Chile and Argentina so much 2 years ago I was hoping not to be disappointed and I certainly wasn’t. Great trip and will certainly recommend to my friends.

Helen,Norfolk

In short – truly amazing!

Scott and the support team are great. They cleaned the bikes each night and serviced where necessary. They also supplied lots of regular picnic stops to help break up the journey and provide energy for the next stage!

It is the whole experience that marks this out as being outstanding. You travel from rural areas (where the locals will want to photography you as being exotic!) to ways more travelled. The views, the people, the food, all what is going on, and the whole experience are all incredible – too much to put into a few short words. Even the walk to the Buddhist Temple in the Bajiaozhai National Park was worth the holiday on its own!

So. China? Go! Probably the best cycling holiday we have done!

Innes, UK

A memorable holiday!

A memorable holiday, well organised, all guides were very attentive without being intrusive. Eating lunch in the home of the family in the remote village above Pingan on our ‘rest’ day was wonderful. Seeing the vegetables picked, the food cooked on the fire in the middle of the floor by the family and very ably assisted by Tang and Mr Lii.

Doug, Scotland

I am already looking for our next Skedaddle adventure!

The staff at Skedaddle do a great job and were able to help with most enquiries very promptly. The notes were a good representation of what to expect and how to prepare. Two vehicles provided support and the drivers provided the support both in bike maintenance and at food stops. The two members of the backup ensured we were well fueled and watered and we were all very grateful for their presence.

I think the holiday experience was great and the fact that the accommodation was basic added to the overall experience. The holiday for me apart from some reservations about the food was as good as I had been anticipating if not better, I am already looking for our next Skedaddle adventure. I’m keeping an eye on the availability of adventures in Costa Rica, Chile and Japan, though I have not ruled out Kerala or Vietnam.

Graham, Yorkshire

Off the beaten path!

It really was a great holiday – not just the cycling, but the cultural aspects. It was really exciting to explore areas that are off the beaten path. Favourite day? Hmm, that’s hard to say. In terms of scenery, probably the second-to-last day of riding, where we took rafts on the river and hiked up to the viewpoint high above the Li River. In terms of the actual riding, I liked some of the earlier, hillier days better and I also liked that the first part of the trip was in less-touristy areas. Scott (the guide) was really good – full of enthusiasm and humor, and also well-organized. Tang was great – always full of energy and enthusiasm! And it was really interesting to hear from him about the farming – I think we’ll all remember his explanation about “gentleman rice” and “lady rice“.

Kent, USA

No issues what so ever!

The advice we had before the trip was reassuring, especially the assistance with the visa for China and the flights. Our guide was excellent there were no issues what so ever. The cycling was tough at times (for me – several climbs) but having a keen cycling guide at the front and another at the back with support from the vans all level of cyclist felt they could cycle at a pace that suited them. The flight options and prices were all provided and of great help.

David, Berkshire