Challenge and Adventure
from US$3095
Tour Overview
Our 13 days trip is no doubt the best choice for people who love to take up challenges and passionate for adventures.The 3275 meters highest mountain trek in East Asia is definitely making this tour different and worth challenging.
First, we will take a train from Taipei to Luodong for the classic climb through mighty Northern Cross highway, viewing the scenic cypress forests in the mountains.
Our second day of riding is to head toward the north-south central mountain range road, then challenge the central mountain ranges to reach the highest mountain road in East Asia, which is also known as Taiwan’s most challenging trek.
Continue cycle along the West Pacific to one of the most famous hot springs called An Tong where you can enjoy it and refresh yourself. We will then go through the long narrow East Rift valley that lies between the Central mountain and coast mountain ranges, which is the most famous rice paddies in Taiwan, and you will experience making Tofu in a traditional way there.
We will reach the famous beach resort Kenting National Park after a long ride along the east coast, with the spectacular Pacific Ocean view on your left-hand side. The tour will end in Kaohsiung and you can take the high speed rail to the airport (optional).
Difficulty
★★★★★
Suitable for
Age 18 above with regular cycling or training
Avg. Daily Mileage
77.7 Km
48.3 Miles
Total Mileage
776.8 Km
482.7Miles
Tour Duration
13 days
Max. Altitude
3275m
10,745 Feet
NOTE: You will always be followed by a support vehicle providing snacks, fruits, drinks and emergency first aid service while cycling.
Highlight
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UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage: Daoist Baoan Temple
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Wuling: East Asia's highest road (3275m/10,745 feet).
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One of the most unique marble gorge in the world: Taroko National Park
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Famous hot spring Chalet: An Tong Hot Spring
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Making Tofu by yourself in a traditional way at a Hakka agriculture village.
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Endemic species: Formosan Macaque
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Kenting National Park: Sandy beach and coral sea cliff
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Unique wind blows sands in the most southern peninsula
Itinerary
Day 1
Flight to Taipei
Our friendly guide will meet you at Taoyuan International Airport and transfer you to check-in the hotel (optional).
Lunch: On your own Dinner: On your own
Day2
B：Hotel buffet / L：Free on your own / D：Local cuisine (A welcome event)
Taipei Sightseeing with Metro and Bike
Today is a day of touring in Taipei. We are going to go around Taipei with the clean, fast and highly convenient Metro.
Attractions include:
Designed in 1910 by Japanese architects during their colonial period in Taiwan through the first half of the 20th century its eclectic style blends traditional European architectural elements, including Renaissance, Baroque and neo-Classical.
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The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall
This impressive building is based upon monumental Chinese architectural design.
Awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage in 2003, the grand and stately Baoan Temple is famous for its elaborate decoration and Daoist architecture.
The most important repository of Chinese arts in the world.
Hotel: Cilan Resort（http://makauy.lealeahotel.com/about/）
B：Hotel buffet / L：Traditional local cuisine / D：Taiwanese cuisine
Taipei-Luodong station-Cilan
After breakfast, we will take an hour train ride from Nangang Train Station to the central mountain range, where we begin the main bike trip.
Our First day of riding will be a classic climb in the mountains, which brings the magnificent views. As we cycle along the Lishan branch line of the Northern Cross-Island Highway, we will pass the mighty Mt. Cilan, which is a large forest area with stunning tomography and ecology.
Day3
Day4
Cilan - Lishan
Today we start with heading toward the north-south central mountain range road. Peculiar vegetation can be found along the range; also we can perceive this range representing the island’s bulk with numerous lines of peaks running side by side. After a series of challenging climbs, we will reach the highest point of this branch, Arthur's pass (2000m).
During Spring, there are cherry blossoms along the road from Cilan to Lishan. In autumn, tree leaves will turn into orange colour, giving the mountain a unique view.
B：Hotel Buffet / L：Local light Lunch / D：Local dish
Day5
B：Hotel buffet / L：Buffet on the top / D：Taiwanese cuisine
Hotel： Liiko Hotels (http://www.liikohotels.com.tw/)
Day6
Xincheng(Hualien)-Jici-An Tong Hot Spring
The day begins with cycling all along East Coast Highway 11.
The east coast road stretches south along a long, narrow band situated between the steep Pacific ridge and the ocean. The geology is unique with the broken ridges, steep cliffs, and meandering coastline. As we enjoy the sea breezes, we will continue to cycle south and pause at the Jici Overlook Platform, the best place to take in the famous and breathtaking view of the Pacific Bay.
We then resume riding on past the Siouguluan River and fishing village, famous for locally caught seafood. After lunch, we continue along the Jade road up through a 2660m/1.55 mile tunnel (450m/1445 feet high) over the Coastal Mountain range, which has a distinctive bowed shape, making it perhaps the most instantly recognisable range in all of Taiwan.
A steep climb brings us to An Tong Hot Springs. This alkaline spring is clear, with a distinctive hydrogen sulphide odour as the water emerges at 66 degrees Celsius. Make sure you try the hot spring and let nature ease away the aches and pains from the day long ride.
B：Hotel buffet / L：Local restaurant / D：Traditional Taiwanese cuisine
Day 7
An Tong-Fuli-Wulu-Chihshang
Today we will cycle along the East Rift Valley that lies between the Central Mountain Range and the Coastal Mountain Range. This long and narrow valley is home to some beautiful countryside such as tea farms, waterfalls, and green rice fields.
We will visit a Hakka village, a traditional farm, where people still make tofu in the traditional way. They use natural ingredients found in the mountains such as the water from the volcano. This place is run by pleasant people from whom you can learn about the tofu production. You’ll also have the opportunity to make it yourself.
Afterwards, we will pedal along a countryside road and later rest at Da-Po Pond, which is the largest lake in Taitung Province, with fine views of the East Rift Valley. The abundance of water chestnuts, water bamboo, lotus, reeds and water willows at the lake attracts more than ten different types of birds to visit all year round.
Our ride continues towards the west on Provincial Highway 20, with a challenging climb the Southern Cross-Island Highway. (Optional)
B：Hotel Buffet / L：Famous traditional Hakka meal / D：Famous local cuisine
Day 8
Chihshang-Coastal Mountains-Donghe-Taitung
We will follow country bike paths through bountiful rice fields of Golden Rape today (if in season). We continue to travel through the East Rift Valley to a typical country village where we may have the opportunity to see how farmers plant rice or harvest crops. The landscapes shaded by rice terraces offer unique local views.
We resume our ride through highway 23, which starts from the East Rift Valley and cuts through the Coastal Mountain Range. It is a particularly peaceful rural road, which is home to the Formosan Macaques.
Natural wonders and wild sceneries abound here, giving proof to the old saying that this scenic view makes for the most rewarding alpine passes in Taiwan – surely worthy of the challenging ride.
B：Hotel buffet / L：Traditional Taiwanese Lunch Box / D：Local cuisine
Taitung-Jinlun-Shouka-Mudan-Sihchongsi-Checheng
Today we will cycle along Southern Highway 9, and visit Jinlun St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, which was inspired by the aboriginal Paiwan culture and by Catholic missionaries. Inside, you will see cultural artefacts and pictures that result from this unique blending of the aboriginal culture and western religion.
After lunch, we will follow the direction of the sunshine along the coast with views of the Pacific Ocean and ride through the scenic east-west mountains cross road.
B：Hotel buffet / L：Local seafood restaurant / D: Hotel restaurant or Local restaurant
Lishan- Wuling-Tiansiang-Xincheng(Hualien)
Today we will challenge the magnificent mountain ridge. It is a rugged, saw-tooth serpentine slice of sky-piercing rocky mountain. We will, later on, reach Wuling, where features the East Asia’s highest road and tremendous views. It is known as Taiwan’s most challenging trek (King Of Mountain).
We keep riding along Provincial Highway 8 and into Taroko National Park which features sheer gorges. It is unique for its marble gorge with walls rising hundreds of meters high. No other places in the world have such spectacular and dramatic marble cliffs, deep canyons and wild waterfalls as Taroko Gorge. We descend Taroko Gorge to Xincheng from Tiansiang.
Day10
Checheng-Hengchun – Jialeshuei-Eluanbi-Kenting
Today we will head along the eastern side of Hengchun Peninsula to a place called
Fongchueisha, which means “the wind blows sand.” When it rains, sand is washed
down onto the seashore. When the wind blows, which it does quite often, the sand
is propelled back inland and upward, forming sand dunes.
Afterwards, we will ride along Road 26, via Banana Bay, to Eluanbi, the very
southernmost point of Taiwan. This grass-covered promontory is fringed by slumping
cliffs, where situated a picturesque heritage-site lighthouse. There is no scheduled
itinerary in the afternoon. This allows you to spend the afternoon leisurely exploring or
getting around Eluanbi.
B：Hotel buffet / L：Local restaurant / D: Hotel Restaurant
Kenting
The Kenting area features two prominent peninsulas on its south side. Today, we will ride through both of the peninsulas and visit the Southernmost Point. Gaze southward from the Point, you will be looking at the Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan from the Philippines.
Kenting is well known for the beach resort with clear and azure sea water. You will
have the entire afternoon doing water activities such as surfing and swimming,
sunbathing or just strolling along the beach.
B：Hotel buffet / L：Free on your own / D：Free on your own
Kenting-Fangliao-Kaohsiung City
Today we cycle along the west edge of the southern Peninsula to view Taiwan Straits. We will pass numerous plantations growing pineapples, bananas, mangos, papayas.
Next, we will visit the Fangliao Arts Village, an out-of-commission former train station located
along the lane of terraced houses. Now it turned into an arts village by a few art enthusiasts
and have gradually become decorated and attractive.
We will, later on, take an hour and a half train from Fangliao to Kaohsiung City, where we are going to explore the local Night market and the fascinating Formosa Metro Station.
B：Hotel buffet / L：Local dish at art village / D: Taiwanese cuisine
Day 9
Day11
Total distance：35.9KM/21.4Miles
Total Climb：723M/2372Feet
Difficulty Level：★
Total distance：128.8 KM/ 80 Miles
Total Climb：6426M/21082Feet
Difficulty Level：★★★★★
Total distance：133.5 KM/83 Miles
Total Climb：2553 M/8376 Feet
Difficulty Level：★★
Total distance：58.4 KM/36.3 Miles
Total Climb：893 M/2930 Feet
Difficulty Level：★★
Total distance：90 KM/55.92 Miles
Total Climb：1021 M/3350 Feet
Difficulty Level：★★
Total distance：115.4 KM/71.7 Miles
Total Climb：1919 M/6296 Feet
Difficulty Level：★★
Total distance：55.4 KM/34.42 Miles
Total Climb：383 M/1257 Feet
Difficulty Level：★
Total distance：41.4 KM/25.7Miles
Total Climb：468M/ 1535Feet
Difficulty Level：★
Day13
Day12
Total distance：72.7KM/43 Miles
Total Climb：：2808M/ 9212Feet
Difficulty Level：★★★★
Total distance：63.5KM/ 40Miles
Total Climb：287 M/942 Feet
Difficulty Level：★
Kaohsiung city - International Airport Departure
(Optional) We will transfer to Zuoying to take HSR (High-Speed Rail) train (Ticket excluded) to Taoyuan to connect shuttle bus to the international airport when we reach the end of our Taiwan cycling adventure.
At this point, we hope that as we bid you farewell, you have come to think of the cycling tour in Taiwan as an unforgettable and pleasant experience.
Transfer to airport to take a flight for your journey home. Bon Voyage!
B：Hotel Buffet / L：Free on your own / D: Free on your own