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Cycling Across China on the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan - Ep
Cycling across China - Ep. 9
In this travel vlog I am sharing my experience cycling on remote roads on the Tibetan Plateau in Sichua, China. After leaving the 'City in the Sky', Litang, I climb over more passes above 4500m, and offer an insight into the harsh life for the local Tibetans on the roof...
Cycling across China - Ep. 9 unfolds on remote roads on the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan, China. After leaving the City in the Sky, Litang, I climb over more passes above 4500m, and offer an insight into the harsh life for the local Tibetans on the roof of the world. This travel vlog captures the expedition feel, the quiet miles on bikepacking routes, and the enduring spirit of pedaling through a high-altitude landscape.
Max Roving’s Cycling across China is full of surprises takes viewers along the remote, high-altitude roads of the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan. In Episode 9, he departs from Litang, a town known as the City in the Sky, and pushes onward over passes that rise above 4500 meters. The journey paints a vivid portrait of life on the roof of the world, offering a raw glimpse into the daily realities of local Tibetans amid breathtaking but challenging landscapes. The vlog blends cycling with expedition spirit, hitchhiking moments, and the solitary pace of bikepacking, turning a rugged route into a compelling travel documentary full of off-the-beaten-path scenery and personal discovery. Through hairpin climbs, thin air, and sweeping high-mland vistas, Max reveals both the thrill of exploration and the grit required to keep pedaling on remote roads in China. This episode balances endurance with cultural insight, inviting viewers to sense the altitude, the isolation, and the resilient heartbeat of伝
Cycling across China - Ep. 9 unfolds on remote roads on the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan, China. After leaving the City in the Sky, Litang, I climb over more passes above 4500m, and offer an insight into the harsh life for the local Tibetans on the roof of the world. This travel vlog captures the expedition feel, the quiet miles on bikepacking routes, and the enduring spirit of pedaling through a high-altitude landscape.
Max opens by locating himself in Liang, a city perched at 4000 meters on the Tibetan plateau, and outlines a route toward Gaksu while noting the season’s uncertainty. He faces a brutal climb up to 4600 meters, followed by hail, wind, and changing skies that flip from sun to snow in hours. The road alternates between smooth asphalt and unpaved stretches, sometimes forcing him to push when surfaces get too rocky. He reflects on the nomadic life and the scale of Tibetan settlements dotting the landscape, and he deliberately avoids the busy G318 to seek quieter, more remote routes. A notable moment comes when he pushes through a long, narrow tunnel-like path that hugs the mountain face, and later he follows the Yalong River downstream. After camping near a shelter amid worsening weather, he secures a low-cost room in Gangpa for a hot shower and rest, then continues the plan toward Changdu, adjusting for coming cold nights. The episode ends with noodles for dinner under a roof of rain and wind, as Max signs off for the next leg toward Changdu.
Max Roving’s Cycling across China episode on the Tibetan Plateau blends high altitude hardship with breathtaking scenery. Beginning in Liang, one of the country’s highest cities at four thousand meters, he sets a bold course toward Gaksu, chasing Buddhist Tibetan culture and remote, traffic-free roads. The ride is punctuated by dramatic weather swings, from blue skies to sudden hail and biting headwinds, making every climb feel like a battle against elements as much as terrain. The journey unfolds on largely unpaved or lightly trafficked routes that wind along the plateau’s edge, with long tunnels and landslide-prone stretches adding to the sense of isolation. He occasionally contends with road closures and off-road detours, sometimes pushing when the surface becomes too rocky, and he muses on the hard life of nomads and the resilience of Tibetan settlements perched on mountain faces. The narrative slows to savor villages, rivers like the Yalong, and the quiet grandeur of the landscape
Max Roving pedals across the Tibetan Plateau, starting in Liang and heading toward Gaksu. He confronts unpredictable weather, high passes, occasional hail, and長
Cycling on the Roof of the World: Remote Roads on the Tibetan Plateau
0:50 Start early to catch cooler temperatures and avoid afternoon storms on high passes (high-altitude rides demand planning for sudden weather).
2:40 Be prepared for mixed surfaces; carry a lightweight, sturdy bike and basic repair gear for rocky, unpaved segments.
7:30 When skies look threatening, seek shelter and consider lighter packing for quick setup at campsites.
0:50 Start early to catch cooler temperatures and avoid afternoon storms on high passes (high-altitude rides demand planning for sudden weather).
2:40 Be prepared for mixed surfaces; carry a lightweight, sturdy bike and basic repair gear for rocky, unpaved segments.
7:30 When skies look threatening, seek shelter and consider lighter packing for quick setup at campsites.
0:01 Intro and setting the route
0:40 First climb begins
2:12 Weather turns, hail arrives
4:28 Unpaved stretch begins
6:40 High point reached, 4600m
9:02 Downhill into valley
10:16 Arrival at Gangpa hotel
0:01 Intro and setting the route
0:40 First climb begins
2:12 Weather turns, hail arrives
4:28 Unpaved stretch begins
6:40 High point reached, 4600m
9:02 Downhill into valley
10:16 Arrival at Gangpa hotel
travel vlogadventure traveltravel videosenderismooff-the-beaten-path travelexpeditionhitchhikingsolo travelbackpackingviajar a Chinachina tourismchina solo travelchine bikepackingbikepackingbike touringbicycle touringcyclingbikepacking vlogcycling around the worldcycling chinatravel documentaryTíbettibetan plateautibet travelWhat’s the terrain like on the route?
Mostly high-altitude mountain roads with a mix of smooth asphalt and unpaved sections, plus long tunnels and occasional landslides; expect frequent weather changes.
