4WD Overland
Hardy jeeps and experienced hands at the wheel to take in the area's remoter roads (broadly defined as!). The trails are designed to allow ample time to get out and wander around at will (some more than others), and in many ways this is rather the point. One of our strongest assets at HWT is the skill and personality of our main drivers (see The People at Haiwei Trails).

Trekking (go to Trekking Overview for full details)
Within immediate reach of us are some of the most untouched and diverse landscapes in China, geographically and culturally. Our trekking trails run the gamut from expedition trekking & camping to a gentler village-hopping home-staying sort. Our trekking guides are experienced, capable and fun to be around.

4WD Trek Combo
Er, just as it says... Sometimes combining the two can make for the perfectly balanced trip.

Charter a tailor-made trip anywhere in SW China & Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo or U-Tsang Tibet. Designing Our Trails Charter a tailor-made trip anywhere in SW China & Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo or U-Tsang Tibet.

While designing trails with specific aims such as the minority cultures of an area (004), festive events (009) or historical interest (001), as a rule we tend to opt for experience over entertainment. It's in our nature to push the envelope, and so in the imperfect art of balancing pace and interest, difficulty and comfort, the goal is to keep your curiosity tweaked while also keeping you enjoying the actuality of travelling. Ultimately, at the very least we hope that you leave with more understanding and a faster heartbeat (but lower blood pressure) than when you arrived.

Charter a tailor-made trip anywhere in SW China & Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo or U-Tsang Tibet. Trail Info Page Listing Charter a tailor-made trip anywhere in SW China & Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo or U-Tsang Tibet.
001

Missionaries, Minorities & Mekong
12 days / 4WD

The fertile plains of Lijiang, across the Yangtze watershed to the Mekong, to the snow peaks of Kawa Karpo - this trail is a trip through time as the changing human geography shows the interplay of the Naxi, Yi, Lisu & Tibetans, as well as some Catholic missionaries, over the last 800 years.
     
002 Yunnan Heights
14 days / Trek (Gr. 2)		 Intensive, 2-leg trekking on Yunnan’s 2 highest mountains . Starting in Lijiang, a 3½-day trek on the slopes of Jade Dragon Mtn, home-staying in Naxi and Yi villages. Then a 2-day jeep drive north to Kawa Karpo for 4½ days trekking & camping on slopes of 6746m Kawagebo.
     
003 The Dragon & The Mekong
14 days / Trek + 4WD		 A trail that moves through four different minority areas - Naxi, Lisu, Yi & Tibetan; follows both the Mekong and Yangtze rivers; and touches on Yunnan’s 3 big peaks - Jade Dragon (5596m) & Haba (5396m), standing either side of Tiger Leaping Gorge, and Kawagebo (Mt. Meili) in far NW (6746m).
     
003/5 The Dragon & The Mekong Ext.
19 days / Trek + 4WD
 By adding a 5-day trek extension on the slopes of Mt Kawagebo, this one combines the trails of 002 and 003 to come up with a comprehensive and multi-faceted sweep of NW Yunnan, its landscapes and minorities, with a full 10 days of it on foot.
     
004 Naxi, Yi, Mosuo & the Trek to Lugu
14 days / Trek (Gr. 2)		 Takes in a broad sweep of the Naxi, Yi and Mosuo minorities of NW Yunnan. Baoshan Stone village, set above the Yangtze, is the jumping off point for this 7-day trek (see ext. if 7 days not enough for you!) to high altitude Lugu Lake. The focus is on the peoples of the area, homestaying in villages.
     
004/6 Naxi, Yi, Mosuo & the Trek to Lugu Ext.
20 days / Trek (Gr. 2)		 This pre-extension onto 004 makes for a lengthy 20-day trip, taking in a broad sweep of the Naxi, Yi and Mosuo minorities of NW Yunnan; 3½ days' trekking around Jade Dragon Mountain, staying at Naxi and Yi villages, then a 1/2-day’s drive along Tiger Leaping Gorge to Baoshan Stone village.
     
005 Gods & Mountains: Yading from the East
13 days / Trek (Gr. 3) 		Yading National Park - one of the true wilderness areas left in Kham Tibet, with 3 ~6000m sacred peaks and remote natural beauty. Begins with a high altitude horse trek from Lugu Lake so to avoid the crowds, eventually hooking up with the pilgrim’s path around one of Yading’s sacred peaks.
     
005_4 Gods & Mountains: Yading from the East Ext.
17 days / Trek + 4WD

A 4-day extension to 005 that replaces the straight shot return to Kunming with a 7-day overland trail which heads north onto the Tibetan plateau and then west to Chengdu in central Sichuan, providing a nice geographical and cultural context to place the main body of the trip into.

     
006 Gods & Mountains: Yading from the South
13 days / Trek (Gr. 3)		 Focus still on Yading, but going deeper and climbing higher. Starting near Zhongdian, climbing fast for 9-day trek north, crossing some 4500m+ passes into the 3-peak sanctuary of Yading. For experienced trekkers only, it is one of the most dramatic and beautiful treks of the area.
     
006/4 Gods & Mountains: Yading from the South
17 days / Trek + 4WD		 A 4-day post-extension to 006, replacing the straight shot return to Kunming with a 7-day jeep overland trail, north across the Tibetan plateau and then west to Chengdu. After the time spent in the deep wilds of Kham Tibet, this road trip provides a nice geographical and cultural context.
     
007 4 Rivers, 6 Ranges: Kham Tibet Odyssey
14 days / 4WD		 A deep foray into the little explored reaches of Kham Tibet’s high mountains & deep valleys, taking in remote monasteries and richly populated valleys, before dropping down off the plateau for a final R&R in Lijiang old town. The option of camping under those big skies is the icing on the cake.
     
007/4

4 Rivers, 6 Ranges: Kham Tibet Odyssey Ext.
18 days / 4WD

 This extension to 007 transforms the deep exploration of Kham Tibet into a massive 3000+km sweep of Kham Tibet + SW China by cutting across the Hengduan Range into the Naxi, Yi, Lisu and Bai populated valleys and gorges of the Mekong and Yangtze. A peerless route for sheer diversity.
     
008 4 Rivers, 6 Ranges: Riding the Frontier
14 days / 4WD		 This trail heads along some of the most remote, difficult but beautiful roads in Kham Tibet; a high adventure trail with big rewards for the hardy, passing through what many consider the religious and cultural heartland of Tibet. Again, camping would be a rewarding option on this trail.
     
009 Four Rivers, Six Ranges: The Horse Festivals
14 days / 4WD		 Summer fun begins… camping, dancing and frolicking amidst a large number of dressed-to-the-nines Tibetans, as well as a fair amount of ‘gompa stomping’ in between! For once, rather than travelling all over Tibet, you can let Tibet come to you.
     
009/8 Four Rivers, Six Ranges: The Horse Festivals Ext.
22 days / Trek + 4WD		 A pre-extension to 009, this is a kora of 8 days around Amnye Machen (Magyel Pomra), considered sacred by Tibetan Buddhists, Bön followers and Golok nomads alike. If you've the time, this kora is a great way to get close to the country and culture of this region.
     
010 Road to Lhasa
12 days / 4WD		 While it's now possible to fly into Lhasa, it cannot compare to the feeling of arriving Lhasa after a classic overland journey. It's also ideally suited to the bare-bones ‘free-wheeling’ experience, while in the capable hands of one of our excellent drivers, well-versed in catering to their passengers.
     
011 Kham, U-Tsang & Amdo - The 3 Nations of Tibet
25 days / 4WD		 THE trip! Accompanied by a guide and personal cook, this is a comprehensive exploration on the 'roof of the world' of some of eastern and central Tibet’s landscapes and monasteries, covering over 3000 km through Kham and U-Tsang territory to Lhasa, before heading NE to Amdo.

Below is a listing of all our trails, along with a brief description. Click on the trail name (in yellow) to go to the corresponding trek page (which has detailed itinerary, pricing Information, maps, links to similar routes, etc.):

Travel China and Tibet - an overview of 4WD and trekking trails throughout SW China and Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo and U-Tsang Tibet.

lf you have any questions or would like further information - please get in touch.

Travel China and Tibet - an overview of 4WD and trekking trails throughout SW China and Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo and U-Tsang Tibet.

While a few of our trips run on scheduled dates, the vast majority run as private group charters (guided or bare-bones). Note that If you'd like to open up a booking list to get additional folks along on your trip, let us know and we'll tell you how.

With guided trips, you're accompanied by one of our crew who will help you to access the area around you. Guided trips also tend to include all in-country transport and accommodation costs, as well as entrance fees. All food while trekking is included, as are breakfasts & snacks whilst on the road. Other meals can be included but often aren't, as this tends to discourage a certain level of engagement. Naturally we usually eat together, and help with ordering is always available – but we’ve found that if we all have to chip in, then we all tend to take part in the process of getting to know the food, and consequently the level of enjoyment is ratcheted up a notch or two.

A bare-bones trip means it's just you, the driver (who can and does act as a de facto guide), and a dense, information-filled itinerary of where you're going, enabling you to have a considerable amount of independence.

Charter a tailor-made trip anywhere in SW China & Tibet, including Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Kham, Amdo or U-Tsang Tibet. Scheduled? Chartered? Guided? Bare-Bones?