Spice Roads, a professional bike-adventure operator, will be your guide. Cyclists meet up in Kunming, fly to Lijiang then ride out along scenic roads to Tiger Leaping Gorge and the village of Shangri-La. They'll also get to huff and puff along the old Tibetan "Tea and Horses" route. The price of US$1,300 (Bt41,700) includes accommodation, meals, staff support and transportation in China. Call (02) 712 5305, or visit www.SpiceRoads.com.

Eight days on the Silk Road

Marco Polo was here in the 13th century, and you can retrace his footsteps through the Taklamakan Desert and other parts of the Silk Road. Wild China provides tours led by professional guides for eight days at a cost of $1990. Enjoy the Xinjiang Regional Museum, Kashgar marketplace and the Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves as well as experiencing an exotic camel ride, a desert dinner and an Uighur/Tajik dance.

Visit www.WildChina.com.

Experience Nepal at your feet

Organised by TrekkingThai.com, this is a chance to explore the best of Nepal, especially the cultural wonders of the Kathmandu Valley. Among

highlights is the hike up Poon Hill in western Nepal for a panoramic view of Mount Annapurna.

The trips are arranged from April to December. The price of Bt35,900 includes return flights on Orient Thai between Bangkok and Kathmandu, and all

transportation and accommodation in Nepal. Visit www.TrekkingThai.com.

Daily Xpress