10 years after The Lyon-Canton 2018, The Sun Trip (6th edition) will once again follow this legendary route between France and China, along the new Silk Roads!”
‘Let’s make the world great again’ will be the motto of this incredible route, which has been imagined in light of current geopolitical challenges in order to ultimately offer an extraordinary adventure terrain — from the mountains of the Balkans to the high Tibetan plateau, passing through the Ishak Pasha Palace in Turkey, the Kazakh steppes, and the wonders of Samarkand!
This route (which may still evolve) is clearly the most adventurous ever proposed by the Sun Trip, and we can say it loud and clear: it will be the greatest overland adventure in the world!
A major change compared to 2018, due to the war, is that crossing Russia will not be part of the 2028 edition. All adventurers will follow the legendary Silk Roads by crossing Turkey in its entirety, all the way to the magnificent Ishak Pasha Palace, before passing through Georgia and Azerbaijan, and taking the ferry from Aktau to Kazakhstan across the Caspian Sea. This route was taken by a few participants in 2018. We are aware that this maritime connection comes with uncertainties, so a rule will be established with the adventurers to integrate this unpredictability into the race regulations.
We couldn’t resist sharing this video of the latest imagined checkpoint: the Zhuqing Temple (竹庆寺), located in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garzê (Sichuan Province). Perched at an altitude of 3,800 meters, adventurers will need to cross the Tibetan plateaus to reach it, including a pass at 4,600 meters!
Pre registration
We wish to announce this adventure for 2028 very early, and at the same time open pre-registration. However, the selection of participants will begin by the summer of 2026 and continue until the summer of 2027.
The goal is to have a group of 40 participants at the start, coming from all over the world, with a selection criterion based on long-distance travel experience and the ability to regularly cover more than 200 km per day. This performance requirement may be demonstrated through participation in other Sun Trip editions or through proof of individual solar-bike journeys.
The technical regulations for the 2028 edition will be presented in early 2026, with the intention that they follow the continuity of those used for The Sun Trip 2024. For reference, please read this document.
The registration fees will be specified in early 2026, with the idea of an individual registration fee of around 1,000–1,500 euros and a corporate registration option (to be invited by a company).
The return of the bikes should be carried out by sea, as the train used in 2018 is no longer operating due to the war in Russia.
If you are interested in taking part in the great adventure of The Sun Trip 2028 Lyon–Guangzhou, please register using this pre-registration form.
This registration is non-binding, but it will allow you to receive all the information at the best possible time and will serve as proof of the precedence of your motivation should we need to make a selection in the event of too many applicants.
The alternative project: Guangzhou–Istanbul–Lyon 2027/2028!
This is the other major early announcement of the moment: we will be offering an alternative adventure, with no competitive aspect whatsoever — a journey in major stages, over two years, starting from Guangzhou and heading towards Europe, notably Istanbul. On this project, daily distances will be lower and team spirit will prevail. It will also be possible to join only part of the route.
For 2027, the planned route will be Guangzhou–Xi’an–Samarkand. Dates are not yet known, but the idea is that the bikes will be stored in Uzbekistan during the winter break.
For 2028, the route will be Samarkand–Istanbul (followed by a sea transfer to finish in Lyon). The departure date from Samarkand will be aligned with the passage of the first adventurers from the Lyon–Guangzhou route.
If you are interested, please register on the same 2028 form by ticking the box in question 7: here.
The Sun Trip Pioneers Lyon-Canton, en 2018
While we wait for our official communications to be released, we can’t resist re-sharing the trailer of The Sun Trip 2020, which was cancelled at the last minute due to the global COVID outbreak. Nothing has changed in the spirit of the project or in our desire to reveal the beauty of the world — solar style!
The Sun Trip 2018 full movie : here
