Lan Huiyun and his students pose for a photo after arriving at Qinghai Lake in Qinghai province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

After cycling 2,000 kilometers in 18 days, Lan Huiyun and his 13 students finally reached their destination – Qinghai Lake in Qinghai province – on June 26 and finished their ride around the lake on Wednesday.

Lan, 35, a geography teacher from No 1 Middle School in the Shuocheng district of Shuozhou, Shanxi province, started out with his students on June 12, several days after they finished the gaokao, the national college entrance examination.

They set off from their campus and passed through the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi, the Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions and Gansu province before arriving at Qinghai.

Teacher Lan Huiyun and his students cycle from Shuozhou, Shanxi province, to Qinghai Lake in Qinghai province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In early May, Lan began to plan a bicycle route that would be safe and also allow the students to receive firsthand experience about local plants, climate and customs. He also provided training, including bicycle operation, maintenance skills and some basic first aid, to ensure their safety and reduce the possibility of an accident.

However, they also encountered difficulties, such as flat tires and lack of oxygen, while cycling in high altitude regions.

"When I noticed their exhaustion and low spirits, I would give them some snacks or crack a joke with them to encourage them to move forward," he said. "Fortunately, all of us persisted and finally reached the destination."

Lan Huiyun and his students pose for a photo during their bicycle trip from Shuozhou, Shanxi province to Qinghai Lake in Qinghai province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

It was not the first time Lan had organized such journey to commemorate the end of high school. After the national college entrance exam of 2016, he and seven of students rode from Shuozhou to Manzhouli in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. And in 2019, Lan and 11 students spent 16 days cycling from Shuozhou to Shanghai.

"I never thought a teacher's task was only to teach from textbooks," he said. "I hope the students will experience real life and learn how to deal with difficulties."

Although it costs time and energy to organize such activities, he said he was "happy to see their growth during the trips. I will continue to bring more students to cycle outside our city in the future".