Bicyclists in the “Ride for Hope” charity fundraiser, organized by 11 Shangri-La properties across China, set off from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, with more than 122 participants on Saturday.

The move so far has collected donations of more than 13,000 yuan ($2,130), which will be used to fund three beneficiaries?- a group of villagers living in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the Shenzhen Blue Ocean Conservation Association, and the Will Foundation, said Emil Leung, area manager and general manager of Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen.

The hotel's resident manager, Nicholas Smith, who is also the initiator of the charity activity, will be among the six riders who will complete the whole journey of about 2,000 km from Shenzhen to Shanghai in the following three weeks, passing through four provinces and 22 cities.

As the first leg of the 2,000-km relay, the six riders led the participants from Shenzhen, Hong Kong and other Pearl River Delta cities in South China that cycling 22 km from Futian Shangri-La, Shenzhen, to the Shenzhen Xili Golf and Country Club on Saturday.

They continued their ride to Guangzhou after parting from the team at Xili Golf and Country Club to embrace the second group of riders, organized by Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou.