Yunnan Trip - South of the Clouds |
We begin in the provincial capital of Kunming, getting a first impression of the relaxed Yunnan life-style in "The City of Spring" as well as visiting the unique Karst-formation Stone Forest.
Next we fly to Zhongdian, the "Shangri-la" described by British writer James Hilton in his 1939 novel Lost Horizon. we'll experience the culture and way of life of local Tibetan people.
We then pass the mighty "Tiger Leaping Gorge" to arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the old town Lijiang, home to the Naxi people who live happily in the meadows beneath the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
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Yunnan's ancient capital Dali is now a picturesque little town of Bai people. Sandwiched between Er Hai Lake and the Cang Shan Mountain, Dali is a perfect place for biking, hiking, cruising and donkey-cart riding.
At last we fly to Xishuangbanna, the subtropical southwestern tip of Yunnan and contains the only tropical rainforest reserve in China. This region is best appreciated by visiting rarely glimpsed Dai people's villages by trekking, and the best time is during the lighthearted and prank-filled water-splashing festival! |
Time: All year round (great winter destination too)
Background Information:
Yunnan City Guide (www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/yunnan/index.htm)
Ethnic Minorities in China (www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/nationality/index.htm)
Day-by-Day Itinerary:
*** We are always happy to design a custom trip just for you; If you find anything in our following itinerary that interests you or you have done your own researches, simply write your ideas in our online "book a tour" form or email us at "justin@gopinkchina.com". We'll reply with price quote. |
We will gather in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan with a population of 3.7 million. This city, despite its size, still remains a laidback and relaxing place, and enjoys the name "city of eternal spring". A welcome ceremony and banquet will await us at the Minority Culture Village where we are entertained by the talents of 25 of China's ethnic minority people. We will visit the natural wonder of the Karst-formation Stone Forest, take a stroll along the massive Dianchi Lake, or hike up Western Hills to explore the tranquil temples. In the city we can wander into the bustling Bird-and-Flower Market in the day, and enjoy the ¡°Dynamic Yunnan¡± Show in the evening, which is replete with the colorful and original ethnic songs and dances the area has become known for.
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Days 3-5: Zhongdian (Shangri-La) -- Tibetan people
A morning flight takes us to the Tibetan Plateau at 3,200m (10,500 ft) above sea level. Zhongdian is a typical Tibetan town, surrounded by highland barley fields and grazing yaks on the grasslands. The horizon's snow-covered peaks, faint sounds of chanting in the distance, and wisping smoke from the monasteries that dot the landscape will truly remind you of the "Shangri-La" James Hilton wrote about in his book Lost Horizon .
We will visit the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan monasteries in Yunnan . We'll join in morning prayers with the monks there and learn about Tibetan's Wheel of Life. Experience a pilgrimage to a local Tibetan sacred hill and write good wishes for friends and foes alike on the colorful pray frags.
A breath-taking Horse-Racing Performance is arranged at Napa Lake to initate you into the Tibetan life, followed with home-visit (or even home-stay) to Tibetan Villages and we sit in the family kitchen for yak butter tea and Tibetan dances.
We can join an awesome hiking through the snow-capped mountains, and later rest in the pretty old town tea-house listening to stories from the ancient Tea and Horse caravan traders. The biggest surprise is to be found in a most merry party at a Tibetan orphanage of joint Sino-Swiss efforts.
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Days 6-8: Lijiang -- Naxi People
Driving southward, we will pass one of the world's deepest gorges. The hike along the Tiger Leaping Gorge of Yangzi River will prove a fulfilling challenge for real hikers. Then we arrive at Lijiang, one of the most pleasant urban scenes in China, and home to the Naxi people, who have been the subject of intensive anthropological studies started by the eccentric Joseph Rock who wrote several National Geographic articles in the 1920s and 1930s focusing attention on this remote region. In 1999 it was made a UNESCO world heritage site.
Once we pass the Waterwheel at the entrance of Lijiang's Old Town , we will find ourselves transported into a world of narrow cobblestone streets bordering canals through which flow crystal waters supplied by freshly melted snow. Take a horse-back ride through the meadows and woodlands sprinkled with seasonal wildflowers that foot the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and afterwards board the cable car built right on the glacier up to the moutain peak.
Don't miss a farmer's meal in a local Naxi Village (or for a home-stay) , enjoy their ancient music and learn their pictograph art. Also important is to return to old town for a romantic candlelight dinner accompanied by the soothing sound of the streams. Interested people can visit the photo exhibition and join a talk by The Nature Conservacy to realize the hard task to preserve Lijiang's paradise land.
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Days 9-11: Dali -- Bai People
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Continuing our journey southward, we find ourselves in the old town of Dali, built by the Bai people and was the ancient capital of Yunnan. We'll start our exploration in Dali with a boat ride on Erhai Lake, while watching the traditional cormorant fishing on the lake, and arrive at a small fishing village to get a better understanding of this romantic but hard trade.
We will pay a home visit (or even home-stay) to an important Bai Village and be treated to a banquet in the old courtyard house, savoring the famous three-courses-tea , later enjoying a Bai song-and-dance performance.
We'll fill up our leisure time in Dali either by biking (or riding a donkey-cart) around Erhai Lake or by hiking (or taking a cable-car) up Cangshan Mountain to take in the spectacular view and crisp air. Another site not to be missed are the famous Three Pagodas , symbol of old Dali's glory. The walled Old Town in Dali also offers a perfect playground for curious visitors to observe local folklife and shop for some charming handicrafts as well.
Come during the Chinese Spring Festival (usually around February, according to the lunar calendar), and you will witness the whole town lit up by fireworks and its people mesmerized by the indulgences of dragon dances, Taoist music, and local operas. |
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Days 12-15: Xishuangbanna -- Dai People
Flying from Dali to Jinghong, we enter the tropical paradise of Xishuangbanna, deep in southern Yunnan. It is warm and green all year round, like many of its Southeast Asian neighbor countries. Much of this locality is primeval rainforest, the last of its kind in China and home to wild elephants. We'll have picnic lunch in the forest and hike around the Natural Reserve Area, then pay a visit to the biggest and best Botanical Gardens in China.
The highlight of the trip will be the homestay in a Dai village where accommodation will be provided in traditional bamboo houses. Later on, a nighttime dance party will draw us and hundreds of other people from surrounding villages. Fans of the real outdoors can join the trek to Pu'er Tea Mountains and raft down the Mekong River; fans of culture can visit Theravada Temples and Paper-making Villages. On festival days you can join in the fun with locals, especially during the fantastic Water-Splashing celebration. Everyone's fondest dreams of paradise will meet their destiny in this tropical haven.
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