NATURAL LANDSCAPES AND ANCIENT CULTURES: GUIZHOU AND YUNNAN ETHNIC MINORITIES TOUR

Xi’an – Guizhou-Lijiang-Shangrila  12 days/11 nights

Day 1   XIAN    

Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to Xi’an city center (45km, 1h drive). Visit Big Goose Pagoda and Xi’an ancient city walls. Afterwards, go to the hotel and check-in. Time at disposal. Meals not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 2   XI’AN /GUIYANG  (B, L, -) flight  

After breakfast, meet the guide and walk along the muslim district. Then, transfer to visit Terracotta Warriors 兵马俑 (45km, 1h drive), more than 8000 stone statues of warriors guarding Qin Shi Huang Di emperor’s tomb. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, transfer to the airport and take the flight to Guiyang. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 3  GUIYANG-ZHAOXING   (B, -, D)

After breakfast, meet the guide and departure towards Zhaoxing (310 km,4h drive). On the way, stop to visit Tang’an village of Dong ethnic minority 堂安侗寨, important place to explore Dong minority history and culture. Here, you can admire a wonderful landscape on terrace fields. Continue to Zhaoxing. Upon arrival, go to the hotel. Dinner not included. In the afternoon, visit Zhaoxing village of Dong ethnic minority 肇兴侗寨, built along the banks of the river with five drum towers and five small bridges. It is considered one of the biggest and beautiful villages of Dong minority in China. In the evening, dinner in a Chinese local restaurant with a show of Dong ethnic minority dressed with traditional costumes (In case of bad weather, the show will be cancelled.) Overnight in hotel. 

Day 4  ZHAOXING-RONGJIANG    (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to Rongjiang. On the way, stop to Zhanli village of Dong ethnic minority 占里侗寨. (Due to the traffic, this village can be visited only by groups of no more than 8 people; with groups of 9 people and more will be organized a visit to Yintan village of Dong minority.) In this village, almost every family has one son and one daughter: according to the legend, the two wells of the village help villagers to control fetus’ sex thanks to mysterious herbs put inside the wells by pharmacists of Chinese traditional medicine. In autumn, you can admire rice lying in the sun on top of particular buildings that are part of the beautiful landscape of the village during the harvest. Lunch in a local restaurant. Continue towards Basha village of Miao ethnic minority 岜沙苗寨, ethnic group know also as the last tribe of gunners. Men of this group have long hair worn in a bun and have a gun on their shoulder. Possibility to watch various shows of traditional dances and music outdoor (shows will be cancelled in case of bad weather conditions.). Afterwards, go to Rongjiang. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 5  RONGJIANG-KAILI (B, -, D)

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to Kaili (4h drive). Visit Datang village of Miao minority 大塘苗寨, famous for its granaries on ponds. In this village, women wear traditional short skirts. Lunch not included. In the afternoon, visit Langde village of Miao ethnic minority 朗德苗寨, where women wear long skirts. Possibility to watch various shows of traditional dances and music outdoor (shows will be cancelled in case of bad weather conditions.). Afterwards, continue towards Kaili. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Special dinner with fish soup in a local restaurant (this dish is typical of Guizhou province and has an history of more that thousand years). Overnight in hotel.

Day 6 KAILI-GUIYANG /LIJIANG     (B, L, -)   flight

After breakfast, meet local guide and departure to visit Gejia’s village of Matang 麻塘革家寨 where you can watch how traditional batik is made. Then visit Miao’s village of Shiqiao 石桥苗寨, famous for making paper from wood. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, transfer to Guiyang airport and take the flight to Lijiang. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and go to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 7  LIJIANG   (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit Yuhu village 玉湖村, near Lijiang. Then, go to visit Baisha Fresco 白沙壁画, paintings that mix Buddhist, Taoist and Lamaist characteristics. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Suhe village 束河古镇, ancient centre of Lijiang, with a history of more than 1000 years. It was an important commercial centre for tea trade between China and the Red Sea. Back to Lijiang. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.  

Day 8  LIJIANG   (B, L, -)   

After breakfast, meet local guide, visit the Black Dragon Pond 黑龙潭公园 and Mufu Palace 木府. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Lijiang old town 古城. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.  

Day 9  LIJIANG-SHANGRILA    (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, departure towards Shangrila (about 190km, 4.5/5h drive). On the way, visit Shi gu village 石鼓镇 and Tiger Leaping Gorge 虎跳峡, nice excursion along the banks of Jinsha river, where to admire China’s deepest gorge, whose name comes from a legend: a tiger was escaping from hunters leaping from one edge to another of the narrowest part of the gorge. Lunch in a local restaurant. Continue driving to Shangri-La and arrive in hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 10  SHANGRILA    (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit Ganden Songzansenlin Monastery 松赞林寺. This monastery, known as Small Potala Palace, is the biggest and most important in Yunnan for Tibetan Buddhism. Lunch in a local restaurant.  After lunch, visit Dabao Temple 大宝寺, a well preserved tibetan temple. Visit the house of a tibetan family. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 11   SHANGRILA (B, L ,-)

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit Nixi village 尼西村, famous for the art of black ceramic. Visit a factory of black ceramic where it is possibile to take part at the making of the ceramic. Special lunch with traditional dishes made with a black ceramic pot. In the afternoon, visit Balagezong gorge 巴拉格宗大峡谷. Back to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 12 SHANGRILA/KUNMING   (B, -, -)  flight 

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to the airport to take the flight back home.