39 Days Yunnan 25 Ethnic Minorities Discovery and Photography Tour

Day 12 Jiangcheng-Zhengdong-Mengla

Sightseeing and Activities: Longfu Border, Monument of One Foot in Three Countries, Triple-border Boundary Tablet, Longfu Border Market, Jiangcheng Tea Plantation,  Shiceng Dashan Mountain, Place Straddling, Mantan Village, Chenzisanzhai Village of Dai Minority, 
Accommodation: Mengla in Xishuangbanna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County is an autonomous county under the jurisdiction of Pu’er City, in southern Yunnan, China, bordering Laos and Vietnam to the south, making it the only county in the province to border more than one country. By road, its seat, the town of Menglie (勐烈镇), is 520 km (320 mi) from Kunming and 145 km (90 mi) from Simao District, the municipal seat of Pu’er.
Drive 1hour to Qushui Town and visit Longfu Border between China,Vietnam and Laos including Monument of One Foot in Three Countries, Triple-border Boundary Tablet, Longfu Border Market (3th,13th,23th). Longfu Border, located in Shiceng Dashan Mountain (Ten Layers Mountain), is famous for the Place Straddling the border of China, Vietnam and Laos.
Drive back to Jiangcheng, visit Jiangcheng Tea Plantation.
Drive to Zhengdong Town, 60KM from Jiangcheng County. Visit Mantan Village and Chenzisanzhai Village of Dai Minority. Chengzi Sanzhai Village consists of Manhe Village (曼贺寨), Manhejing Village (曼贺井寨)  Manluanzai Village(曼乱宰寨).
Mantan Village(漫滩傣族村) is a traditional village with Dai people’s characteristics. Dai people has lived there since the Emperor Yongzheng(雍正) of Qing Dynasty(1636 A.D-1912 A.D.). Up to now, Dai people have occupied 95% percent of the population in the village.
Well-reserved natural environment and ethnic dwellings make the village beautiful and quiet. No garbage can be seen when strolling along the roads in the village.

Chenzisanzhai Village(城子三寨村): a unique village with exotic flavors
About 8 kilometers away from Mantan Village sits the Chengzisanzhai Village. It is a small yet ancient village where Dai people have lived there for generations. Traditional customs of Dai people are intactly reserved in the village. Exquisite traditional houses of Dai people can be seen everywhere.
The village borders to Laos and Vietnam. Its unique geographical location contributes to Dai people’s close communication with Southeast Asian countries. Nowadays, local Dai residents still keep the custom of intermarriage with the Lao and the Vietnamese, which endows an kind of exotic flavor to the village.
Drive to Mengla County for overnight.
Options:
Bobiezhai Village of Guoqing Town in Jiangcheng County (江城县国庆乡么等村委会博別寨)
Yiwu Old Town in Mengla County(易武古镇)
Yiwu Ancient Tea Mountain(易武茶山)

Day 13 Mengla-Menglun-Jinghong

Sightseeing and Activities: Wangtianshu Scenic Area,  Air Corridor, Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden
Accommodation: Jinghong in Xishuangbanna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Visit Wangtianshu Scenic Area, which is the only oasis at 21 degrees north latitude, and has been recognized internationally as China’s unique tropical rainforest. Then walk in the Air Corridor (only the first entrance tickets of Wangtianshu Scenic Area and Air Corridor are included).
Drive to Menglun and take a tour of the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden. As the home to many rare flora and endangered fauna, Xishuangbanna is an excellent place to take in the unique beauty of sub-tropical nature and biodiversity in China. Take a visit to the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden and observe beautiful flowers, shrubbery, and trees in the spacious garden. If you go early enough in the morning, you can see the sunrise cast a dreamy golden glow over the garden.
Drive to Jinghong City for overnight.
Options:
Daka Village (Ake Ethnic People) of Menglun Town in Mengla County(勐腊县勐仑镇大卡村(阿克寨)

Day 14 Jinghong

Sightseeing and Activities: Ganlanba Morning Market, Dai Ethnic Garden, Mengle Great Buddha Temple, Manting Park, enjoy Dai Water Splashing Festival
Accommodation: Jinghong in Xishuangbanna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 15 Jinghong-Menghai-Jingmai

Sightseeing and Activities: Jingmai Tea Mountain, Jinghong in Xishuangbanna, Mengjinglai Dai Ethnic Village, One Tree Forest, Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion, 
Accommodation: Puer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Transfer to Daluo Town, visit Daluo Border between Myanmar and China, Daluo town is located in southwest of Menghai County. The southeast is Bulangshan Mountain, the southwest and west are bordering on the Myanmar with the national boundary of 36.5 kilometers.With a total area of 400 square kilometers and superior geographical advantage, and being 81 kilometers away from Menghai County, Daluo is an important port in Yunnan province.
Visit Mengjinglai Dai Ethnic Village. Mengjinglai is the most outstanding China-Myanmar village. It’s located in the southwest of Xishuangbanna, Menghai Town. The crystal clear Daluo River flows from the west of the village forms the natural borders for both countries. 
Visit One Tree Forest. Some aerial roots will grow from the trunk of the big banyan tree to whose base they would twine. Through the branches of the banyan tree breaks 32 aerial roots that are hanging down into the earth to be an aerial roots jungle. These straight aerial roots stand in lines like the soldiers who protect their motherland at the frontier, which makes people respectful. Therefore, the One-Tree-Forest scenery in Da Luo town is indispensable for the tourists to Xishuangbanna.
Transfer to Xiding Town, visit Xiding Thursday Market if it is the market day today.
Visit Zhanglang Bulang Ethnic Village.
Drive to Menghai County, pay a visit to Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion. Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion was built in 1701 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) — the year 1063 according to the Dai calendar. It was originally built in a local Hinayana temple, but the temple was destroyed. The pavilion has retained its former features following three large-scale repairs.

Then drive to Jingmai Village in Huimin Town of Lancang County.
Options:

Day 16 Jingmai-Lancang-Menglian-Ximeng

Sightseeing and Activities: Jingmai-Lancang-Menglian-Ximeng, Lancang Huimin tourist town
Accommodation: Puer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 17 Ximeng-Shuangjiang-Cangyuan

Sightseeing and Activities: Ximeng-Shuangjiang-Cangyuan, Icelandic village, tea-making, tea-tasting, Shuangjiang village
Accommodation: Lincang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 18 Cangyuan

Sightseeing and Activities: Cangyuan Cliff Painting, 
Accommodation: Lincang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 19 Cangyuan-Gengma-Zhenkang

Sightseeing and Activities: Tea-making, pottery-making, 
Accommodation: Lincang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

After breakfast, head to the scenic spots. Have you own DIY experience in Pu ‘er tea base, and visit Pu ‘er tea farmstead to enjoy tea-tasting and learn local tea culture. Then, go to tea factory to have DIY fun of making tea! Next go to experience Mengyong pottery-making. Drive to Zhenkang county for overnight.

Mengyong pottery and Pu ‘er tea base is a part of the intangible cultural heritage of Yunnan minorities, which is non-commercial and pay more attention to personal experience of tourists.

Day 20 Zhenkang-Mengyang-Mangshi

Sightseeing and Activities: Nujiang River, original forest and ethnic villages
Accommodation: Mangshi in Dehong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Nujiang River, original forest and ethnic villages

Day 21 Mangshi-Wanding-Ruili

Sightseeing and Activities: Menghuan Grand Pagoda, the Peacock Lake, the Pagoda wrapped in the tree, Moli Waterfall and Rain Forest, Jiegao Myanmar and China Border
Accommodation: Ruili in Dehong
Meals:

Menghuan Grand Pagoda, Peacock Lake, the Pagoda wrapped in the tree, Moli Waterfall and Rain Forest, Jiegao Myanmar and China Border

Day 22 Ruili-Longchuan-Yingjiang-Lianghe-Tengchong

Sightseeing and Activities: Jiele Golden Pagoda, One Tree Forest, Dayingjiang River, Nandian Xuanfu Chieftain Palace
Accommodation:
Meals:

Jiele Golden Pagoda, One Tree Forest, Dayingjiang River, Nandian Xuanfu Chieftain Palace

Day 23 Tengchong

Sightseeing and Activities: Rehai Hot Spring, Beihai Wetland Park, Heshun Ancient Town
Accommodation: Tengchong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 24 Tengchong-Liuku-Fugong

Sightseeing and Activities: Gaolig Gongshan Mountain Nature Reserve, Nujiang River, Laomudeng Village. 
Accommodation: Nujiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Leave Tengchong, drive to Liuku. Enjoy your day at Nujiang Grand Canyon and visit Laomudeng Village and the bathhouse of Lishu Nationality. It is a tradition to welcome new year that all people take a bath together in the open hot springs by the banks of the river. Then go on driving to Fugong. Sightseeing includes a visit to a suspension bridge and a glide cable. Special Lishu food will be served during dinner. In the evening you will take part in a party with the local people. 

Day 25 Fugong-Gongshan-Bingzhongluo

Sightseeing and Activities: Nujiang Grand Canyon, Nu ethnic village, the Suspension Bridges
Accommodation: Bingzhongluo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Drive from Fugong to Gongshan (4-hour’s drive), the scenery just got better and better: the river twisted and turned, the valley sides became steeper and there were huge crags and mountains rising beyond-Myanmar was only a few km away over the crest of these green hills. We will pass the famous Shi yue liang, the so-called “bright moon in the mountain”, about an hour outside of Fugong, and source of many Lisu and Nu folkstories. Stop to see the first Bend of the Nujiang River (Salween River) and Mt. Gaoligong. You could also try crossing the Nujiang River hanging from a rope, the Liusuo, a traditional way to cross the river in the olden days when there was no bridge. Then drive to Bingzhongluo (2-hour’s drive).

Day 26 Bingzhongluo

Sightseeing and Activities: Nujiang Grand Canyon, Bingzhongluo Village, Nujiang River (Salween River), the First Bend of Nujiang River, Qiunatong Village, Wuli Village, Dimaluo Village, Chongding Catholic Church 
Accommodation: Binzhongluo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

You will have a beautiful hiking tour in Bingzhongluo including the attractions of Qiunatong Village, Wuli Village, Dimaluo Village, Chongding Catholic Church and Nujiang River Grand Canyon.

There are easy and beautiful walks to nearby villages along the Nujiang. A few kilometers outside of town, the river widens and cuts through very deep and dramatic gorges. The road hugs the Nujiang and landslides occur from time to time along the way. It is said that the scenery is especially spectacular after rain, however this also increases potential delays and exacerbates the danger from landslides.

The most beautiful part of Nujiang Gorge starts from Binzhongluo, the northernmost town of the Gorge, where the essential attractions of the Nujiang Gorge are located. Hiking is the best way to enjoy the landscape and an average of 2.5 hours is needed for most tourists to reach the famous “Tea Horse Caravan Route.” Renting a mini bus at Bingzhongluo town is an alternative for the less adventurous sightseers.

On the way to the “Tea-Horse Caravan Route”, one can see the 100-year-old Zhongding Catholic Church built and founded by a French missionary. Shimen Pass is another fantastic section of the gorge along with Wengli (also called Wuli), another stunning landscape lying on a beautiful slope along the river bank. Very near to the Wengli, a carved path is seen on the other bank cliff, the so-called “Tea-Horse Caravan Route”, a path used by traders ferrying their goods between Yunnan and Tibet.  At the end of the trekking road, an old hanging bridge and a new one-year-old bridge swing side-by-side.

To those wanderlusts, some trekking routes are worthy of spending days or even weeks longer between Gongshan and Bingzhongluo. Getting 90km further west to the Drung River from Gongshan reveal beautiful virgin forests as well as the kind-hearted Drung ethnic people living their old way of life.

Day 27 Bingzhongluo-Gongshan-Cizhong

Sightseeing and Activities: Nujiang Grand Canyon, Dulong ethnic village, Biluo Snow Mountain, Laowo Mountain
Accommodation: Cizhong in Diqing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 28 Cizhong-Meili Snow Mountain-Feilaisi

Sightseeing and Activities:  Tibetan Catholic Church,  Feilaisi, Meili Snow Mountain, Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, 
Accommodation: Feilaisi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Visit the Tibetan Catholic Church built by French missionaries in 1867, the church is used by Tibetan, Naxi and Lisu people. They still have the grapes planted by missionaries and old the traditional way of making wine. –Lancang River is the longest river flowing from north to south in China. It takes its source from the Zhaqu of the Guangguori Peak of Tanggula Mountain Range in Qinghai Province, China. It is called the Lancang River after it reaches Changdu. The river runs south until it leaves China at the Nanla Bay out of Yunnan Province and therefrom changes its name from the Lancang River to the Mekong River. The Grand Canyon of the Lancang River is famous for not only its deep and long vale, but also the rushing water. The river water is limpid and rushing in winter, but turbid and onrushing in summer. As the river becoming narrow in the Grand Canyon, high waves are striking against the banks and making a sound like thunder. What a fantastic spectacle! Such steep mountains, deep valley and miraculous geographic structure are seldom seen all over the world.

Drive to Mingyong Village. Hike from Mingyong village to Mingyong Glacier (2600m) which is the low altitude glacier of the lowest latitude in the world. Then you will trek down directly to the edge of Meikong River(2,050m/6,724ft) . Walk along the Mekong Grand Canyon and arrive in Xidang Village(2,200m/7,216ft) where you can visit some scattered Tibetan houses in the village. 

Arrive in Feilaisi in the late afternoon, you will have a nice sunset view of Meili Snow Mountain from the Sightseeing Platform, where you can see the 13 white pagodas meaning of the 13 peaks of Meili Snow Mountain over 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) above sea level, known as the “Prince’s 13 peaks”.
–Meili Snow Mountain (Meili Xueshan), also called Kawakarpo, is a UNESCO nature site located in Deqin County dividing Yunnan from Tibet, a wonderful place to hike and explore both nature and Tibetan culture.Rising between the Salween River and the Mekong River in the extreme edge of Northwest Yunnan, the Meili Snow Mt. region is part of Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas. Legend says that the Meili Snow Mountain is a god guarding Tibetan Buddhism. With 13 peaks over 6000m in the range, the main peak Kawakarpo (“Kawagebo” in Chinese) is a sharp snow mountain with an altitude of 6740m,which has never been conquered yet.

Day 29 Feilaisi-Shangrila

Sightseeing and Activities: Benzilan, Baimang Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, the First Bend of Jinsha River or Moon Bend
Accommodation: Shangrila
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

In the morning, drive back to Shangri-la. You will stop at Benzilan for lunch. Visit Baimang Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, you will be able to view Baimang Snow Mountain if the weather is clear, pass the top part of today at 4292m altitude at 156km. After that, visit the First Bend of Jinsha River or Moon Bend, which is the boundary between Sichuan and Yunnan. This is different from the First Bend of Yangtze River in Lijiang City. The bend in Shigu Town changes the flow direction of the Yangtze River but in Benzilan, the Moon Bend is just a grand bend between the mountains with an impressive scenery. 

Day 30 Shangrila

Sightseeing and Activities: Songzanlin Monastery, Pudacuo National Park, Shudu Lake
Accommodation: Shangrila
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. Walk around Songzanlin Monastery.

And afterwards you’ll visit the tranquil Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.
 
Finally, you will visit a Tibetan’s family to experience the local life in the bonfire party with Tibetan dance and music and you will try Tibetan home-made yak and cheese.

Day 31 Shangrila-Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Tiger Leaping Gorge, Bendiwan Village, Iron Chain Bridge, Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument, 
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 32 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain,  Lijiang Ancient Town, Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishuihe River, Impression Lijang Ethnic Show, Baisha Village, Baisha Mural
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 33 Lijiang-Lugu Lake

Sightseeing and Activities: Lugu Lake, Liwubi Island and Heiwawu Island,  Mosuo Culture Museum, take part in Mosuo Bonfire Party 
Accommodation: Lugu Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 34 Lugu Lake-Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Zhamei Lamaist Monastery, Ancient Tea-Horse Trade Caravan, Mosuo Market, Ninglang Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

In the morning, you will drive about 20Km to visit the Zhamei Lamaist Monastery which is the biggest lamasery in Moso area Yongning Town. Tibetan people call Yongning as “taluo”, meaning “the way to heaven”. The place the Zhamei Lamasery lies in is called “Zhameige”, which means “no war”. The coincidence of these two names make the Lamasery even famous in Tibet.
 
Yongning Town is an important town of the Ancient Tea-Horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet. Located between Yunnan and Sichuan, Yongning keeps the original ethnic life which is still not damaged by tourists. You will visit Mosuo Market in Yongning Town. We will arrange a Mosuo family to visit and have lunch in Mosuo family, enjoy the Mosuo real life in a village.
 
Afternoon, drive back to Lijiang. On the way to Ninglang Town,you will stop to visit a Pumi Ethnic Village and Pumi Family.The ancestors of Pumi were a nomadic tribe living in the southern part of Gansu Province and the eastern part of Qinghai Province. Later, their descendants moved south to warmer areas along the Hengduan Mountain Range. After the 13th century, the Pumi ethnic group gradually settled down in Ninglang, Lijiang, Weixi and Lanping counties.

Day 35 Lijiang-Shaxi-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Shibaoshan Mountain, Shizhong (Stone Bell) Hills, Shaxi Old Town, Dali Old Town,  Foreigner Street, Erhai Lake
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 36 Dali-Erhai Lake-Xizhou-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery,cruise in Erhai Lake,  Xizhou Town, Xizhou Town, 
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Visit the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.

After lunch, you’ll cruise in Erhai Lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island.In Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake.

After landing, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. 

Day 37 Dali-Donglianhua Village-Weishan-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Donglianhua Village, Tea and Horse Road, Weishan Old Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 38 Dali-Yunnanyi-Chuxiong-Kunming

Sightseeing and Activities:  Yi Ren Old Town, Yunnanyi
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Drive from Dali to Yunnanyi. Yunnanyi is located in Xiangyun County of Dali Prefecture, about four hours’ drive from Kunming. As the earliest place named Yunnan(the place to the south of the colorful cloud), Yunnanyi is the former site of Yunnan County of West Han Dynasty and Yunnan Prefecture of Wei and Jin Dynasties; in the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yizhan (remount or post stations) were set here, so it is named Yunnan Yi. Due to its significant geographic location, Yunnan Yi used to be a must-take position since it can connect Dali, Chengdu, Kunming, South and West Yunnan; a time-honored ancient passage stretches through the small village with well conserved folk residences of Bai.

After lunch, drive to Yi Ren Old Town in Chuxiong City. The Yi Ren old town located at the west of Chuxiong economic development zone, Yunnan. And it is fuses both China and Yi minority national traditional culture as the main key of the antique construction. With fully Yi national minority’s characteristic the entire old town selects material from Yi national minority’s modeling, totem and the color. 

In the afternoon, drive to Kunming for overnight.