10 days China Southwest Landscape and Ethnic Culture Tour
China is a land of ferocious contrasts. If you are a nature lover, the amazing landscape and country scenery in Guilin, will never disappoint you. You will enjoy Longji Terraced Rice Paddies, Xizhou Bai Minority Village and Lijiang Ancient Town and visit many places including Stone Forest, Dali,Erhai Lake, Lion ...
Read Full Description- Destination:
- Trip Length:
- 10 days
- Price Range:
- From $2000 to $4000 per person See what this includes and what this excludes
- Best Time to Go:
- Any time.
- Recommended for:
-
Infants (under 2)
Children (2 - 5)
Children (6 - 8)
Children (9 - 11)
Children (12 - 14)
Children (15 - 17)
Adults (18 - 20)
Adults (25 - 29)
Family Trip, Group Retreat, Trip Around the World
Detailed Trip Description
China is a land of ferocious contrasts. If you are a nature lover, the amazing landscape and country scenery in Guilin, will never disappoint you. You will enjoy Longji Terraced Rice Paddies, Xizhou Bai Minority Village and Lijiang Ancient Town and visit many places including Stone Forest, Dali,Erhai Lake, Lion Hill, Heqing Village & Xinhua Village, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha Mural Paintings, Black Dragon Pool Park in China.
Trip Itinerary
Day 1 - Kunming
Arrive Kunming.
Commercial Flight
International Flight on your own arrangement.
Hotel
Upon your arrival at Kunming, "the Spring and Flower City", our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure. Accommodations: Kunming Hotel.
Day 2 - Kunming
Visit Stone Forest in Kunming.
Sightseeing
Today, you will have a city tour to the Stone Forest which is about 90km to the south of Kunming.
Stone Forest: a 270-million-year-old limestone karst formation of tightly bundled gray rocky outcrops, a natural wonder acknowledged as "World Karst Landscape Museum", the Stone Forest shows a variety of unique shapes, such as sword, mushrooms, tower, pillar and castle, representing the greatest miracle that nature can present to human beings.
Hotel
Accommodations: Kunming Hotel. Meals: B,L.
Day 3 - Dalian
Kunming/Dali.
Commercial Flight
After breakfast, take the morning flight to Dali.
Sightseeing
Upon your arrival, be met and transferred to the city by our local guide. The visit today in this lovely city includes cruise on Erhai, Xizhou Bai Minority Village, Three Pagodas and the Dali Ancient Town.
Sightseeing
Dali: located on the side of the Cang Mountain 400 kilometres to the west of Kunming, with 1900-meter altitude, it is a historical and cultural city inhabited by Bai people, most of whom live in the houses consisting of three rooms and a screen wall.
Sightseeing
Erhai Lake: shaped like a human ear this lake covers over 250 square kilometers. With its vast pool of water shining under the sun like a sheet of vivid green and the snow mantles of the Cang Mountain reflecting quiveringly in it, it is known poetically as "Silver Cang Mountain and Jade-like Erhai".
Sightseeing
Xizhou Bai Minority Village: a photogenic village 20km north of Dali, where Bai minority people are living and where you will can get some ideas of the Bais' flair for architecture and elegant living.
Three Pagodas: at the foot of the Zhonghe Peak of the Cang Mountain, part of Chongshen Monastery, they are an emblem of the city's venerated history. The tallest of the trio, which is 69.13 metres tall, was built in 836 AD, while two smaller ones were built during a later period. No visit to Dali is complete without a call at these three pagodas
Dali Ancient Town: first established in 1382 AD, with a moat surrounding it. This old town has a typical layout like a chessboard, old-timey roofed buildings with dark blue tiles and the white and gray tall walls.
Hotel
Accommodations: Asia Star hotel Dali. Meals: B,L
Day 4 - Lijiang City
Dalin/Lijiang.
Bus
In the morning, drive to Lijiang (3-hour drive).
Sightseeing
Along the way, you will stop by the Heqing County and pay a visit to Heqing Villages.
Sightseeing
Lijiang Ancient Town: also called Dayan Town, built in the late Song dynasty and the early Yuan dynasty with a history of more than 800 years. This ancient town consists of clean streams flowing freely through the road network, the colorful cobbled streets, age-old swaying willow trees, age-old buildings and stone bridges. There are over 22 different ethnic minorities making Lijiang their home. Now and then you may see local folks in their own tradtional dress. Strolling around this charming ancient town, you will be attracted by the unique atmosphere and surprised by its ancient yet simple sense of "Harmony of Heaven and Man."
Sightseeing
Lion Hill: the name is derived from its resemblance of a lion playing a ball. The mountain is best known for its vast and green pines and cypresses planted mostly in Ming Dynasty with over 500 years old. From the Tower of Eternity (Wangoulou) on the top of the mountain, you can enjoy a bird's eye view of the ancient town and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain far away.
Sightseeing
Heqing Village & Xinhua Village: long history of handicraft craftsmanship, you will be visiting gold-making, silver-making, etc., workshops and you will have time to do some shopping if you wish.
Hotel
Accommodations: Jiannanchun Hotel. Meals: B,L.
Day 5 - Lijiang City
Visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain,Baisha Mural Paintings, Black Dragon Pool Park in Lijiang.
Sightseeing
Today, you will have a trip to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the Baisha Mural Paintings, the Black Dragon Pool Park and Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture inside the park.
Sightseeing
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: it is so called because it looks like a flying jade dragon from afar. The mountain consists of 13 peaks and sprawls 35 km from north to south. Its glacier is the closest to the equator in the Northern Hemisphere. By taking the cable car up to a certain height, you can enjoy the expansive mountains views and snowy scenery.
Baisha Mural Paintings: located in Baisha Township, 8km north of Lijiang, there are altogether 53 groups of mural paintings in different temples with fine and smooth lines, bright colors,vivid patterns and harmonious composition. Painted from the early days of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911),these mural paintings are an artistic representation of the different religious cultures such as Buddhism, Lamaism, Daoism and the Naxi Dongba religion.
Sightseeing
Black Dragon Pool Park: where you can see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from afar and the reflection of the mountain in the pool in a clear day. This park is the source of the water system of the Old Lijiang Town as the clean spring from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain gathers here.
Hotel
Accommodations: Jiannanchun Hotel. Meals: B,L
Day 6 - Kunming
Lijiang/Kunming.
Commercial Flight
After breakfast, be transferred to the airport and take the morning flight back to Kunming. China domestic flight arranged by us.
Hotel
Upon your arrival, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. Accommodations: Kunming Hotel. Meals: B,L.
Sightseeing
The tour in the afternoon will bring you to the West Hill and Dragon Gate, and the bird and flower market.
West Hill and Dragon Gate: located by the Dian Lake, known as "Sleeping Beauty," it is a natural forest park in Kunming with a series of winding steps, tunnels, and statue-filled grottoes leading to the top. After taking the cable car up to the Cablecar Station, you can walk along the path in the mountain, and stop now and then to enjoy the beauty of the scenery: blue skies, green water with slow sailing fishing boats and so on.
Shopping
The bird and flower market: located in the old section of the city, it is a bustling market not just selling birds, flowers, but also jade, so-called "antiques", handicrafts and so on together with lots of food stands for local specialities.
Day 7 - Guilin
Kunming/Guilin.
Commercial Flight
Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Guilin. China domestic flight arranged by us.
Hotel
Upon your arrival at Guilin, the most scenic city in China, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure. Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel. Meals: B
Day 8 - Guilin
Guilin/Longsheng.
Sightseeing
Today's excursion will bring you to Longsheng Autonomous County, drive back to Guilin after the tour (about 2-hour drive). 90kms northwest to Guilin, the County lives many different ethnic minority groups such as Zhuang, Yao, Miao and Dong etc. In recent years, this county has gradually become a popular destination for photography enthusiasts and people who are interested in minority culture. On this tour you will not only enjoy the wonderful view of terraced rice paddies--the most famous section is called "Longji" lush bamboo groves and small villages on the hillside along the way, but also be amazed by the rich culture of the Zhuang and Yao people. Drive back to Guilin.
Sightseeing
Longji: means "Dragon's Backbone". When climbing to the top of it and looking down on the nearby terraced rice fields, you will have the feeling that you are standing on the dragon's back as the terraced rice paddies look like the shining scales of the dragon.
Sightseeing
Zhuang People: with over 17 million people, Zhuang is the largest ethnic minority group in China.
Sightseeing
Yao People: Yao is another major ethnic group living in the Guilin area that has a population over 2 million all over China. Yao women are believed to have the longest hair in the world.
Hotel
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel. Meals: B,L.
Day 9 - Guilin
Guilin/Yangshuo.
River or Barge Cruise
After breakfast, drive to Zhujiang Pier (about 40-minute drive) to start the boat cruise along the tranquil Li River, the highlight of your sightseeing tour in Guilin.
Along the river, you will be inspired by the breathtaking views of peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and reflections in the water together with the serene pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffaloes.You will certainly feel like you are walking into a traditional Chinese painting by cruising on this wonderful river.
Hotel
Free time in the afternoon after checking in the hotel in Yangshuo. Accommodations: New Century Hotel. Meals: B,L.
Day 10 - Guilin
Visit Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Reed Flute Cave in Guilin and back home.
Sightseeing
Today, drive back to Guilin (1.5-hour drive) and have a city tour of the Elephant Trunk Hill, the Fubo Hill and the Reed Flute Cave. Meals: B
Sightseeing
Elephant Trunk Hill : the symbol of Guilin, which resembles a giant elephant drinking water from the Li River.
Sightseeing
Fubo Hill: where you can see lots of Buddha statues left about 1000 years ago in the Returned Pearl Cave and have a birds' eye view of the whole city after climbing up to the very top.
Sightseeing
Reed Flute Cave: 5 kilometers away from the city center, famed as "A Natural Palace of Art", in which you can see lots of stalactites & stalagmites illuminated by the lights of different colors. You will also learn how they were formed.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to your next destination.
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