15 Days China Minority Discovery with Yunnan Exploration

Day 3 Lijiang

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Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Full day is free for you to explore the Old Town of Lijiang. The best travel time is the early morning when the street is tranquil and peaceful, so that you could walk along the stone roads and take some real nice photos. In the bustling daytime, the hospitable vendors and variety of souvenirs show you a vigorous ancient town. If interested, you can go for a drink with friends at a local bars or café to experience the colorful nightlife of the old town.

Day 4 Lijiang – Kunming – Lunan

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

A 3-hour morning bullet train will take you back to Kunming. Upon your arrival, our local guide will pick you up at the railway station and transfer you to visit the Stone Forest at Lunan. Known as the ‘world’s karst landscape museum’, it is famous for the varied karst formations which formed a natural labyrinthine forest. According to the different shapes, people gave the stones interesting names, such as Mother and Son, Camel Riding on Elephant, Buddha Stone, Rhinoceros Looking at the Moon and Beautiful Maiden Ascending from the Water. Besides, the beautiful scenery of lakes, waterfall, woods and caves will also impress you. Tonight, you will stay over at the best local hotel in Lunan.

Day 5 Lunan – Shizong – Xingyi

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

We will drive you to enter into Guizhou Province via Shizong and Xingyi. En route, if time permits, stop over at a local Tobacco Farm and a Country Market to enjoy the beautiful landscape and learn about the local people’s life. Upon arrival in Xingyi, you will pay a visit to Guizhou Folk Museum of Wedding Rituals which is located in an ancient family yard. Therefore, you can not only learn the unique wedding customs of Miao and Buyi minorities but also appreciate the traditional buildings with fine decorations. Stay two nights at the local hotel in Xingyi.

Day 6 Xingyi

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 Xingyi – Huangguoshu Waterfall

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you will stop over at Zuoqi Black Miao Village on the way to Huangguoshu. The Miao people in the village prefer black clothes, hence the name. You could see the women in the village wearing big heavy silver earrings, which is also a tradition. Then continue to a Buyi People Village to see their traditional way of spinning and weaving. On arrival at Huangguoshu, you will check in at the local hotel.

Day 8  Huangguoshu Waterfall – Guiyang

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 Guiyang – Kaili

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Private driving from Guiyang about 170 km, you could get to Kaili today and stay one night at the best local hotel. After lunch, go to Shiqiao Miao Village to see how paper is made from tree roots and barks in traditional way. Then continue to visit Qingman Miao Village where a family visit is specially arranged for you to learn more about the Miao people’s life. You will be greeted into the village by drinking the block way wine. Meanwhile, you will find the wooden stilt houses in the typical Miao architectural style. Joint by tenon and mortise other than nail, these houses are usually constructed on hillsides or slopes with pyramid-shape roofs.

Day 10 Kaili – Rongjiang

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today’s first stop is Langde Long-skirt Miao Village. It is so named because the Miao people in the village wear long skirts. In addition to visit the unique wooden stilted houses, you can also enjoy the ethnic singing and dancing performances of the villagers. After lunch, you will head for Datang Short-skirt Miao Village because short skirt has been the traditional costume of the villagers for more than 500 years. It is also said that local women still keep the hairstyle of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). Besides, their granaries on the water are regarded to be amazing constructions. A Shui People’s Village in a deep valley will follow. Wooden houses, traditional costumes and custom of Shui people will leave your another memorable impression on the ethnic minorities. Late in the afternoon, you will arrive at Rongjiang and check in at the local hotel.

Day 11 Rongjiang – Congjiang – Zhaoxing

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Basha Miao Village will be your first stop today, which is noted for the local men’s hair dresses. After that, visit Huanggang Dong People’s Village, another ancient minority village. In the afternoon, the trip will be extended to Zhaoxing to visit the largest Dong village. Surrounded by mountains in a basin, this village is famous for the splendid drum towers group which consists of five drum towers of different styles and sizes. A famous night performance of Dong people’s chorus songs is in store for you this evening. You will stay one night at the local hotel.

Day 12 Zhaoxing – Sanjiang – Longsheng

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

As the first ecological museum of Dong people, Tang’an Dong Village awaits you to discover this morning. Afterwards, you will drive to Sanjiang for Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge and other Dong villages nearby. As another typical building of Dong people, the Wind and Rain Bridge merges bridge, corridor and pavilion into a whole, providing a rest place and a shelter. Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge is the largest of the kind and has a history of over 95 years. Late in the afternoon, you will get to the rural Longsheng and check in the hotel.

Day 13 Longsheng – Guilin

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

You will go to see the astonishing Longsheng Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces in the morning. Stretching layer upon layer from the base of Longji Mountain to the summit, the rice terraces covers an area of 66 square kilometers (about 16,308 acres) and spans an altitude between 300 meters (about 984 feet) and 1,100 meters (about 3,608 feet), assembling the wisdom and diligence of Zhuang minority people. Then visit a Zhuang People’s Village. Before night, we will transfer you to Guilin and help you check in the hotel.

Day 14 Guilin – Yangshuo – Guilin

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Meals: Breakfast

Enduring memories will be created today as you cruise down the Li River to Yangshuo. Picturesque sceneries will come into view all the way along the river. You will see undulating hills, crystal water, dense trees, green fields and grotesque peaks. Upon your arrival in Yangshuo, a short trip to the countryside is specially arranged for you to get close to the natural beauty of Yangshuo. On the way, you will also visit a local villager’s home to experience the farmer’s lifestyle. After that, we will transfer you back the hotel in Guilin.

Tips: The cruise lasts around 4 hours and reaches terminal Yangshuo at about 14:00. Lunch is available on board, but the basic Chinese box lunch may fail to meet with your approval. So we recommend you prepare for the cruise with a generous breakfast at the hotel.

Day 15 Guinlin Departure

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Your Guilin city tour will cover the Reed Flute Cave, the Seven Star Park and the Elephant Trunk Hill. The Reed Flute Cave is well-known for fantastic karst landscape with interesting names, such as Crystal Palace, Dragon Pagoda and Virgin Forest. The Seven Star Park is the largest complex park in Guilin City, consisting of the karst cave, hills, lakes, and ancient temples, bridges and stone tablets. As its name suggests, the Elephant Trunk Hill is a huge rock that resembles an elephant drinking water at the riverside, which may surprise you at the first sight. As your China tour finishes here, our guide will transfer you to Guilin Airport and say farewell to you.