19 Days Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Ethnic Minorities Discovery
Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi all boasts stunning natural sceneries and rich minority cultures. During this tour, we will visit the top cities of Yunnan tour including Lijiang, Dali and Kunming, explore the minority cultures in the three provinces, and also enjoy the highlights of Guilin, Yangsuo and Longsheng.
Highlights:
- Visit the top cities of Yunnan tour including Lijiang, Dali and Kunming.
- Explore the ethnic villages in Yunnan, Guilin and Guangxi.
- Enjoy the highlights of Guilin, Yangsuo and Longsheng.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Lijiang Arrival
- Day 2: Lijiang
- Day 3: Lijiang – Dali
- Day 4: Dali – Kunming
- Day 5: Kunming
- Day 6: Kunming – Stone Forest – Luoping
- Day 7: Luoping – Xingyi
- Day 8: Xingyi – Liuzhi
- Day 9: Liuzhi – Anshun
- Day 10: Anshun – Guiyang
- Day 11: Guiyang – Kaili
- Day 12: Kaili – Xijiang – Leishan
- Day 13: Leishan – Rongjiang
- Day 14: Rongjiang – Congjiang – Zhaoxing
- Day 15: Zhaoxing – Sanjiang
- Day 16: Sanjiang – Longsheng – Guilin
- Day 17: Guilin – Yangshuo
- Day 18: Yangshuo
- Day 19: Yangshuo Departure
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Lijiang Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals:
Welcome to Lijiang! Upon your arrival, met by the tour guide and transferred to the hotel.
Day 2 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: the First Bend of the Yangtze River, Shigu Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will drive to visit the First Bend of the Yangtze River, Shigu Town, and Tiger Leaping Gorge. Shigu Town is named after a stone tablet in the shape of a drum and Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world.
Day 3 Lijiang – Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Xizhou ancient Town, Zhoucheng Village, Dali Ancient Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, drive about 4 hours to Dali. Then we will visit Xizhou ancient Town to appreciate Xizhou Bai’s Houses(Yan’s Courtyard included) and Zhoucheng Village to see Bai’s tie-dying.
After that, strong along the Dali Ancient Town.
Day 4 Dali – Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: Erhai Cruise, Three Pagodas
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, take an Erhai Cruise. Erhai Lake is the second largest lake in Yunnan after Dianchi Lake. Then transferred to visit Three Pagodas, the symbol of the history of Dali.
After the tour, take the train to Kunming.
Day 5 Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: Yunnan Minority Village, Western Hill, the Green Lake Park
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After the breakfast, head to visit the epitome of ethnic groups of Yunnan – Yunnan Minority Village. Get to know their architecture styles, costumes, etiquette, etc. Then continue the tour to Western Hill & Dragon Gate. Stand on the Dragon Gate and have a panoramic view of the “Pearl on the Plateau” – Dianchi Lake.
After that, be transferred to the downtown and stroll around the Green Lake Park, watching the locals doing tai chi, performing local opera, and other activities. During the winter times, there are huge flocks of Siberian black-headed gulls flying around.
Day 6 Kunming – Stone Forest – Luoping
Sightseeing and Activities: Stone Forest, Jiulong Waterfall
Accommodation: Luoping
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Breakfast at hotel, our tour guide and drive will pick you up from your hotel and then drive about 85km to the Stone Forest, a notable set of limestone formations and two parts of which have been UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the South China Karst. Besides, Stone Forest is also famous for the ethnic culture of the Sani People (a branch of the Yi ethnicminority).
After the visit, continue the tour to Luoping and visit Jiulong Waterfall.
Day 7 Luoping – Xingyi
Sightseeing and Activities: Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks, Maling River Canyon
Accommodation: Xingyi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today’s highlights is the amazing natural scenery of karst landscape at Xinyi. After breakfast, drive to Xinyi and visit Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks, the Wonder Under Heaven. It is called Wanfenglin in Chinese due to the thousands of peaks. Then move on to Maling River Canyon for a trek at the Tianxing Hualang (Heaven Star Gallery).
Day 8 Xingyi – Liuzhi
Sightseeing and Activities: Maling River Gorge, Soga Miao Village
Accommodation: Liuzhi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, drive to Liuzhi and visit Maling River Gorge on the way which displays the karst landscape and famous for its deep rift, waterfalls and calcium tapestries.
After Liuzhi arrival, continue the drive to Soga Miao Village for a visit.
Day 9 Liuzhi – Anshun
Sightseeing and Activities: Soga Village, Changjiaomiao minority, Huangguoshu waterfall
Accommodation: Anshun
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy the morning time of Soga Village and explore the Changjiaomiao minority, a branch of Miao ethnic minority. After that, head to visit Huangguoshu waterfall , which is one of the largest waterfalls in China and East Asia located on the Baishui River in Anshun. The main waterfall is 67 m high and 83.3 m wide and a 134-meter-long curtain cave lies secretly behind the main fall.
Then drive to Anshun and enjoy the night market at Anshun.
Day 10 Anshun – Guiyang
Sightseeing and Activities: Tianlong Tunbao Village, Stone Buyi Village
Accommodation: Guiyang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, drive to visit the Tunbao Village in Tianlong. Tianlong Village is one of these ancient Tun-Bao settlements built during the reign of Emperor Hongwu by the descendants of the soldiers of the expeditionary troops of the Ming Dynasty. Also we will watch a local opera performance called Ground Opera.
After that, continue the tour to Stone Buyi Village. In this village, the houses are made of woods and stones that are full of local and national features.
Day 11 Guiyang – Kaili
Sightseeing and Activities: Qianling Park, Jiaxiu Pavilion
Accommodation: Kaili
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Have a good rest in the morning and start the visit in the afternoon. Qianling park and Jiaxiu pavilion are included. Qianling Mountain, the most famous mountain in southern Guizhou is located in Qianling park and that’s how the name of Qianling park comes from. Jiaxiu Pavillion is the landmark of Guiyang which offers stunning panoramic view of the surroundings.
Later drive about 3 hours to Kaili for overnight.
Day 12 Kaili – Xijiang – Leishan
Sightseeing and Activities: Kaili Ethnic Minority Museum, Qingman Miao Village, Xijiang Miao Village, Maomaohe Village
Accommodation: Leishan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning, first visit Kaili Ethnic Minority Museum, which displays some buildings, food and drink, costumes, festivals, production, recreation, etiquette, morals and beliefs etc. created by Miao People. Then move on to Qingman Village, which is one of the most prominent and populated Miao Villages within the Province. See the Miao ladies dressed in their beautiful and colorful dresses along with their traditional headdresses and silver accessories.
After that, drive to Xijiang Miao Village, the largest Miao village in Asia. There are 12 natural villages, 1200 families and 6000 people, who dwell in wooden houses built by their hands. Appreciate an amazing view of the nature and experience the local life here.
The last stop is Maomaohe Long-Skirt Miao Village where we will have dinner with local people and have a better understanding to them.
Day 13 Leishan – Rongjiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Langde Miao Village, Datang Village, Paika Village
Accommodation: Rongjiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, head to visit Langde Miao Village, and Datang Miao Village to explore the culture of Miao people where the female villagers wearing their traditional skirt.
Next stop is Paika Village which is known for its manufacture of Lushengs, a kind of musical instrument.
Day 14 Rongjiang – Congjiang – Zhaoxing
Sightseeing and Activities: Basha village, Zhaoxing village
Accommodation: Zhaoxing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, head to Basha Miao Village, which is famed for being China’s last tribe of gunmen. Hidden away in a forest, Basha residents still live in their wooden houses, practice centuries-old customs and have their own unique beliefs.
After that, continue the drive to Zhaoxing Dong Village, which is one of the biggest Dong minority villages in China, and also the center of the Dong ethnic folk cultures. All the buildings in the village are wooden-stilt houses. In Zhaoxing Dong Village, there are five drum towers, which are known far and wide for their unique styles.
Day 15 Zhaoxing – Sanjiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Sanwang Temple, Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge
Accommodation: Sanjiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will drive to Guangxi province and visit Sanwang temple first. Then move on to Sanjiang and visit the Dong Village. Sanjiang is known for diverse minority cultures. Continue the drive to Chengyang and visit the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge.
Day 16 Sanjiang – Longsheng – Guilin
Sightseeing and Activities: Longji Rice Terraces, Pingan Zhuang Village
Accommodation: Guilin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, drive to Longsheng and visit Longji Rice Terraces and Pingan Zhuang village. In the afternoon, drive to Guilin.
Day 17 Guilin – Yangsuo
Sightseeing and Activities: Li River cruise, Yangsuo, West Street
Accommodation: Yangsuo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, we will take Li River cruise to Yangsuo for about 4 hours. On the twisty Li River from Zhujiang to Yangshuo, it covers hundreds and thousands of grotesque peaks. Breathe the fresh air, feel the gentle breeze and enjoy the spectacular landscapes here. Have lunch on board.
In the afternoon, disembark at the old town Yangshuo. Then explore the ancient town – Yangsuo. It has a history of over 1400 years. Walk around West Street to find a lot of unique shops selling traditional handcrafts, hand-made scarfs, snacks of local flavor etc.
Then we will transfer you along the country road to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery of Yangshuo. On the way, we will stop over at a villager’s home to learn more about the local farmers’ life.
Day 18 Yangsuo
Sightseeing and Activities: Moon Hill, Big Bayan Tree
Accommodation: Yangsuo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
A full day for Yangsuo exploration. You could go to the famous Moon Hill and the Big Bayan Tree to enjoy the countryroad scenery. At night, stroll along the West Street again.
Day 19 Yangsuo Departure
Sightseeing and Activities: the Reed Flute Cave, the Elephant Trunk Hill
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
After back to Yangsuo, we will visit the highlights of Guilin. First we will head to the Reed Flute Cave. Also known as “the Palace of Natural Arts”, it is a natural limestone cave with multicolored lighting and has been one of Guilin’s most interesting attractions for over 1200 years. Then visit Elephant Trunk Hill. It is the symbol of the city of Guilin, which got its name because it looks like an elephant drinking water.
After all the visit, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight. Service ends.
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- Personal travel accident insurance;
- All optional programs.
Yunnan is noted for a very high level of ethnic diversity.[68] It has the highest number of ethnic groups among the provinces and autonomous regions in China. Among the country’s 56 recognised ethnic groups, twenty-five are found in Yunnan. Some 38% of the province population are members of ethnic minorities, including the Yi, Bai, Hani, Tai, Dai, Miao, Lisu, Hui, Lahu, Wa, Nakhi, Yao, Tibetans, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Nu, Achang, Jinuo, Mongols, Derung, Manchus, Sui, and Buyei.
Guizhou is the home of many varieties of Miao, Dong, Shui, Bouyei and other ethnic minorities. Travelers could meet many of the ethnic groups in the three autonomous prefectures – Southeast Guizhou Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, South Guizhou Bouyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and Southwest Guizhou Bouyei and Miao
Autonomous Prefecture.
Guangxi is the Zhuang Autonomous Region with the minority population more than 15 million people. The Yao, densely concentrated in some mountain districts, with several branches living in Guangxi, are an another ethnic minority in Guangxi.