21 days in land let us deep into the old China history. If all Chinese cities and towns have been westernized, most parts of the country still remain  unchanged for centuries.  Trekking is perhaps the best way to approach really this authentic China: landscape untouched by artificial action, tradition and lifestyle keeping their own way.
 
Two full days trekking in Zhongdian ( former Shangrila), the mini-Tibet with 2 nights staying in their home allow us the first discovery of this mysterious nationality. Following with 7 days trekking from the Tiger Leaping Gorge to Lugu lake, grandiose mountain and colourful cultures  of minorities Yi, Naxi, Mosos …

Others highlights of our trip : Lijiang and Dali, the two old cities still keeping its authentic architecture against the challenge of the time.

  Trekking in Lugu Lake , Yangtze River and Meili Mountain(21 days ) in the west (not in winter)

Day 01: Kunming

  Arrival of Kunming from Hongkong (KA 760 HKGKMG   1145  1405)  , Capital of Yunnan, Kunming is the gate of China to South East Asia . The trade to Burma, Thailand and Vietnam is very flourishing. As its climate is nice all over the year, Kunming is also famous for is various kinds of flowers.
  Transfer to Camellia Hotel**,visit Kunming Minority nationalities museum .

Day 02 : Lijiang

  Kunming / Lijiang by early flight : Today you will visit a traditional Naxi Village, where life has gone relatively unchanged for hundreds of years. Black Dragon Pool, where the snow-capped mountains seemingly shimmer as they are reflected in the waters of the lake and a Tibetan lamastery are also on the agenda. This afternoon has been left free for further independent exploration the Old Town , which is located at an altitude of almost 8,000 feet and a UN World Heritage Site. The old part of the town has wonderful old cobbled streets, meandering streams and views that will take your breath away .Night in Yuquan nationality hotel ** .

Day 03: Lugu Lake

  Drive to Lugu Lake from Lijiang about 7 hours .Visit a lamastery , Mouso family , tour on the Lake Lugu by boat , take part in the Bon-fire party in the evening with local young people ( dancing hand in hand to experience how the local falling love with each other by this way since Mosuo people don`t have the fixed marriage but walking marriage .)night in Mosuo Family Hotel 2* in Luoshui village by the Lake Lugu .

Day 04:  Trekking Lugu Lake - Zhuangzi

  Bus to Yongnin town from Lugu Lake : Yongnin town / Zhuangzi on foot about 6 hours over a mountain 3700 m. , night in local Pumi people resident house .

Day 05: Zhuangzi / Gewa

  Zhuangzi / Gewa , 6 hours trekking throughthe primtive forest . We walk through the some Pumin minority people villages over the mountain pass which is 3300 m., night in Mosuo guest house .

Day 06: Gewa /Labo village / Fenglian ,

  An easy day of walking through rice field and all the way down to the Yangtze bank .1600 m. altitude . We will cross the Yangtze River and begin to discover the Mosuo’s country.  This mountain man people conserve a matriarchal society for long time. They build houses with wood.  Stay in the guest house near the river side over 2600 m.

Day 07: Fenglian / Liuqing ,

  A wonderful walk through the pine tree forest , it is a long but pleasant trip , you will see kinds of  wild flowers as gentian and azalea etc.  Stay in the Teacher He ` s guest house . 2300 m. altitude .

Day 08: Liuqing / Baoshan ,

  We climb over the mountain Pass Taizhi which is 2245 meters . It’s the hardest day but you can view  thousands and thousands goats wandering and eating grass.6 hours trekking over a mountain pass. Shi Baoshan meaning the stone castle . Here you will find some historic site defending against  Yi intruders . Night in Mr Mu`s family guest house .

Day 09: Baoshan Stone city / Guole / Laru/Daju

  Have a trek for 5 hours.  You will enjoy the beautiful deep gorge with different species of bushes.4.5 hours by minibus to Daju .Then we will be back again to the Golden Sand River (Yangtze  River ) and overnight at an old and fantastic village in Daju guest house . Daju was the important centre for tea and salt transportation in the history . The horsemen would stay here for several days for refreshing .


Day10 :Tiger Leaping Gorge

  A full day trekking in the countryside north of Lijiang where the scenery is stunning .The Yangtze River, still in its infancy here, passes through the Gorge with cliffs of almost 4,000 metres on either side.Trekking Daju town / Heika village , crossing the Yangtze river by ferry again .Transfer from the Yangtze River by local bus about 30 minutes to Walnuts village . Start trekking from Walnuts village to Half Way House throuth the bamboo and bushes and a waterfall in Haba Mountain about 2 hours . Night in Half Way Guest House (2 people share a room with public bath ) .
 

Day 11: Tiger Leaping Gorge
 
  Continuation the trekking to Qiaotou from Half Way about 5 hours along the Tea and Horse House in the Gorge , passing throuth 18-Zig - zag , cool and interesting . Opposite , Yulong (Jade Dragon) Mountain appearing in your eyes always , looks like a Chinese painting  . One can`t help sigh how marvelous the nature is .  Transfer from Qiaotou of Gorge to Zhongdian about 2 hours . Night in Salong hotel 3* for 2 nights .

 Day 12: Zhongdian

Being so high, an average of 3,200 m, and the relief is similar to Tibet, Zhongdian is inhabited by Khamba people, a branch of Tibetan, for more than 1000 years. Lifestyle has all characteristics of highland Tibetan culture : Barely cultivation, yaks, monasteries.

If most of Tibetan is known as very poor and have difficult living condition, Tibetan in Zhongdian have perhaps the best conditions. Their house are normally very large and perfectly constructed, their main income : the timber exploitation, medicine plant and mushroom cultivation.

Visit Sumtselin lamastery , the largest lamastery in Yunnan . Driving to Baishuitai about 2 hours  ,visit the nature rice terrace  . Tibetan family and old town of Zhongdian are also on agenda .

 Day 13: Zhongdian / Deqin

Zhongdian / Deqin by bus about 4 hours over White Horse Snow Mountain 4300 m., visit Dongzhulin Lamastery . Deqin , one of the 3 counties attached to Zhongdian Tibetan area , is located in the basin on the altiplano surrounded by the huge mountains . Because it is bordering Tibet , the resident is less influenced by Han people . Night in Zangxian Great hotel 2* .

Day 14 : Deqin / Xidan hot spring 

Start trekking along the inner pilgrim around the highest snow mountain in Yunnan (6700 m.) .The pilgrim has two kinds : outer and inner trekking around the holy mountain once a year for the local Tibetan people . We follow the inner pilgrim route . It normally takes 7 days walk . Outer takes 2 weeks .
Driving 10 km. to Flying over Lamastery ( Feilaisi ) , trekking 4 or 5 hours all the way down to Mekong river , cross the river by the bridge . Having picnic lunch in a Lamastery , transfer by bus to Xidang Hot spring about 20 minutes . Option : some clients prefer to trek all the way up to Xidang 2 hours .Night in local guest house .

Day 15 : Xidan hot spring / Zhongweicun village / Yubeng village

Yubeng village is located at the foot of Karwa Karpo Snow Mountain , which has nearly 200 Tibetan families live around . It is really the Shangri-la , the paradise : there is no pollution , automobile , TV , shopping and even the telephone , but only the holy snow mountain under the blue sky with rustic , friendly people . It is the base for us during the next 3 days` trekking .
6 hours trekking over a mountain pass named Nanzhuka (3750 m.) in the well-protected virgin forest . As soon as you get to the top of the mountain for lunch , it seems the huge snow mountain jumps to your eyes immediately . Night in local guest house (standard room but public bath ) for 3 nights .

Day 16 : Yubeng / Foot of Meili snow mount / Shenpu ( water fall ) / Yubeng 

6 hours trekking forth and back towards the snow mountain , through the forest and grassland along the beautiful river up and down . On the way you will find there are colourful cloth strips hanging on the trees , which is fastened by local Tibetan people while they walk for pilgrim –a good wish for health and property . Because of the low temperature in the winter , the water fall will be icing up .

Day 17 : Yubeng / Camp / Food of Glacier / Yubeng

Trekking for 7 or 8 hours forth and back towards the snow mountain in different direction , you will find the view is quite different from yesterday : besides the scenery , there are some Tibetan villages scattered on the hillside , white and brown , it looks like a picture . It is also the route for Sino-Japan joined climbing team in the year of 1991 . We stop at a beautiful lake and return back .

 Day 18 : Yubeng / Ninong village   

Trekking for 6 hours along the Yubeng river to the Mekong river point . You might be little willies and exciting because of the some part of Yubeng river valley is so deep that you have to walk close to the mountain side (actually the path in generally is 1 or 1.5 m. wide ). Night in Ninong Tibetan village guest house by the Mekong river .

Day 19 : Weixi town

Trekking Ninong to Jiabi village (2 and half hours ) . Met by the bus and transfer to Weixi Town (Lisu people ) 225 km. Visit the famous Christian Church -- Cizhong . Check in Sanjiang hotel 2* .

Day 20 : Weixi / Lijiang 220 km

Drive back from Mekong river to Yangtze river again . Visit Shigu Red Army Long-March Museum at the first Bend of Yangtze river on the way . Afternoon will be free for further exploring the old town of Lijiang  . Check in Sanhe garden Hotel 3* .

Day 21 :Kunming

Lijiang / Kunming by early flight , deposit the luggage in Kunming airport , clients take the bus to the Kunming town to visit the bird and flower market ,before departure of Kunming .


 The quotation:(21 days)

Price includes :

- Accommodation in hotel and Guest house, home stay in village,
- All meals from the arrival until departure ;
- Entrances fees ;
- Land transportation ;
- Services of national French speaking  guide and a local English guide from the beginning
until the end ;
- Luggage carrying by horses and porters , 2 cooks if the group size is 9 pax up;
- 2 air tickets Kunming/Lijiang/Kunming ;
- Local travel insurance .

Price excludes :

-  Tipping or gratuities to guides and drivers;
- Mandatory international travel insurance;
- Excursions other than those specified in trips;
- Extra cost if itinerary is delayed or changed due to unexpected reasons  beyond control;
- International flight Hongkong/Kunming/Hongkong .

Temperature in Yunnan

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