Best China Tours: 17 Days Guilin Guizhou Yunnan Colorful Minority Tour

Summary

Day 1 Guilin Arrival
Day 2 Guilin: Elephant Trunk Hill Park, Daxu Ancient Town, Reed Flute Cave
Day 3 Guilin-Yangshuo: Li River Cruise, West Street
Day 4 Yangshuo-Longsheng: Yangshuo to Longsheng, Longji Terraced Fields
Day 5 Longsheng-Sanjiang-Zhaoxing: Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, Zhaoxing Dong Village
Day 6 Zhaoxing-Congjiang: Tang’an village, Basha village
Day 7 Congjiang-Rongjiang: Chejiang Dong village, Rongjiang Ancient Town
Day 8 Rongjiang-Kaili: Datang Miao Village, Ethnic Minorties Museum
Day 9 Kaili: Shiqiao Miao village, Qing Miao village, Local family visit
Day 10 Kaili-Kunming: Flight Kunming, Gragon Gate
Day 11 Kunming:Jiuxiang Caves, Stone Forest
Day 12 Kunming-Dali:Flight to Dali, Erhai Lake
Day 13 Dali-Lijiang: Train to Lijiang, Lijiang Ancient Town
Day 14 Lijiang: Jade Gragon Mountain
Day 15 Lijiang: Stone Drum Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Day 16 Lijiang-Shangri-la: Drive to Shangri-la, Songzanlin Lamasery
Day 17 Shangri-la Departure

Day 1. Guilin Arrival

Welcome to Guilin! After arrived Guilin, you are greeted by your guide at the airport outside the luggage claim area with a welcome signage displayed and then transferred to the Hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax and recover from jetlag. 

Day 2. Guilin

After breakfast, meeting you at your hotel lobby, and you will take a visit to the iconic Sight-Elephant Trunk Hill Park, which is one of the four top Guilin attractions that all visitors coming to town usually stop by. Regarded as the symbol of Guilin city, the site is the most famous karstic hill formation out of the many rising straight out of the ground throughout the city. 

Have a quiet and cozy experience in Daxu Ancient Town, was founded at the beginning of the Song dynasty (960 – 1126). It is one of the four famous ancient towns in Guangxi Province. A 2.3km-long and 2m-wide stone-paved street runs through the town with various ancient buildings lining the sides of the street. These structures date back to Ming and Qing dynasties. 

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, then continue your tour to Reed Flute Cave, which is known as "the Palace of Natural Arts” is located in the northwest of Guilin City, 5 kilometers away from the center of the city. It is a cave on the southern shoulder of the Guangming Hill (Bright Hill) ancd is one of the most extraordinary scenic spots in Guilin. Counted as "must-see" sights in Guilin as well as Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill and Folded Brocade Hill.

    

Afterwards, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 3. Guilin-Yangshuo

In the morning, you will take a boat cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (5 hours). And you will have a lunch on the boat. From Guilin to Yangshuo, the prominent landforms are karst peak clusters. The Li River flows around these mountains to form valleys. The scenery is the best in Caoping, Yangdi and Xingping. There are beautiful scenes of Nine Horses Fresco Hill, Yellow Cloth Reflection, and Half Side Ferry. The Li River landscape's appearance varies at different times of the year, from different viewpoints, and during different climates. 

After arrived at Yangshuo, take you to a local Chinese restaurant for lunch, and the rest of the day free on your own to explore the attractions at West Street. 

At last, send you back to your hotel.

Day 4 Yangshuo-Longsheng

Today, after breakfast, you will be transferred to Longsheng(2.5 hours). After arriving the Longsheng, you will visit the Longji Terraced Fields. Probably built 650 years ago, Longji Terraced Fields are now famous for its large scale of rice paddies on the mountain, stacked up to form a rather spectacular view.

After lunch, climbing the Longji Terrace Field. While climbing up to the mountain top, you can experience the rural lifestyle of local villages, which are mainly dwelled by Yao and Zhuang minorities. Minority culture is another big highlight besides the spectacular terraces and unique traditional houses in Longji Terraced Fields. The area is inhabited by Yao and Zhuang Minority nationalities. Yao women are famous because of their unique clothing and hair style. They are famous for having longest hair in the world as they never cut their hair. 

Day 5 Longsheng-Sanjiang-Zhaoxing

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Sanjiang(1.5 hours). Then you will visit Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, also called Yongji Bridge or Panlong Bridge, spans the Linxi River of Sanjiang County. Built in 1916, it is 64.4 meters (73.43 yards) long, 3.4 metes (3.72 yards) wide and 10.6 meters (34.78 feet) high. See unique Dong houses and architectures when you visit the wind and rain bridge.

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, then drive you to Zhaoxing (4 hours). Then visit Zhaoxing Dong village, which is boasts a landmark of five drum towers and beautiful bridges and is known as the most famous Dong Village in China and it is one of the largest Dong villages with over 800 households and more than 4,000 inhabitants in Guizhou. 

At last, drive you to your hotel in Zhaoxing.

Day 6. Zhaoxing-Congjiang

Today you will be escorted to Congjiang from Zhaoxing(1 hour). Then you will experience Dong minority custom at Tang’an Dong village, a village built on a steep mountain slope and surrounded by terraced paddy fields. 

Then visit Basha village, an original Miao village in Congjiang in Southeastern Guizhou Province. Experience local Miao people’s traditions dating back to the Qing Dynasty (around 2200 years ago).

After the tour ends, send you back to your hotel in Congjiang.

Day 7. Congjiang-Rongjiang

This morning, your destination is Chejiang Dong village, one of the largest Dong villages located along a river among mountains. See its big Banyan tree with a 300-year history in the village and experience local life. 

Then head to Rongjiang Ancient Town to see a culture mixture of Dong and Miao minorities. The town has been existed for more than 2000 years. Enjoy a lunch in local restaurant in Rongjiang Ancient Town.

Drive you back to your hotel.

Day 8 Rongjiang-Kaili

After breakfast, our guide will take you to kaili. And you will visit Datang Miao village in Kaili, which is a village famous for its women' short skirts and waterproof granaries. The most extraordinary thing about this is that the females of Datang wear their short skirts all year round, even in freezing winter. Well dressed up Miao girls are performing dance for tourists. You'll be captivated by their charming miniskirts.

After lunch at the local Chinese restaruant, continue your tour to stroll in the village and to learn more about minorities' custom and culture of Southeastern Guizhou in Kaili Ethnic Minorities Museum.

Then drop you off your hotel after the tour ends. 

Day 9 Kaili

In the morning, you will pay a visit to Shiqiao Miao village, which is a romantic retreat imbued with magical healing power. Blessed with idyllic landscape, mysterious Miao culture, inviting customs, colorful festivals as well as the over 1400-year-old paper making practice. Then we have a chance to see China Traditional Paper-making process. 

After lunch, continue your tour to Qing Miao village, drink a small cup of wine prepared for honored guests by the local before you step into the village, have a personal touch through a local family visit, and a chance to see traditional way of clothes and dresses made by dyed fabric.

Finally, send you back to your hotel.

Day 10 Kaili-Kunming

In the morning, you could explore some attractions near your hotel, and later our guide will drive you to the airport. You will be greeted by our local guide at the exit of airport with a welcome signage when you arrived in Kunming. Then be escorted you to your hotel and help your hotel check-in and you can have a rest.

In the afternoon, you will have a visit at the Dragon Gate on Xishan nearby the Dianchi Lake, appreciate its grottoes, sculptures and corridors dating back to 1781 to 1835 carved by a Taoist monk and his co-workers.

Afterwards, send you back to hotel.

Day 11 Kunming

Today you will visit one of the limestone highlights Jiuxiang Caves, with hundreds of large and small caves, Jiuxiang scenic area owns the largest scale, number and most unique caves. It is a unique international karst geological park. According inspecting demonstration of cave scientists, Jiuxiang karst caves are located in dolomite which formed 600 million years ago. Then you will step into the Stone Forest, Walk into the Greater Stone Forest, marvel at groups of gray-black stone peaks and climb up a pavilion to have a panoramic view of the intricate stone forest. Visit the Lesser Stone Forest and listen to the legendary story of “Ashima”. It will be a real treat to visit the extraordinary natural stone forest.

After lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of the day free on your own to explore other attractions.

Day 12 Kunming-Dali

This morning, drive you to the airport and catch a flight from Kunming to Dali, enjoy a comfort and relaxed transfer to Dali. Our local guide will meet you at the exit of the Airport.. Then you will discover Bai unique culture in Houses of Bai People in Xizhou, a historical and typical concentration for Bai people. 

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, later, take a leisure cruise on Erhai Lake, and you can visit temples and small islands in the lake. In the simple ceremony, three different kinds of Bai tea are served. Islands in the lake include Guanyin Ge (Guanyin Pavilion), Jinsuo Island, NanzhaoFengqing Island and Xiao Putuo Island. Then wander in the Ancient City of Dali to enjoy a nice evening.

At last, send you back to your hotel.

Day 13 Dali-Lijiang

After a morning relaxation, Leave for Lijiang by train. You can have a rest after you arrived.

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, then explore a well-preserved ancient city - Lijiang Ancient Town. Three old districts in this small city retain a special character of Naxi and Han construction and Naxi customs, arts and culture. It was a former trading town and a stop for traders carrying goods on the “Chama Road” trails. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 following an earthquake and reconstruction in 1996 that returned the city to a more ancient look.

You will be transferred to your hotel after the tour ends.

Day 14 Lijiang

After breakfast, firstly, drive you to visit Jade Dragon Mountain. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants. In fact, one fourth of all plant species in China can be found here and 20 primeval forest communities shelter a big family of 400 types of trees and 30 kinds of animals which are protected by the state. These species live in different temperature levels and create different kinds of views. The 13 peaks, which have the altitudes of at least 4,000 meters, are covered by snow all year round; the mountain is also called the "Natural Glacier Museum" for it has all types of glacier. 

After finished, send you back to your hotel.

Day 15 Lijiang

Today, our guide take you to view the first bent of the Yangtze River at Stone Drum Town, whose base of mountain standing for the First Bay on the Yangtze River.

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, continue your tour to take a Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking. Tiger Leaping Gorge gets the name because it is too narrow for a tiger to easily jump over the Jinsha River. You will be shocked by its magnificent gorge and have a chance to see Yulong Snow Mountain and overlook the Jinsha River Valley., one of the deepest and most marvelous gorges in China. Experience Naxi people’s culture on the hiking route. The hiking is one of the most exciting hiking routes in China.

Finally, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Day 16 Lijiang-Shangri-la

Today, drive you to the Shangri-la. You will explore Tibetan culture at Songzanlin Lamasery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist lamasery in Yunnan Province. It was originally built in 1679 A.D., and it was finished in 1681. It was a main temple used by Tibetans who lived in Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet and other areas in the southwestern part of China. Have a walk in Pudacuo National Park, a well-preserved ecosystem within the virgin forests. And Lake Bita and Lake Shudu are scenery not to miss in the park.

After lunch at local restaurant, the rest of the day is free on your own to explore other attractions.

Day 17 Shangri-la Departure

Today is on your own, and later you will be escorted to airport, and your tour ends. Hope you have a pleasant trip!

Price Per Person in US Dollars

Price Includes 1. All transfer and city transportation 2. Air-conditioned car or van 3. Hotels specified in the itinerary, all based     on two persons sharingone standard room; 4. Meals specified in the itinerary: Western     breakfast in hotels Chinese lunch and     dinner in local restaurants 5. Sightseeing: All arrangements mentioned     in the itinerary will be covered All first     admission/entrance fees in the itinerary 6. Tour guide: Conducted by a professional     tour guide

Price Excludes 1. International air-tickets 2. Airport departure tax. 3. International or domestic air tickets which     are not listed in the itinerary. 4. Insurance coverage of personal loss, illness     or damages incurred during your trip 5. Tips to the tour guide and driver 6. Meals not specified in the itinerary. 7. Personal expenses: phone bills, laundry,     optional tours, postage, excess baggage     charge, entertainment fees out of the     itinerary. 8. Single Room Supplement.