13 Days Yunnan and Guizhou Minorities Discovery Tour by Speed Train
Yunnan and Guizhou are two provinces with many nationalities and cultures. During this tour, we will explore the nature and ethnic groups in Yunnan, then take the high speed train from Kunming to Kaili to learn about the culture and life of the Miao people.
Highlights:
- Visit the highlights of Yunnan tour, including Shangrila, Lijiang, Dali and Kunming.
- Explore the ethnic groups in Yunnan, such as Tibetan, Bai, Naxi, etc.
- Learn about the culture and life of the Miao people in Kaili.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Shangrila Arrival
- Day 2: Shangrila
- Day 3: Shangrila – Lijiang
- Day 4: Lijiang
- Day 5: Lijiang – Dali
- Day 6: Dali
- Day 7: Dali – Kunming
- Day 8: Kunming
- Day 9: Kunming
- Day 10: Kunming – Kaili
- Day 11: Kaili
- Day 12: Kaili – Xijiang
- Day 13: Xijiang – Guiyang
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Shangrila Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Shangrila
Meals:
Welcome to Shangrila! Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to you hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Day 2 Shangrila
Sightseeing and Activities: Songzanlin Lamasery, Potatso National Park
Accommodation: Shangrila
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning, visit the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan – Songzanlin Monastery. Afterwards visit Bita Lake & Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park, which is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world.
Day 3 Shangrila – Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Tiger Leaping Gorge, Ancient town of Lijiang
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today drive another 4 hours to Lijiang. On the way, stop to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world. After Lijiang arrival, head to visit Ancient town of Lijiang and stroll on Square Street.
Day 4 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yufeng Temple, Baisha Mural
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast at hotel, drive to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Then head to visit Yufeng Temple and Baisha Mural.
Day 5 Lijiang – Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Dali Ancient Town, Three Pagodas
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, drive back to Dali, one of the important cradles of Yunnan ancient culture. Upon arrival, visit Dali Ancient Town and Three Pagodas, the symbol of the history of Dali.
Day 6 Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Erhai Cruise, Xizhou ancient town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast at hotel, take an Erhai Cruise for about 4 hours. Erhai, is the second largest lake in Yunnan after Dianchi Lake. Then transferred to visit Xizhou Bai’s Houses (Yan’s Courtyard included) to see the ancient house of Bai people.
Day 7 Dali – Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: on the overnight train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore this city at leisure until being transferred to Dali railway station for the overnight train to Kunming.
Day 8 Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: Stone Forest, Flowers and Birds Market
Accommodation: Kunming
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, drive back to Kunming and visit Flowers and Birds Market.
Day 9 Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: Yunnan Minority Village, Western Hill, the Green Lake Park, 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 10 Kunming – Kaili
Sightseeing and Activities: Matang Gejia group
Accommodation: Kaili
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will take 3-hour high speed train to Kaili which is well known for Miao ethnic group. Upon arrival, met by the tour guide and start today’s tour.
Drive to Matang village to see Gejia group, which is an unrecognized nationality with Hou Yi as their ancestors. It is famous for exotic attires, colorful festivals and countryside feelings.
Day 11 Kaili
Sightseeing and Activities: Kaili Ethnic Minority Museum, Qingman Miao Village, Shiqiao Miao Village
Accommodation: Kaili
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
We will spend the whole day to explore Miao minority group. 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 head 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.
Afterwards, visit Shiqiao Miao Village. The Miao people there still lives a self-sufficient living style. The village is renowned for traditional paper-making. It is a nice place to experience and learn the traditional paper-making.
After the tour, drive back to Kaili for overnight.
Day 12 Kaili – Xijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Jidao Miao Village, Upper Langde Miao Village, Datang Miao Village
Accommodation: Xijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, head to Jidao Miao Village, Upper Langde Miao Village, and Datang Miao Village to explore the culture of Miao people.
After the visit, drive to Xijiang for overnight. Appreciate the night view of Xijiang.
Day 13 Xijiang – Guiyang
Sightseeing and Activities: Xijiang Miao Village
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, explore 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.
Then drive back to Guiyang for your flight or train to your next destination. 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 the province with the largest population of minorities with 25 of them having more than 5000 members,among them 16 are indigenous (including Bai, Dai, Naxi, Hani, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Jinuo, De’ang, Durung, etc.)
Guizhou Ethnic Minorities
Guizhou is the home of many varieties of Miao, Dong, Shui, Bouyei and other ethnic minorities. …
Miao Ethnic minority is the fifth minority among the 55 minorities in China. …
Dong minority group is one of Guizhou’s largest minority groups. …
Shui Minority is another minority among 55 ethnic minorities.