14 Days Guilin-Guizhou-Zhangjiajie Nature Wonders Tour with Minorities Discovery

This private tour includes many different famous highlights of South-west China, an insight into the local ethnic minority culture and some incredible scenery. From Guilin to Guizhou, through the peaceful Yangshuo county to the ancient Miao villages …This tour offers you an off the beaten path route to explore the real life of the local ethnic minorities, appreciate the marvelous Karst landscapes and enjoy a leisurely life in the rural villages. Then go further to Fanjingshan, an other-worldly peak in China’s Wuling Mountain Range, is one of the newest natural wonders to have been added to Unesco’s ever-expanding list of World Heritage Sites. 

In the morning, the driver will pick you up from your hotel in Guilin and then head to Longji Rice Terraces after all the clients picked up. We will driver about 1.5 hours for 80km. On the road, we will go up and down the mountains. You can appreciate the ranges of hills and beautiful scenery.

Then we will arrive at the entrance at the Pingan Zhuang village first. And then we need to walk about 40 minutes up. You will find tier upon tier fields surrouding the village. It is really majesty sightseeing. Then we will have lunch in a restaurant.

In the afternoon, we will see the rice terraces of Zhuang People and we will have hiking along the rice terraces.

Transfer to hotel.

Day 4 Longsheng-Sanjiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Yao Village
Accommodation: Sanjiang
Meals: none

In the morning, enjoy the sunrise view of the rice terraces. Then we will visit the villages of Yao people and Zhuang people to experience the ethnic cultures and lifestyle. 

Then drive 1.5 hours to Sanjiang in the afternoon. Stay overnight in Sanjiang.

Day 5 Sanjiang-Zhaoxing

Sightseeing and Activities: Drum Tower, Shelter Bridge, Dong Village
Accommodation: Zhaoxing
Meals: none

Visit the Drum Tower and the Shelter Bridge of Dong people and the Dong village there. Dong people are well-known for their architecture, particularly their drum towers, and wind & rain bridges (the Shelter Bridge), which are wooden covered bridges for sheltering people during bad weather. Then drive to Guizhou Zhaoxing after lunch. Stay tonight in Zhaoxing.

Day 6 Zhaoxing-Rongjiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Dong villages, Grand Song, Basha Village
Accommodation: Rongjiang
Meals: none

Visit one of the largest Dong villages in the region, with more than 700 households and a population of 4000. The Dong can be easily recognized by their turbans (for men), and pleated skirts (for women). Enjoy the famous “Grand Song” performance of Dong. The Grand Song which is characteristic in multi-vocal parts, non-conduct and non-obbligato has beautiful sound and tune. It is the world’s non-material culture heritage. Then drive 2 hours to Rongjiang.

Have a visit to Basha, a small Miao village with very little signs of modern influence. The local Miao people who are in their traditional costumes rarely venture out of the village except for selling firewood, crops and buying for daily necessities in markets. Stay overnight in Rongjiang.

Day 7 Rongjiang-Kaili

Sightseeing and Activities: Miao Villages
Accommodation: Kaili
Meals: none

On the way to Kaili, stop to visit Shui people and two other Miao villages where you can Miao’s traditional wooden houses, waterwheels, the aquatic granary and the Miao women’s ‘Mini skirt’. Stay overnight in Kaili.

Day 8 Kaili-Jiangkou

Sightseeing and Activities: Matang Gejia Village
Accommodation: Jiangkou
Meals: none

After breakfast, you will take a visit to Matang Gejia Village which is famous for its brilliant skills of making batiks and embroidery which are listed as provincial intangible cultural heritage. The buildings and custom there are also very original. Gejia group living in the village is not listed in the 55 minority groups in China just because of their tiny population.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to Jiangkou County for overnight. 

Day 9 Jiangkou-Fanjingshan-Tongren

Sightseeing and Activities: Fanjingshan Mountain
Accommodation: Tongren
Meals: none

Today is a full day exploration of the incredible Fanjingshan. You will take the South Route to assend the mountain. First take park bus from the tourist center to Yu’ao Station where you will take a cable car up to the mountain top area, which will save you a lot of time for you to spend on the highlighting area. 

What to see at Fanjingshan

Located in Tongren, Guizhou province (southwest China), Fanjingshan is the highest peak of Wuling Mountains, 2,570m (8,430ft) above sea level. Besides standing out as a sacred Maitreya mountain for Buddhists, Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve was also established and designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and later announced as a World Heritage Site in 2018.

 Red Cloud Golden Summit, a thumb-like peak, is described by UNESCO as an “island of metamorphic rock in a sea of karst”, believed to have been formed somewhere between 2 million and 65 million years ago. For everyone else, one of the main appeals of visiting Fanjingshan is the stunning views from the summit.

Mushroom Stone is the landmark of Fanjingshan. Big on the top and small at the bottom, it is vividly formed like a mushroom. For more than one billion years , it has been standing there still and hit by the rainstorms, summer heat and winter snow year after year, which is the essence of what Buddhism says about “Remain unbiased” in every circumstance.

Old Golden Summit, with an elevation of 2,494 metres, is the highest scenic site of Fanjingshan. On the top of Old Golden Summit is a temple dedicated to Buddha Dipamkara which is as well as the best place to take some panoramic photos of Fanjingshan.

Cheng En Temple, located between the two summits with scarlet walls and black tiles, is the main building of Fanjingshan Temple Group and one of the four Royal temples in Fanjingshan which was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368AD-1644AD).

After the fantastic sightseeing, drive to Tongren City for overnight.

Day 10 Tongren-Fenghuang

Sightseeing and Activities: Fenghuang Ancient Town
Accommodation: Fenghuang
Meals: none

Drive from Tongren to Fenghuang. Visit Fenghuang Ancient Town in Western Hunan Province. It is a wonderful example of what villages were like prior to the onset of modernization. Here dozens of alleys paved with flagstones run between the houses, each showing wear caused by the feet of generations of local people who have used them when going about their daily business. For the visitor, these alleys are the way to see the typical high gabled wooden houses built on stilts along the banks of the Tuo Jiang River at close quarters.

Day 11 Fenghuang-Zhangjiajie

Sightseeing and Activities: Baofeng Lake, Glass Bridge, Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon
Accommodation: Zhangjiajie
Meals: none

In the morning, drive about 4 hours to Zhangjiajie. Drive to see Baofeng Lake and the Glass Bridge in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. 

Day 12 Zhangjiajie

Sightseeing and Activities: Tianzi Mountain, West Aea, He Long Park, Shengtang Bay, Backyard Garden, Avatar Mountain, Bailong Elevator
Accommodation: Zhangjiajie
Meals: none

After breakfast, transfer to visit Tianzi Mountain by cable car to the summit of the mountain.Walk to visit the Stone Forest of the West Sea, He Long Park, Shengtang Bay. And then take shuttle bus to see the World’s First Natural Bridge,Backyard Garden, Avatar Mountain which are the wonders of Yuanjiajie Scenic Spot. And then take Bailong Elevator down for taking shuttle bus out of the park.

Day 13 Zhangjiajie

Sightseeing and Activities: Tianmen Mountain, Glass Foot Path, Plank Road, Tianmen Temple, Bonsai Garden, Connected Heaven Avenue, Tianmen Cave
Accommodation: Zhangjiajie
Meals: none

After breakfast, you are transferred to visit Tianmen Mountain, with 1,1518 meters above sea level, which is famous for Tianmen Cave. Here you’ll have an exploration of the six wonders in Tianmen Mountain: The Glass Foot Path, the Plank Road,Tianmen Temple, Bonsai Garden, the Connected Heaven Avenue,Tianmen Cave, and Tianmen Mountain Cable Car… After visiting, drive back to hotel.

Day 14 Zhangjiajie Departure

Sightseeing and Activities: Zhangjiajie Departure
Accommodation: none
Meals: none

Drive to Zhangjiajie airport or train station for departure. Service ends.

Service Included:

• All land transfer and transportation as listed in the itinerary;
• Excellent English speaking tour guide and skilled driver;
• Entrance tickets mentioned in the itinerary;
• Two bottles of water each day each person;
• Accommodation with breakfast;
• Meals as mentioned.

Service Excluded:

• Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
• Chinese visa fees;
• Tips to guides and drivers;
• Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
• Personal travel accident insurance;
• All optional programs.

Travel Tips:

• Visitors are advised to always carry changes of clothing due to the large variations in temperature between day and night.
• Protecting oneself from strong UV radiation at high altitude.
• Protecting oneself from altitude sickness. Lessen the effects of altitude sickness, avoid strenuous exercise and have plenty of rest.
• Respect local customs , habits, and religious beliefs.
• When take photos, please pay attention to your safety, do not shoot in dangerous areas.