12 Days panda + Authentic Minorities Experience

Arrive in Chengdu, the world’s capital of pandas, where you’ll be greeted enthusiastically by your local guide. While the Giant Panda is the drawcard in Chengdu, there is so much more to this city. On the way to your hotel, be introduced to the aliveness of Chengdu and hear a little of what’s in store during your visit. Once checked in at your hotel, enjoy free time to relax or explore. Remember, if you’re wanting to get out and about, talk to your guide. They’re happy to help and point you in the right direction.

Meals included: None

Kick off your Chengdu adventure with a fantastic panda volunteer experience. Your guide will take you to the world-renowned Dujiangyan Panda Base where you’ll work as a panda keeper for the day, cleaning the indoor and outdoor enclosures, preparing food, and feeding pandas. This is truly a once in a lifetime experience offering a chance to connect authentically, both with the panda keepers who supervise your activities, as well as the pandas themselves. Your guide will be on hand to assist with translation. Take advantage of the countless photo opportunities – pandas seriously are some of the cutest bears in the world (let’s face it!) – so you’ll have plenty of beautiful travel memories from the experience. As a memento from the day and acknowledgement of your efforts, you’ll receive a commemorative certificate. Take time to savor it all on the return trip to your Chengdu hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Notes:
1. Please be aware the Panda Keeper Program is restricted to people aged between 5 and 80 years. Children under five years who are accompanied by an adult can take the standard panda tour in panda base, but due to restrictions they are not able to be a panda volunteer.

2. As a maximum of 30 keepers are allowed each day, it is advisable program bookings are made at least two weeks before departure. From time to time adjustments may be made to the program as a result of the health and condition of pandas. Up to date information about the program will be provided by your travel consultant as soon as we receive advice from the program coordinators.

3. Each volunteer panda keeper applicant must provide a Physical Examination Record prior to commencement of the day’s activities.

4. Panda keepers are strongly advised to be guided by their supervisors and should approach animals with extreme caution and only under supervision. Though pandas look gentle, they are animals and their behaviour can be unpredictable.

5. Panda keepers are not allowed to clean enclosures for panda mothers and babies but can help supervisors.

Commence the day by checking out of your hotel and then join your guide for a visit to famous Jinli Street. A busy and popular hub for locals and travelers, Jinli Street is lined with unique regional street food and artisanal craftsmen. It’s a great place to immerse yourself in Chengdu culture and take advantage of the opportunity to sample traditional street food snacks and meet local artists. For the traveler seeking unique travel memories, it’s here you’ll also find a treasure trove of tiny shops selling curios and collectibles. You may just find you succumb to a traditional silk cheongsam or set of bamboo chopsticks to take home. The final stop for today gives you leisure time in Wangjiang Pavilion Park. Located on the bank of Jinjiang River, the pavilion is both bamboo conservation park and memorial to a prolific female Chinese poet, Xue Tao. Take time to contemplate and amble among the rare bamboo groves and sample fragrant teas. From here you’ll be transported to the railway station where you’ll board the high speed train to Guiyang. Sit back and relax on the journey, enjoying the opportunity to watch the changing countryside slip by. On arrival in Guiyang, you’ll be met by the local guide and driven to your hotel for check in. Enjoy an evening in or ask your guide for tips on the best local eats.

Meals included: Breakfast

Today starts immediately after the breakfast when you begin your journey to visit the Miao minority culture. Driving for approximately 2.5 hours to Kaili, you will meet the people from the Qingman Miao Village. In a traditional welcoming ceremony, local Miao girls in gorgeous traditional costumes will toast you with home-made rice wine at the entrance to the village. Take a step back in time as you wander through the village, admiring the wooden stilt houses of typical Miao ethnic architecture and learning interesting facts about their traditional life. Watch first-hand the skill of Miao women weaving, embroidering and sewing traditional Miao clothes in the same way they have for centuries. Appreciate the ancient textile process, delicate embroidery, ancient dyeing skills and other exquisite ethnic arts and crafts. Before heading to Shiqiao there will be time for lunch, perhaps tasting the local cuisine. Be sure to ask your guide for advice. The tour continues to Shiqiao Miao Village, a traditional village that looks like a film set. Shiqiao Miao Village is renowned for its picturesque landscape, inviting customs and the 1500 year old paper making technique. Watch skillful craftsmen as they turn tree bark into smooth white and colored paper and decorations, rarely seen elsewhere in this modern world. Today’s activities conclude when you are transferred to your Kaili hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Your enriching immersion experience with local cultures continues today when you travel to Jidao, a long skirt Miao dress village set in a serene rural landscape. Wandering the ancient paths, you’ll meet locals and observe their laid back lifestyle during a local family visit. Make a point of checking out the stilt buildings and water granaries dating back to the Qing dynasty. Incredibly these continue to play an essential role in local Jidao village life.

A short drive through rugged countryside will take you to Langde Miao Village, where stilted wooden buildings are set in idyllic scenery of lush paddy fields. Wander at leisure through the cobblestone streets where you’ll sense the unhurried pace of life, friendly people, ancient architecture and unique ethnic customs. Depending on the time of day, there is the possibility of catching a traditional singing and dancing performance or ancestor worship activities. For lunch you might like to try Miao bacon or other local cuisine suggested by your guide.

From Langde your journey takes you south to Paika Miao Village. Here you’ll have the chance to watch craftsmen making Lusheng, a traditional bamboo musical instrument that is symbolic of the Miao and Dong people. A final village visit is made at Datang short skirt Miao Village. Here the local traditional ethnic costumes for females is a distinctive and colorful miniskirt. Of particular interest amongst the traditional building architecture is the barn built almost four meters above water, as an ingenious way of protecting stores from fire, mice and insects. At the end of the day, you will be transferred back to Guiyang where you can relax for the evening in your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Spend the morning wandering in proximity to your hotel or simply rest before being collected by your guide and driven to the train station for travel to the next destination, Kunming. Here you will be picked up and escorted to the hotel by your local guide, after which you are free to explore for the rest of the day.

Meals included: Breakfast

China boasts many natural wonders and the famous Stone Forest located 90 minutes from Kunming ranks high among them. The Stone Forest is just that – a seemingly endless collection of unusual and grotesque looking karst stone formations that bear a striking resemblance to a tree forest when viewed from a distance. Your local guide will share how the ‘forest’ was formed by the movement of the earth 270 million years ago and exposure to wind and running water. A home to the Yi minority who are renowned for their diligence, embroidery and dancing, the Stone Forest is also the origin of local myths and legends. The afternoon will find see you return to Kunming itself where you can browse the fabulous Bird and Flower Market. Apart from the eclectic range of birds, fish, antiques, jewelry, souvenirs and other handmade crafts, the mesmerizing kaleidoscope of flowers is inspiring. Test your bargaining skills as you mix with locals in this bustling bazaar, soaking up the culture and local daily life. At the end of the day, you will be returned to the hotel. Be sure to check in with your guide for tips on the best local eats.

Meals included: Breakfast

Farewell Kunming when you depart by bullet train and travel to Dali. On the way, enjoy the experience of watching China go by, virtually changing in front of you. In Dali, you will be welcomed by your guide who’ll commence exploration with a cruise on Erhai Lake, an ‘ear-shaped’ body of water cradled below Cangshan Mountain. The scenery here is exquisite. You’ll treasure the opportunity to capture gorgeous photos and learn more about the cultural significance of the lake to the local Bai minority people. Step onto scenic Jinsuo Island where you can continue your wandering through the historic buildings, enjoy the tranquility. The peaceful theme continues as you move on to Chongsheng Temple. Here you’ll visit the landmark Three Pagodas: comprising one giant pagoda, 69.13 meters tall which is flanked by two smaller pagodas. Incredibly, these Buddhist pagodas were erected in the Nanzhao period (738 – 902 AD) and feature many significant cultural relics and Buddha statues of great value which have been gathered over the eras and are now on display.

Finish the day’s exploration on a lighter note with a stop at Dali Ancient Town. Once the heart of trade, politics, and culture of Yunnan province during Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD) and Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 AD), Dali Ancient Town is a vibrant tourist center. It’s here you’ll find the juxtaposition of the modern and ancient in China. Time to wander will allow you to experience both the historical cultural ambiance of the ancient town and the vigorous vibe of modern life. Be sure to make a stop in bustling Foreigner Street. Here you’ll discover ethical clothes, local crafts, and delicious street food. At the end of the day, put your feet up in your Dali hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Launch into local Dali life with a visit to Xizhou Town, home of the ethnic Bai minority. Soak up the bustling atmosphere of the clamorous Xizhou morning market. Mix with locals out to purchase their daily essentials, seafood, and local  specialties. In many ways, you’ll see how time has stood still here. Local women still adorne themselves in the colorful traditional Bai costumes and many families still live in residential complexes that reflect traditional Bai minority homes. Wander through the classical layout of the Yan Family Mansion, an enduring example of Xizhou’s prosperous past. Your tour will move on to Zhoucheng, the largest of all Bai villages. Remarkably, Zhoucheng retains its traditional folk customers and traditional lifestyle, including its renowned fine tie-dyeing craft form.

Afterwards, you’ll be driven to Lijiang where picturesque scenery awaits at Black Dragon Pond Park. Here temples, towers, pavilions and stone tablets from past ages reflect mirror-like in the pond against the backdrop of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Gain an understanding of the local Naxi minority culture at the Dongba Culture Museum, where more than 12,000 cultural relics are on display.

Lastly walk up to the Lion Hill to visit the five storey high Wangu Pavilion, featuring traditional architecture in the elaborate arches, roof beams, veranda, tiled roofs and  sculptures representing the 23 ethnic groups in the region. A phenomenal 10,000 dragon carvings grace the walls. Absorb the panoramic view of the whole ancient town which can be seen from the top of the pavilion – wonderful at sunset! Considered a genuinely amazing place for the way in which time seems to stand still, Lijiang will feel like another world. Enjoy a contemplative evening after you’ve checked into your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Depart after breakfast for the drive to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the holy mountain in Naxi culture, renowned for its spectacular setting of peaks, plateaus, glaciers, frozen waterfalls and forests. It’s here you’ll have the opportunity to the merging of modern art with traditional music and culture. Be entertained by the great show, Impression Lijiang, directed by Zhangyimou, the famous and talented director of the 2008 Olympics Opening and Closing Ceremonies. The show is performed at an outdoor theater against the backdrop of the Jade White Snow Mountain. Involving around 400 locals of 10 ethnic groups and 100 horses, the show is an interesting spectacle that highlights the legend and stories of the traditional Naxi culture with sincerity. Following the show, you’ll take a cable car to Spruce Plateau, a vast meadow hidden by a primitive spruce forest and shrouded in lingering mists. It’s no mistake that many associate this idyllic landscape of stunning spruces, plateaus, pines, and clouds with an earthly fairyland. Fascinating views of the surrounding snow-capped mountain ranges complete the picture. From a distance, Snow Mountain appears like a giant white dragon nestled in the clouds, which is how it was given its name. A quieter and more sedate opportunity to experience local Bai life is possible when you arrive at Baisha Village. Here you’ll feel compelled to admire the distinctive cultural characteristics, precious historical artifacts and especially the unique Baisha Murals. Different religions appear in the same wall painting, including Buddhism, Taoism and even Lamaism, indicative of an important cultural relic in the study of Chinese history of arts and religion. Round out today’s adventure with a relaxing evening when you return to the hotel in Lijiang.

Meals included: Breakfast

Enjoy a hearty breakfast in preparation for today’s touring which starts with a 3-hour (100 kilometer) drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge. Along the way, a stop will be made at the First Bend of Yangtze River. An important geographical point, it’s here the Yangtze River headwaters take a sharp ninety degree turn towards northeast slowing its pace. Stunning – and a sign of what’s to come – you’ll see how the river flows as it broadens. The picturesque scenery is framed with overlapping peaks, terraced fields and local villages. Beautiful!

In the afternoon, continue exploring at Tiger Leaping Gorge. Astounding geography, the gorge was formed by the convergence of steep vertical ridges on opposite banks rising more than 3900 meters, forcing the flowing waters of the Jinsha River into a narrow gap, causing thunderous whirlpools and dangerous rushing waters. From well-paved pathways you can observe, hear and feel the spectacle of fast waters rushing and slamming into large rocks, or you can stand up close on the viewing deck to gaze at the torrents roaring between mountains. This is a natural spectacle you’ll likely only experience once in a lifetime.

On the return to Lijiang, you’ll have an opportunity to admire the mysterious stone tablet with Sanskrit verses at Zhiyun Lamasery, a Tibetan temple blending the architectural style of the Han, Tibet, Bai and Naxi minorities. Built in the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng in 1727, the Lamasery is also renowned for its mysterious legends and enchanting landscape. In the temple courtyard walk among the five ancient trees thought to be two or three hundred years old. These only add to the spirit of the buildings which overlook the lake. Today’s travel ends when you return to your hotel. Relax or take in the Lijiang evening.

Meals included: Breakfast

Your final day on tour allows you free time to explore or simply rest before your guide collects you from the hotel in time for the airport transfer and your departure flight.

Meals included: Breakfast

Travel note: We love helping our customers make the most of their available travel time. Need assistance planning your next destination? We can help with that too. Our travel network spans across every corner of China and South East Asia. With connections like you can be confidence we’ll take care of every detail. Kindly note, that a surcharge will apply.