Yunnan & Guizhou Cultural Journey: 14-Day Minority Discovery

Karst Formations & Yi Minority Culture

• Morning: Stone Forest UNESCO Site - 270 million year-old karst formations. The forest covers 400 square kilometers with tallest stones 30m high

• Afternoon: Yi minority village visit with traditional embroidery workshop

• Evening: Torch Festival performance (seasonal) or folk dance show

Hands-On:

Learn the symbolic patterns of Yi embroidery from local women

Confucian Heritage & Traditional Pottery

• Morning: Jianshui Confucian Temple - China's third largest Confucian complex. The temple features exquisite Qing Dynasty wood carvings

• Afternoon: Pottery workshop in pottery town using traditional techniques. Jianshui pottery has been made for over 900 years.

• Evening: Ancient narrow-gauge railway experience to Tuanshan Village

Erhai Lake & Bai Minority Culture

• Morning: High-speed train to Dali (2 hours) with countryside views

• Afternoon: Erhai Lake cruise with three-tea ceremony experience. The three-tea ceremony represents life's bitterness, sweetness, and aftertaste

• Evening: Dali Ancient City walking tour with traditional Bai architecture

Photo Spot: The city's South Gate offers perfect sunset views over Cangshan Mountains

UNESCO Town & Dongba Traditions

• Morning: Drive to Lijiang (3 hours) through spectacular mountain scenery

• Afternoon: Lijiang Old Town exploration with Naxi music performance. Naxi ancient music has been preserved for over 500 years.

• Evening: Dongba script workshop with Naxi shaman practitioner. Dongba is the world's only remaining pictographic writing system.

Alpine Landscapes & Minority Traditions

• Morning: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable car to glacier park. The mountain has 13 peaks reaching 5,596 meters

• Afternoon: Baisha Village, the ancient capital of Naxi Kingdom on China's Tea Horse Road. Explore 800-year-old frescos and herbal medicine workshop. Learn about Naxi herbal medicine from local doctors.

• Evening: Naxi family dinner with traditional hot pot and storytelling

Tibetan Culture & Highland Landscapes

• Morning: Drive to Shangri-La (4 hours) through Tiger Leaping Gorge. Shangri-La sits at 3,200 meters - allow time for acclimatization.

• Afternoon: Songzanlin Monastery - Yunnan's largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Visit a Tibetan family to see the butter tea making and thangka. Thangkas can take months to create using natural pigments.

Alpine Lakes & Biodiversity

• Morning: Pudacuo National Park hiking - China's first national park. The park contains over 20% of China's plant species

• Afternoon: Local market visit for Tibetan specialties and handicrafts.

• Evening: Bonfire party with Tibetan dancing and singing. Learn the basic steps of Tibetan guozhuang dance

World Heritage Agriculture

• Morning: Flight back to Kunming, drive to Yuanyang (5 hours)

• Afternoon: Rice terrace sunset viewing at Laohuzui (Tiger Mouth). The terraces span 16,603 hectares with 3,000 years of history.

Photography:

The best light occurs at sunrise and sunset when water reflects sky

Hani Traditions & Sunrise Photography

• Morning: Duoyishu sunrise viewing - most spectacular terrace vistas

• Afternoon: Hani village immersion with farming experience. The Hani people worship forests, water, and terraces as sacred.

• Evening: Traditional long-street banquet with Hani hospitality

Local Brew:

Taste Hani homemade rice wine during the banquet

China's Largest Waterfall

• Morning: Flight to Guiyang, drive to Huangguoshu (2 hours)

• Afternoon: Waterfall exploration behind water curtain through cave system. The waterfall is 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide

• Evening: Qingyan Ancient Town - Ming Dynasty garrison town. The town was built in 1378 for military purposes.

Traditional Crafts & Minority Arts

• Morning: Batik workshop with Miao artisans using ancient techniques. Batik patterns represent mythological stories and natural elements.

• Afternoon: Silver jewelry making with traditional designs

• Evening: Miao performance with Lusheng instrument and antiphonal singing. The lusheng is a reed pipe instrument used in ceremonies.

World's Largest Miao Settlement

• Morning: Drive to Xijiang (3 hours) through picturesque countryside. Xijiang is considered the cultural center of Miao people.

• Afternoon: Miao culture museum and traditional silver workshop.

• Evening: Thousand-household Miao village night views with illuminated stilt houses

Silver Art:

Miao women wear up to 15kg of silver during festivals

Dong Architecture & Musical Traditions

• Morning: Dong village exploration with drum towers and wind-rain bridges. The wind-rain bridges are built without nails using mortise-tenon joints.

• Afternoon: Dong polyphonic choir performance - UNESCO intangible heritage. Dong choirs perform without conductor or written music.

• Evening: Transfer to Guiyang Airport for departure