Tuanshan Residence, Jianshui

Day1,   Kunming to Jianshui

Pick up from Kunming airport,  Drive 4 h to Jianshui, Visit Zhu famiy garden, Jianshui old town and Caoyang tower.  Arrive at Evening.

Day 2 , Around Jianshui 
Visit Confucious temple and twin-dragon bridge, Tuanshan old town , over night at Jianshui.

Day 3,  Jianshui to Yuanyang
Jianshui to Yuanyang,  Visit The swallow cave,  drive to Yuanyang, enjoy the sunset at Yuanyang. 

Day 4,Tour around Yuanyang rice terrace
Visit Duoyishu rice terrace, bada rice terrace and Qiankou village. 

Day 5, Yuanyang to Mengzi

Morning tour around rice terrace, drive to mengzi. enjoy the famous crossbridge noodle, walk around the southern lake and Bisezhai train station. 

Day 6, Mengzi to Puzhehei

Drive to Puzhehei, visit Xianrendong Yi village, over night at Puzheihe.

3/11  Puzheihei day tour
Tour around Puzheihei village and tour  to mountain Cave.

4/11. Puzhehei-  Kunming (about 4.5h)

Puzhehei to Kunming by car to catch flight to your next destination. tour ends.

Tour Description:

    Spending a holiday in Kunming, Yuanyang and Jianshui, you will have your eyes entertained by gorgeous manmade attractions like traditional garden, Minority Villages and Yuanyang Rice Terraces; fabulous naturally shaped works like Stone Forest and Dianchi Lake. You would love the wonderland interlaced with the artificial and the natural.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Visit World Geopark Stone Forest.
Explore World Memorial Architectural Heritage Tuanshan Village.
Tour water-logged Yuanyang Rice Terraces, wonderland of curves and colors.
Experience interesting ethnic custom and lifestyle in Hani Minority Villages.

Day 1: Kunming-Jianshui

Travel for approximately 5 hours from Kunming to Jianshui. Situated 220km south-east of Kunming, this town with a history of 1180 years is home to the Hani and Yi minorities. Visit Wen Miao, the second largest Confuscian Temple in China, built in the Yuan Dynasty with a history of 700 years. In the evening, we climb the Chaoyang Gateway Arch (known as the ‘Miniature Tiananmen’) to drink tea and listen to the local folk singing. Overnight in Jianshui.

Day 2: Around Jianshui 
In the morning visit the Zhu Family Garden, an expansive Qing dynasty residence with 214 rooms and 42 yards. We also visit nearby Tuanshan village, one of the few remaining medieval, fortified villages in south-West China, with its small, cobbled lanes, 900 year old houses and beautiful carvings. Drive along a bumpy road (125km, 3 hours) to Yuanyang, the center of many minority groups and set in magnificent landscapes of terraced fields.

Day 3: Around Yuanyang 
Get up early to park yourself at the best vantage point in Yuanyang for sunrise-viewing- the hills behind Duoyishui village.   Then visit one of the areas’ lively local markets where you will see people from Hani, Yi, Miao and Yao minorities dressed in their traditional clothes.  In the afternoon, visit the mushroom houses in Qingkou Hani ethnic village, then hike up to Luoshuba (40 minute hike) to view the sunset.

Day 4: Yuanyang 
Continue your visit to Yuanyang Rice Terraces, trekking to some local villages to capture more spectacular views and to learn more about the locals’ special techniques of agriculture. In the late afternoon we drive back to Jianshui (3 hours) for overnight.

Day 5: Jianshui-Swallow Cave-Lunan 
In the morning we visit Swallow Cave, a massive grotto of karst formation 30km to the east of Jianshui.  Every year between spring and summer, thousands of swallows will fly here from Malaysia, building nests and giving birth to young swallows.  Hike for approx. 3km through the cave, visiting both the dry cave and the water cave. In the afternoon drive on to Lunan, nearby the Stone Forest scenic area.

Day 6: Stone Forest-Luoping
Arrive at the Stone Forest as the gates open to enjoy the amazing landscape of stone pillars before the crowds arrive. In the late morning, set out for the 4 hour drive to Luoping, stopping for lunch on the way. Ascend Jinjifeng (Golden Cock Peak) as the sun is setting for incredible views over the rapeseed-covered fields. Overnight at Hongfuyuan Guesthouse in Luoping.

Day 7: Around Luoping
Spend a full day exploring the sites of Luoping. Arrive at Jinjifeng (Golden Cock Peak) for sunrise. Then hike for 9km to Nine Dragon Waterfall. After sightseeing the waterfalls, visit the Luositian (Snail Farms) region for another view of rapeseed farms which resemble snail shells when viewed from above. Return to Jinjifeng to capture the sunrise. Overnight in Luoping.

Day 8: Luoping-Kunming
Visit Shiwan Dashan (Hundred Thousand Hills) for sunrise photography. If its market day visit the Duoyi River market. Then drive 4 hours back to Kunming.