The Colorful Yunnan

The tour allows you to discover mainly the highland, the mid-west and the west area of Madagascar

through the highland, we will do a city tour in the capital of Antananarivo where you will enjoy an historical tour at Rovan'ny Madagascar or the old queen's palace and then you will enjoy the visit at lemur's park where you will spot at least 5 species of lemurs.

Through the mid-west, we will have a motorized boat ride on Tsiribihina river during 3 days/2nights:

Along the Tsiribihina river, you will see a beautiful water fall, a very nice swimming pool, Two species of lemurs (Sifaka; a white lemur and Gidro a brown lemur), the pachypodium or a dwarf baobab, the large tobacco field and nice friendly people.

Through the west , you will experience an amazing wild life at Kirindy forest  and then; you will be guided to the famous baobab avenue and the lovers baobab. 

My 10 years experiences by organizing this tour makes you the perfect choice of my services to be your tour guide during this  10 days tour.

HIGHLIGHTS

-the queen old palace

-5 species of lemurs at lemur''s park

-3days/2nights excursion on Tsiribihina river on board a motorized boat

-kirindy forest park, to sopt the Fossa, the lemur''s predator in Madagscar

-the best forest in the world, the avenue of baobab

-the volcano lake tritriva in Antsirabe

ITINERARY:

1ST DAY:  YOUR ARRIVAL IN ANTANANARIVO AIRPORT BY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT 

• Get pick up at the airport upon your arrival and transfer to your Hotel.
• Overnight in the Hotel. Les relais des plateaux (Bed and breakfast)
• I will bring a label JEAN CLAUDE TOUR in hands when I welcome you at the airport upon your arrival

2ND DAY- SIGHTSEEING IN ANTANANARIVO

• Meet your tour guide at your hotel at 7:30 am. Depart from the hotel at 8:00 am
• Direct drive to lemur''s park to spot 5 species of lemurs
• Arive at the lemur''s park around 9:00am and pick up your local guide from the office
• 1 to 1:30mn walk inside the park
• clicks pictures of the whole scenery of the park
• have snacks and cold drinks after the walk
• After having snacks and cold drinks, drive to the old queen palace in Antananarivo
• arrive at the gate of the palace around 2:00pm
• pick up the local guide from the office
• walk inside the palace
• understand the story of the palace by the local guide
• have a nice view from the view point from the palace to see the whole city of Antananarivo  (360 view)
• After the visit from the palace, drive back to your Hotel
• Drop you off at your Hotel
• Dinner in the restaurant
• Stay overnight at les relais des plateaux (B&B)

THIRD DAY : A LONG JOURNEY FROM ANTANANARIVO TO MIANDRIVAZO ON BOARD A PRIVATE CAR (400KM)

• Meet your tour guide at your hotel at 7:30 am. Depart from the hotel at 8:00 am
• Stop by in Antsirabe for lunch at ZANDINA Restaurant
• around 1:00pm, keep driving to Miandrivazo
• Stop for clicks pictures on the way ( waterfallls, gold mining site, landscapes....etc
• Arrive in Miandrivazo around 5:00pm
• Drop you of at your Hotel
• Dinner in a restaurant
• Stay overnight at la princese de la Tsiribihina Hotel (B&B)

Day 4,5 6, EXCURSION ON TSIRIBIHINA RIVER ON BOARD A MOTORIZED BOAT   

• Meet your guide at your Hotel at 7:00am
• transfer to the dock at 8:00 ( 30km from your Hotel during dry season from April to December and 3 km from your Hotel during the rainy season from January to March)
• get on board the motorized boat, and start riding along the river of Tsiribihina
• Enjoy the watch of the birds and animals along the river banks
• Enjoy the baobab forest growing along the riverEnjoy the camping fire every night on the river bank
• Enjoy the wild landscape along the river bank
• have a visit in the village on side of the river ( in village of Begidro)
• first stop by at the waterfall and enjoy the fresh bath at the natural swimming pool near the waterfall ( do not forget your swim suit then)
• First night in front of the water fall on the river bank, camping with tents. 
• Second stop by in Antsiraraka village and second night on the beach under tents
• breakfast,lunch and dinners on board of the motorized boat (full board)
• On the third day, around 1:00pm, get pick up by the driver from the Dock and ride to Kirindy forest on board a private car
• Arrive at kirindy forest around 3:00pm
• have a night walk inside the park start from 6:00pm to spot the mouse lemur, one of the smallest noctunal active lemur
• Dinner after the walk in the restaurant
• Stay overnight  at Kirindy Hotel (B&B)

SEVENTH DAY. VISIT INSIDE KIRINDY FOREST AND EXPLORING THE DIFFERENTS SPECIES OF BAOABA FROM KIRINDY FOREST TO MORONDAVA

• Meet your local guide at your Hotel around 8;00am
• Pick up your local guide from the park at the office
• Start walking inside the park during 1 to 2 hours
• spot 2 species of lemurs
• you may see depending the season, chameleons, snakes, lizards and different species of birds
• If you are lucky, you can spot the Fossa, the largest predator of lemurs in Madagscar and only living in this area.
• clicks pictures of the whole scenery of the park
• walk back to your Hotel after the walk
• have lunch in a restaurant
• relax at the swimming pool, do wear your swim suit
• around 3:00pm clicks pictures of the sacred baobab
• After the sacred baobab, drive to the baobab in love and clicks pictures of this amazing shape of trre unique in the world
• After the baobab in love, clicks pictures of the three different species of baobab trees growing in this area.
• After clicking pictures of the  three differents species of baobab trees, drive slowly to the avenue of baobab
• Arrive at avenue of baobab around 5:00pm and have lots picures of the sunset scenery at avenue of baoabab 
• After sunset, drive to Morondava
• Drop off your Hotel around 7;00pm
• Dinner in a restaurant
• Stay overnight at Le Renala sable d'or (B&B)

EIGHTTH DAY. A LONG JOURNEY FROM MORONDAVA TO ANTSIRABE ON BOARD A PROVATE CAR ( 480KM)

• Meet your guide at your Hotel at 7:30am and then get on board the car and start riding to Antsirabe from 8:00am
• Stop by in Miandrivzo for lunch
• After having lunch, keep riding to Antsirabe  
• Arrive in Antsirabe late in the afternoon
• Drop you off at your Hotel
• Dinner in the restaurant
• Stay overnight at Le Royal palace Hotel

NINETH DAY : VISIT AT NATURAL VOLCANO LAKE AND  HEAD BACK TO ANTANANARIVO  

• Meet your tour guide at your Hotel at 7:00am
• Depart from your Hotel at 8:00 and drive to the natural volcano lake located at 14km from your Hoel in the country side
• Arrive at the volcano lake named tritriva, you have a treking around the lake to see its wuloe sceney
• clicks lots of pictures of the whole scenery of the lake
• after the trek around the lake, drive back to Antsirabe and visit the biggest mineral market in Antsirabe.
• have lunch in a restaurant near the mineral market
• After having lunch, get on board the car and head to Antananarivo
• Arrive in Antananarivo late in the afternoon
• Drop you off at your Hotel
• Stay overnight at les Relais des plateaux (B&B)

TENTH DAY : SHOPPING AT THE BIGEST ARTISANAL MARKET AND FLY OUT

• Arrange the time for having  souvenirs shopping at the biggest artisanal market. woods craft arts, cut stones, jewelries....etc
• Depending on your flight schedule get transfer to the airport and you must be at the airport 2 hour prior to your flight departure
• Check-in
• Waving
• Fly out to abroad
• My services will be totally delivered.

Price; 1300USD/person if a group of 2 to 5 people

Price: 1100USD/person if a group of 6 to 10 people

More than 10 people, (from 11 people) the price is 1000USD/person

Minimum of trippers: 2 people

Tour duration ; 10 days

INCLUDED IN THE PRICE

-Private van, + fuel+driver

-All transfers : airport/hotel/parks/airports

-Motorized boat during 3 days/2nights (full board : 3 breakfasts , 3 lunchs and 2 dinners + bottled water on table)

-Park entrance fees

-local guide fees from the park

- 7 nights in Hotels 2 nights on the beach camping

-Botlled water during the tour in the car and when you trek in the park

-My services  

NOT INCLUDED

-Visa and insurence cost

-Breakfast, lunchs and dinner in the restaurant

-Your personal needs related to your souvenirs purchasing

-Snack and beverages

Trip Overview

From Kunming, go northwest to Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-la to explore the most popular highlights in Yunnan. The different cites, towns has their own styles. In this tour, you should always keep your eye's pace with the changes of nature landscape and different minorities customs. Then keep the perfect memory about your Yunnan Brilliant Vision Tour in your mind.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive at Kunming (-/-/-)

Transfer via: TBA-flight on your own arrangement

Meet you at Kunming airport and transfer you to your hotel for checking-in. After a short break, drive you to pay a visit at Birds & Flowers Market.

Bird & Flower Market One of the more interesting attractions within the central downtown area of Kunming, and a great place to shop for a lot of different things like clothes, name chops, dice, outdoor equipment, camping and hunting gear, birds, flowers, live baby turtles, pirated movies, music, games or dried lizards on sticks. It's open roughly from 9am-6pm, but all of the individual shopkeepers keep whatever hours they like.

Day 2 Kunming (B/L/-)

Full day Stone Forest tour.

Today you are going to visit Stone Forest. It takes about 2 hours from Kunming to Stone Forest.

Stone Forest located in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres) and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots. This typical karst physiognomy takes the form of a forest of stone pillars and boulders. It is as if the countless stone shapes have sprung from the ground, assuming different shapes as if vying to surpass each other in grandeur and sublime beauty.

Day 3 Kunming to Dali (B/L/-)

Transfer via: AM flight arranged by us

This morning, we will take an early morning plane to Dali and needs about 40 minutes. After arrive Dali, transfer to Dali hotel for check-in, and then have an Erhai Lake cruise and visit the Three Pagodas and explore Dali Ancient Town.

Erhai Lake , Chinese meaning is ‘ear-shaped sea’, is situated at 1,972 m above sea level. In size, the North-South length of the lake is 40 km and the East-West width is roughly 7-8 km. Its area is 250 km², making it the second largest highland lake of China, after Dianchi Lake. When you arrive at there, you can have an Erhai Lake cruise to explore the beautiful scenery.

Three Pagodas are one kilometer away from north of Dali. The styles of the three pagodas are similar. The main pagoda is "Qianxun Pagoda". It is a square pagoda and it is 69.13 meters high. Its molding and style were imitated the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian and the Song Yue Monastery Pagoda in Henan Province.

Dali Ancient Town is a magical fascinating place with an international flair. It attracts lots of tourists from all over the world annual. Far-reaching Dali history, it’s known as "literature of the state" good reputation. Due to its long history, there are lots of cultural relics.

Day 4 Dali to Lijiang (B/L/-)

This morning, we will drive to Xizhou Village to visit the Bai people’s dwellings. Then we go ahead to Lijiang. After arrive Lijiang, we will go to visit Black Dragon Pool Pack and Lijiang Ancient Town.

Xizhou Bai Minority Village is located 18 kilometres north of Dali. The green mountains, winding creeks and fertile land make for a lyrical and carefree life. The old houses and streets are well preserved. Visitors may still find traces of past glory.

Black Dragon Pool Park located at the foot of Elephant hill north of Lijiang city. Black Dragon Pool is the main headwater of the Yushui River which goes through the Old Town of Lijiang. It is just like the bright eyes of the town, shining with the wisdom. For many locals, it’s a place to relax, to enjoy the view and the sun, to play games, to practice the famous Naxi orchestra.

Lijiang Ancient Town was built in the Southern Song Dynasty, dated back to more than eight hundred years ago. It covers an area of 3.8 aquare kilometers. It’s a place of combination of Chinese culture and Western culture, ancient culture and modern culture. When in Lijiang ancient town, you will not only experience the ancient Naxi Culture, but also can enjoy in the modern bar at you leisure.

Day 5 Lijiang (B/L/-)

This day you will have a full day tour to explore Full day trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Yufeng Lamasery and Baisha Murals,and Yushui Zhai.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. It stretches a length of 35 kilometers and a width of 20 kilometers. Looking from Lijiang Ancient Town in the south, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon laying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. And then you also can pay a visit to Yak Meadow (Maoniuping), where Part of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, where the Yi and Zang Minority Ethnic Tribes live.
Yufeng Temple:It is known in English as Jade Peak Temple. The temple shows distinctive architectural style of Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism and the local Naxi Dongba Religion as a result of the cultural fusion between different minorities in the Qing Dynasty.

The Baisha Mural:It is located in the Baisha Village on the plain north of Lijiang. It is a mixture of artists of Chinese Taoist, Tibetan and Naxi Buddhists and local dongba shamans. This rich fusion had resulted in a tremendously powerful art.

Day 6 Lijiang to Shangri-La (B/L/-)

Drive you to Shangri-La in the morning. You will pay a visit at Tiger Leaping Gorge and the First Bend of the Yangtze River on the way to Shangri-la. Then transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is lying between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, and 100 kilometers away from Lijiang Ancient Town. And it’s believed to be the deepest gorge in the world with a good path high above the Yangtze River to get away from the throbbing roar of the river.

Day7 Shangri-La (B/L/-)

Today we will have a full day to explore the wonderful place-Shangri-La. After breakfast, we will visit the famous Pudacuo National Park which well-known as its plants, lakes, unique animals and birds. And then go to visit Songzanlin Monastery which called ‘little Potala Palace’. In the evening, you will have your free time to explore the ancient town of Shangri-La.

Pudacuo National Park , established in June, 2007 as the first in a planned series of parks designed to meet the meet the exacting standards set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It contains endemic species of fish found nowhere else in the world, rare and beautiful orchids, black-necked cranes, and taxus yunnanensis, a yew whose extracts are indispensable to the creation of many cancer-treating drugs.

Songzanlin Temple is a miniature version of the Tibetan Lhasa Potala temple with its own statues and paintings of deities and lamas. The large prayer hall is able to accommodate more than 1000 people. There are monks chanting and offer blessing to visitors, very peaceful and serene. You can experience this beautiful sense during the tour.

Day 8 Shangri-La / Departure(B/-/-)

Transfer via: domestic flight (Shangri-La to Kunming) arranged by us.

This morning, transfer to the Shangri-la Airport for catching your flights.

The Yuxi Leisure and Cultural Center and Huilong Ecological Garden both are located in Dayingjie Village of Yuxi City ,in the

central part of Yunnan.

The leisure center focusing on Buddhis culture,thermal spring culture ,ethni culture and eco-tourism.

Huilong Ecological Garden is a national 4A tourist attraction.tTo provide better service to visitors and  attract more people , one

professional performing team ha been trained for daist music,for ethnic singing and dancing and Hundeng opera (traditional

local theatrical opera in Yunnan ).

Two day’s trip from Lijiang via Gorge back to Lijiang. Day 1,early morning pick up from lijiang hotel, two hours drive by private car to Qiaotou, then half hours  drive from Qiaotou to Sean’s Guest-house, have lunch (original western food). After lunch 2-4 hours trip hike down and back for the middle gorge to feel the gorge power. Over night in Sean’s place (over 4 star room). Day 2,  have breakfast, 3hours hike up to the top back of Sean’s Guest-house Haba mountain hill peak(3000meters, Gorge is beautiful, but this trip is amazing view of all in this area trip), on the way view the local people’s farmer live and souse of walnut Garden, have pack lunch ,look over all Gorge of three sections point and all jade dragon snow mountain range wall. After lunch back to lijiang or shangri-la

Two day’s trip from Lijiang via Gorge back to Lijiang. Day 1,early morning pick up from lijiang hotel, two hours drive by private car to Qiaotou, then half hours  drive from Qiaotou to Sean’s Guest-house, have lunch (original western food). After lunch 2-4 hours trip hike down and back for the middle gorge to feel the gorge power. Over night in Sean’s place (over 4 star room). Day 2,  have breakfast, 3hours hike up to the top back of Sean’s Guest-house Haba mountain hill peak(3000meters, Gorge is beautiful, but this trip is amazing view of all in this area trip), on the way view the local people’s farmer live and souse of walnut Garden, have pack lunch ,look over all Gorge of three sections point and all jade dragon snow mountain range wall. After lunch back to lijiang or shangri-la