Jianshui & Hiking around Yuanyang 2

MILEAGE

 Kunming 350km Yuanyang 350km Return Kunming

TOUR DESCRIPTION

D1---Start from Kunming in the morning, drive to Jianshui, a small cultural and historic city in south Yunnan. We will spend the afternoon visiting some sites around town. First see Confucius Temple, a construction aged over 700 years, whose size ranks the biggest in province and the second of country, then Wan Yao Village, the cradle of famous Jianshui Purple Pottery, we will see how workers are making clay into elegant jars, vases or other nice vessels in different shapes. Finally we stroll in Zhu Family Garden, a private residence built in late Qing Dynasty 100 years ago, covering an area of 20,000 square meters and with labyrinthian arrangements of yards, pathways and elaborately-furnished rooms. Stay in the Garden for night.

D2---In the morning, see the Chaoyang Gateway Arch built in 1389,  it's the east gate tower (called also The Yinghui Gate) of former city wall surrounding Jianshui, now serving as a landmark of the city. Do a relaxing walk around the old part of town, see 600-year ancient well that is still feeding people, visit local tofu workshop to discover how this popular food is processed, and find out how local life is going on. Later drive to Yuanyang, a small mountainous county of Hani and Yi people, around which there are grand views of thousands of rice terraces. Up arrival we drive directly to Longshuba first to catch the view of sunset, if weather's ideal, countless terraces filled with water would reflect rosy light to give wonderful view. Overnight in Yuanyang.

D3---First see the daily market in town, Yuanyang is a quite ethnic area, inhabited by Hani, Yi, Dai, Miao and other minorities, market is the best site to meet them and find out the facts of their authentic lives. After drive to trail head, start our scenic hiking across rice terraces and over big valley to Niu Jiao Zhai, a small town perched on hillside and mostly inhabited by Hani and Yi People, en route enjoy view of rice terraces and freshness in the countryside, we also pass by some ethnic villages of Hani and Yi people, who are the very original residents of this area, say hello to them or have a short chat with them may help you learn more about their authentic life.  We will arrive at Niu Jiao Zhai on later afternoon. Overnight in Niu Jiao Zhai.

D4---Today is the market day of Niu Jiao Zhai, an occasion that falls every 4 days, very colorful and crowded assembly of ethnic people and all kinds of imported or native merchandise. Hani people here are differently dressed from that of other places, and due to less annoyance from tourists, they are normally opener and more friendly. We spend a relaxing morning in the market observing the most lively sides of countryside life, taking photo or chatting with local people. After market drive to Lao Hu Zui, another good site for viewing rice terraces. Then get over mountains to Shen Chun, a small town famous for view of rice terraces,  en route we can get off car and do some relaxing hiking across villages by sections, for view or for meeting ethnic people. Night in Shen Chun.

D5---Today is the market day of Shen Chun, a crowded and noisy occasion full of Yi and Hani women in colorful costumes, they bustle around to sell native produces or to buy daily commodities. After market we set out for our scenic hiking of some hours across the most beautiful rice terraces of Yuanyang, on the way enjoy wonderful view of rice terraces to our hearts' content, scenery around us would give an illusion that we are walking in picture. Ancestors of Hani and Yi people spent more than 1200 years assarting thousands of terraces on sidehills, as well creating the most inspiring scene in southern Yunnan. On late afternoon, at the trail end we get picked up by car then drive back to Jianshui. Stay in Jianshui.

D6---A relaxing morning, enjoy some free time in Jianshui, then move out of town to visit Tuan Shan, an age-old village enlisted amongst the 100 Protected Memorial Buildings of the World by WMF in 2005, for its well-maintained style and features of 19th. Century, here numerous ancient civilian dwelling houses still remain intact and folk traditions are still performed in its original way. After we drive back to Kunming, en route drop in Mongolian village near Tonghai, the only place in province where Mongolian people live, villagers are descendants of soldiers who came from north on expedition to Yunnan 700 years ago, we will try to  find out how their life is changed after getting off horseback. Tour ends upon arrival in Kunming.