15-Day Special Tea Experience

Tour Overview
This is a perfect China tea tour for the travelers who want to exlore the facts about Pu Erh Tea, the ancient Tea and Horse Rute, and learn how to make authentic Gongcheng Oil Tea from the Yao minority... also, we visit many top attractions in southwest China.

Day 1 Arrival/ Kunming (no meals)
Meet your guide at the Kunming Airport, and then transfer to the hotel. Enjoy time at leisure to relax or to do some independent exploring.

Day 2 Kunming (B, L)
Today we will make an excursion to Lunan County to explore the Stone Forest, one of the natural wonders of the world. In the afternoon, drive back to Kunming to visit the Golden Temple. 

Day 3 Kunming/ Dali (B, L)
This morning we'll fly to Dali. Once a small kingdom with it's own unique traditions and customs, it is also one of the primary production centers for the famous Pu Erh tea. Then visit the Three Pagodas and the Dali Ancient City.

Day 4 Dali (B, L)
It's back to work this morning when we visit the renowned Xia Guan Tuo Cha Pu Erh Tea Musuem and the Xia Guan Tea Factory. First we'll pick some fresh, tender leaves in the garden and then take them to the factory for processing. Also, see how the legendary Tuo Cha Pu Er tea bowls are made.

Day 5 Dali/Shaxi (B, L, D)
After breakfast, we’ll head out to Er Hai Lake to see how the fishermen use their cormorants to catch fish! Then we'll visit a village of the Bai minority people and enjoy their ritualistic three Course Tea. Drive to Shaxi Village.

Day 6 Shaxi Village/Lijiang (B, L)
This morning the exploration of the village will include its beautiful river, vegetable fields, ancient temple, the theater stage and learn some history about the Tea and Horse Rute (the arduous route that carried tea into Tibet and onward) in its mini museum. Then transfer to the heritage site - Shibaoshan Mountain to discover the grottos of the Dali Kingdom and the Baoxiang Temple. Drive To Lijiang.

Day 7 Lijiang (B, L)
Enjoy a full day tour of the Black Dragon Pool Park, the Yufeng Lamasery (an over 300-old-year big tea three grows there), the Baisha Murals and Shuhe Old Town.

Day 8 Lijiang (B, L)
In the morning visit the Lion Hill and the Mu's Residence. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to relax and pursue independent activities.

Day 9 Lijiang/Chengdu (B, L)
Depart by morning flight to Chengdu. Transfer to your hotel. Later, visit the Wuhou Temple and the Jinli Old Street. 

Optional night activity:  watch Sichuan Opera at Shufengyayun Tea House (the opera features its wonderful Face Changging and spitting fire stunt)

Day 10 Chengdu (B, L)
Make a pilgrimage to the Taoist holy mountain - Mt. Qingcheng, then proceed to Dujiangyan Irrigation Project to see the aqueduct used for more than 2200 years.

Day 11  Chengdu/Guilin (B, L)
Drive to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to see the adorable panda bears. Fly to Guilin. Upon arrival, be met and transferred to the hotel.

Day 12  Guilin /Yangshuo(B, L)
Today, it will take us 4-5 hours to cruise along one of the ten top watery wonders in the world - Li River. Disimbark in Yangshuo and visit the West Street.

Optional night show: Impression Liu Sanjie

Day 13 Yangshuo (B, L)
Ride bicycle to explore the karst countryside and enjoy an interesting bamboo rafting along the charming Yulong River.

Day 14 Yangshuo/Gongcheng (B, L)
Today's excursion takes us to Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County. First we visit some methane tanks, the wind and rain bridge, the persimmon forest in Hongyan Village. Then we visit a Yao people's mushroom cultivation greenhouses, and learn how to make authentic Gongcheng Oil Tea in his kitchen. The lunch will be served in his family restaurant, you can enjoy many mushroom dishes, dumpling(jiaozi), and the oil tea hotpot. After lunch, we proceed to visit one of the 4 biggest ancient Confucian temples in China - Gongcheng Confucian Temple; the Guan Di Temple, the Hunan Commercial Guild Hall and the  CCP's educational base for construction of incorruption - Zhouwei Temple. 

Day 15 Yangshuo/Guilin
After breakfast, drive back to Guilin to visit the Elephant Trunk Hill and the Reed Flute Cave. After sightseeing you are escorted to the airport or train station.

Services End