Six Days Trek in Yunnan Xishuangbanna
Xishuangbanna (official name is Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture), is located in southern Yunnan Province of China and on the borders of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, and home to 13 Ethnic Minorities. In this trip we will try to visit at least Dai, Akha and Jinuo villages.
Dai Minority, the leading minority group on this land, host a colorful and unique culture. They show great worship about water, tree, peacock and every element of nature. Everything of them is inviting and appealing, like their delicate and bright-colored clothing, peacock-like elegance, elaborate dances and flourishing festivals. We will try the welcoming dinner in which all food layout looks like a beautiful peacock.
Akha were originally of Tibetan origin. The colorful Akha - called Aini by the Chinese - are part of the Hani nationality, which is a collection of more than a dozen distinct ethnic groups. The Akha themselves consist of "five distinct branches," and have their own unique customs, culture, language, and dress.
The Jinuo people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group, one of the 56 ethnic groups in China. It is one of the less numerous of the recognized minorities in China and the last one included as "national minority" because they were only recognized in 1979. A former name used for the Jinuo, Youle, means "following the maternal uncle," indicating a matrilineal past. Most of the Jinuo settle in the Jinuoshan Mountain and subtropical rainforest, home of elephants, wild oxen and monkeys. Among their cultural practices is tooth painting, in which soot made from pear trees is used.
Xishuangbanna’s cultural diversity, lush forests, and tropical climate have stood out as a romantic, exotic land and are attracting many urban-dwelling Chinese and travelers from outside of China. In this trip we are trying to immerse yourself into an authentic experience and not bothered by tourists as much as possible.
Dai Minority, the leading minority group on this land, host a colorful and unique culture. They show great worship about water, tree, peacock and every element of nature. Everything of them is inviting and appealing, like their delicate and bright-colored clothing, peacock-like elegance, elaborate dances and flourishing festivals. We will try the welcoming dinner in which all food layout looks like a beautiful peacock.
Akha were originally of Tibetan origin. The colorful Akha - called Aini by the Chinese - are part of the Hani nationality, which is a collection of more than a dozen distinct ethnic groups. The Akha themselves consist of "five distinct branches," and have their own unique customs, culture, language, and dress.
The Jinuo people are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group, one of the 56 ethnic groups in China. It is one of the less numerous of the recognized minorities in China and the last one included as "national minority" because they were only recognized in 1979. A former name used for the Jinuo, Youle, means "following the maternal uncle," indicating a matrilineal past. Most of the Jinuo settle in the Jinuoshan Mountain and subtropical rainforest, home of elephants, wild oxen and monkeys. Among their cultural practices is tooth painting, in which soot made from pear trees is used.
Xishuangbanna’s cultural diversity, lush forests, and tropical climate have stood out as a romantic, exotic land and are attracting many urban-dwelling Chinese and travelers from outside of China. In this trip we are trying to immerse yourself into an authentic experience and not bothered by tourists as much as possible.
Trip Specifics
Dates: 6th - 11th Feb, 2021
Duration: Six days' trip Land Cost: 4100 rmb (double occupancy, pay extra 1,150rmb for single room supplement) Includes: All land transfer; Meals where indicated on the program; water; guide cost; tea tasting; accommodation |
Level: Easy- Moderate
Routing: Shanghai - Xishuangbanna - Shanghai Participants: 6-12 people Registration Deadline: 31st Jan, 2021 |
Detailed Itinerary
D1
21:05 - Take flight from Shanghai to Xishuangbanna via flight MU9758 from Pudong airport
00:55+1 - Arrive in Jinhong and meet your guide at airport exit; Later transfer to check into your hotel (+/- 20mins).
Overnight at 4-star Empark Grand Hotel or similar
D2 (BLD)
Get picked up in the hotel at 9am and drive 45mins to Nannuoshan Mountain (one of the six ancient tea mountains in Xishuangbanna), trekking through the ancient tea garden in the forest (15K for about 5 hrs), passing by some Akha villages. You will get to know how the people there make tea for thousands of years.
Overnight at guesthouse in the local village
D3 (BLD)
Today continue trekking around 4-5 hours for 14K through the tea plantation to Alu Laozhai Village, from there we drive to a private Akha Traditional Culture Museum.
Overnight at guesthouse inside the museum or similar
D4 (BLD)
After breakfast drive 1.5hrs to Jinuoshan mountain, trekking 12K (about 3 hrs) in the tropical rainforest to visit a Jinuo village where the population of Jinuo minors is around 20,000 and you can only find them in Xishuangbanna area. After visit the village drive back to Jinghong.
Overnight at Empark Grand Hotel or similar
D5 (BLD)
In the morning visit the local market then drive 20 minutes to a Dai village Manluandian to explore.
After lunch try Pu’er tea (a post-fermented tea produced in Xishuangbanna) tasting with a local tea expert, then visit a Dai pottery factory and local pagoda followed by very colorful night market along the Mekong River.
Overnight at Empark Grand Hotel or similar
D6
Early check out.
07:00 - 10:40 Take flight from Xishuangbanna back to Shanghai Pudong via MU9757
Program ends.
Please Note: This cost excludes the flight tix, you can book by yourself or we can help book for you for free. And please let us know in advance if you’d like to extend your stay in Xishuangbanna for one more night so you can explore more on your own to some attractions such as Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Manting Park and Wild Elephant Park etc..
21:05 - Take flight from Shanghai to Xishuangbanna via flight MU9758 from Pudong airport
00:55+1 - Arrive in Jinhong and meet your guide at airport exit; Later transfer to check into your hotel (+/- 20mins).
Overnight at 4-star Empark Grand Hotel or similar
D2 (BLD)
Get picked up in the hotel at 9am and drive 45mins to Nannuoshan Mountain (one of the six ancient tea mountains in Xishuangbanna), trekking through the ancient tea garden in the forest (15K for about 5 hrs), passing by some Akha villages. You will get to know how the people there make tea for thousands of years.
Overnight at guesthouse in the local village
D3 (BLD)
Today continue trekking around 4-5 hours for 14K through the tea plantation to Alu Laozhai Village, from there we drive to a private Akha Traditional Culture Museum.
Overnight at guesthouse inside the museum or similar
D4 (BLD)
After breakfast drive 1.5hrs to Jinuoshan mountain, trekking 12K (about 3 hrs) in the tropical rainforest to visit a Jinuo village where the population of Jinuo minors is around 20,000 and you can only find them in Xishuangbanna area. After visit the village drive back to Jinghong.
Overnight at Empark Grand Hotel or similar
D5 (BLD)
In the morning visit the local market then drive 20 minutes to a Dai village Manluandian to explore.
After lunch try Pu’er tea (a post-fermented tea produced in Xishuangbanna) tasting with a local tea expert, then visit a Dai pottery factory and local pagoda followed by very colorful night market along the Mekong River.
Overnight at Empark Grand Hotel or similar
D6
Early check out.
07:00 - 10:40 Take flight from Xishuangbanna back to Shanghai Pudong via MU9757
Program ends.
Please Note: This cost excludes the flight tix, you can book by yourself or we can help book for you for free. And please let us know in advance if you’d like to extend your stay in Xishuangbanna for one more night so you can explore more on your own to some attractions such as Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Manting Park and Wild Elephant Park etc..
Important items to bring
Passports; towel; toiletries; hiking footware; Water bottle; Sun protection; Rain gear; Mosquito repellent; Energy snacks; Prescribed medication (if any)