Adventures in Yunnan (10 Days) We love road journeys. They are by far our favourite way of traveling. We think the world of western China and the countries that border on this region – think Vietnam, Lao, Thailand, Myanmar, for example. On the Road Experiences is all about sharing with like-minded travelers just how beautiful a road journey in these varied lands can be. Now turn the page to find out what we’ve come to love so much… p2 p3 Itinerary Map …where you will travel… p. 006 Yes, it is possible… p. 008 Journey of Discovery… p. 010 Day-by-day… p. 048 In closing... Any car you like, so long as it is an SUV… p. 063 Adventures and discoveries in local cuisines p. 064 What’s included/Best Months to Go... p. 066 Photo credits p. 069 p5 Itinerary Map Day1 Day6 Arrival in Kunming – In Tacheng – Preparing for your journey Walking with the monkeys and a day off the road Day2 Dali and Xizhou – Day7 To the heart of the Nanzhao Tacheng to Shangri-La – Kingdom Up and up to the edge of Tibet Day3 Day8 In Xizhou – Shangri-La to Lijiang – Explore pretty Xizhou and Dali On to the Naxi Kingdom Day4 Day9 Xizhou to Shaxi – In and around Lijiang – Across the hills to Shaxi and back Exploring the Land of the Jade in time Dragon Day5 Day10 Shaxi to Tacheng – Departure – Along the Yangtse into the Three Life goes on... Parallel Rivers Region p6 p7 Yes, it is possible... A driving holiday in this part of the world is indeed possible. We take care of everything. All you need to do is come, drive and enjoy a rare adventure! Adventures in Yunnan will take you and your family through some of Yunnan’s best loved destinations like Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La and via some little-known gems on an itinerary designed specifically for families to enjoy together. On this leisurely itinerary you and your children will join a range of fun activities and share new experiences. Explore markets, wonder through Shaxi’s cobbled streets, watch endangered monkeys in Tacheng and visit a lively Tibetan monastery in Shangri-La. The basic itinerary is eight days long with an optional extension to Lijiang for those who are able to take a ten-day holiday. There will be opportunities to interact with the region’s colourful minorities and try delicious local foods throughout the journey, which we hope will give your family a wonderful opportunity to experience a new, beautiful and unexpected side of China together. With comfortable accommodation throughout, travelling in our spacious cars and supported by On the Road Experiences’ friendly and professional team, you will enjoy a comfortable and stress-free holiday on this self-driving journey. On the Road Experiences has paved the way for you to drive in your own properly insured SUV, so that you can enjoy the romance of a classic overland journey without any of the logistical headaches that typically accompany such journeys... p8 p9 p11 Awaking in China’s RURAL COUNTRYSIDE…” Xizhou, taken by an 11 year old p13 Take a lake shore DRIVE and enjoy the BEAUTIFUL sunset reflections…” Lake Erhai, Xizhou, near Dali p15 Stepping BACK in TIME...” A Bai minority village near Shaxi p17p17 Explore SHAXI’s beautiful old town - much of which dates from the MING Dynasty...” Beautiful old town of Shaxi p19p19 A small section of the ANCIENT TEA HORSE TRAIL…” In Shaxi… p21 CHINA as in TIMES GONE BY...” Cobbler and artist in Shaxi... p23 Your JOURNEY in the THREE PARALLEL RIVERS region...” The Yangtze’s upper reaches p25 Lunch in THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE…” In the Tacheng lodge p27 SLEEPING WELL while FAR AWAY from anywhere...” In the Tacheng lodge p29 Visiting the CUTEST MONKEYS in the world…” Yunnan Snub-Nosed monkeys p31 A colourful WELCOME as you APPROACH TIBET...” Tibetan prayer flags p33 Along the way, one of the LARGEST MONASTERIES in SOUTH-WEST China…” Shangri-La’s Ganden Sumtseling Monastery p35 RED-ROBED MONKS in Shangri-La...” At the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery p37 A chance to PURIFY YOUR MIND?” Prayer Session at Ganden Sumtseling Monastery p39 The TIGER LEAPING GORGE… where the YANGTZE makes you TREMBLE!” Tiger Leaping Gorge p41 LIJIANG is touristy, but there ARE HIDDEN GEMS to DISCOVER…” Jade Lake not far from Lijiang... Jade Dragon Snow Mountain seen from the Black Dragon Pool, Lijiang… p43 The lovely winding alleys of LIJIANG’S OLD TOWN are a UNESCO World Heritage site...” Lijiang Old Town p45 Where DR. Joseph Rock lived and worked to INTRODUCE northwest YUNNAN to the outside word…” Naxi minority lady in Yuhu, near Lijiang p47 p49 Day 1 Day 2 the traditional Bai headdress all over Dali. Tourism is now the Arriving in Kunming To the heart of the mainstay of Dali’s economy, but and preparing for your Driving Distance & Duration Nanzhao Kingdom in years gone by the city was the Driving Distance & Duration Distance: NA capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom, Distance: 360 km journey Today you will drive to Dali and which ruled a swathe of what Duration: NA Duration: 4.5-5.5 hours on to Xizhou, home of the Linden is today Yunnan Province and Arrive in Kunming according to In the evening, enjoy a group Centre – a lovingly converted Bai northern Burma between the 8th Elevation and 9th centuries AD. your own arrangements. dinner together in a lovely, minority mansion, where you will Elevation local restaurant near your Highest Daytime: 1850m stay for the next two nights. From Dali it is only a short drive Highest Daytime: 2000m We will meet you at the airport hotel and attend our staff’s Overnight: 1850m north Xizhou, where you will Today’s route is designed to ease Overnight: 2000m and transfer you to your hotel. safety briefing. you into driving in mainland stay for two nights in the award- winning Linden Centre. The If you require a temporary Hotel China…mostly on a wonderful Dinner will be an opportunity to Centre comes complete with a Chinese driving license, we Greenlake Hotel, Kunming highway that allows us to gain Hotel will take you to the hotel via begin to acquaint yourself with distance from Kunming, the playroom, a fleet of bicycles, a (*****) roof terrace and a well-stocked Linden Centre, Xizhou (****) the Vehicle Licensing Bureau. the many flavours of Yunnan’s capital of Yunnan province. cuisine and to meet your fellow bar—something for everyone! All the documents for your Yunnan has one of the best road temporary license will be travellers. networks in China, as today’s Slowly, we’re sure, you will feel prepared; you will just need to drive will demonstrate. As you your workday stresses ebb as you take a simple eye test and sign leave the big city behind you ease into the rhythm of travelling. the forms. will soon see small villages beside the highway nestled into After settling into the hotel, the landscape. Many of these houses belong to the Yi minority, you may want to go for a stroll recognizable on the paintings of along the city-center Green the sun on their houses, as the Yi Lake where many locals enjoy worships the sun. relaxing hours. The vicinity of the lake bustles with people After a lunch in nearby Chuxiong young and old and throughout we will drive on the same superb much of the year is lush green. modern expressway that we used earlier today to Dali – formerly Depending on the season, the capital of Yunnan’s Nanzhao energetic migratory birds make Kingdom. the lake their temporary home. Dali, the population of the region is predominantly the Bai minority p50 and you will see ladies wearing p51 Day 3 we will return to the hotel for Day 4 opportunities and a picnic a short rest. The afternoon lunch. Explore pretty Xizhou can be spent riding around Across the hills to Driving Distance & Duration Driving Distance & Duration and Dali Xizhou by bicycle ride or horse- Shaxi is an incredibly well Distance: 0-20 km Shaxi and back in time drawn cart. Other activities are preserved caravan town. Distance: 150 km Today we will arrange a Duration: 0-30 mins, Spend the remainder of the available (including cooking or Today you will make the Duration: 3-5 hours variety of activities for you to depending on your chosen afternoon after your arrival calligraphy classes). Please let short drive from Xizhou to experience the interesting area activity wandering its cobbled streets, us know what you’re interested Shaxi, crossing the Cangshan around Xizhou. Your day could exploring further afield on Elevation be spent like the following: in! Elevation Mountains that loom to the bike, or relaxing at the hote – a Highest Daytime: 3000m After visiting a nearby market in Please note, breakfast and dinner Highest Daytime: 2000m west of Lake Erhai. former Ming dynasty coaching the morning, where you can try are included, lunch and activities Overnight: 2000m Overnight: 2470m The drive may be short, but inn – imagining that you are local snacks and practice your are on your account. Hotel about to set out on the long Chinese you will drive to a Batik it often takes longer than Linden Centre, Xizhou (****) road to Lhasa as countless Hotel factory in a nearby village and expected after stopping en tea caravans have done before have a hand’s on Batik learning route to explore villages and Laomadian Inn, Shaxi (***) experience. After a local lunch markets, as well as for photo you… p52 p53 Day 5 you will find a beautiful lodge fertile valleys in Yunnan with Tacheng lies in the “Three Rivers Along the Yangtze into set in one of Yunnan’s loveliest two crops of rice annually and Region”, where the Yangtze, the regions.