Description

Tribes and Rice, Exploring Guangxi and Guizhou (9D8N)

Day 01: Guilin – Yangshuo
Day 02: Yangshuo
Day 03: Yangshuo – Longji
Day 04: Longji
Day 05: Longji – Zhaoxing
Day 06: Zhaoxing – Jiapang
Day 07: Jiapang – Rongjiang
Day 08: Rongjiang – Kaili
Day 09: Kaili – Guiyang – Departure from Guiyang

Day 1. Guilin – Yangshuo

Welcome to China!

Begin the day by driving from Guilin to Yangshuo. Upon arrival at Guilin airport, a guide and driver will meet you and provide transportation to the hotel.

Free time at leisure for the rest of the day.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Guilin airport – Yangzhou (approx. 80km): 1h30 min
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

Overnight in Yangshuo
Meal(s): –

Day 2. Yangshuo

Relax in the morning, taking in the beautiful surroundings of Yangshuo.

After lunch in the afternoon, there will be a picturesque Bamboo Rafting (about 2 hours) excursion along on Yulong River, where guests can silently admire the spectacular landscapes, gently pulled by the current. After the tranquil raft, enjoy a leisurely cycle through the magnificent karst countryside: the environment is comprised of the iconic Guangxi rice terraces, water buffalos and “sugar loafs” mountains.

In the evening, enjoy the show Impression Liu Sanjie (Secondary VIP Seat), created by Zhang Yimou.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY (morning) Cooking Class

Transfer with the driver (without a guide) to the cooking school located in the superb Yangshuo countryside. Classes start at 9:30am (10:30am between December and February) and last four hours. Class includes a visit to a local market (where ingredients are selected), followed by a group class at the school (maximum of 16 people per class), before enjoying the fruits of the day’s labor.

Note: The accommodation selected is in the countryside; we find the most adequate choices for experiencing both nature and the local atmosphere.

Overnight in Yangshuo
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3. Yangshuo – Longji

Spend the morning doing one of the following activities:

OPTION 1: Half day kayaking experience along beautiful karst sceneries. From Yangshuo, transfer to Fuli for a guided kayak ride from Fuli to Liugong (total six kilometers, taking 3-3.5 hours to complete). The route runs along the Yulong and Li Rivers.

OPTION 2: Rock climbing experience: a morning transfer to the climbing school: to choose equipment (size of climbing shoes) and continue from the school to the site. There are three different level of walls, depending on personal experience. This experience lasts about 3 hours; however, the experience can range from half-day or one day to multi-day programs.

OPTION 3: Traditional foot massage. Enjoy a relaxing foot massage, the perfect way to get prepared for the following days’ adventures!

OPTION 4: Cycling the countryside. We can offer a range of different itineraries based upon personal level of fitness and preferences; from karst landscape cycles to village explorations, the memorable cycle is always led by our experts

Note: we can provide the same activities on different days as well.

After lunch, drive to Longji (about 3.5 hours) to reach the “Dragon Backbone”, one of the most beautiful stretches of Guangxi rice terraces in the country. It was over 700 years ago that the locals worked tirelessly to sculpt these mountains (whose high point is at an altitude of more than 1000m), in order to grow rice, sweet potatoes, other vegetables and tea. Today the region looks like a succession of humongous staircases, along which sit various small villages typical to the Dong, Miao, Yao and, above all, Zhuang minorities.

The village is reachable through stone staircase amid the Guangxi rice terraces. (10 to 20 minutes, depending of the hotel location), and presents a mix of traditional wooden structures and concrete ones. It is the perfect location for morning hikes, as local tourists do not reach the area before lunch time, leaving the overnight guest’s time to explore the terraces with ease.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Yangshuo – Longji (approx. 160km): 3h30
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

Overnight in Longji
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4. Longji

Spend the morning with a hike along the region’s panoramic vistas. Start to take a walk from Ping’an Village to the Ancient Zhuang Village and then heading back. Of particular note is the way all along in between the two villages, from where the most spectacular panoramas can be seen. The hike will take up to 4 hours, depending on personal pace. Numerous photo opportunities will be available along the way.

Option1: If there is a further interest of hiking with more challenge, another route of 4 hours hiking (one way) from Ping’an Village to Dazhai Village, passing by Zhongliu and Tiantouzhai, can be a choice.

Option2: If 4 hours walking takes too much strength, there is a possibility of getting down the hill from Ancient Zhuang Village, and being transferred back to the entrance before walking back to hotel in Ping’an Village.

Note: we are able to provide shorter or longer routes based on personal preferences.

After the hike, enjoy some downtime. Either relax in the hotel or along the café terraces in the village.

Overnight in Longji
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5. Longji – Zhaoxing

Proceed today to the Guizhou and Dong regions.

Nestled in the valleys, the peculiar architecture of these villages stands out: ‘horned’ towers and “rain & wind” slender bridges, very unique in Chinese styles.

Zhaoxing is one the main villages and also one of the best preserved in the whole region. Largely untouched by tourism, this village is the perfect starting point for trekking the Guangxi rice terraces, with small neighbouring villages following closely nearby.

First visit the Chengyang Dong Village (housing the Wind & Rain Bridge and the Drum Tower), continuing onwards Zhaoxing. There will also be an opportunity to walk in the villages of Heli and Tang An along the way.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Longji to Zhaoxing (approx 145 km):3h30(not counting stops)
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

Note: the itinerary can be shortened here upon request. We may arrange a direct transfer to Guiyang to the next destination, or drive to Sanjiang (45km from Zhaoxing) and board a bullet train to Guilin.

Overnight in Zhaoxing
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6. Zhaoxing – Jiapang

Drive to Jipang, exploring the nearby Jiapang Rice terraces and the Basha village.

Today we will explore an area more densely inhabited by the Miao ethnic group – famous for its festivals and the beautiful dress and jewels of its ladies.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Zhaoxing – Jiapang (approx. 150km): 4h (not counting stops)
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

Overnight in Jiapang
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7. Jiapang – Rongjiang

The Jiapang area is known for its Jiashui Terrace, which houses the unique Jiaqu (Miao) village. The drive will continue to Rongjiang, one of the bigger enclaves of the region.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Jiapang – Rongjiang (approx. 120km): 3h30 (not counting stops)
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

Overnight in Rongjiang
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8. Rongjiang – Kaili

Wake up for the drive from Rongjiang to Kaili, an area known for its high concentration of traditional villages. The drive will run from the Qiaotu Village (inhabited by Shui People) on towards the Wuji Village (Miao people) known for its batik technique (spectating the process along the way.) The itinerary will include two more stops: Datang – the so called “short-skirted” Village (Miao), and Langde, before arriving into Kaili.

Miao is an ethnic group with many differences among them; visiting their different villages will help provide insights into how each area is entirely different from the next (despite being only a few kilometers away from one another.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Rongjiang – Kaili (approx. 150km): 2h30 (not counting stops)
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

Overnight in Kaili
Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9. Kaili – Guiyang – Departure from Guiyang

The day will be spent traveling from Kaili to Guiyang. En route, there will be a final chance to visit Matang, where another ethnic group (the Gejia) live. Their customs and culture differ from the Miao and Dong; while less colorful than the other groups, they follow their customs even when working in the fields.

Transfer to Guiyang Airport with driver and guide for departing flight.

Estimate distance and journey time:
Kaili – Guiyang (Approx 3h not counting stops): 180km
*Depends on local situation (the weather/construction/traffic jam, etc…), may take longer

End of Services.

Meal(s): Breakfast