South China Tour | Individual China Travel | Pyala Travel - Travel Program
This South China Tour shows you a variety of stunning landscapes and cultures. Book direct with local agent.
Enchanting South China Tour
private tour
Chengdu-Lijiang-Zhongdian-Shaxi-Dali-Yangshuo-Ping'an
This individual journey through southern China will show you a variety of stunning landscapes and cultures: beautiful lakes and paddy fields, monasteries and temples, ancient trading towns,authentic villages and the stunning landscape around Yangshuo
from 1595,-
12 days
Tabs
Day 1 arrival Chengdu
You arrive in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan. This is a huge metropolis in one of the most populous provinces of China. Yet it is a relaxed city with many traditional teahouses, where you can pull yourself back even from the urban bustle.Day 2 Chengdu
In Chengdu there is much to do. One of the highlights is a trip to the Panda sanctuary on the outskirts of the city. In the bamboo forests of Sichuan live this extremely rare and shy creatures, which have grown to become a symbol of the World Wildlife Fund and favorite toy of the Chinese. Visit the shelter in the morning, the rest of the day pandas will be doing the especially what they are good at; sleep.A half day panda trip is included in the program.
In the town itself you can visit various classical Chinese temples, including the Wenshu Buddhist temple. A visit to Chengdu is not complete without coming here at one of the traditional tea houses. And in the evening, of course, enjoy the famous Sichuan cuisine, but be careful with the hotpot!
Day 3 Chengdu - Lijiang
You leave by plane to Lijiang, at 2400 meters altitude in Yunnan Province, in a landscape where millenary glaciers gradually transform into a subtropical valley. Lijiang is the home of the Naxi minority. Many older people still wear traditional costumes with sheepskin coats and embroidered with bees and butterflies, symbols of the industry. Lijiang is one of the few places where the original culture of an ethnic minority is so well preserved.
Day 4 Lijiang / bike tour
Today you make a bike tour and cycle to the Bai village of Xinhua, also called the 'village of water & silver'. The picturesque landscape of Xinhua is surrounded by hills and rivers and is known for its clear and fresh water which can be drunk directly from a number of canals in the village. Almost every house also has its own source. The village also has a long history in making silver crafts that began in the Ming Dynasty.The bike ride is good for everyone, along the way there is of course the possibility to stop once in a while to take pictures. After the visit to Xinhua you will cycle a little further to Heqing where you will have lunch with local dishes. After lunch there will be some time to walk over the market of Heqing before you start the trip back again. You will be picked up at 9 am at the hotel and around 3.30 pm you will be back in Lijiang.
Day 5 Lijiang - Shaxi via Shibaoshan
Shaxi is a lovely village with many traditional houses and an authentic village square. It was on the ancient tea route from China to Tibet; Here the horses were loaded with tea tablets after they went on their way through the mountains. Shaxi is not yet penetrated by the mass tourism as in some other places in Yunnan, and a stay here is a peak experience!Shaxi valley contains more traditional Bai villages, which you pass when visiting the caves at Shizhong Shibaoshan. These 16 caves contain the best preserved Buddhist cave sculptures of Yunnan Province. The sculptures date from the 8th to the 13th century and are in the rock carved by the Bai people living in this area. The images are mostly dedicated to Guanyin, the Boddhisatva of Compassion.
Day 6 Shaxi - Xizhou
You travel in a few hours to the town of Dali, the home of the Bai people. Dali was during the Tang and Song Dynasties (618 - 1279) a very important trading post on the ancient tea route from South China to Tibet. For a long time Dali was the capital of the kingdom of Nanzhao. The Mongol army put an end to the kingdom and annexed it in to the Chinese government.Dali is beautifully situated at the foot of the Cang mountain range, near the large shallow Erhai Lake. Not far outside the city are three characteristic Tang pagodas in the landscape. The surroundings are perfect for hiking, cycling and boat trips. For example, you make a wonderful walk past waterfalls to the Zhonghe monastery tucked away in the mountains. In recent years, Dali has become a tourist attraction for both Chinese and Western travelers. Everyone comes to Dali to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Unfortunately, this also means that crowds the charming old streets of the city are now filled with restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops. So you must really want to pull out the atmosphere of the countryside and the Bai people. For that reason, you can also choose not to sleep in Dali itself, but in the nearby village of Xizhou. It is a lot quieter here than in Dali and Xizhou itself is a lovely village, full of white, traditional Bai homes. The picturesque village is situated between the picturesque rice fields surrounded by the Erhai Lake and Cang Mountain.
Day 7 Xizhou
Today you can enjoy the whole day of Xizhou and environment. Hire a bike and explore the beautiful surroundings. Cycle through rice fields along small Bai and Yi villages, drive along the beautiful Erhai Lake and / or take a boat across the lake. You can take the bikes also on the boat. Across the lake you disembark and cycle through some characteristic Yi and Bai villages slowly back to Dali.Of course you can also take a stroll to visit the Dali three pagodas or a market in a nearby village. You can also mountain by cable car and there have a walking tour. Make a walk of several hours and with another cable car go down again.
In the evening you will enjoy a dinner with a local family from the Bai people. If you like, you can go shopping with them for ingredients on the market and cook together!
Day 8 Xizhou - Yangshuo
Today it is a long travel day. You will take a train from Dali to Guilin (08.52 - 19.03). After arriving Guilin travel straight to Yangshuo, a good hour's drive. Yangshuo is located on the Li River, amidst the impressive landscape of eroded karst mountains. The bumps in the landscape bear fanciful names like Swan Hill, Lotus Peak. This particular landscape has been since time immemorial a source of inspiration for poets and painters.
Day 9 Yangshuo / boat trip Li River
Yangshuo has in recent years become a magnet for Chinese travelers and tourists who want to enjoy nature, outdoor cafes and fine dining. There is plenty of space to enjoy the beautiful scenery on your way. You can walk or bike to experience how the rice is harvested and how adobe blocks of houses to be built. A climb to the top of the Moon Hill gives you a stunning view of the fairytale scenery.A boat tour on the beautiful Li river is included in your program.
In the evening, you can enjoy an amazing light and sound show on the Li River. The show is performed at the world's largest natural theater which utilizes the waters of the Li River as its stage, with twelve mist shrouded hills and the heavens as its backdrop.
Day 10 Yangshuo
A free day in Yangshuo. Why not participate in a cooking class to get the intricacies of the versatile Chinese cuisine master. It covers half a day and you cook a number of dishes that you choose in advance. In most cases, first go to the market to stock up on the ingredients.You can also take a bike ride through the beautiful karst mountains. The tour goes to a small village near where you use the lunch in a rural family under the guidance of a Chinese English-speaking guide.
Day 11 Yangshuo - Ping'an
Today you travel to the Longji Rice Terraces. These terraces are among the most impressive of Asia. Although the rice terraces in Yuanyang in southeastern Yunnan cover a larger area, they are just as spectacular. The terraces were built centuries ago by the Zhuang and Yao population who settled centuries ago.In the afternoon you will make a guided walk in the rice terraces.
Day 12 Ping'an - Guilin
You will be transferred to the airport of Guilin, which will be the end of your trip.Reis boeken?
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Hi, I am Fanny Zhu, your local travel agent.
Discover china with me!
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Hi, I am Fanny Zhu, your local travel agent.
Discover china with me!
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