The Tea Horse Road - Yunnan & Tibet

GUILIN & LI RIVER |  LIJIANG |  ZHONGDIAN  |  LHASA  |  Gyangtse & Shigaste

During the opening of trade routes between the East and West, one of the most extensive and most incredible was the Tea Horse Road which moved tea over the high mountains of Yunnan and through Tibet to the West, largely in exchange for horses. By its peak in the 13th century China was trading millions of pounds of tea for some 25,000 horses a year.

The ancient route was actually several branches, depending on the season and sources. This trip itinerary follows the Guan Ma and Guan Zang, the longest, that once stretched almost 1,400 miles across the chest of Cathay, from Yaan, in the tea-growing region of Sichuan Province, to Lhasa, the almost 12,000-foot-high capital of Tibet. As one of the highest, harshest trails in the world, it snaked up out of China's verdant valleys, traversed the wind-stripped, snow-scoured Tibetan Plateau, forded the freezing Yangtze, Mekong, and Salween Rivers, sliced into the mysterious Nyainqentanglha Mountains, ascended four deadly 17,000-foot passes, and finally dropped into the holy Tibetan city.

Snowstorms often buried the western part of the trail, and torrential rains ravaged the eastern portion. Bandits were a constant threat. The desire for trade was why the trail existed, the trail was heavily used for centuries, not for any romantic swapping of ideas and ethics, culture and creativity associated with the legendary Silk Road to the north, for the cultures at either end at times despised each other. China had something Tibet wanted, tea, while Tibet had something China desperately needed—horses.

As recently as 60 years ago, much of Asia still moved by foot or hoof, the Tea Horse Road remained a thoroughfare of commerce as the main link between China and Tibet. This trip follows this legendary trading route between China and Tibet, exploring the history and culture of its villages and cities, ancient kingdoms, high-mountain vistas, and sacred temples.

The Forgotten Road about the Tea Horse Road (National Geographic)

Tea Horse Road (click to enlarge)

Lijiang rooftops

The Many Splendors of Yunnan

With rapid development spreading across every corner of China, one region has provided a blissful escape. Situated in the far southwest and bordering Vietnam, Laos and Burma, the spectacular province of Yunnan has vertiginous 20,000-foot mountains, hundreds of rivers (including the upper Yangtze) and astonishingly varied plant and animal life. Though comprising less than four percent of the country’s land area, it contains roughly half of China’s bird and mammal species, including rare snow leopard, lynx, musk deer, golden monkey and black-necked crane. A visit to this pristine environment is particularly special after time spent in the eastern cities. In Yunnan, the air is crisp and clear and the sky is often a perfect robin’s egg blue.

Here more and more are coming to see the famously romantic landscape of the Ringha Valley, tucked between Tibet and Sichuan Province (James Hilton famously mythologized a valley in this region as Shangri-La in his 1933 novel Lost Horizon).

Diqing is a place of precipitous gorges, expansive grasslands and slopes forested in pine and azalea. Bright sunshine splashes the grazing yaks and the wooden carts rumbling along the quiet country roads. The region’s settlements are constructed primarily of rammed earth and timber and are inhabited by villagers wearing colorful traditional garb. Yunnan is exceptional for its ethnic diversity, with the highest number of “minority peoples” of any Chinese province and in the Ringha Valley, the people are predominantly Tibetan. How long with this unique area of China remain unspoiled? Although it remains pleasant, Lijiang will show you how popular the region is becoming, particularly with domestic tourists. It is an exceptional time to experience the region before it feels the impact of this rising popularity.

There are endless trekking opportunities in the south’s tropical rain forests, and in the north, snow-capped Tibetan peaks hide dozens of tiny villages and temples rarely visited by tourists. Yúnnán is also home to a third of all China’s ethnic minorities (nearly 50% of the province is non-Han) and despite the best government efforts, numerous pockets of the province have successfully resisted Han influence and exhibit strong local identities. Even Kūnmíng, the provincial capital, has a flavor that seems more than half a world away from Běijīng. Despite the rapid economic growth, Kūnmíng, ‘Spring City, ’ retains an individuality that has earned it a reputation for being one of the more cosmopolitan and relaxed cities in the southwest. Yúnnán is the sight of important archaeological discoveries, including sophisticated Bronze Age cultures around Diān Chí (Lake Dian) and the oldest human remains yet found in China (human teeth fragments dating from 1.75 million to 2.5 million years ago).

View Images of Yunnan

Tibet—Gateway to Heaven

A shimmering jewel in the magnificent Himalayas, Tibet is one of the most stunning destinations in the world for its natural beauty. Source of no lesser rivers than the Yangtze, Yellow, Mekong, Indus, and the Ganges – to name but a few – and surrounded by the jagged peaks of the highest mountains in the world, Tibet's landscapes are astonishing. Equally amazing, in the shadow of Everest, the Tibetan people have developed a gentle, mysterious culture, and visitors will discover a place lined with stupas and adorned with fluttering prayer flags marking one of the most spiritual cultures on Earth. The influence of Tibetan Buddhism can be seen everywhere, from the capital whose name literally means "Holy Land," to old citizens spinning prayer wheels, 1,300-year-old Lhasa and its otherworldly Potala Palace, home to generations of Dalai Lamas past.

After Yunnan, travel from Lijiang into the upper reaches of the Yangtze River past the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge to Zhongdian, or "Shangri-la" as the Chinese have renamed this town in to the heartland of the Tibetan Plateau. In Zhongdian view sacred monasteries and admire stunning vistas of mountain peaks and harsh beauty of this once-forbidden land.

Following Zhongdian, visiting the religious and political heart of the Tibetan world, Lhasa, which sits on the north bank of the Kyi Chu River, ringed by towering mountain ranges. Here in the traditional capital of Tibet is the recognizable red and white palaces of the Potala, home to Tibet's spiritual leaders, the Dalai Lamas, since the 17th century.

After visiting the magnificent Potala Palace, traveling the Friendship Highway to the fabled cities of Gyangtse, Shigatse, and Tsetang passing glaciers, farm lands, and gigantic Yamdrok-Tso Lake en route, to discover authentic Tibetan culture.

View Images of Tibet

Day 1 | Arrive Guilin

Today, fly into China's picturesque Guangxi province under blue skies and crisp air. Although Guilin is one of China's most popular domestic tourist stops, there remains unspoiled villages and splendid landscapes around the city.

Among the Chinese, the area in the southern China province of Guangxi is legendary for its beauty and has served as inspiration for generations of poets and artists. Although there are pleasant parks, a few historic sites, and a night market that are worthwhile to explore, the city of Guilin itself lacks charm (having been heavily bombed during the World War II and rebuilt in the utilitarian style popular in the 1950s). However, it has the immense good fortune of being situated in the middle of some of the world's most beautiful landscapes. This region of limestone karst hills and mountains, rising almost vertically from the earth, has a dreamy, hypnotic quality. Formed over 200 million years ago, when the area was under the sea, the land beneath began to push upward, the sea receded, and the effects of the ensuing erosion over thousands of years produced this sublime scenery. A highlight of a visit to Guilin is a cruise on the Li river, a famous subject of postcard-perfect photographs from travelers who have cruised on the tranquil waterway through the stunning karst geography.

Arrive into Guilin, city famous for its dramatic landscapes of limestone karst and at its center are two lakes, Cedar and Banyan, remaining from a Tang Dynasty moat that once surrounded the city, which we will glance briefly before transfering Longsheng (about 4 hours) through the picturesque countryside, pausing at sights along the way.

After arrival at the lodge, afternoon relaxing and admiring the view of the legendary Longji—terraced rice fields visible from the lodge. The fields are beautiful all year round, in the early stages when filled with water, and as the rice grows and matures, changing colors as it does by harvest time to a golden hue. The lush bamboo groves surround the small hillside villages of the local Zhuang and Yao people.

Mr. Jiang Zhuo: 137-077-35588—Mobile

Junyao Airlines TBA, Depart Beijing 8:05A, Arrive Guilin 10:45A (2hr 40m) TBA

Mr. Jiang Zhuo: 137-077-35588—Mobile

Li An Lodge (Dinner)

Li-An Lodge Longsheng T

October & November weather in Guilin is sunny and clear, but with ideal temperatures in the mid-60s to 70s.

Day 2 | Longshen

Today, a full day of light to moderate trekking in Longsheng, through famous rice terraces known as Longji ("Dragon's backbone") which have created into an intricate pattern on the hillsides over centuries by the hands of farmers dating back to the Yuan Dynasty from 1271 to 1368.

Here we will also pass through and visit local villages (mostly Zhuang and Yao, but also Miao and Dong).  

During our trek, enjoying lunch back in your resort or in one of the villages cafes featuring country-style Chinese food and admiring the unique traditional architecture of the tribal houses of the region.

In the afternoon, return to resort to relax before dinner.

Hikes in Longseng vary from shorter 90 minute treks to two hours from Ping'an village to rice terraces summit reaching an altitude of almost three thousand feet), with longer hikes by preference.

Li An Lodge (Lunch & Dinner)

Yao women living in Longsheng (in the Huangluo Yao Village) are known for having the longest hair in the world, which is never cut and instead, wrapped in a bun on top of their head in a style resembling an Indian turban.

Day 3 | Longsheng to Yangshuo

In the morning, continue through the countryside by car back to Yangshuo (about four hours), stopping along the way to take in the sights. After lunch, enjoying a pleasant bicycle ride through the magnificent landscapes of karst mountains, meandering rivers and emerald green fields. Here you will witnessing authentic life of local people in villages and on their farms.

In the afternoon, return to Yangshuo to attend a cooking class, preparing your own dinner of local specialties.

GREEN LOTUS Yangshuo Resort

Banyan Tree Yangshuo Imperial Retreat Villa An elegant rural resort featuring a setting of unmatched beauty, designed in a classic Chinese architectural style, which sprawls across a massive riverfront space framed by dramatic karst peaks. Web: Banyan Tree Yangshuo

Day 4 | Li River & Yangshuo

After breakfast, enjoying the quintessential Guilin experience—a cruise on Li River (漓江) floating through the sublime karst scenery the river meanders through. The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in Xing'an county and flows 437 kilometers through Guilin, Yangshuo (our destination) and Pingle, down into the Xi Jiang, the western tributary of the Pearl River in Wuzhou. After four to five hours cruising past the breathtaking scenery, arrive in the small town of Yangshuo, surrounded by soaring limestone peaks.

In the afternoon, exploring the small town's charms.

In the evening, a performance of Liusanjie, an hour-long sound-and-light extravaganza set outdoors on the Li River amidst the Karst Mountains. The show features many of the ethnic minorities who live in the surrounding area and the show's director, Zhang Yimou, is also the impresario behind the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Beijing.

BANYAN TREE Yangshuo Riverview

Elegant dining at Banyan Tree's Baiyun Restaurant featuring Guangxi and Cantonese

 

Day 5 | Li River

After breakfast, enjoying the quintessential Guilin experience—a short cruise on Li River (漓江) through the majestic karst scenery. The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in Xing'an county and flows 437 kilometers through Guilin, Yangshuo and Pingle, down into the Xi Jiang, the western tributary of the Pearl River in Wuzhou. Also visit to the town of Yangzhou (扬州 "Rising Prefecture"), which has a history of almost 2,500 years, including the city where Marco Polo was based.

After docking, exploring the city is famous for its public bath houses, lacquerware, jadeware, embroidery, paper-cut, art & crafts (including stuffed animals) and we'll pause to visit these shops and the local market.

In the evening, a performance of Liusanjie, an hour-long sound-and-light extravaganza set outdoors on the Li River amidst the Karst Mountains. The show features many of the ethnic minorities who live in the surrounding area and the show's director, Zhang Yimou, is also the impresario behind the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Beijing.

Day 6 | Guilin to Lijiang

 

Black Dragon Pool

Lijiang lies a 45-minute flight from the provincial capital Kunming. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, it was home from 1922-1949 to the Austrian-American scholar Joseph Rock, once known familiarly as “National Geographic’s man in China.” James Hilton is supposed to have based his best-selling novel Lost Horizon on his articles, with its tale of the secret valley of Shangri-La. Today, the old town remains a labyrinth of wooden houses (their upturned pagoda roofs hung with scarlet lanterns) and cobbled streets, laced by a network of tiny streams and canals.

Lijiang is one of the most distinctive regions in all of China, set in a stunning and dramatic landscape. Enjoy a full day in this beautiful city, including attending “Impressions of Lijiang” an astounding performance piece with a cast of hundreds. Also experience a guided walking tour of the picturesque Old Town of Lijiang (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and if you wish, a leisurely bike ride to Baisha Village.

During your stay, visiting the picturesque Black Dragon Pool, a legendary lake in a park with scenic views of the area’s tallest peak, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The park here contains several exhibitions about the Naxi people, essential to appreciating what can be seen in and around Lijiang. Dongba Culture Research Institute is also located in the park where the Naxi have accomplished much in preserving their 1,400-year-old heritage, passing down through the centuries by wise men and shamans called dongbas. Here, a novice dongba will provide a delightful introduction to the traditions at the heart of Naxi culture, which aims at pursuing a life in harmony with nature, animals, and the gods. After, strolling the scenic gardens and pavilions around Black Dragon Pool and sixteenth-century architectural treasures known as Five-Phoenix Pavilions. Also pausing to admire the embroidered silk “paintings” in the silk workshop off Peony Garden.

The early evenings before dining are an ideal for strolling through the streets of the Old Town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritages site. In the market square traditional Naxi dances are often being performed and we may climb to Wang Gu Lou Pagoda for vistas of the Old Town and the peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. For dinner, dining in the old town or returning to resort.

Bai Yun Restaurant (Cantonese) outdoor dining at the Banyan Tree

Naxi Woman in Lijiang

Banyan Tree LIJIANG Jet Pool Villa As elsewhere in Yunnan, and other remote areas of China, including the Yellow Mountains, Banyan Tree offers the finest lodging in Lijiang. An similar dramatic rural setting as their Yangshuo resort, their Lijiang property features expansive views of of high mountains from spacious grounds and elegant villas. Web: Banyan Tree Lijiang

AMANDAYAN Deluxe Suite As typical with Aman, the Amandayan is situated in a spectacular location. An ancient city, Dayan has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's here the hotel is perched, overlooking an intricate bridge and canal system and dramatic mountainous landscape. 35 luxurious suites await discovery at Amandayan, all contemporary in style and unmistakably Chinese. Each Suite is decorated with local materials and opens onto a courtyard or a terrace with views of the local rooftops or the awe-inspiring mountains nearby. Aman's Spa leans heavily on traditional Chinese medicine to provide a world-class wellness facility. Four treatment rooms are on hand to offer massages, exfoliations, acupuncture and cupping. The Spa is also home to a large heated pool, a fully equipped gym and Pilates studio. Web: Amandayan

Naxi tribal culture is one of the last matriarchal societies with males typically relegated to hunting and fishing (and playing the town's orchestra). At the head of each household is the Ah Mi—the thick-wristed, dictatorial female elder who manages the money, jobs, and lives of each family member. The Naxi also practice serial monogamy allowing for relationships without any societal inkling of marriage or exclusivity. Even if a couple births children, the man and woman will never move in together, but remain with their extended matrilineal families. It is the woman’s job to raise the child, so for this reason Naxi fathers often give more care to their nieces and nephews than their own children. Ironically, the Naxi language has no word for ‘jealousy.’ Other interesting facts about the Naxi is theirs is the last hieroglyphic language in the world, called Dongba, comprised of over 1,400 symbols and the tribe has been past practitioners of shamanism, sorcery, and exorcism.

Yunnan cuisine, like the province it comes from, is one of the most unique in China. Taking the best parts from all of the province’s ethnic traditions, Yunnan cuisine uses all parts of nature. It is not uncommon to find locals chomping on insects, flowers, ferns, wild mushrooms or algae, and those who are brave enough to try these culinary delights will find it a wonder that not everyone eats like that. The cuisine is often extremely spicy, although not in the same way that Sichuanese or Hunanese cuisine is spicy. Popular dishes include pineapple rice, mashed potatoes with chives and chilies and goat’s milk cheese. Yunnan is also home to many famous Chinese teas, most notably Pu’er.

Naxi cuisine should not be missed if you wish to taste different local food during the trip and Old City Beef Restaurant (69 Xinyi St.; 86- 139-8884-4615; meals about $15) is a perfect place to sample it. Gaze onto the streets festively lit up at night. Don’t miss the beef soup and just-out-of-the-oven Naxi baba (pancake-shaped local bread).

Evening traditional entertainment includes the Naxi Orchestra (yes, with those same Naxi men who have little else to do) playing the Naxi music with traditional instruments. Performances are from 7:30 to 9:00 PM daily

Day 7 | Lijiang

After breakfast,visiting the picturesque Black Dragon Pool, the legendary lake in a park with scenic views of the area’s tallest peak, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

Afterwards, visiting the former residence of Dr. Joseph Rock, an Austrian-American scientist who lived in China from the 1920s through the 1940s, studying Naxi culture and leading National Geographic Society expeditions. Afterward, begin a pleasant, leisurely hike to Wenhai village (from 1-3 hours), where the Naxi farmers live as they have for generations, preserving their matriarchal society in midst of a pristine land. Wenhai, beneath the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain towering above it, is a traditional small town where the Naxi people build homes of wood and roof them with gray tiles and have intricately-carved gates and large wooden racks which are used to hang barley to dry in the fall.

Wenhai Village is enhanced by a seasonal lake, also named Wenhai. During the summer rainy season, the lake fills and endangered black storks and black-necked cranes, as well as many other migratory birds, fly in for the winter. In early spring, the waters drain into underground limestone caves, leaving a luxuriant bed of thick grass on which horses and cattle graze.

After Wenhai, venturing into Baisha Old Town, one of the oldest towns in Lijiang and the birthplace of "Tusi", chief of the Mu clan learned about the previous day's touring. In Baisha there are many ancient buildings built during the Ming Dynasty, including decorative Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Temple, and Wenchang Palace. The renowned Baisha Frescoes are located here in the Dabaoji Palace.

Lijiang Old Town tea shop

Return for lunch in Lijiang's Old Town known as Dayan Town, built in the middle of a flatland at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain towering in the distance. The town is a UN World Heritage Site and has wonderful old cobbled stress, meandering streams and views that will take your breath away.

After lunch, attending the outdoor spectacle, Impression Lijiang, featuring hundreds of performers staged against the backdrop of the Jade Snow Mountain (please bring clothes for varying weather, sunny to light rain and cold).

Afterwards, visit to the Mufu. Mu was a ruler of Ming dynasty who commissioned this mansion to be built in exactly the same style as the Forbidden City, first built in Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and residence and political center for generations of Lijiang's rulers.

Impression Lijiang is the magnificent outdoor singing and dancing performance about the tradition and lifestyle of the local people. Created by the famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou, who also produced the light show in Yanshuo.

Picnic (Lunch)

Casual: Hong Lou (70 Xin Yi St.; meals about $15), run by a group of Naxi women

Fine Dining: The Banyan Tree’s Ming Yue, serves both international and Asian cuisine

Day 8 | Lijiang to Zhongdian

In this region of China, there is pleasure just to drive through the fertile and unspoiled countryside. This morning departing on the ancient Tea-horse road into the high mountains of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to Zhongdian (renamed Shangri-La). Located at around 3,000 meters, the area is notable for the Meili Snow Mountain and colorful Tibetan culture (inhabitants are about 80 percent ethnic Tibetan).