Welcome to Part 2 of the China trip planned for this September with a small group. We’d love it if you could join us for this exclusive trekking tour of Yunnan, one of China’s least explored provinces.

13 Sep – Kunming

We will spend one night in Kunming taking in a bit of Chinese city atmosphere. Kunming is known as the “Spring City” for its perpetually fair weather, summer and winter. It is supremely organised here, with wide brimming avenues and an airport that is conveniently located near the city. Hopefully my Buddha vegetarian restaurant will still be open! Otherwise this will be a great chance to eat try Yunnan’s spicy cuisine.

14 Sep – Lijiang (altitude: 2,400m)

We will depart Kunming early in the morning by flight and arrive in Lijiang after a short one hour flight.

Lijiang is in many ways the capital of the Naxi minority, and despite being afflicted by mass tourism and the somewhat crass “authenticity” drive so popular amongst Yunnan local governments, remains an interesting place. A beautiful old town – ancient canal system, traditional architecture, with abundant cafes in the centre.

15 Sep – Wenhai village (altitude: 3,000m)

For early birds, rising early provides a chance to see Lijiang at its most natural, before the tour groups kick into gear. After breakfast, leave behind the hustle and bustle of Lijiang for the short drive to the trailhead at Yuhu, a small village nestled on the lower slopes of Jade Dragon Mountain. Amongst other things this was once the home of Joseph Rock – who was one parts explorer, another part plant collector, a third part scholar of Naxi language, and finally a master of fakery – who roamed SW China in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s.

Here the walking begins. It’s about a five hour trek to Wenhai, another Naxi village several hundred meters up on the slopes of Jade Dragon Mountain. The site of a half-hearted attempt to impose eco-tourism, Wenhai has a slightly schizophrenic character – sometimes a quiet remote village struggling with the after effects of the ’98 logging ban, sometimes playing host to large groups of ‘eco-tourists’ with cameras and heels. Either way, the views of the snow peak on the way to and from Wenhai are beautiful and the trek, though up, relatively undemanding. A pleasant first day.

Tonight’s stay is at an eco-lodge establishment.

16 Sep – Xuehua village (altitude: TBC)

A short day’s trekking along the slopes to Xuehua, a much poorer Yi village and a chance to relax for the afternoon and check out a little local life.

Interestingly Xuehua is also the home of one of the few ‘bimo’ of the area, an Yi shaman-like figure steeped in a ritualistic history infinitely longer and more complex than its newcomer counterpart amongst the Naxi – the ‘Dongba priest’. Whether or not you’ll get the chance to meet him is moot, but it does give some indication as to the depth of tradition in this village.

We will take the night in a local homestay.

17 Sep – Shanghai village

(altitude: TBC)

Another relaxed day’s trekking under the snow peak to Shanghai, a relatively affluent Naxi village and the last stop before heading east away from Jade Dragon. By now those muscles should be flowing!

Tonight’s accommodation is also homestay.

18/19th Sep – Zhongdian/Shangrila

The day starts off with a 2-hour trek to the road and a pick-up (by mini-bus or 4WD) for the drive to and into Tiger Leaping Gorge before climbing to Zhongdian. TLG, while by no means as some claim the deepest gorge in the world, is still a sight worth beholding. From here the road climbs around 1500m up to the plateau and onto Zhongdian.

In Zhongdian (now optimistically renamed Shangri-La) is the site of Songzanlin monastery. Though largely a museum now – this sprawling and, in historical terms, very key monastery was commissioned in the 17c by the 5th Dalai Lama, and was the central monastery in the Gelukpa order’s south-eastern expansion.

Also possible a cable car up nearby Shika Mountain, which given clear weather offers great views of the region and it’s various mountain ranges. In the evening, dinner, a stroll, even a soak in nearby hot springs possible.

Since the retreat of the Tibetans from the Lijiang area in the 19c, Zhongdian (known in Tibetan as Gyalthang) has pretty much marked the south-eastern border of Kham Tibet in Yunnan. Up until a few yeas ago, it had the rough reputation of a classic frontier town – but now things have calmed down, and its markets and the old town make for a fruitful afternoon stroll.

The next two night’s accommodation is at a hotel in Zhongdian (3,160m), so we can further acclimatise to the elevation in preparation for the second trek.

20 Sep – Niru (Altitude: 2900M)

Departing from Zhongdian, we will take a four hour drive southeast across the plateau and then north to the isolated village of Niru (Tibetan) on the southerly edge of the Tibetan region. Here we stay in a lodge built as the keystone for local training and poverty alleviation projects.

21 Sep – Niru to Pastureland (Camp site altitude: 3,360M)

Three hours’ gentle climb through the Niru River gorge brings us to a waterfall where we take a packed lunch. After lunch we continuously climb for roughly three hours via densely forested valley, camp near a seasonal nomadic camp before the pass. We walk roughly five to six hrs today.

22 Sep – Pastureland to Shudu Thang (Camp site altitude about: 3,700M)

We have steep two hour climb before reaching to Dekyi Thang Plateau, which is beautiful with herds of yaks and mountain peaks that surround the pasture. Lunch at Dekyi Thang will be followed by a descent into Shudu valley, where we will either camp near the lake area or push further for two hours beyond Shudu Lake.

23 Sep – Shudu Thang to Geza village (Village altitude:3,200m)

We cross Shudu pastureland and climb gently through a gully up to the pass. After lunch we go down through an excellent rhododendron forest and a beautiful stream as we reach the Tibetan village of Geza. Overnight stay with a Tibetan family, after five to six hours walking.

24 Sep – Geza to Pastureland (Camp site altitude:3,400m)

After about half an hour’s walk our path steadily up Detri Datsan pass (3600m), lunch on
pass, go down to a pastureland and camp for the night. 6/7hrs walk.

25 Sep – Pastureland to Gegang Tso (Gegang Lake)

Our today’s walk bit gentler and easier, the path mostly crosses pasture lands and hills. We camp for the night at the pastureland near an alpine lake known as Gegang Tso.

26 Sep – Gegang Tso to Dalithang (cheese factory)

We cross a pastureland and steadily climb up Hodrong Dza Pass (4,100m), on the top we see majestic mountains and gorges, our path quickly drops to Dalithang, where we meet the 4WDs for pick up and a two-three hr drive back to Shangrila (aka Zhongdian). After settling in to the hotel there will be a final night celebratory dinner.

27 Sep – Departure

An early flight from Shangri-la will get you back out to Kunming where you can catch onward flights to Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok.

Links

Parallel Rivers, by Mark Jenkins

A fantastic National Geographic article on the region we wish to travel and its struggle between traditional culture and rapid tourism expansion.