Ethnic Minority Culture Discovery in Guizhou and Guilin
Guizhou, located in southwestern China, is a province that is home to many ethnic groups. It is filled with ethnic impressions and endowed with a unique landscape, comfortable climate and a profusion of cultural relics. The average temperature is 5 Celsius degree in January to July 24th which is ideal for tourists. The mountains there feature steep rising peaks with meandering rivers flowing. When the rivers flow down the gorges a picturesque scene forms in front of you. Karst rock formation is found everywhere in Guizhou. It is home to the Han Chinese as well as 17 ethnic groups including the Miao, Dong, Buyi, Yi, Shui and Melao. The simple lifestyle and the splendid culture doesn’t fail in attracting visitors. The ancient wood buildings, shelter bridges, stilted buildings, stone villages, exquisite silver headwear, colorful batiks, ethnic costumes, folk songs and dances, the local musical instrument, bullfight events and superb performances hold a great fascination to visitors from afar.
Ethnic Minority Culture Discovery Tour: The Most Highlights of the Two Areas
Day 1: Guiyang - Today you’ll experience the home of the Miao, Buyi, Dong and Tujia ethic group, also known as Guiyang. Your personal guide and driver will meet you at the airport and escort you to the hotel. After check-in, we’ll visit the main attractions in the city. Jiaxiu Pavilion, which was built in Ming dynasty, sits on a huge rock in Nanming River in central city. It is important in the history of Guiyang and is a symbol of the city. After, you’ll have lunch in a local fine restaurant and stop at Huaxi Park. The park is about 17 km away from Guiyang city. It is built in 1937 and covers an area of 137 acre to build a harmonious park of mountains, rivers, pastoral views and ethnic minority customs. Nearby, is Qingyan Ancient Town, an important military fortress in ancient and recent history. You can take a walk by the old Ming and Qing style architectures in town.
Hotels recommended: Kempinski Hotel Guiyang, Sheraton Guiyang Hotel, Hyatt Regency Guiyang, Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel Guiyang, or similar hotels.
Day 2: Guiyang/HuangGuoShu Waterful/Guiyang - Be prepared for what you’ll experience today. You’ll ride for 2 hours to the Huangguoshu Waterfall Scenic Area. It is centered with the main waterfall (77.8 meters high, 101 meters wide), other 18 waterfalls, big or small, scatter around, forming a waterfall family. It is recorded into The Guinness Book of World Record as the largest waterfall complex in the world. After taking many pictures, you’ll ride half way to Longgong Cave (Dragon Palace Cave) for lunch. It is an underground cave that is literally translated as the Dragon King and is the longest hidden stream. It also boasts of the Guanyin Cave and Dragon Gate Waterfall inside the scenic area. After, you will stop by Tianlong Tunbao town, which is a key courier station since Yuan Dynasty. Beginning from Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang used the site for stationing troops, thus thousands of soldiers gathered there from Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The traditional architecture, customs, costumes and religions have been well preserved in Tianlong Tunbao Town with the most famous Dixi opera being one of them.
Day 3: Guiyang/Kaili - You’ll ride about two hours to Kaili, which is a city to that houses the longest, widest wind and Rain Bridge and the largest Miao village. Qingman Miao Village is the first stop where about 300 families of 1,600 people live there. Every family keeps the tradition of handmade Miao style costumes. Miao people are friendly and hospitable as they greet you by singing and dancing in their colorful costumes. You’l also have the opportunity to some local snacks. After lunch is provided at a local restaurant you will visit Shiqiao Village. There, you’ll discover how white paper is made. The Nangao River winds through the village bringing warm weather throughout the year. The limestone hills surround the village offering raw materials for paper making and clear running water. The paper made in Shiqiao Village is the best type for Chinese painting and calligraphy.
Day 4: Kaili/Xijiang Village/Rongjiang - You’ll ride an hour to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village, which is translated as a village holding a thousand families, which it does. Xijiang Miao Village maintains its traditional culture and customs. Every year there are traditional festivals taking place and thousands of tourists rush to take great pictures during that time. The handmade silver ornaments produced by the local people are famous for their exquisite design. After, lunch is given at a local fine restaurant. Later, we’ll ride for about four hours to Rongjiang.
Day 5: Rongjiang/Zhaoxing - Today you’ll be able to visit another ethnic minority group. Chejiang Village is a large settlement for the Dong people in China. Ancient banyan trees can be seen from anywhere in the village, as well as the drum towers. Drum towers in Dong villages are usually in the shape of a polygonal pagoda, which are about 20 meters high with 11 floors while holding 16 wooden pillars. During meetings or festivals the drums are hit to gather villagers. After lunch, we’ll ride for about 1.5 hours Zhaoxing Dong Village. This Village is surrounded by hills and lies in the basin with two rivers going through the village. The pace is slow when you walk on the bridge and stone path in the village. Additionally, the five grand drum towers are great for photography.
Day 6: Zhaoxing/Sanjiang/Longji Terraced Fields - Get up early and head towards Sanjiang, you will visit Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, the largest and best preserved wooden bridge of its kind. It is 64.4 meters long, 3.4 meters wide and 10.6 meters high. The Bridge is set across Linxi River without a nail or a rivet. It has withstood the wind and rain for over a hundred years. After lunch at a local fine restaurant, head for Longji Terraced Rice Fields Scenic Area about 2 hours away. You will take the shared shuttle up to the mountain gate and climb on the steps to get to your hotel on the mountain.
Hotel in Dragon’s Back Bone recommended: Li-An Lodge (luxury boutique five rated, nice located in PingAn Village, only several rooms), Longji One Hotel (boutique hotel, only several rooms, nice location in PingAn Village) or Star Wish Resort (standard boutique, fair price, nice hotel in PingAn Village)
Day 7: Longji Terraced Fields/Guilin - Do not be alarmed if you’re woken up roosters. Enjoy the fresh rural breakfast, and start hiking with your personal guide from the hotel towards Ancient Zhuang Village. The hike lasts for about two or three hours depending on your pace. The path in the terraced rice fields will lead you towards, farmers, buffaloes, plowing and pumping of irrigation, ultimately, forming a harmonious rural picture. The destination of Ancient Zhuang Village is regarded as the oldest, best-preserved and largest wooden buildings in Guangxi. Among these buildings are five with an age of more than a century. Lunch is arranged at a fine local restaurant to try specialties like bamboo rice, among others. After lunch the driver will meet you at the parking lot and head toward Guilin city with you, which will take approximately 2 hours.
Hotels in Guilin recommended: Shangri La Guilin (luxury five rated but about 10 minutes driving away from the downtown), Sheraton Hotel (five star rated, old but good location in downtown) ; Bravo Hotel (4 star rated, nice location in downtown); travel with kids can choose Med Club (kids can enjoy the facilities and surroundings but 40 minutes driving from the downtown)
Day 8: Guilin/Yangshuo - Today is an early breakfast where your guide and driver will take you to the cruise pier to visit Li River cruise. In 40 minutes you will get to the pier where your guide will escort you on the ship to highlight important scenery. The two-story ship runs at a medium pace and offers an open deck for taking pictures. Along the river there are different shapes of Karst Mountains, rice fields and bamboos. You’ll notice buffaloes soaking in the water when it is hot while on the ship. The ship gets to Yangshuo pier around 1P.M. depending on the season. Buffet lunch is provided on the ship. You will explore various shop stands for about 10-15 minutes nearby the hotel. After a short break, your guide will help you choose the right bikes for a ride in the countryside. “Country road, take me home, to the place, I belong.” You may want to sing it out loud when biking around the country, while the fresh air blows on your face and hair with green fields and fruit trees everywhere. Now you’re able to say that you’ve been to Guilin on a bike ride!
Hotels in Yangshuo recommended: Mountain Retreat (Guesthouse but good service, excellent location beside the Yulong River, about 20 minutes driving away from Yangshuo downtown); Banyan Tree Fuli (luxury boutique, about 30 minutes driving away from Yangshuo downtown, excellent location beside the Li River); Green Lotus (4 rated hotel, good location with about 5 minutes walking to the Yangshuo Downtown); Secret Garden (boutique hotel, only several rooms, about 20minutes driving from Yangshuo downtown, located in Jiuxian Village)
- * Your baggage will be in the vehicle and the driver will take you to the Yangshuo hotel. Keep your most valuable items and passport with you.
- * The buffet lunch on the ship is simple, but there aren’t many options are available. We suggest you have a big breakfast and an early dinner.
Day 9: Yangshuo/Guilin Airport - Today you’ll wake up early to avoid the crows and take a bamboo raft on the quiet and steady Yulong River. The two-seat bamboo raft floats slowly under the drivers steering. The hills ahead and around you form a great scene. The water is clear and clean enough to see fish chasing one another. A few bumps across the River are set to make the quiet rafting more interesting; sit tight and enjoy. After the rafting you’ll be escorted to Guilin airport directly. The ride takes about three hours. Your guide will help you check-in on your flight and see you off.
Note: The Ethnic minority culture discovery in Guizhou and Guilin tour itinerary is only a smaple, we can customize a Guilin tour to meet your personal requests.
