Three days to cut straight to the heart of China's hinterland travel Mecca.
Explore the landscape and iconic landmarks of Guizhou, starting from the world’s largest Miao ethnic settlement – the Xijiang Miao Stockade. Ascend a stone pillar that stretches into the heavens – the World Heritage site of Fanjing mountain. Hop rocks under waterfalls and skiff under the shaded canopy of a forest that grows straight out of the water at Xiao Qi Kong ‘Small Seven Holes’.
Join trendy for an adventure with surgical precision.
Meet up. Free-roam Guiyang city.
DAY
Guiyang meetup.
Day One is meet up day.
Make your own way to the south-central city of Guiyang. Check in at the designated hotel.
City sights.
Arrive early and you will have time to see some city landmarks. Arrive extra early and you will have time to explore Mount Qiling Park. Stay safe. Wander to your heart’s content.
City landmarks: The Jiaxiu Lou pavilion is an iconic local landmark – a pocket of calming, elegant old-time scenery that is nestled inside of but feels oddly separate from the city. The Mountain park on Qiling is all shades of green. Lively vegetation climbs off the paths and up the mountain walls. Wild rhesus monkeys sit watching from the stone eaves of Hong Fu temple.
Breakfast. Arrive at Xiao Qi Kong. Lunch. Explore Xiao Qi Kong. Stay the night at Tongren Village.
DAY
Breakfast. Depart.
Eat breakfast then depart for Xiao Qi Kong.
Arrive. Lunch. Explore Xiao Qi Kong scenic park.
[12:00] Arrive, hop onto the shuttle buggy and ride into the scenic park.
Eat lunch.
After lunch we unfold the map of Xiao Qi Kong:
In times past, travellers’ boats drifted into this scenic oasis as they journeyed to Guangxi. Admired from the water, this rare place was where mountains, rivers, forest and caves meet and merge.
Watch the calming milky jade waters of the Hanbi Pool. Stand under white-water fingers of Laya Falls. Hop the linked flowpool pond steppingstones for a closer look at the ‘Sixty-eight level’ waterfall group.
Climb the turtle-back rock of Guibei Mountain. Navigate shaded greenblue waters at Yuanyang ‘Mandarin duck’ Lake and skiff under the shady canopy of a forest that grows straight out of the water – the Midwater Forest. Gaze into the leisurely blue of the Wolong ‘Sleeping Dragon’ Pool and daydream at the drifting charm of Xiangshui ‘Loudwater’ River.
Depart for Xijiang Qianhu. Stay the night in Tongren Village.
Leave Xiao Qi Kong behind. Start the road to Xijiang Qianhu.
Along the way we will stop for the night in Tongren, a village in Jiangkou county.
Breakfast. Xijiang Qianhu Miao Stockade. Traditional Miao song & dance. Miao wax dying workshop. Miao guesthouse check-in & Homestead Feast.
DAY
Breakfast. Depart.
Enjoy the mountain village quiet in Tongren. Sleep in on Day 3. Eat breakfast. Hit the road, arrive in Xijiang.
Arrive at Xijiang Qianhu Miao Stockade. Lunch.
Welcome to Xijiang Qianhu – famous ‘thousand home’ stockade village of the Miao ethnicity.
Eat lunch, then meet up with a local guide. It’s time to get to know what this ethnic minority settlement is all about.
Local-guided stockade tour. Traditional Miao song and dance. Miao wax dying Intangible Cultural Heritage workshop.
Explore the antique atmosphere of Ga Ge Alley, attend the private museum collection of folk artist Mr. Li Yufu, stand before the grand doors of the village chieftain’s manor atop Leigong Hill, and see the old village labor chief residence. Your guide is your key to understanding the culture beneath everything that you see and notice around you.
Along the way, stop to meet a master of the traditional Miao art of wax dying. Learn some basics of an intangible cultural artform.
Observation deck above the city. Check in at a Miao guesthouse. Miao Homestead Feast.
In the evening, step up onto the observation deck above the city. See the amphitheatre of the mountain-nested village light up with the flames of a thousand homes. A beautiful nightscape.
Check in at a Miao guesthouse, then head out for dinner.
Dinner is a Miao Homestead Feast. Try the local ‘Biang Dang’ rice wine, enjoy one final evening of Miao ethnic hospitality.
Breakfast. mt Fanjing 'sky pillar'. Arrive in Guiyang. Tour end.
DAY
Breakfast. Arrive at Fanjing Mountain.
Eat Breakfast. Head out.
Arrive at the heavyweight, once-in-a-lifetime landmark – Fanjing Mountain:
The Fanjing Mountain area is known as the “Kingdom of Life” for its diversity of flora and fauna; Buddhist circles call it the Eastern ‘Soul Mountain’ of Guizhou. A temple and cross-peak bridge crown this natural free-standing hundred-meter tall mountain pillar. The ‘Mushroom Rock’ and ‘Ten-thousand Book’ rock formations are mystifying attractions. The pink light of sunset in the clouds, transcendently beautiful.
return to guiyang. airport Station/airport send-off.
Arrive. Exchange wishes and farewells.
The tour concludes.