Best of Southern China

DAY .1 ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG

You will be met on arrival this evening in Hong Kong by our representative and transferred by private car to the Hotel. DAY .2 HONG KONG   The morning will commence with a briefing on your onward trip to China and you will depart on your day of sightseeing to witness the bustling modern city with a rich Chinese culture laced with a 150 year old British colonial history. The Western a district rather older and more exotic in character than other parts of Hong Kong. Its crowded residential streets and traditional shops form a character contrast to Central. DAY .3 HONG KONG   The morning will commence with a briefing on your onward trip to China and you will depart on your day of sightseeing to witness the bustling modern city with a rich Chinese culture laced with a 150 year old British colonial history. The Western a district rather older and more exotic in character than other parts of Hong Kong. Its crowded residential streets and traditional shops form a character contrast to Central. Man Mo Temple, located in a deeply traditional area is one of the most atmospheric small temples to visit. This 150 year old temple is notable for its great hanging coils of incense suspended from the ceiling. The two figures on the main alter are the Taoist gods of Literature (Man) and the Martial Arts (Mo). Hong Kong Park in Central acts as a green lung which provide a peaceful breathing space to the bustling community. A 24.7 acre parkland facility which include a visual arts center, greenhouse areas replicating desert and tropical jungle environment. You may also find Hong Kong`s largest aviary, designed as a tropical rainforest for more than 150 species of birds. The flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware is also located here. The Peak 1,811 feet above sea level on the back of the Dragon provides impressive harbor and south island sea views. You will take a ride on The Peak Tram, a funicular railway up this hill and will be passing through the area which was quintessentially colonial with upper-class expats in expensive houses, though Chinese were not allowed to set up home on the hill until relatively recently. Reaching the top, you will find a new observation deck, shopping and entertainment area. Lunch this afternoon will be at the Peak Cafe The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy some time for your own independent activities. DAY .4 HONG KONG / GUILIN   After breakfast you will have the morning at leisure to complete your last minute shopping. Afternoon you will be transferred to the airport for your evening flight to Guilin. Upon arrival into Guilin you will be transferred to hotel, the ride from the airport to the hotel will take approximately 1 hour. The hotel is nestled on the banks of the Li River amid lush and tree lined avenues. Guilin city is South China`s shining pearl with verdant mountains, elegant waters, magnificent crags and fantastic caverns with a history of more than 2,000 years. DAY .5 GUILIN   Today you will embark on a private riverboat and cruise along Li River to the rural village of Yangshuo and enjoy a tasty luncheon aboard. This trip passes the most exquisite stretch of Guilin`s famed scenery and the experience is like to travel through a verdant landscapes straight off a Chinese scroll painting. Every poem has a painting and every painting has a poem this Chinese adage best describes the remarkable natural beauty of Guilin; a living painting that is a poem to the wonders of nature. Towering limestone pinnacles, formed from the erosion and geologic upheaval of an ancient seabed, cloaked in a mantle of forest green are scattered along the shores of the Li River. The crystalline waters and the verdant belt of green vegetation inspired the Tang poet, Han Yu (8th century) to write: The river forms a green gauze belt, the mountains are like blue jade hairpins. After berthing at Yangshuo you will disembark and spend some time wandering through its free market before returning by road to Guilin. Yangshuo is a charming town of white-washed shops lining cobbled street, a lively market center for the surrounding farming communities. This evening, experience one of the more unique practices of Guilin`s fishing people when you view night cormorant fishing. While you are seated in a viewing boat a local fisherman on a traditional bamboo kampan (three plank boat) will release his trained cormorants (tethered to the boat by rope) into the river. The birds dive into the water and track the schools of fish that thrive in the clear river water. Once the cormorant has caught a fish, they return to the boat where the fisherman removes the catch. A ring around the bird`s neck prevents the cormorant from swallowing any of its catch. The fisherman will, however reward his faithful companion. This is an unusual and highly popular method of fishing along the Li River. DAY .6 GUILIN / XISHUANGBANNA   Your morning today will begin with some city sightseeing that includes Fubo Shan, a hill where the giant Jie Die fought a demon that was descending on Guilin with a vanguard of deadly animals. The demon was vanquished and the city never troubled by evil spirits again. Climb to Fubo's summit and you pass three hundred Buddha images, carved into the rock during the Tang and Song dynasties. Visit Tunnel Cave, one of the region`s distinctive caves with a 2,624 feet long spacious tunnel, is a gallery of sparkling stalactites and stalagmites with myriad of shapes and forms with no limit to imagination. It became a sightseeing spot as in the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907), and since then many poems and other inscriptions have been left behind on its walls by visiting writers and scholars. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Xishuangbanna, Yunnan via Kunming. On arrival you will be transferred to Hotel. Xishuangbanna is the Southernmost part of Yunnan Province, bordering on Myanmar (Burma) and Laos has a tropical rain forest climate. With abundant sunshine, plentiful rain and frequent dense fog, it has a reputation for beautiful subtropical scenery and unique folk-culture attractions. On this land live more than 13 ethnic groups such as Dai, Hani and Yao, all with colorful customs and rich historical traditions. It also enjoys great fame as "the kingdom of plants and animals," because of its rich resources of flora and fauna. The rest of the day is at leisure for independent activities. DAY .7 XISHUANGBANNA   A full day of sightseeing begins with a visit to the Hani Village on the Menghai Highway (the road to Myanmar). The Hani are one of the oldest groups in Yunnan Province . They are a cluster of 20+ tribal groups that speak over 10 different languages & dialects. In the 1950s, the central government grouped them all into one category and called them Hani. Return to the hotel for lunch. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the Mekong River Pier to embark on a private boat to cruise down the Mekong to Ganlanba Plain Pier and will be transferred to Shui Dai Village. The visit here will include a Buddhist Temple, local homes and a village performance of traditional Dai dances. The major activity is the cultivation of rice, dry rice in the highlands and wet in the valleys. The usual Dai household consists of a husband, wife (or wives), and unmarried children. The status of women is high. None of the Dai people has a caste system. The basic structure of their villages is similar, with communal leadership being provided by an elected village headman, together with the Buddhist monks and elders. Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant. DAY .8 LIJIANG   Today will be a full morning of activity at the Ye Xiang Gu(Wild Elephant Valley) Nature Reserve. Wild Elephants Valley covers an area of 911 acre with hills rolling gently at an altitude ranging between 2,450 and 3461 feet. The valley is covered by tropical rain forests, crisscrossed by rivers and streams, and teeming with such endangered species as Asian wild elephants, wild oxen, green peacocks and monkeys. You will see a wonderful performances given by the first elephant domesticating school of China followed by a guided rainforest walk and a tram car ride to a to enjoy the scene of elephants bathing, playing water and seeking for food. Visit the aviary where a number of indigenous species of parrots, eagles, peacocks and various birds. After lunch and you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lijiang. Upon arrival you will be transferred to Hotel. Lijiang is a township of pebbled paths, potted rhododendrons and whimsical architecture. Situated at the foot of the Yue Long Xue Shan Mountains, Lijiang is divided into two very distinctive sections the Han administration and rustic charm of the Naxi part of the city that is often referred to as the "old city. DAY .9 LIJIANG   A full day of sightseeing today includes Baisha Village to view the Baisha Murals painted in the 14th and 15th centuries. These are remarkable visual records of Naxi culture that absorbed Tibetan Buddhist, Chinese Buddhist and Taoist influences and incorporated these with their traditional Dongba`s beliefs. Afterwards visit the home of Dr. Ho, a Chinese herbal medicine doctor who assisted Joseph Rock in his botanical expeditions to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Continue to Longquan Village (Dragon Spring Village), a local Naxi vilage dating back 500 years, retains a wonderful atmosphere of traditional Naxi village life, cobble lanes, stone and abode houses. This afternoon`s visit includes the Black Dragon Spring which was developed around some crystalline springs, the park houses the Dongba Research Center?and the Dongba Museum of Naxi Culture? is the last remaining memorial of the former Taoist temple from the time of the Mongolian Yuan dynasty. Enjoy tea in the park and meet with a living Dongba for a discussion of Naxi beliefs followed with a guided walk to the old Town sof Lijiang, a World Heritage Site protected by UNESCO. It retains a great deal of Yuan, Ming and Qing period architecture. DAY .10 LIJIANG / GYALTHANG   Late this morning you will depart on a pleasant journey to Shigu(Stone Drum Village) to view the first bend in the Yangzi River (the Yangzi flows south from Tibet into Yunnan and then turns north again for approximately 60 miles) at Shigu. Continue to Shigu for a visit to the Red Army Memorial commemorating the crossing of the Red Army during the Long March in 1934-1935. After lunch, continue north on the Tibet Highway (which links northwest Yunnan to Lhasa, Tibet) and make one stop at the entrance of the Tiger Leaping Gorge before continuing north to Zhongdian (Gyalthang in Khampu Tibetan) seat of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous County, just recently opened to the outside world. Late afternoon, arrive at the Gyalthang. DAY .11 GYALTHANG   Today begins with sightseeing to Napha Reserve for views of Napha Lake and Wetlands (important winter flyway for the Black Necked Crane and other water fowl) as well as time for a short walk to observe wildflowers (including azaleas, rhododendrons, wild roses and blue poppy). Continue to visit the Samsetling Monastery, the largest Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Yunnan province, dates back to the 15th century and once housed over 4,000 monks; since the Cultural Revolution it has rebuilt and is flourishing with some 700 monks in residence. After the tour of the monastery, meet with the Living Buddha. In the afternoon, visit the central market and Tibetan craft stores and the Zhongdian Museum. DAY .12 GYALTHANG   A full day of sightseeing today includes Gonzho and the upper gorges of the Yangzi River, driving through dramatic scenery, towering mountains, deep gorges and Tibetan villages noted for their crafts (black pottery, wooden offering bowls, etc.). Enjoy a picnic lunch and visit to a local craftsman`s homes. Continue on the confluence of the Yangzi and Gongzhou River for photographs. This evening, your farewell dinner will be accompanied by Tibetan music and dance performance. DAY .13 GYLTHANG / KUNMING / HONG KONG   This morning you depart to Hong Kong via Kunming. Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, is a city that was once believed so remote that during ancient times, political prisoners were exiled there. Long considered one of China`s most interesting regional centers, Kunming is a city of pleasant surprises, and you will have a short sightseeing tour of Kunming followed by lunch at Harbour Plaza. In the afternoon you will continue with your journey by flight to Hong Kong. Upon arrival into Hong Kong you will be transferred to Hotel. DAY .14 HONG KONG DEPARTURE   Today you will be transferred to the airport by private vehicle and assisted with departure formalities before boarding your homebound flight.