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Colourful Minority Cultures

Discover the colourful minority cultures on this 14 nights, 15 days tour to Shanghai, Guilin, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-la, and Suzhou, from $3,990 (Tour Code: EK)
Guaranteed departure with minimum two passengers!

Day 01 Australia/Shanghai

Fly from Australia to Shanghai. Upon arrival in Shanghai, you will be greeted by our CTS Guide and transferred to your hotel.

Day 02 Shanghai/Guilin (B/L/D)

After breakfast, transferred to the airport for a morning flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, visit to Reed Flute Cave, a site of wonderful limestone caves, showcasing a dazzling variety of stalactite and stalagmite stone formations. If time permits, we will visit Guangxi Normal University Art Gallery to see Guilin landscape paintings and also to have a short lecture on Chinese Art.

Day 03 Guilin-Longshen-Guilin (B/L)

Today, we take a full day excursion to Longsheng, located in the mountainous region on the northeastern part of Guilin. The natural beauty and the colorful ethnic Chinese cultures and customs attract people from all over the world. After 2.5 hours drive (115KM beautiful mountain road) you will get to the Longji area, Heping Township of Longsheng County. Visit Zhuang and Yao Minority tribes’ villages and some families. You will see the beautiful terraced rice fields after arriving at the summit of Longji (Dragon’s backbone). The terraced rice fields were first built in the Yuan Dynasty (about 800 years ago) and completed in the Qing dynasty. The terraced fields are built along the slope winding from the riverside up to the mountaintop, which looks like a giant snail from afar.

Day 04 Guilin-Yangshuo (B/L)

The Highlight of the trip to Guilin is a spectacular cruise down the meandering and picturesque Li River. The scenery is breathtaking as jagged mist-covered mountains; quaint villages dot the riverbanks, drift past humped limestone peaks, fishermen aboard bamboo rafts and grazing water buffalo. You will also have a chance to roam Yangshuo’s local market in the evening. The well-known West Street in Yangshuo also called Foreigner Street, which the history has 1400 years.

Day 05 Yangshuo-Guilin/Kunming (B/D)

In the morning, free at leisure. You may rent a bike to further explore the stunning karst landscapes of Yangshuo on your own pace. Fly to Kunming in the evening, the capital of Yunnan Province is called ‘City of Perpetual Spring’ with beautiful sceneries and historical sites. Check in your hotel.

Day 06 Kunming (B/L/D)

Visit the Stone Forest, known as ‘No.1 wonder under heaven’, is the highest karst terrain in the world. Here the scenery is dominated by natural limestone, which forms a large forest. Visit Western Hills and Dragon Gate in the afternoon.

Day 07 Kunming/Dali (B/L/D)

Morning flight from Kunming to Dali. Standing against the Cangshan Mountains in the west and adjoining the Erhai Lake in the east, embraced by undulating hills around, Dali was the capital of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom as early as 1,300 years ago. It is home to Bai minority. Upon arrival in Dali, proceed to visit the Bai village Xizhou or Zhoucheng, photo stop at the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, and visit the old town of Dali, known as ‘state of literature’, which has a long history and splendid culture.

Day 08 Dali-Lijiang (B/L/D)

Coach journey to Lijiang. On the way, you will see the natural countryside scenery. Upon arrival, visit Black Dragon Pool Park. Then you will visit Dongba Culture Museum, where you will learn about the well-preserved Naxi minority’s people’s culture, which is one of very few ancient photographic scripts in the world still in use. Dayan Town has been on the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites since 1997.

Day 09 Lijiang (B/L)

In the morning, you will visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain National Park, which is situated 3000m above sea level. You will catch a chairlift to explore Yak Meadow section, where you will see some yaks grazing in the lush surroundings. Afterwards, you will take a short tour of the Baisha Village to see the ancient Fresco. Return back to your hotel, here you will have some free time to explore the old town of Lijiang. Dinner will be on your own arrangement.

Day 10 Lijiang-Shangri-la (Zhongdian) (B/L/D)

Morning drive to Zhongdian, 250KM away, on the way will pass Shigu (Stone Drum) County, visit the First Bend of Yangtze River, and Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is one of the most dangerous and deepest Canyons in the world. Overnight at a hotel in Zhongdian.

Day 11 Shangri-la (Zhongdian) (B/L/D)

Morning visit to Songzanlin Monastery, one of the 13 famous Yellow Hat Tibetan Monastery in Tibet areas constructed following an edict by the fifth Dalai and Emperor Kangxi in 1679. After lunch, tour to the Huge Napahai or Shudu Lake, the water spreads away far below while yaks graze at the shore, also a place where black-necked cranes come to spend winter. This prefecture is inhabited by 13 ethnic groups of Tibetan, Lisu, Han, Naxi, Yi, Bai, Hui and etc.

Day 12 Shangri-la/Kunming/Shanghai (B/D)

Morning fly back to Kunming, and then takes a connecting flight to metropolitan Shanghai. Upon arrival, transferred to your hotel.

Day 13 Shanghai-Suzhou-Shanghai (B/L/D)

In the morning, take a side trip to Suzhou, a small town famous for its classic gardens in the south of China and often so-called ‘Oriental Venice’. You will visit the Master of the Nets Garden, Silk Spinning Mill. Afterwards, you will take a boat cruise on the Canal constructed over 1,300 year ago in Sui Dynasty. If time permits, we take a short visit to newly renovated Shan Tang Street. Late in the afternoon, we will travel back by coach to metropolitan Shanghai.

Day 14 Shanghai (B/L)

In the morning tour we will visit the Bund, a popular promenade along the Huangpu River, where the old meets the modern in Shanghai. You may see the local people performing Tai Chi during your stroll along the Bund. Afterwards, we will visit the Old Town with its winding alleyways, lined with shops, teahouses and restaurants, and then to the elegant and tranquil Yu Garden. In the afternoon we will visit Shanghai Xintiandi, which is a new tourist attraction in downtown Shanghai, featuring the city’s unique “Shikumen” houses and a maze of narrow alleys, which have been converted into cafes, restaurants, bars, art retail shops. Dinner will be on your own arrangement.

Day 15 Shanghai/Australia (B)

Today you are free for some last minute shopping before being transferred to the airport for your flight back home.

Day 16 Australia

Arrival in Australia