You'll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming. Upon arrival at the Kunming International Airport, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.
You will take a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. If time permits, you will have a Kunming city tour. Enjoy welcoming dinner of Yunnan Flavouring food with crossing Bridge Rice Noodle and Steam Pot Chicken/Qiguoji.

-- Kunming is the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world's most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city.

After breakfast in hotel, drive to Red Soil Dongchuan (150 km 4 hours on national highway), will arrive at Red Soil Dongchuan in the afternoon, after a short rest, then go to take photos at Damakan hill, JingxiuYuan hill and so on, there are about 6 to 7 spots around.

Dongchuan, a rural place in the Wumeng Mountainous area, about 180km north of Kunming, becomes very famous among Chinese photographers for its  red soil. In the mid 1990s, the first Chinese photographers came to discover the Wumeng's scenery. The first came and scooped award-winning photos, but kept their location a closely guarded secret. But slowly the details leaked and now more and more photographers are making their arduous trip into the arid mountains. The brilliant red soil, the yellow buckwheats and the dramatic skies make the region around Dongchuan a paradise for photographers.

Speaking of Red Soil, the scenery is in fact centralized around Huagou(means colorful valley) of Xintian Township, which is about 50km away from Dongchuan County seat. Those locations are too small to have a name. Locals simply call it 109, 110...the number on the kilometer marker along the road. 109 is almost the highest point on the road, which branches here to another small hamlet. From all around 109 glorious vistas stretch to Guizhou and Sichuan. Dongchuan, as the crow flies not more than 20 kilometres away, is barely visible in the valley far below. 
 
Damakan, a viewpoint some 9km away from 109 along a bumpy dirt-track, is one of the photographers' favourites. Just when the light is coming out, the small village several hundred meters below is getting busy and smoke starts rising from the farm-houses smokestacks. As the farmers are starting their working day, the photographers' morning shift is almost over.

After lunch, it is time for another shoot as the light turns warmer and brings out the best in Dongchuan's colours. All over the hills the photographers wander in search of an undiscovered view.

But at sunset, everybody gathers at 110, another nameless spot along the road. Among all the shooting spots, Luoxia Gou is the ultimate shot. The sunset at Red Soil is spectacular. stay over night at guesthouse (best available).

Today you have to raise as early as the sun for the breathtaking sun-raising view of Dongchuan Red Soil, your eyes are busy with changes of colors of the red soils, then drive to visit Jiaozi Snow Mountain and trek to the top with nice flower and trees.

Jiaozi Mountain is well-known as the First Mountain in the middle of Yunnan. Jiaozi Snow Mountain or Sedan Chair Snow Mountain is l88km away from Kunming. Looking from a long distance, the snow mountain looks like a sedan chair placed in the millions of flowers, hence the name Sedan Chair Snow Mountain. As the best snow view in the low latitude of Southeast Asia, Mt. Jiaozi, rising 4223m above sea level, is a beautiful scenic spot.

Jiaozi Mountain looks green in the spring, blue in the summer, golden in the fall and silver in the winter.There is a saying about the unique Mountain View, “Different views of four seasons in the mountain, different weather only 10 miles away.” The peaks are precipitous, and the waterfalls and brooks flow around. There are virgin forests, mystical lakes, rare and exotic plants; you can even see rare birds and beasts in the mountain.

In the spring and summer, countless Indian azaleas blossom out just like sea, the color of mountain meadows becomes gorgeous; when the winter comes, the mountain is covered with snow. Jiaozi Mountain is a great tourist attraction for exploration.

Drive 3hours back to Kunming.

Drive to Xinping Yi and Dai Autonomous County in Yuxi City, Xinping County is the home land to local Dai minority, this tribe is very similar with Thais in Thailand. Arrive in Xinping, visit Damuyu Huayaodai Ethnic Culture and Ecology Tourism Village and the Areca Garden (Da BinglangYuan) Huayao Dai Ethnic Village in Gasa Town of Xinping County.

In Gasa Town, go to visit local Dai villages of Daika Village and Flora-belted Dai village at Damuyu County. Dai minority nationality has three sub-groups, namely Water Dai, Land Dai, and Flora-Belted Dai, the Dai live in Xinping County belongs to Flora-belted Dai. They are said to be descendants of ancient Dian Kingdom’s aristocracy, in Xinping County you will be able to see this noble legacy: a dress made of silver with more than six pounds of silver with colorful silk thread, silk embroidery. In Grand Betel Plantation, you will still get to see the traditional mud brick houses. Inside, the old and young Dai women are weaving and dying home-made cloth.

Green paddy dancing in the afternoon sunshine, short plantain trees standing quietly along the streets, flourishing bamboos bending to kiss the stream, Huayao Dai women wearing beautiful ethnic costume smiling in the field. The hamonious scene occupied my mind, and appeared in my dream at the first night I returned from Jiasa. I know I cannot forget that place.

Jiasa is a small town in Xinping County, Yunnan Province. 'Jiasa' in Dai language means the street near the beach. Yuanjiang River flows beside the town and brought it fertile land and warm weather. Jiasa is famous for its special minorty group, Huayao Dai. It is a branch of Dai People, and keeps its own features. Huayao Dai People don’t live in the bamboo buildings as Dai People do, they live in a speicla kind of cottage called ÍÁÕÆ·¿(house made of soil). Women wear tattoos on their arms, and they like chewing pinang to dye their teeth black. Tattoos and black teeth are the simble of beauty in traditional Huayao Dai women's eyes.

I have been back from Ailao Mountain for three weeks. Life returned to be regular again. Class, test, dormitory, school bus… everything is so familiar but mechanical, I know I’ve already begun to miss the scene when sunlight penetrating the primitive forests, when raindrop kissing the tranquil pond, when the tinkle of bells ringing on Ancient Tea-Horse Caravan Commercial Road. They all belong to Ailao Mountain, belong to a pure space inside of me.

1.Ancient Tea-Horse Caravan Commercial Road
I tried to imagine the scene when hundreds of caravans moving on the same road just under my feet. I wonder how many horses once stepped on the green lichen, how many businessmen once rested under the shadow of trees, how many stories once happened on the narrow slabs, how the bells once sang through the morning sunshine.

The Ancient Tea-Horse Caravan Commercial Road was an important trade route in Chinese history. It was orginated from Tang Dynasty, and arrived to its peak in Ming and Qing Dynasty. It connected Tibet and Sichuan, mainly transported tea by caravans and horses. It was never an easy road. Slippery slates, rough surface, thick forests, zigzag way. Many times I nearly fell down when I walked on this tough road. Diligent Chinese in ancient times opened up such a rugged journey, they established and kept on a legend.

A stream is the loyal and constant companion of Ancient Tea-Horse Caravan Commercial Road. It just flowed there peacefully for thousands of years. Standing by the crude wooden “bridge”, I could almost touch the trace of history. I found some special stones nearby the road, on which there are holes as big as man’s fist. It is said these hollow stones were made by horses’ hooves. They are the best testimony of the hustle and bustle time.

2.Primitive Forests
When I realized I had been surrouded by huge primitive trees, it was too late. The strong green smell “stang” me and made me got a “pain of freshness”. My spirit was raised immediately, and a great cheerful joy filled my heart at once.

Why those old and powerful trunks and root always kept silent? They must have a lot to tell. They live in such a huge world, they have witnessed times change, but they just stood there quietly, sticked on the earth and embraced the sky. Nature always teaches us something, every piece of leaf is full of wisdom. They are always humble, always accept everything.

The view on the top of the mountain is definetly gorgeous. When I climbed on a slope covered by grass and short plants, I was conquered. White fog moving towards me and totally devoured me. It’s hard to describe that very moment by any words. Only when you are obsessed by the mysterious power of nature and become a part of it, you will understand that feeling.

3.Waterfall, torrent and wooden path
Shimenxia or Stone Gate Gorge is the most spectacular part of Ailao Mountain. It is a valley with elegant waterful as its ornament, with vivacious torrent as its escort, with tranquil pond as its phantom, and with delicate wooden path as the only method to approch its fantasy.

Walking on the narrow woonden steps is totally a new experience for me. The wet surface is very smooth, some parts I can only placing my hands on the huge rock beside the way for support. But this is indeed very exciting. It is a Natural Oxygen Bar, another Shangrila on the earth. In the rigid and contaminated city life, I know I will often recall the moisture upon that unmixed world, so that I can regain peaceful smile on my lips.

Transfer from Xinping to Jianshui, you'll visit the Old Jianshui City and the Chaoyang Gateway Tour, which was built in Ming Dynasty (1389). It is also known as 'Miniature Tian'an men' because the out shape of it is similar to Tian'anmen Square in Beijing. Visit a typical southern private garden-the Garden of Family Zhu and Confucius Temple , which has a history of 700 years. It is the second largest Confucius Temple in China.

--Jianshui is a small town in Honghe prefecture,  in the southern part of Yunnan.  It is on the road Kunimg to the famous Yuanyang rice terraces, most of the travellers stay one night here to enjoy the atmophere of an ancient Chinese town. There are numerous buildings of historic value and places of interest in this area, including over 100 temples ,academies of classical learning and large residences .There are still kept in good condition, including the Chaoyang Gateway Arch, the Jianshui Confucius Temple, the Zhilin Temple, Shuanglong Bridge, the Private Garden of the Zhu Family and the Ancient Nalou office Building.

In addition ,within the territory of Jianshui ,there is beautiful natural scenery like Swallow Cave. which is famous for its grand scene "thousands of swallows gathering in a cave", in 1994 the state Council approved that Jianshui should be listed among the third group of state scenic regions, and the ancient Jianshui City is one of the state historic and cultural cities.

Visit Tuanshan Village and the Garden of Family Zhang; Tuanshan Village is a rare surviving example of an intact-albeit neglected-traditional walled Yunnan village compound in southwestern China, and has been added to the 2005 list of internationally significant sites by the World Memorial Fund for Architecture (WMF), an international fund for the protection of world heritage sites.

On the way to Yuanyang, visit Jianshui Swallow Cave which is the largest karst formation cave in Asia. There are usually thousands of swallows flying around in this aptly named cave.You will follow a guide in the cave to see the striking caverns and also to see the bare hand rock climbing performance in the cave. Walk into the cave and visit the colorful Karst landform and take the small boat cruise out of the cave.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to Yuanyang and enjoy the sight of terraced fields of Laohuzui (Tiger Mouth) at sunset. Overnight at Mengnong Chieftain Palace

--Yuanyang is about 300km south of Kunming, renowned for its rice terraces, which claim as the world's largest and most spectacular one, crafted out by bare hands by the Hani people one thousand years ago and is still in use today. The rice farmers have had to practice ecology and land preservation centuries before those concepts were widely accepted around the world. Without hard work maintaining the terrace walls and irrigation system, the precious top soil would wash down the hillsides into the rivers.

Yuanyang Rice Terrace is a self sustaining ecosystem. During winter to early spring, the entire field is irrigated with spring water from the forest above to rejuvenate and getting prepared for the next season. The Hani people have repeated this for more than a thousand years. There is only one harvest in a year for the Yuanyang Rice Terrace; planting is from March to Oct./Nov. every year.

Get up every early in the morning,you'll drive 30KM to visit Doyishu Village and enjoy the sunrise of Duoyishu Rice Terrace Fields when the sun appears above the eastern horizon. The terraced fields are ring upon ring and cascade one by one. They go along the hillside up to the sky. You will see the scenery of the terraced fields from the top of the mountains to the bottom. They are all farms under the sunshine and cloud and mist. The landscape is spectacular.
 
Duoyishu Rice terrace in Yuanyang is one of the most photographed in Yunnan. The low lying cloud and the water field rice terrace is unique during winter and early spring. As the sun rises the terraces come alive with the sky's reflection. In the winter months the fields are flooded in order to plow and plant for the new season. The rising sun creates an amazing reflection off the water in the terraces.

If you are lucky enough, you will visit some local bazaars in the villages, among them, the Laomeng ÀÏÃÍ Ethnic Market and Bazaar happens every Sunday is the most popular one, Laomeng Bazaar holds the most flamboyant market every Sunday. One can see people from six different ethnic minorities, with women and children dressing up in colourful dresses, different in their own traditional style.

In the afternoon, you will visit Qingkou Village and rice terraces where Hani people for generations inhabit. Visit Bada Hani Rice Terrace, Shengcun Market as well. You will enjoy the sunset of Longshuba Rice Terraces in the late afternoon about 5KM away from Xinjie Town.

Enjoy the morning sunrise rice terrace in Yuanyang, you'll drive back to Kunming. Visit the Stone Forest on the way. An old local saying says that 'If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.' Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.

Arrive in Kunming in the late afternoon. After dinner, you will have an option to enjoy the large-scale dance drama "Dynamic Yunnan" which has been an outstanding innovation on the Chinese stage in recent years directed by Yang Liping. Primitive, unsophisticated folk dances and a fresh artistic concept converge in the programme, giving audiences a unique "Yunnan Impression." Sixty-two drums and 120 masks of strong ethnic characteristics are incorporated in the performance.

-- The Stone Forest is in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers from Kunming and requires only a three-hour drive. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres) and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots. The Stone Forest has unique karst topography which is one of the best of its kind within China. There are six scenic spots in the Stone Forest: the Greater Stone Forest, the Lesser Stone Forest, the Naigu Stone Forest, the Zhiyun Cave, the Long Lake, the Da Dieshui Waterfall and the Qifeng Cave.

Transfer to Kunming International Airport for returning.
Service ends.