Arrive in Kunming.

Start from Kunming in the morning, drive to Jianshui. We will spend the afternoon visiting some sites around town. First see Confucius Temple, a construction aged over 700 years, whose size ranks the biggest in province and the second of country, then Wan Yao Village, the cradle of famous Jianshui Purple Pottery, we will see how workers are making clay into elegant jars, vases or other nice vessels in different shapes. Finally we stroll in Zhu Family Garden, a private residence built in late Qing Dynasty 100 years ago, covering an area of 20,000 square meters and with labyrinthian arrangements of yards, pathways and elaborately-furnished rooms. Stay in the Zhu Family Garden for night.

In the morning, see the Chaoyang Gateway Arch built in 1389, it's the east gate tower (called also The Yinghui Gate) of former city wall surrounding Jianshui, now serving as a landmark of the city. Do a relaxing walk around the old part of town, see 600-year ancient well that is still feeding people, visit local tofu workshop to meet people and discover how local life is going on.

Today is the market day of Niu Jiao Zhai, an occasion that falls every 4 days, very colorful and crowded assembly of ethnic people and all kinds of imported or native merchandise. Hani people here are differently dressed from that of other places, and due to less annoyance of tourists, they are normally opener and more friendly. We spend a relaxing morning in the market observing the most lively sides of countryside life, taking photo or chatting with local people. After market we drive to Mengpin, along scenic road get over mountains to ShengChun, a small town famous for view of rice terraces, en route we can get off car and do some relaxing hiking across villages by sections, for nice view, for stretch or for meeting ethnic people. Night in ShengChun.

Today is the market day of ShengChun, a crowded and noisy occasion full of Yi and Hani women in colorful costumes, they bustle around to sell native produces or to buy daily commodities. After market we set out for our scenic hiking of some hours across the most beautiful rice terraces of Yuanyang, on the way enjoy wonderful view of rice terraces to our hearts' content, scenery around us would give an illusion that we are walking in picture. Ancestors of Hani people spent more than 1200 years assarting thousands of terraces on side hills, as well creating the most inspiring scene in southern Yunnan.

Market day of Jinping, a colorful and lively day of county seat, ethnic people living on vicinal mountains gather in town for sale or purchase every 6 days, when several central streets and markets will be crowded with ethnic people in traditional costumes, mostly Red-top Yao, it's quite interesting to see many red and pointed hats moving quickly in stream of people, besides, some Hani, Akha, Yi and Miao women are also playing active roles in the market. After spending the morning in Jinping, we drive 40 km to Jin Shui He, a small town seated on China-Vietnam border, between two counties a river flows quietly serving as the boundary marker, en route we pay visit to some ethnic villages of Yao or Miao. Night in Jin Shui He.

Market day of Jin Shui He, a festive gathering of Indigo Yao, another branch of Yao Nationality, who are famous for planting indigo and using it to dye fabrics. Market is not quite big, but very brisk, some ethnic groups like Hani, Miao, Yi and even minority people from Vietnamese side make this market especially colorful, in locality, Market of Jin Shui He is more known as Nafa Market. 

Drive to Hekou.

Hekou-Kunming

Departure from Kunming