Salween to Mekong

Your Journey Begins

Today is the day, the start of your China Adventure Club adventure. Step off the plane in Baoshan and meet your local guide in the airport arrivals hall. They’ll be waiting to welcome you and will have your private vehicle on standby, ready to whisk you off to your hotel for check in.

First stop: Baoshan

The joy of travel in China is that even the most routine jumping off point is itself packed with cultural intrigue. The prefecture-level city of Baoshan, sandwiched between the Burmese border and the adolescent Mekong, offers exactly that, the largest urban area in the province this side of Dali. Once the start of a southern trade route to India, the city is home to 2 million people and boasts volcanos, ancient towns and the epic Gaoligong Mountains within its orbit.

Drive to Dimaluo

The ride from Baoshan to Dimaluo will take around 7 hours.

Dimaluo Village

Visit Dimaluo, a Tibetan community in a forested valley of Yunnan. Its predominantly Catholic heritage reflects the work of early French-speaking missionaries. Nearby Lisu, Nu, and Dulong communities add to the region’s cultural diversity.

On the way: First Bend of the Nu River

In the northwestern corner of Yunnan, the Nujiang river courses out of Tibet with an abrupt, handbrake turn. The resulting curve is a sight to behold, reminiscent of Arizona’s famous Horseshoe Bend but with the lush, verdant coverage familiar to the highlands of Southeast Asia. On the far bank, as the river contorts an impossible 180 degrees, a small patchwork farm sits encircled by water on three sides. This scene encapsulates the emotive beauty of the entire Nu Valley, and is easily appreciated from the well-placed roadside viewing platform.

Meals included: Breakfast

Baihanluo Church

A mystifying blend of western and Chinese architecture, Baihanluo is a church like no other, set in the bucolic wilds of northwest Yunnan. Built by French catholic missionary Annet Genestier at the end of the 19th century, the structure was razed to the ground by an angry mob in 1905, only to be rebuilt soon after. Standing beneath the vaulted ceiling by candlelight is a transcendental experience, as is the wild fruit wine – a legacy of the church’s French origins – said to be among the region’s finest.

Hike to Campsite

We will hike along the ancient trails, passing by pasture, alpine meadow, alpine forest etc. hike across mountain pass that is around 4,000m above sea level and descend to the campsite.

Total hike: around 7 hoursHike start point elevation: around 2,400mCampsite elevation: around 3,300m

Meals included: breakfast and dinner

Biluo Mountain

Hike on Biluo Mountain, passing by mountain valley, alpine meadow. Will hike through mountain pass with around 4,300m above sea level. Descend to the campsite.

Total hike: around 8 hoursHike start point elevation: around 3,300mCampsite elevation: around 3,400m

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Descend to Cizhong

After breakfast, continue the hike. Descend the mountain, passing by the old-growth forest, till arriving at Cizhong.

Total hike: around 5 hoursHike start point elevation: around 3,400mCizhong elevation: around 1,900m

Cizhong

Hidden away among the misty, terraced hills above the Mekong valley, the picturesque village of Cizhong was settled by French Catholic missionaries 150 years ago. Today, the town is home to Lisu, Yi, and Tibetan people, who still tend the vineyards the French grew and attend the church built in a captivating blend of Chinese and European architectural styles.

Cizhong Church

Cizhong Church was first built in 1867 by French missionaries from the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris. It was destroyed during the Tibetan Revolt of the early 1900s and rebuilt in the center of the town. Originally built in a predominantly European style, you’ll notice today that during the reconstruction a Chinese pavilion was added to the top of the bell tower. The church survived the wrath of the Cultural Revolution as it was being used as a primary school at the time and even today, it continues to be the center of the local community. Inside the church, you’ll see where Red Guards erased religious drawings on the walls and you’ll hear villagers singing Catholic songs in Tibetan as their ancestors once did.

Meals included: Breakfast

Next Stop: Tacheng

A day in Tacheng is a day lived simply. The first rays of sunlight come over the horizon wrapped in a wispy fog that hugs the town and lingers over early risers. Huddled at the bottom of its fertile valley, smoke from Tacheng’s chimneys will rise with you as you venture into the hills or wander through the fields. After exploring such a small community, one tucked into an idyllic, remote landscape, you’ll be forgiven for wondering if this might be the Shangri-La most travelers look for down the road.

Drive to Tacheng

The ride from Cizhong to Tacheng will take around 3.5 hours.

Dharma Cave

Legend has it that, in his travels and studies, Bodhidharma spent 10 years in a cave at Xiangbi Mountain, part of a life that would bring Chan Buddhism to China and, some say, start the tradition of Shaolin Kungfu. Six hundred years later, in the 12th century, his Buddhist followers built a temple to him which still stands to this day at the mouth of the cave. On your visit to this holy pilgrimage site, you’ll not only take in its history, but its surroundings – a new, astounding view of the mountains and the Jinsha River in every direction.

Meals included: Breakfast

Tacheng Snub Nosed Monkey Sanctuary

Deep in the mountainous forests of northern Yunnan lives one of China’s strangest, rarest, and most adorable creatures. The snub-nosed monkeys in these parts were once the stuff of legend, coveted for their fur and the supposed medicinal properties of their bones. Today, they are protected by nature reserves like the Tacheng National Park, where you’ll head into the wild with a local conservationist and hopefully catch a glimpse of these rare and endangered primates in their natural habitat.

Drive to Lijiang

The ride from Tacheng to Lijiang will take around 3.5 hours.

Next Stop: Lijiang

The city of Lijiang lies in the shadow of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and has entranced visitors for centuries with its singular architecture, quaint bridges, and narrow canals. Although Lijiang has transformed from its quaint roots into a tourist hub, there are still quieter side lanes to explore that hold encounters with Lijiang’s Naxi residents, who, like their ancestors, depend on the mountain water that flows through the town’s canals. Classified as a World Heritage Site in 1997, Lijiang is a charming home base for accessing Yunnan’s authentic and lesser-known communities.

Meals included: Breakfast

Your Flight Back Home

Your local guide will escort you to the airport and help you check in for your flight home.

Meals included: Breakfast