4 day Kaili Miao Ethnic Minority Villages Tour

You will arrive in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, is located in the southwest of China on the eastern side of the Yungui Plateau. It was told that in ancient times, Guiyang was surrounded by dense bamboo groves and was famous for producing a musical instrument known as a Zhu. Hence the city is also known as Zhu.
 

After settling into your hotel, we will pay a visit to the old town of Qingyan. Dating back to the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368--1644), Qingyan town was built for military and strategic reasons. Because of its geographical location, Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, established it as a station to transfer military messages and to house a standing army. Due to the local geology, Qingyan Ancient Town was built entirely of stone.  
 

Within the town, there are also over 30 types including monasteries, temples, cabinets, caves, courtyards and palaces. All of them were delicately designed by the skillful architects of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. A number of exquisite articles, such as the stone sculptures of Ciyun Temple and wooden sculptures of Shoufo Temple are all worth a look. You can visit the ancient business streets to admire the elegant classical wooden houses. If you like, stop at one of those teahouses and have a taste of the famous local snacks, such as Qingyan tofu, rice tofu and rose sugar.

After breakfast, we will drive to Kaili, a region of Guizhou where 25% of the Miao ethnic group lives. Here we will explore the Miao ethnic minority villages. The Miao ethnic group is both mysterious and exciting. The Miao people are identified by their dialect, dress, location, and other customs. In clothing, there are Long Skirt Miao, Short Skirt Miao, Black Miao, Flowery Miao, and Long Horned Miao. By location, there are River Miao and Mountain Miao. The villagers in Langde wear long skirts; hence they are "Long Skirt Miao." The Miao style houses "Diaojiaolou" and its featured and creative festivals will make you spellbound.
 

We will take part in the Miao people's daily life by visiting with a few local families, in addition to other activities. The following is a list of events and the places we will visit today in Kaili:

Qingman Miao Village - Located about 14 miles to the southwest of Kaili, Qingman Miao Village is built along the mountain contours. Surrounded by green mountains and rivers, it is the sweet home to over 300 households and 1,600 Miao people. The unique wooden stilt houses put up range upon range are indeed a splendid scene to see!
 

The Wooden Stilt House - By making use of steep hillside, the local people use wood to build their houses, whose structure is jointed by tenon and mortise, without a single snail or rivet. The layers of these houses look very much like a pyramid-shaped structure from afar, spectacular indeed!

Papermaking in Shiqiao Miao Village - Shiqiao paper is smooth, white, and challenging of bursting. It is said that the papermaking in Shiqiao Miao Village has a history of over 1,000 years. By using the Han Chinese people's experience, the local Miao people use high-quality spring water, tree roots, and bark to make papers. Their craft of papermaking is regarded as a "live fossil". Come to Shiqiao; you'll have a chance to witness how they make papers.
 

Boji Miao Village - Shaped like a dustpan, Boji Miao Village is located in Danzhai County where the land is beautiful and fertile. Over 100 households live here generation after generation. The life in this old village is quite serene and bucolic.

In the morning we will visit a local market, where you will see traditional Miao arts and crafts. Afterward, we will drive to the Miao village of Jidao. The drive will take us about two hours. The town of Jidao is well known in the region for the silver ornaments produced by the craftsmen here. Jidao village is set in idyllic surroundings and populated by ethnic Miao people. 

Village life is simple, and children play as their parents tend fields of green, organically grown vegetables surrounded by towering pine forests. Older women stoke fires in traditional wooden houses, some hundreds of years past. No visitors have broken the peaceful life the local people enjoy here. 

We’ll then head to the Miao village of Langde. Langde is a beautiful place surrounded by green mountains and rivers. Upon you arrive, you will see the traditional wooden stilt houses, winding mountain paths, the well-preserved and famed Wind and Rain Bridge, and delicate Miao clothes. You will hear the sweet songs floating in the valley and the babble of brooks meandering among mountains.

Following breakfast, you will go back to Guiyang. You’ll fly to your next destination