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Spanning 9 days and 7 nights, this journey is an ode to the Tea-Horse Road—an ancient artery that once pulsed with trade, connecting Yunnan’s misty mountains to Tibet’s high plateaus. At its core lies Xishuangbanna, a land where tea is more than a crop; it is a living tradition, a language of connection, and a bridge between past and present.

Here, you will stand in awe of a 2,700-year-old “Ancient Tea Tree King,” its roots tangled deep in soil that has nourished generations of tea growers. You will trek through thousand-year-old tea gardens, where sunlight filters through leaves to dapple the ground, and learn the delicate art of tea crafting from the Blang and Dai peoples—their hands moving with the same precision as their ancestors’. Beyond the tea bushes, you will step into the world of ethnic communities: the Wa with their sacred rituals, the Lahu with their melodic music, the Aini with their terraced gardens. This is a journey that tastes of tea, breathes of tradition, and resonates with the stories of those who have guarded this culture for centuries.

Day 1: Arrival – The First Step to Shuangjiang

Your adventure begins as you touch down in Beijing, where a flight carries you southwest to Shuangjiang—a quiet city nestled amid Yunnan’s rolling hills, where the air already hints at the tea gardens to come. Upon arrival, you will settle into your accommodation in Shuangjiang City, a peaceful base to rest and prepare for the days ahead. With no scheduled activities, this evening is yours to unwind, perhaps with a stroll through local streets or a quiet moment to anticipate the tea-filled explorations that await.

Transportation: Arrival in Beijing, flight to Shuangjiang
Accommodation: Shuangjiang City
Meals: On your own

Day 2: Among Ancient Tea Trees – Shuangjiang’s Living Heritage

Today, a bus takes you into the heart of Shuangjiang’s tea country, where two treasures await. First, the thousand-year-old wild ancient tea tree forest—a sanctuary where tea trees tower like living relics, their trunks gnarled and thick with age, their branches heavy with glossy leaves. Some of these trees have stood for over a millennium, witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties, the comings and goings of Tea-Horse Road traders. As you walk among them, the air hums with quiet—broken only by the rustle of leaves and the distant call of a bird.

Later, you will visit Bingdao Old Village, a hamlet where time seems to have paused. Here, wooden houses with sloped roofs cluster around a central square, and villagers still tend to tea gardens using methods passed down through generations. You might pause to watch an elder pluck leaves, their fingers moving deftly to select only the finest shoots, or chat with a local who shares tales of how tea has sustained their community for centuries. By day’s end, you will return to Shuangjiang City, your mind filled with images of ancient trees and village life.

Transportation: Shuangjiang (by bus)
Accommodation: Shuangjiang City
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: To Ximeng – Discovering Wengding Village

A bus journey from Shuangjiang to Ximeng leads you to Wengding Village—a hidden gem of the Wa ethnic group, where tradition lives in every corner. As you approach, you will see stilted houses with thatched roofs, built from bamboo and wood, climbing the hillside like a natural extension of the landscape. The village is a tapestry of culture: women in indigo-dyed garments with intricate embroidery, men gathering to share stories, and children chasing each other through lanes lined with flowering plants.

Wengding’s spirit lies in its connection to heritage—from its ancestral shrines to the way villagers greet one another with warm smiles. Every detail speaks of a life rooted in community, where traditions are not just remembered but lived. After exploring, you will continue to Ximeng, where your accommodation awaits, and the memories of Wengding’s charm linger like a soft melody.

Transportation: Shuangjiang to Ximeng (by bus)
Accommodation: Ximeng
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 4: To Jingmai Mountain – Rituals, Palaces, and Music

Today, a bus carries you from Ximeng to Jingmai Mountain—a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most revered tea-growing regions in China. Along the way, four distinct experiences unfold, each offering a glimpse into local culture.

First, the Wa ethnic group’s Longmo Ye sacrificial site—a sacred space where the Wa people honor nature and ancestors. Surrounded by ancient trees, the site feels charged with reverence; here, rituals have been performed for centuries to seek blessings for bountiful harvests and peaceful lives. Next, the Dai ethnic royal palace—a graceful complex of pavilions and gardens, where the architecture reflects the Dai’s love for symmetry and harmony with nature, telling stories of a once-thriving kingdom.

Then, Jingmai Mountain itself—a landscape of terraced tea gardens that climb the slopes like green waves, where the scent of fresh tea hangs in the air. Finally, the Lahu ethnic music town, where the air is filled with the sound of traditional instruments: the “leihuo” (a bamboo flute) and the “sanxian” (a three-stringed lute), their melodies echoing the rhythm of the mountains. As night falls, you will stay on Jingmai Mountain, lulled to sleep by the quiet of the tea gardens.

Transportation: Ximeng to Jingmai Mountain (by bus)
Accommodation: Jingmai Mountain
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

Day 5: Jingmai Mountain – Blang and Dai Life Unfolded

Jingmai Mountain reveals more of its soul today, as you explore two villages that embody the bond between people and tea. First, a Blang ethnic village—home to a community that has tended tea gardens here for over 1,300 years. The Blang are known as “the first tea growers,” and their village reflects this heritage: stone houses with wooden beams, tea-drying racks in courtyards, and elders sitting on stoops, their hands stained from processing leaves. You might join a family in sorting tea, learning to distinguish between leaves of different grades, or listen as they share stories of how their ancestors first discovered the magic of tea.

Later, a Dai water village welcomes you—its houses built on stilts along canals, where water shimmers in the sunlight and lotus flowers bloom along the banks. The Dai people have a saying: “Where there is water, there is life; where there is life, there is tea.” Here, you will see how water shapes daily life: women wash clothes in the canals, children play in shallow pools, and tea gardens are irrigated by gentle streams. It is a place of harmony, where nature and humanity exist in perfect balance.

Transportation: Jingmai Mountain (by bus)
Accommodation: Jingmai Mountain
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

Day 6: To Xishuangbanna – Aini Ancient Village

A bus journey from Jingmai Mountain to Xishuangbanna brings you to a new landscape—lusher, warmer, and equally steeped in tea culture. Your destination is Aini Ancient Village, home to the Aini people (a subgroup of the Hani ethnicity), whose lives revolve around the tea terraces that climb the hillsides like green staircases.

The Aini are master tea growers, and their village tells their story: thatched-roof houses with open verandas, where weaving looms and tea-processing tools stand ready; women in colorful headscarves and embroidered jackets, carrying baskets of tea leaves on their backs; elders sitting under old trees, sipping tea and sharing tales. You will wander through their tea gardens, where each terrace is a work of art, carved into the mountainside to catch the perfect amount of sunlight. By evening, you will settle into Xishuangbanna, where the scent of tropical flowers mingles with the memory of tea.

Transportation: Jingmai Mountain to Xishuangbanna (by bus)
Accommodation: Xishuangbanna
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Xishuangbanna to Guiyang – A Final Aini Farewell

Before leaving Xishuangbanna, you will spend a morning reimmersing yourself in Aini Ancient Village—this time, to savor the quiet moments. Watch as the village wakes: smoke curls from kitchens, a rooster crows, and the first rays of sun turn the tea terraces golden. You might join a morning tea ceremony, where Aini elders teach you to brew their signature “raw pu’er,” its flavor bright and fresh, or listen to a traditional song, its lyrics praising the mountains and the tea that sustains them.

In the afternoon, you will travel to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou, where the landscape shifts from Yunnan’s tea-covered hills to Guizhou’s karst peaks—tall, limestone spires that rise like sentinels. Upon arrival, you will settle into your accommodation, ready to explore this new region.

Transportation: Xishuangbanna to Guiyang
Accommodation: Guiyang
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8: Guiyang’s Natural and Cultural Wonders

Today, a bus takes you into Guizhou’s countryside, where two stunning destinations await. First, Libo Xiaoqikong Scenic Area—a natural paradise where rivers, waterfalls, and stone bridges create a landscape of breathtaking beauty. The name “Xiaoqikong” (Seven Small Arches) comes from a 100-year-old stone bridge that spans a crystal-clear river, its seven arches reflected perfectly in the water. As you walk along wooden paths, you will pass waterfalls that cascade into turquoise pools, their spray catching the sunlight to form rainbows, and forests where ferns and bamboo grow thick.

In the afternoon, you will journey to Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village—the largest Miao settlement in China, where over 1,000 wooden stilt houses climb the hillside, their roofs curving like the wings of birds. Here, the Miao people’s culture shines: women wear silver headdresses and jewelry that jingle softly as they walk, men play the “lusheng” (a bamboo pipe instrument), and the sound of singing fills the air. You will stay overnight in the village, where lanterns light up the lanes at dusk, and the mountains stand silent in the distance.

Transportation: Local transportation in Guiyang (by bus)
Accommodation: Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 9: Farewell – A Last Taste of Xijiang

Your journey draws to a close today, but not before a final morning in Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village. Wake early to witness the village at its most peaceful: mist clings to the hills, and the first sounds are of roosters and the soft murmur of conversation. You might wander to a viewpoint to watch the sunrise paint the stilt houses gold, or visit a local market where vendors sell sticky rice, spicy pickles, and handwoven textiles.

After breakfast and lunch, you will depart Xijiang for Guiyang, where an international flight will carry you home. As you reflect, you will carry more than memories: you will carry the taste of fresh tea on your tongue, the sound of ethnic melodies in your ears, and an understanding of how a single plant—tea—has woven together cultures, landscapes, and centuries. The Tea-Horse Road may be a memory, but in the villages and tea gardens you have visited, its spirit lives on.

Transportation: Guiyang to departure by international flight
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch