DESCRIPTION:

Journey to a spectacular karst limestone landscape of dramatic gorges and canyons with terraced hillsides and enchanting vistas. Landlocked Guizhou province remains relatively isolated from the rest of China due to its mountainous terrain, making it one of China’s most culturally and naturally rich provinces. This isolation has preserved the traditional wooden architecture and kept alive the artistic and musical traditions of the many minority groups found here. Few Americans have ventured here; in fact, most visitors are Han Chinese, eager to see vestiges of traditional, small village Chinese and ethnic minority culture no longer found elsewhere.

Guizhou and Guangxi are home to 38 minority groups, with Miao, Dong, and Yao people comprising the most substantial populations. Guizhou and Guangxi are ideal for experiencing the splendidly distinct folk customs, all against a backdrop of spectacular limestone hills. 

Discover ancient peoples who continue to live life as they have for hundreds of years— typically along riversides and valleys in traditional wooden buildings. Famous for withstanding the test of time, most villages remain little touched by modernization, with lovely temples, ancestry shrines, intricate grand towers, and bridges. People here are blessed with melodic voices; singing and dancing have been an integral part of their society for millennia, allowing for the oral transmission of their histories and legends in lieu of a written language.

CONSIDER:

This rarely-visited gem of China is about to open up to more travelers, making now the best time to visit.

OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS & ADD-ONS:

Shanghai, Beijing, and other areas provide opportunity to experience other, and more modern, aspects of China.