Discover hidden Guizhou, where minorities preserve their customs and traditional ways of life amidst a backdrop of karst mountains, rice terraces, and wooded hillsides. Explore minority villages, hike through countryside long-forgotten, and discover the heritage and history of the fascinating people you’ll meet as you go.

About this Journey

Guizhou may truly be one of the last hidden gems of China, rich in minority culture and natural beauty. This southwestern province is home to several minorities, including many types of Miao as well as the Yi and Buyei people, each with their own special clothing, customs, and language. Guizhou’s natural beauty ranges from jutting karst peaks and gushing waterfalls to river gorges and azalea gardens. On this trip, discover the hidden side of Guizhou: wander through villages modernity has forgotten about, get a better understanding of the intricacies of traditional dress, and get hands-on with clay and cloth as you learn the crafts that give this region so much character.

What we love

Understanding the richness and diversity of the local cultures
Learning to make traditional clothing, as well as paper, bamboo flutes, and local pottery
Hiking through lush, verdant countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life

Where you're going

Itinerary

Day 1 Guiyang – Kaili

Upon arriving in Guiyang, your WildChina guide and driver will meet you at the arrival hall • Visit Wangba Gejia subgroup village, walking around the village, learning the art of batik, and visiting a local home • Walk to the three ancient bridges near Chonganjiang, an old waterfront Miao village that dates back over 200 years – If weather permits, watch the sun set over the rolling valleys • Drive to Kaili, a historical and cultural hub surrounded by terraced hillsides and quaint towns

Day 2Kaili

Drive to the Leishan Area, the heartland of the Miao people in China • Hike between the Baibi and Gengan Miao villages, cutting through picturesque rice paddies and quaint villages and passing a dramatic gorge along the way • Wander through the villages of Baiyan and Taoyao, renowned for their pottery artisans • Learn how to make a lusheng pipe (a traditional musical instrument made from bamboo) in the Miao village of Paika then learn how to make pottery in Wangfeng village • Visit the village of Datang, home to the Short-Skirt Miao and distinctive stilted, granary barns built over the water

Day 3Kaili

Travel to the village of Wengxiang and learn Miao embroidery with Miss Li, a protector of this intangible piece of cultural heritage, and hear the fascinating tale of how the stories of the Miao people are woven into their costumes • Visit the Embroidery Museum in downtown Kaili, and then, if on Sunday, visit a local market to have a closer look at daily lives • Explore the village of Shiqiao and learn from local masters how they make traditional paper out of tree bark

Day 4Kaili to Rongjiang

Enjoy a brief hike to the Black Miao village of Fan Pai, so nicknamed for the dark color of their traditional clothing • Learn how their textiles are indigo dyed during a home visit and wander past the stilted architecture that is typical of the area • Drive to the Dong minority heartland of Rongjiang and check into your hotel for the evening • Along the way, marvel at the collection of wind and rain bridges and, if available, join the locals at their weekly market

Day 5Rongjiang to Zhaoxing

Visit Dali Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its traditional wooden buildings and hidden amongst the hills • Visit Zhanli village, home to a unique fish-rice-duck agro-ecosystem that has persisted for more than 1,000 years • Listen to the townspeople’s tale of their ‘magic wells’ and how the water within is said to create a special family-planning potion that can decide a baby’s sex • Head to the rough-and-tumble musketeer village of Biasha, the only village in China where one is allowed to carry a shotgun • Continue your drive to Zhaoxing, a rustic border town lined with tiered drum towers

Day 6 - 7Zhaoxing

Head to Tang’an, a village with over 700 years of history that is said to be the “most primitive Dong village” in China • Explore Tang’an and the living Dong Ethnic Eco-museum as you learn the traditional ways of live, from agricultural techniques to how the Dong people give cloth a metallic sheen using egg whites, pig’s blood, and a wooden mallet • Hike from Tang’an to Zhaoxing through terraced rice fields, charming villages, and verdant forest • Explore Zhaoxing and see if you can tell which of the town’s five drum towers represents which virtue (benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faithfulness)

Recommended Hotels

Indigo Lodge Zhaoxing

Local boutique

Designed in typical Dong style, this hotel is made completely of fir wood and offers lovely views of the surrounding landscapes.

Photos

Details

Recommended seasons

春

Name: Hidden Guizhou
Brand: WildChina
SKU: 1

Spring

夏

Summer

秋

Fall

What’s Included

All overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments
All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
Meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water
Ground transportation, including airport transfers
Services of an English-speaking WildChina guide
Private chauffeur service to and from airport at start and end of your trip

What’s Excluded

International and domestic flights, domestic trains, plus relevant taxes
Chinese tourist visa, which is required for most foreign passport holders
Travel and medical insurance
Meals, apart from those included in the itinerary, and alcohol
Expenses of a personal nature
Excursions and activities not included in the itinerary
Discretionary gratuities for guides and drivers

Why WildChina

We’re on the ground with you

Our team of advisors will design every detail of the trip with you through close consultation, then orchestrate your entire journey while on the ground. We’re in the same time zone as you, so we can fulfill requests and handle issues without a hitch. With over 40 staff in Beijing and an expansive network of operational partners across the country, we have the manpower to ensure your journey is safe, reliable and comfortable from beginning to end.

Your trip, your way

Flexibility is our highest-ranking compliment. We pull off journeys for pioneers with a 6-hour layover to Hollywood’s elite, and everywhere in between. Our team regularly pulls off unprecedented logistical feats; nearly any time frame or budget is within our realm. No matter how you wish to experience China, we are here to bring that dream to life.

We embody passion

WildChina guides are carefully handpicked for their knowledge and charisma, then meticulously trained to maintain our exceptional service standards. They are expert storytellers and passionate natives of the regions where they guide, having the perfect combination of local insights and service know-how to bring you seamless once-in-a- lifetime moments all across China.

The little things, the big picture

Supporting inspired local economies allows you to experience the soul of the destination, while also protecting and cultivating China’s artisanal culture. From watching artisans hand make shoes in Yunnan, to picking organic vegetables for dinner on a local farm in Fujian, our tours are designed to showcase and protect China’s heritage, both natural and human.

Hidden Guizhou

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