Yunnan especially Xishuangbanna and Simao area in the south Yunnan is well known as the hometown of Pu'er Tea. The local ethic groups in this area began to domesticate wild tea plants for drinking about 1000 years ago. This journey you will have the chance to explore the birthplace of Pu’er Tea and acquire a deeply understanding of Pu’er Tea as well as experience exotic culture of ethnic groups of Dai and Aini people.
Arrive at Jinghong by the flight from Kunming in the morning, our English-speaking guide pick you up at the airport, transfer to Menglun (2.5hrs ).
Upon arrival, take the tour of Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden. It was established in 1959 under the leadership of the well-known botanist Prof. Cai Xitao. Here is home to 1,500 kinds of tropical plants. Visitors can see many rare exotic and endangered plant species here.
After tour, check in your hotel in Menglun.
Overnight at Menglun
After a noodle breakfast, drive along a winding road though rubber plantation to Yiwu. It is the hometown of Pu’er Tea as well as the starting point of the Ancient Tea-Horse Trail (Road). Walk along the Tea Horse Trail which begins in Yiwu village and goes all the way to Tibet, and see a small tea museum. Visit local tea workshop where you drink tea and see the stone blocks used to press tea cakes, if like, try pressing tea cake with stone like the local. Drive up mountains to see local aged tea trees and visit tea farmers.
Return Jinghong via Youle, visit Jinuo ethnic people and see the aged tea trees around village.
Overnight in Jinghong.
This morning drive to Mount Nannuo to see ancient tea plantation aged over 800 years of Aini people, Aini, who have been engaged in tea-planting here for centuries, visit their village and taste roasted tea they prepared in unique way, through chat we may discover how much Aini people rely on tea.
Continue to drive to Menghai, pay visit to small tea workshop in the village to learn about how fresh tea leaves are processed. Further transfer into mountainous area to Bada, do some hiking across forest to worship the King of Wild Tea Tree aged over 1700 years.
On late afternoon drive back to Menghai.
Overnight at Menghai
In the morning drive in the north to Jingmai, see the ancient tea plantation aged over 800 years, plantation was cultivated by Pu, the ancestor of Bulang Nationality today, Pu was the earliest ethnic group who began to domesticate wild tea plant for drinking in Yunnan. In the area thousands of aged tea trees in wildness are still lush and producing buds, for long term plantation is under natural state without farmer's taking care, output is low, but very organic and with pretty high quality.
In the afternoon long drive to Shangyun via Lancang.
Overnight at Shangyun, at simple local hotel or guesthouse.
Drive up mountain to Banwei, a small village lying on hillside with an elevation of around 1900 meters, you will see a tea tree aged over 1000 years here, different from the King of Wild Tea Tree and 800-year-old tea trees in ancient plantation, this is a breed between wild and domesticated, with obvious features of the both, it's taken as a very important evidence improving that local ethnic groups tried to plant wild tea for drinking as early as 1000 years ago.
In the afternoon transfer back to Lancang, en route if have more time, do some random stops for visiting ethnic villages.
Overnight at Lancang.
Today , you will drive to Pu'er along mountainous road and across the upriver Mekong.
After arrival in the afternoon, drive to see the ancient tea caravan way that still winds its way on ridges of mountains, of which the paving stones are still telling people the former prosperity of tea trade along this trail, pay visit to ethnic village around and family who used to run hostel specially for tea transporting caravans to discover some stories about tea trade in the past.
Further to visit Ninger, a small town after which famous Pu'er Tea was named, it once was the tea distribution center of South Yunnan. Afterward, drive back Pu'er for overnight
Overnight at Pu’er
Visit Tea Culture Park near Pu'er, see how tea is processed and taste Pu'er Tea.Pu'er Tea is actually a kind of green tea, the difference is it's slightly fermented, naturally through store of certain term, normally 7-8 years, or artificially by certain technology, fermentation makes it taste milder and softer, so well accepted by most people.
After the tour , transfer and drop you off at the Pu'er airport for flight to your next destination.
End of Service.
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