3-Day Private Tour to Jianshui and Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces from Kunming

Meet your private guide in hotel’s lobby in Kunming, heading directly to Yuanyang Rice Terraces which takes about 5.5 hours. Sit back and enjoy the sceneries along the way. Yuanyang is renowned for its rice terraces, which claim as the world’s largest and most spectacular one, crafted out by bare hands by the Hani people one thousand years ago and is still in use today. The rice farmers have had to practice ecology and land preservation centuries before those concepts were widely accepted around the world. At present, known as ‘land sculpture’ the terraced fields have been being officially acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.

Upon arrival, choose the sites interests you most, then set off and explore. Typically you will start from Qingkou Village. Qingkou Hani Village is the key area of declaring the World Culture Heritage Site. It maintains a compete ecosystem of four elements: forests, water system, mountain villages and terraces. Follow your tour guide to stroll around their Mushroom House. Get to know Hani people’s folk customs which featuring with a distinctive national cultural, unique production and lifestyle. Then, spend the rest of the day at Bada Terrace. It is the biggest attraction in terms of acreage of Yuanyang Terraces and the best of the sunset scenery. Afterwards, you will be transferred to your hotel in Yuanyan.

Accommodation: Overnight accommodation in Yuanyang if you chose the option

Meals: Lunch

Day 2

Yuanyang-Jianshui

1 Duoyishu

Meet your tour guide early in the morning, heading to Doyishu Village and enjoy the spectular sunrise moment.

2 Shengcun Market

Visit Shengcun Morning Market to experience local minority life. Your tour guide will help you negotiate price if you want to purchase. Afterwards, return to your hotel to have breakfast. Then, stroll around Duoyishu Area with your tour guide. You will enjoy the scenery of the terraced fields from the top of the mountains to the bottom. Discover different Hani and Yi ethnic villages.

3 Double Dragon Bridge

After lunch, you will heading to Jianshui. Relax during the 3 hour ride. Upon arrival, you will visit Double Dragon Bridge. Double Dragons Bridge was first building in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), now it have 17 arches and 3 pavilions. It is the largest ancient multiple arch bridge with the highest artistic value. It adopted the main character of Chinese bridges and perfectly combined the technique with formative arts. It embodies the superb skill and wisdom of local people living in south Yunnan. Stroll around the area with your tour guide, if you want to stay longer to wait for the sunset moment just let your tour guide know Afterwards, you will be transferred to your hotel in Jianshui.

Accommodation: Overnight accommodation in Jianshui if you chose the option

Meals: Breakfast    Lunch

Day 3

Jianshui-Kunming

1 Jianshui Ancient City

Meet your tour guide in the lobby of your hotel, start your day with a walking tour of Jianshui Ancient City. Built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Jianshui is the well-known hometown of grain and sugarcane and an amazing place with mix culture of central plains and border. With more than 100 ancient temples, 50 ancient bridges and 56 state-protection cultural relics, Jianshui enjoys the fame “the Museum of Ancient Constructions”, which highlights the ancient Chinese culture and art. Follow your tour guide to explore major attractions at Jianshui Ancient City.

2 Jianshui Confucius Temple

Spend some time to visit Jianshui Confucius Temple. With a history of more than 600 years, Jianshui Confucius Temple is the third largest Confucius temple after Confucius Temples in Qufu and Beijing. Stroll around the halls and courtyards with your tour guide, learn about the symbolic significance of the architecture, pay a visit to memorial archways, pavilions, palaces and memorial temples. Get to know Confucius’ life experience, and many other historic and cultural items related to Confucius and Confucius culture.

3 Zhu’s Family Garden (Zhu Jia Huayuan)

Continue to Zhu’s Family Garden. Jianshui Zhu Family Garden is a set of large-scale residential buildings of Qing Dynasty with the reputation as “Grand View Garden at Southwest Border of China”. There are about 42 small or large courtyards and 214 rooms. Stroll around the halls and gardens, enjoy its steep ridge eaves, painted beams and intricate painted ceiling, exquisite and elegant.

4 Jianshui County

Your last stop is Chaoyang Gate Arch. Built in 1389, the Chaoyang Gate Arch is the symbol of this ancient military town in the southeast border and an emblem of Jianshui, a historic and cultural city. It is a public cultural center of Jianshui County. After lunch in the local restaurant, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Kunming.

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Breakfast    Lunch