Yunnan Highlands Local Culture 11-Day Tour (CIT004) Days 1-3

Yunnan: a land of lovely open spaces...
(photo by "The Tenth Dragon")

...stunning mountains...
(photo by Aaron Yu*)

...and idyllic rural life
(photo by Tom Thai)

But within Yunnan there is also the beautiful city of Kunming, the "City of Eternal Spring"...
(photo by Philippe Semanaz)

...modern and vibrant...
(photo by Wikipedia)

...but also historic and traditional...
(photo by Hector Garcia)

...nestled amongst lakes and mountains
(photo by Andreas Muelder)

A panoramic view of part of the Stone Forest
(photo by Gilad Rom)

Miniature "mountain-and-water" landscapes
(photo by Kent Wang)

Lush flowers and grass
(photo by Mark Kao*)

Rock and sky
(photo by Kent Wang)

A pavilion affords a fantastic view
(photo by Mark Kao*)

Jagged rock formations
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

"Elephant on a Platform"
(photo by CIT)

An expert local
guide will lead you
(photo by CIT)

up stairs between
sheer rock faces,
(photo by CIT)

under precariously perched boulders,
(photo by Eric Chan)

and through holes in the karst formations
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

Admire the harmony of trees,
grass, flowers, ponds, and rocks
(photo by CIT)

Observe and interact with locals
(photo by CIT)

Watch local culture performances
(photo by CIT)

Fruit and snack vendors
in Shilin's outdoor market
(photo by CIT)

Vendors selling local fashions
and other memorabilia
(photo by CIT)

Shilin: Unforgettable beauty
(photo by Gilad Rom)

(photo by Kent Wang)

(photo by Kent Wang)

The view from the pavilion
(video by CIT)

Walking through the Stone Forest
(video by CIT)

Ethnic minority dancers
(video by CIT)

An ethnic minority singer
(video by CIT)

Next stop: Jiuxiang Scenic Area
(photo by CIT)

Jiuxiang's Yincui Gorge,
seen from above
(photo by CIT)

The gorge rises high above
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

Your tour begins with a lively boat
ride through the Yincui Gorge,
and voices echo off the walls
(photo by CIT)

A local tour guide
accompanies you
into the cavern
(photo by CIT)

The walkway descends
into the gorge...
(photo by CIT)

...and the entrance swallows
you like an enormous maw
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

The ceiling rises high
over your head
(photo by CIT)

As the cavern closes in,
you feel like an explorer
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

The cavern features a great
variety of limestone formations,
some with colorful lighting
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

More lighted
formations
(photo by CIT)

Don't miss the world-famous
"Feudal Headman Castle"...
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

...and "Posture in Lying of an Old
Immortal Man After Drunkenness"
(photo by CIT)

A vast chamber within the cavern,
much larger than a photo can convey
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

After crossing a bridge,
you continue the tour
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

A waterfall flows
into the entrance
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

More falls near the entrance
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

A magnificent cascade
deeper in the cavern
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

The waterfall flows far
down into the depths
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

If you don't want to make the long
climb to the exit, you can just
take an inexpensive "sedan" ride
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

From there, you can ride a horse
back to the park entrance
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

You can also take a chairlift...
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

...and enjoy a vertiginous view
of Jiuxiang's hills and forests
(photo by CIT's Anna Qin*)

A delicious dinner of steaming
wild mushroom hotpot
awaits you in Kunming
(photo by CIT)

A boat trip through Yincui Gorge
(video by CIT)

The cavern entrance
(video by CIT)

Limestone formations
(video by CIT)

An enormous underground chamber
(video by CIT)