12 day Nujiang River Gorge trek
April 14th-25th, 2010

Wednesday, April 14th: DALI-LIUKU (L, D)
Drive for 5 hours from Dali to Liuku, the major town of Nujiang prefecture. In the afternoon explore Liuku city or visit the Hot Springs in the north of the city. At night enjoy the local "four tones singing" (SiShengBu) Overnight in Liuku.

Thursday, April 15th: LIUKU-ZHIZILUO-LAOMUDENG (B, L, D)
Drive for 3 hours, passing some pretty cascades over sheer cliffs, and progressively higher and steeper mountains. Visit the abandoned city of Zhiziluo, the capital of the Nu River Lisu Ethnic Group Autonomous County from 1949-1972. Climb the old Ba Jiao Lou Pagoda for views over the Nujiang Gorge. Hike for 40 minutes to Pihe village to visit Laomudeng Christian Church, the biggest and one of the oldest in the area. Overnight in the local guesthouse at Laomudeng.

Friday, April 16th : LAOMUDENG-SHIYUELIANG-BINGZHONGLUO (B, L, D)
Drive for 2 hours to Shiyueliang (Stone Moon), a natural stone arch in the Gaoligong Mountains. Then keep driving for 2.5 hours to Bingzhongluo which means "Tibetan villages set in a bamboo grove". Along the way you will see Lisu, Nu and Yi people dressed in their traditional clothing, and locals using the traditional means of overhead cables to glide across the river. Overnight at the Ding Dama (Mother Ding's) Guesthouse in Bingzhongluo.

Saturday, April 17th: BINGZHONGLUO-SHIMENGUAN-WULI VILLAGE (B, L, D)
Drive for half an hour to the entrance to Wuli village, passing by Shimengguan (Stone Gate Pass), the narrowest site of the Nujiang River where sheer cliffs close in around the river. Walk for 2 hours along the so-called "Tea-Horse Caravan Route" to Wuli village, a path used by traders ferrying their goods between Yunnan and Tibet. Overnight in Atu Guest house.

Sunday, April 18th : QIUNATONG-DIMALUO (B, L, D)
Jike for 2 hours to Qiunatong village. In the afternoon, continue driving north along the Nu River to Dimaluo (Elevation: 2800 m), a conglomeration of twelve natural villages, with a population of just over 2,300 people, comprising of Nu, Tibetan, Lisu, and Dulong groups, most of which are Catholics. Overnight at the A Luo Guesthouse.

Monday, April 19th: DIMALUO-BAIHANLUO (B, L, D)
Start trekking up Biluo Snow Mountain (4652 metres), between the Nu River and the Mekong River. Today's hike of 3 hours takes you to Baihanluo, a beautiful village where you will visit the local Catholic Church (200 year history) and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Overnight in a local villager's house.

Tuesday, April 20th: BAIHANLUO-CHUKA YAK MEADOW (B, L, D)
Climb for 3 hours to reach the highest peak, Balagong Pass, on Baihanluo Mountain (3900 metres), then spend approx 2 hours climbing down the mountain to Chuka Yak Meadow (Elevation: 2400m). Camp for the night in Chuka Yak meadow.

Wednesday, April 21st: CHUKA MEADOW-LAZHA MEADOW (B, L, D)
Start trekking up to the Shelalaka Peak ( 4300m ) of Biluo Snow Mountain. This is a very steep, challenging climb which will take approx. 3 hours. On the way, you will be rewarded with views of beautiful lakes and cloud covered snow mountains. Climb down the mountain passing through azaleas forests and lakes to Lazha Yak Meadow. Camp overnight in Lazha Yak meadow (Elevation: 3500m).

Thursday, April 22nd: LAZHA YAK MEADOW-CIZHONG (B, L, D)
Keep climbing down the mountain, making one final ascent to Zhanala Mountain then back down to reach Cizhong Village by the side of the Mekong River. The total trekking time today is about 5 hours. Upon arrival in Cizhong visit the 100 year old Catholic church and sample some of their home grown red wine. Stay overnight in Cizhong village at Teacher Zhang's guesthouse.

Friday, April 23rd: CIZHONG-MINGYONG GLACIER-FEILAISI (B, L, D)
See the sun rise over the Meili Snow Mountains. Drive to Deqin (3 hours), and onto Mingyong (1.5 hours). Trek (or horseride) for approx. 2 hours up to Mingyong Glacier. Overnight in Feilaisi.

Saturday, April 24th: FEILAISI-ZHONGDIAN (B, L, D)
Drive from Feilaisi back to Zhongdian (6 hours), stopping along the way to visit Baima Snow Mountain, the "Omega" (First Bend of the Jinsha River) and Dongzhu Monastery. Arrive in Zhongdian in the late afternoon. That night, watch the local Tibetans kick up their heels in the Old Town Square. Overnight in a 3 star Tibetan style hotel.

Sunday, April 25th: ZHONGDIAN (B, L)
Enjoy a dawn visit to the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhism monastery in Yunnan province. Visit the local Zhongdian market to see the Khampa Tibetans in their traditional ethnic dress buying and selling their local wares: everything from yak cheese to noodle soup to black clay cookware. Tour concludes.

Notes:
1. A simple supplement of 500 RMB is payable for those requesting their own room in the hotels/guesthouses.
2. The price given in RMB is the final price. The equivalent price in USD is based on the current exchange rate between the RMB and the USD which may change.

Price includes:

• Accommodation
  3 nights in 3 star standard guesthouses/hotels, 6 nights in simple guesthouses (the best available in each village) and 2 nights camping.
  
• Entrance tickets
  Cangshan Mountain (80 RMB), Erhai Lake (80 RMB), Shibaoshan Buddhist Grottoes (30 RMB), Shaxi Old Town (30 RMB), Mingyong Glacier (70 RMB), Songzanlin Monastery (85 RMB), Shangbala Nature Reserve (30 RMB).
  
• Meals
  11 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 11 dinners. Lunches and dinners will be standard Chinese food including a variety of meat and vegetable dishes and rice. Breakfasts will mostly be noodles, steamed buns, eggs, dumplings or other Chinese breakfast foods. For the 2.5 days camping, the guide will pack a range of picnic foods. You are advised to also bring some high energy snacks.
  
• Guide
  An English speaking tour guide for the duration of the tour.
  
• Transportation
  Transportation is by private 2wd for the duration of the tour.
  
• Horse hire
  A horse will be supplied to carry the camping equipment for the hike from Dimaluo-Cizhong.
  
• Camping equipment
  Tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads will be provided.

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