China link

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. ~ Lin Yutang

Going on means going far, going far means returning. ~ Lao Tzu

Afoot and light-hearted, I take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before me. The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose.
-- Walt Whitman --

Map of China
Tourist Map of Southern China
Maps of China
Nature Reserve Maps
Rail Map
Minority Map

Maps of Kham
Kham Aid maps

::Guangdong Province
South East China
Miao tribe distribution

:: Guizhou Province
Guizhou Province

:: Yunnan Province
Yunnan Travel Guide
Bingzhongluo
Maps of the NuJiang Region
Yunnan road map (Chinese)
Detailed Maps (Chinese)

:: Sichuan Province
Sichuan Travel Guide
Man-made Map for Daocheng
Sichuan scenery sites
Leshan - Chinese version

Travel Advice
:: China Backpacker Old
:: Passplanet Guide
:: China Backpacker Guides
:: 4Panda
:: Top trip
:: Asia and Away
:: Khampa Caravan
:: Alou's Tibetan Lodge
:: Samar - Our Tour Route
:: Sichuan Sites
:: Southwest treks
:: Bus travel around Litang
:: Guizhou Tourist Compass

Interesting info
:: Photography Hints
:: China Climate links
:: Biodiversity Hotspots
:: Altitude sickness
:: Flood Register

Money
1 yuan (kwai) = 10 jiao (mao) = 100 fen.
:: Pictures of money

Minority Tribes
:: Minority tribe photos
:: Minorités ethniques
:: Minority Tribes
:: Ethnic Minorities in China
:: Nationalities
:: Indigenous people
:: Chinese Nationalities

Long-horn Miao Minority Tribe
Suoga Township, 60 km from Luzhi Special District, is the home of Longhorn Miaos. There are 12 villages, and Longga Village is the best known.
Transportation:

All trains from Guiyang to Yunnan stop at Luzhi. The fare for both the train and the coach is about 30 yuan. You can also take a shuttle bus from Suoga Township in front of the train station for about 10 yuan, change to a pedicab to the Miao villages for 3 to 5 yuan.

The route from Luzhi to Guiyang, the provincial capital, is well serviced by trains and buses.

Around Kaili
Around Guiyang

:: Yunnan Province	:: Photo	:: Map
First leg - Kunming to Lijiang
Kunming ~ 1,900m Check to see if we can get Tibetan Autonomous region permits at Camilia Hotel (if we are still going up there!) Lufeng ~ :: Dinosaur fossils Wuding ~ :: Early man fossils Yuanmou ~ :: Earth Forest called Yuanmou Tulin The Site of Yuanmou Man is located Naben Village, about seven kilometers southeast of Yuanmou County Yongren ~ Square Mtn and Yi people and ethnic costumes Panzhihua ~ Do not stay here! What to see - I have read one can do Pazhihua - Lugu Lake (By Coach) this would save a loop or a day.	Kunming Dinosaurs Info Photos Yongren website Scenery Photos	Kunming Eng & Chin Tourist map
Second leg - Lijiang to Lugu
Lijiang ~ 2400m - 丽江 to Lugu Lake ~ 2680 metres :: Baisha Frescos Practical transport links Stone Drum Town :: First Bend of the Yangtze River Lugu Lake ~ 2680 metres 泸沽湖 Stay in Ninglang? 13 day trekking with horses To Chengdu from Lugu Pictures of Lugu from Steven Lord's Blog	3D world heritage	City Map Map
Third leg - Lijiang to Zhongdian & Dequin
Tiger Leaping Gorge 2400m - 虎跳峡 between Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Mountain. Bai Shui Tai Sinter terraces - white water terraces in Sanba Township 101 kilometres southeast of Zhongdian (maybe stay in Baidi village nearby?) Baoshan Shi Gu Cheng (Baoshan Ancient Stone City ) , usually called Baoshan , but not to be confused with the much larger Baoshan Zhongdian ~ Shangrila ~ 3200 - metres - 中甸 Ganden Sumtseling (Songzanlin) Monastery 松赞林寺 Around Zhongdian ~ :: Lake "Bita hai" Day trip. Rent horses that or only 30 minutes. Mysterious cloud forest with lichen covered trees, rhododendrons, and bamboo groves. :: Song Zan Lin Si - Second largest and oldest Buddhist temple :: Songzanlin Fane – town :: Jinsha River Zhongdian to Deqen by car. Sightseeing Dongzhulin Lamasery,Baimang Snow Mountain Jinshajiang Gorge on the way to Deqen
Deqin 3300m - (德钦) Sunglasses and lipbalm!! Beimao Snow Mountain National Park (Golden or snub-nosed monkeys) Baima Snow mountains Meili Napa Lake Bi-ta Lake
Fourth leg - Lijiang to Bingzhongluo & back to Kunming
Nujiang Valley ~ Luiku ~ Fugong ~ Gongshan ~ Bingzhongluo ~ 3482m Beautiful trek and scenery in the World Heritage Nujiang Gorge Chala, Shungla Alou's Tibetan Lodge - Map - More Maps of Region	Photos Photo	Map + Map Map Map Map Map
:: Guizhou Province
Fifth leg - Kunming to Anshun
Textile Map and directory - Minority tribes in Guizhou Tribal itinerary Huangguoshu Falls ~ the area around Huangguoshu also provides an excellent chance to ramble on foot through nearby rural minority areas. Lac de Wanfeng Hu Xinyi Nidang Stone Forest Wanfenglin info fenjingshan	Gallery Panorama Photo Photo Slides
Southern towns along Pearl River Around Anshun info Dragon Palace (Longgong) info Tunbao area - village Yunshan Tun云山屯 Longga Village of Suoga Township in Guizhou Province's Liuzhi Special Administrative Prefecture (4 Ecomuseums including Suoga Miao village in Liuzhi, Zhenshan Buyi village in Huaxi, Tangan Dong village in Liping and Longli ancient a town in Jinping.) Guiyang - Tribal Itinerary	Yunshan Photos Hair Miao child	Maps Map
Sixth leg - Anshun to Guilin
Anshun Yunshan Tun - link has how to get there and away :: Kaili - Tribal itinerary Backpacker itinerary :: Majiang :: Xijiang - miao village :: Rongjiang :: Congjiang :: Gaozeng (Zhaoxing) - Dong village :: Basha (Biasa) - Miao village :: Geija people :: Yangshuo to Kaili -itinerary with pics Check these on a map - LaoTun, Shidong Zengchong - Dong village	Xijiang Zhaoxing Basha Baisa LaoTun Zengchong	Majiang map west map east
Jishou - Around the town Fenghuang - old city * Must go here - Fenghuang - Old town Great wall Huangsiqiao ancient town, about 10Km - Great wall China Longsheng Guangxi-Zhuang Autonomous Region is the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces, or Longji Ti Tian	Gallery Photos
Guilin What you don't want to hear! Yangshuo Back to Guangzhou Guangzhou is famous for its Dim Sum breakfasts - Getting away By bus Info By train Train timetable (Hard to get sleepers as this is a mid-way stop) 15hrs! Another timetable By Plane		Valley map Tourist Map Train routes

:: Hunan Province
Wulingyuan (Zhangjiajie) National Park ~	Pics

:: Sichuan Province (四川)	:: Photo	:: Map
Litang ~ 4025m Tibet and western Sichuan province lay in what used to be the Tibetan Province of KHAM Short history photos Tagong ~ Must go here slideshow Kanding ~ Blog cache Erdaoqiao Hot Springs - Kangding - 4 kms Leshan ~ Giant Buddha - Map of things to see Jiulong Relatively unvisited area. Some of the best alpine scenery in Sichuan according to Joseph Rock. map	a Panorama of Crag	a

Depart
Thursday 31st August 00:50
Arrive
Thursday 31st August 06:45
Depart
Thursday 31st August 08:10
Arrive
Thursday 31st August 12:05

Depart
Friday 29th September 13:05
Arrive
Friday 29th September 16:55
Depart
Friday 29th September 23:40
Arrive
Mon 30th September 08:55

Travel Blogs & Photos
:: A six week journey
:: Edwin Moise Photos
:: Footsteps of Joseph Rock
:: Chine Ethnic
:: Claude Wadoux - Guizhou
:: Wangjianshuo's Blog
:: Holiday in West-China
:: Jay Hubert's Photos
:: Man Man Zou blog
:: Mr. Yau-Sun Tong's Photos
:: Peace on Earth - Miao Pics
:: Guizhou & Sichuan gallery
:: Panographic
World Heritage Tour

Festivals

Early August
At Leishan’s Lianhua, Qiaogang and Gaoyan village, ----the Miao Eating New Rice Festival,
Dancing with Lusheng and bronze drum, buffalo fighting

Late August
At Kaili’s Jiuzhai, Wanshui, Wengxiang, Kaihuai and Panghai villages - the Miao Eating New Rice
Singing and dancing with Lusheng, buffalo fighting and horses racing.

August 18
At Kaili’s Panghai village, the Lusheng Festival
Buffalo fighting, dancing with Lusheng and singing competition.

August 20 to 21
At Kaili’s Kaitang and Kaishao village, the Lusheng Festival
-buffalo fighting, dancing and singing competition.

September 11
At Sanjiang’s Baxie and Pingliu villages,
Guangxi -Buffalo fighting festival, dancing with Lusheng, buffalo fighting.

September 11
At Congjiang’s Luoxiang village, the Dong’s Lusheng Festival
-playing Lusheng and singing Dong Chorus.

Sept 13
Mid-Autumn Festival - the moon Festival

A few words & phrases
l'eau bouillie chaude (kai shui)