Yunnan Mar06

Yong Lee Min wishes to thank Lee Eng Cheow (babalee@streamyx.com) for this writeup. It great to read about the trip from the participant perspective.

Group Photo at the Tiger Leaping Gorge / Springl snows on the TLG mountains

DAY 1, Friday 24 March - KLIA TO KUNMING

6.30 am and an intrepid bunch of folks met at KLIA to check in for the trip. There were 11 of us excluding tour leader Lee Min: 5 gals – Sam, Suan, Poh, Su and Karen and 6 guys – Alan, Kim Seng, and the gang of 4 from Melaka (Watson, Weng, Raymond and yours truly EC). Suan and Sam are the veteran Yongo'ers, this being their 3rd and 2nd trip with Lee Min respectively.

We landed in Kunming at about 2.30 pm on Thai Airways transiting through Bangkok and were met by the local guide, Jonathan. Checked into the Camelia Hotel and the entire group went for a walk to the Bird & Flower open air market where some members bought walking sticks, torchlights etc before leaving for dinner.

9.00 pm checked out of hotel and left for Lijiang in a sleeper bus. Most of us had no inkling what was in a sleeper bus and were surprised at the rows of bunks erected within the bus. The pong from the shoes and feet of the passengers and the thought of laying down next to a stranger was certainly a surprise. Talk about having strange bedfellows!

DAY 2, Saturday 25 March - LIJIANG

Arrived at Lijiang bus station at 6.15 am and were met by local guide Ms Zhang HongJuan (Juan). Checked into the Freeman Inn in the Old City. After a short rest, the day was spent in exploring the World Heritage town, a large Naxi settlement first built during the Southern Song Dynasty some eight centuries ago. A walk up to a tea house located on the highest point in the town was rewarded with a good view of the roof tops of the old buildings as well as a clear view of the Yulong Xueshan (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain).

On Lee Min's expert advice, some members bought fleece jackets, wind stoppers and other trekking apparel from an outdoor shop in the town.

After dinner some members went for the Naxi music performance in the old town theatre. A walk to a street where patrons engage in singing contests across a canal is an eye opener.

Flower Market Kunming / Snow-covered Deqin

DAY 3, Sunday 26 March – Zhongdian & Deqin (El. 3550m)

7.00 am. Loaded our luggages on to tricycles for a short trip through the narrow streets of the old city to the meeting point of the SUVs (4WD vehicles) for the journey to Zhongdian and Deqin. Its certainly much easier than lugging them on our backs! We left Lijiang at about 8.30 am and stopped for lunch at Benzilan, a small town on the road from Zongdian to Deqin. The local food of mainly vegetables and meat was fresh but as usual the health concious group had to remind the kitchen to go easy on the salt and oil. Prices were reasonable costing about 10 to 12 yuan each.

The journey to Deqin was scenic passing through mountain ranges with elevations of up to 4292 m at the highest point. Views of the Baimang and Meili snow mountains were observed in the distance. It was cold and snowing at the higher elevations above 3500m. all the way to Deqin.

We reached the Nanka hotel in Deqin at about 7.00pm. The temperature was at -9° C and it was a shivering group that ran from the SUVs to the hotel lobby. The rooms in the hotel were large and comfortable and after a quick washup, it was dinner in a restaurant nearby. Due to the cold weather members opted for hot pots of either beef or chicken. Beef was apparently cheaper and generous helpings of the meat were served but members who opted for chicken had to contend with tiny pieces of meat in the soup. Cost of dinner was about 25 yuan each.

DAY 4, Monday 27 March – Deqin to Zongdian (El. 3300m)

Raymond and EC (writer) was up at 5.30 am to catch the sunrise over the Meili Snow Mountains but was unsuccessful due to cloud cover. The weather was terribly cold and it started snowing at 6.00am. and it snowed and snowed.

The programme for the day was to trek up to the Minyong Glacier and to stay another night in Deqin. However at 9.00am when all members were up, it was decided to cancel the day's activities and to depart to Zhongdian as the mountain pass would likely be rendered impassible and closed due to the continuous snow. Some members of the group were also suffering from nausea, headaches and sleeplessness due to the effects of the high altitude and were in no mood to do any trekking for the day.

The journey out of Deqin was an adventure in itself. The snow had covered the mountain road and made it very slippery. The SUVs had to stop along the way to fix snow chains onto the rear tyres for better traction. The journey was slow due to the road condition and also delays were encountered when other vehicles had to be dug out after slipping into deep snow. The journey was an experience for most of the group not having been caught in a snow blizzard before!

We finally reached Benzilan at 5.00pm for a very late lunch after which it was on to Zongdian stopping along the way to visit the `Omega' Bend where the Jinsha river mades a `U' turn from the north-west direction to the north-east direction to the Yangtze river. Reached Zongdian and checked into the Du Ke Zong Old Town Hotel at 9.00pm. It was a very long day and for most of us it was a quick wash and bed without supper.

DAY 5, Tuesday 28 March – Zhongdian (Shangrila !)

Breakfast in Zongdian was very good and cheap. A meal of noodles, dumplings, `sui kow' and fresh milk for 4 only cost 7 yuan each. The day's programme included a visit to the Bita Lake. It is located in the Bitahai Lake Scenic Resort, a 1,418-hectare nature reserve at an altitude of 3,539 metres and 25 kilometres east of Zhongdian County. The Bitahai Lake, in the heart of the nature reserve, covers 166 hectares with an average depth of 20 metres. The entrance fee of 60 yuan includes a shuttle bus trip from the entrance to the lake. Wooden walkways had been constructed for visitors to walk around the lake. The scenery was not outstanding and apart from the cool weather, nothing much to draw the attention of visitors.

The group had much more fun soaking in a high altitude hot spring after the visit to Bitahai lake. This was a private pool and an entrance fee was charged. There was also a public pool located about 500m away where the locals soak in and also open to visitors who are not too concerned about their modesty or the lack of it (topless Tibetan ladies). Lunch was taken at the restaurant at the poolside.

A Tibetan song and dance performance was held at night at a cost of 50 yuan each. The performance was enjoyable but the tidbits provided could not compensate for dinner and the group left early to look for food in the town.

DAY 6, Wednesday 29 March – Zhongdian – Tiger Leaping Gorge

Left early in the morning for Songzalin Monastery, the largest Tibetan temple in Yunnan which was built in the Ming Dynasty. The early morning light and misty atmosphere made for very scenic photographs of the temple and its surroundings. Had breakfast of noodles, bean curd drink and fritters in the local market after visiting the temple.

Left for Qiaotou at 11.00am. Had lunch in a local restaurant and commenced the trek to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Lee Min had arranged for the main luggage to be stored in a hotel while the 3-day packs were loaded onto horses for the trek. Some members of the group opted to ride on horseback rather than walking along the trail.

The trek to the Naxi Family Guesthouse took about 2 hours, an ascent of 375m (El.1835m at Qiaotou to El. 2210m at Naxi house) arriving at about 5.00pm. After a short rest most had a good wash and shower though the hot water was inconsistent. The breathtaking view of the sun setting behind the Yulong Snow Mountains more than compensated for the minor inconveniences. Dinner was a 15-course spread of home cooked food at 15 yuan per pax.

Biggest Tibetan Prayer Wheel / Morning at Songzalin Tibetan Monastery

DAY 7, Thursday 30 March – Tiger Leaping Gorge

After a good breakfast of noodles, pancakes and eggs, the next stretch of the trek commenced at 9.15am. This was reportedly the more strenuous part of the trek. However all the members crossed the 28 bends and reached the peak (El. 2670m) in over an hour at 10.20am. Another 2 hours walk reached the Tea Horse Trading Guest House (El. 2323m), the resting place for the day. For most of the guys (read Melaka gang) the beer had never tasted so good!

The afternoon was spent doing washing and just lazing on the terrace enjoying the cool air and the magnificient view of the mountains. Lunch and dinner was as usual good home cooked food for 15 yuan per pax.

An Englishman working in Australia, Dr Chris Kirtley (Chris) met the group at the Guest House and on Lee Min's invitation, decided to join us for the trek and also for the next few days of the tour.

DAY 8, Friday 31 March – Tiger Leaping Gorge & Lijiang

Left the Tea Horse Guest House at 9.00 am for a slow descendingl trek to Tina's Guest House. The route was scenic all the way passing through BenDiWan village and magnificent views of the Haba Snow Mountains. The GuanYin waterfall, the presence of the 5 finger mountain and the deep gorge along the route not only made for breathtaking photos but fill most of us with awe and wonder at the marvels of nature.

Tina's guest house (El. 2000m) was reached at noon where it was more beer for the guys followed by lunch at the restaurant. The SUV's and the drivers were already waiting at the Guest house and after lunch it was on the road again to Lijiang after picking up the left luggages at Qiaotou.

Reached Lijiang at about 5.30pm and the SUV's and the drivers ended their duty and left the group. Checked into the Freeman Inn again in the Old City. The group was treated by Lee Min to a `dip-dip' meal for dinner in a market near the old city. Food was fresh and tasty but the local chilli was hot! Cheers to Yongo!

DAY 9, Saturday 1 st April – Lijiang – Lugu Lake (El. 2685m)

Left for Lugu lake (300 km from Lijiang) in a chartered bus at 8.00 am after breakfast. Had a photostop along the way for a view of 18 bends of the road snaking down th mountain to a valley below. The bus encountered a mechanical problem along the way but the resourceful driver managed to carry out the necessary repairs and got it going after 40mins or so.

Lunch was at a restaurant located in a town called Ning Lang. The food was as usual good and very reasonable (18 yuan each). We reached Lugu Lake and checked into the Gewa Hotel located on the lakeside at 4.30pm.

Lugu lake, surrounded by mountains has an area of 52 sq. km (12,480 acres) and an average depth of 40m.It is the highest and second deepest lake in Yunnan and is known not only for its beautiful scenery but also because of the matriarchal system of the Musuo minority in the region.

The rooms in Gewa hotel are comfortable but the hotel appears to be served only by a caretaker, his wife and one other worker. The kitchen is not well stocked and only serves a limited choice of food.

The group attended a bonfire and Naxi dance performance at night after which the gang of 4 from Melaka (Watson, Raymond, Weng & EC) together with Chris, Lee Min and Juan went for a pre-ordered meal of roasted piglet. The guys had expected the roast to be like that served in restaurants back home but it did not turn out that way. The local way of cooking was to roast the piglet not to the stage when the skin turned crispy but to a stage when its only half cooked. The meat was then cut into pieces and served to customers who will further heat and cook it on a hot plate at the table – more like a teppanyaki meal in a Japanese restaurant. The meal was a disappointment as not only was the piglet was very fatty but the roasting over the hot plate at the table resulted in very badly burnt and inedible meat. The accepted cost of the piglet was 400yuan as ordered however the side orders of raw vegetables, potatoes, beancurd were charged at 20yuan for a small plate each. This was extremely high by any standard and a ripoff. OK so we got gypped but then one has to pay for experience (some consolation!) and we certainly do not recommend it to future Yongo tours.

(Leemin writes - agrees that we were BBQed together with the piglet. Yongo wanted to stay in smaller Lige Village instead of touristic Luoshui, where the package tourists go. Lige is undergoing renovations since 2005 and expected to finish in Jun 06).

Young mother Yi-minority / Elder Yi-minority / Naxi in Lugu Lake

DAY 10, Sunday 2 st April – Lugu Lake & Environs

The day is spent driving around the lakeside. After a breakfast of porridge and mantou in the hotel, we left in the bus to Dazu which is a Naxi village. People here are friendly and we were invited to visit some Naxi homes. A climb to the hill behind the village afforded a stunning view of the lake. The beauty and tranquilty of the lake made some very reluctant to leave the area.. Lunch was in a restaurant recommended by a Taiwanese volunteer teacher in the Village who not only invited the group to the school but also served the members with cakes, tea eggs and other tid bits.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped and visited Lige island, a Mosuo village where some of the houses had been converted into guest houses with good views of the lake.

DAY 11, Monday 3 st April – Lugu Lake – Lijiang

Checked out of Gewa Hotel and left Lugu lake at 9.00am stopping at NingLang town for lunch. A visit to the town market, where the sight of Yi minority folks in their traditional kite-like hats and gypsy-like coloured attire, make for very good pictures. Lee Min was very busy clicking away at all the sights.

Reached Freeman Inn, Lijiang at 6.00 pm. Juan recommended the group to try a popular dish of waxed pork ribs at a local market located a distance away from the hotel. The shop is located in a place called Elephant Hill (Xiang Shan Shi Chang). We were the only foreign tourist in the shop and had a fantastic meal of ribs, vegs, bean curds etc for only 15 yuan each pax and that includes a second serving of ribs. The only sore point of the meal was that Su got separated from the group and only joined the meal after Sam looked and found her at the entrance to the market. Not surprisingly, she did'nt have much of an appetite after that experience, despite the tasty food on the table.

DAY 12, Tuesday 4 st April – Lijiang – Dali (El. 1974m)

We have a free morning after breakfast. The group was scheduled for a bicycle ride to the Baisha Old Town but some members were not keen and also due to shortage of time it was shelved. Lee Min, Watson, Raymond and EC left in a taxi to visit the Shuhe Old Town which together with Baisha are another two places protected as "the world culture heritage site" in the Old Town of Lijiang. The other members of the group either relaxed in the hotel or went out shopping.

Shuhe was built along the mountainside and faces the river. There are two rivers on each side of it that go through the whole, village. Channels were dug so that the water would pass by each house. Rivers, channels and roads make a dense web and link the town in a tight structure just like a honeycomb. People use stones in the nearby mountains to make the walls of their houses. Compared to those in the ancient old town, the houses here are even more natural.

After lunch the group prepared to leave for Dali at 2.00pm. Juan had arranged for pedal carts to transport the luggages out to the bus station located on the fringe of the old city. However the carts did not turn up and all luggages had to be hand carried to the bus. Some members lost their way in the labyrinth of old cobbled streets and Lee Min received more than an earful after searching and leading them to the bus which finally left for Dali at 3.00pm.

Reached Dali and checked into the Yu Yuan Hotel at 6.00pm. The rooms were large and comfortable and the hotel boasted of free laundry and free internet services. A dinner of fish soup and vegetables in the old city soothed the nerves and aching muscles. Walking and window shopping in the old city after dinner was a pleasant experience in the cool of the evening.

DAY 13, Wednesday 5 st April – Dali

The Ancient Town of Dali was first built in 1683, in the 15th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty. It lies nestled in the arms of the enormous Cangshan Mountain, and surrounded by a wall eight meters high and 3.5 kilometers in circumference. Featuring stone walls, grey-tiled roofs, doors and windows carved with dragon and phoenix patterns, and gardens of varying sizes, the dwellings of Dali have an air of classic sanctity. The entire city is covered by a maze of streams, fed by runoffs from the Cangshan Mountain.

The day was spent bussing around Erhai lake (Translated - Ear shaped sea). The lake has an area of 250 square kilometres at an elevation of 1,980 meters and a storage capacity of 300,000 cubic meters. of water. The vast body of water shines under the sun like a sheet of vivid green while the snowy peaks of the Cangshan Mountain are reflected in its quivering surface.

Photo stops were made along the way at Xiao Pu Tuo with a moon gate bridge and a temple on an island and at Wase in the midst of a marketing day (held once in five days). The Bai minority market was typical of a farmers' market with farm produce, farming utensils and local handicrafts on display. Some members took the oppurtunity to have their bags and shoes stitched by the local cobblers at a cost of 2-3 yuan each.!

Lunch was at a ShuangLang village. Some opted for Muslim food of fish while others chose the local Chinese fare. A visit to a cloth dyeing factory at ZhouCheng was made on the way back to Dali.

After dinner it was window shopping again but generally the range of outdoor goods in Dali are not as varied as in Lijiang and with much higher prices.

DAY 14, Thursday 6 st April – Dali & Kunming

We return to Kunming today after saying good bye to petit (pretty!) local guide Juan and Chris who was such good company all along the way from the Tea Horse Guest House.

As we had to leave for Kunming at 7.00 am, Sam had very thoughtfully arranged for the delivery of dumplings to the hotel for the group's breakfast the previous night.

We left Dali at 7.35am and reached Kunming at 12.30 pm. Kunming guide Jonathan was at the station arranging for taxis to take us to the Camelia Hotel.

Lee Min recommended a lunch place serving 3 different types of noodles, chicken soup and two sweets for only 10 yuan each. It was really a surprise to enjoy such sumptious food at the price charged. Kudos to Yongo!

A visit to the famous Kunming flower market located near the restaurant was made after lunch. After that the group dispersed for some last minute shopping.

DAY 15, Friday 7 st April – HOME

Had buffet breakfast in the hotel and it was a change from the noodles and mantou of the previous 2 weeks.

Departed for Kunming airport at 12.30pm for return trip back home via Bangkok. Flight TG 419 arrived at KLIA at 10.20 pm.

It had been a fabulous 2 weeks; good trek, breathtaking scenery, fine weather (other than the first 2 days), great travelling companions – what more could one ask for except to scout for another trip with YONGO!!

Guest house at Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek / "Boss" at the TLG viewpoint

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