Lake LuguLake Lugu sparkles like a jewel on the borderbetween Yunnan province and neighbouringSichuan. At 2,685 metres the air is clear and the views pristine. The lake is home to the Mosu people, one of the world's last practisingmatriarchal societies. There are numerous villagesdotted around the lake, one or two of which arestarting to attract Chinese visitors. We suggeststaying in one of the quieter villages, where thereare simple guesthouses with en suite facilities.Once at the lake we can arrange gentle walks to other Mosu villages in the area, trips to localmarkets, boat trips on the lake in a traditionaldugout canoe, or you can just relax and take inthe beautiful views. This area is remote andunspoilt by development, for now. The journeywinding through the mountains from Lijiang is aspectacular one, with a good paved road.Yuanyang and the south of YunnanIn the southeast of Yunnan you pass through one of China's most dramatic landscapes. Sculptedrice terraces cling to the undulating hillsides, theirglittering waters dancing with the brilliant reflectedsunlight. This is the remote area of Yuanyang,home to the Hani people whose distinctivetriangular thatched homes are clustered in villageswhich are fascinating to visit. To the southwest is the region of Xishuangbanna, with its capitalJinghong. The name Xishuangbanna derives fromthe Thai 'Sip Sawng Panna', meaning the '12 Rice-Growing Districts', demonstrating the cultural andgeographical links between this part of China andits neighbours. There are countless colourfultemples to visit on the roads between Menghai,Mengla and Menghun, with plenty of opportunitiesto drop in at local markets and minority villages togain an insight into the people and the cultures ofthis remote and unique part of China.Overland journeys from YunnanFor the adventurous, there are numerouspossibilities for overland journeys from or toYunnan province. Travel to Lake Lugu fromXichang in Sichuan province, passing remote,untouched villages. Alternatively, the journey fromZhongdian to Tibet is for the more hardenedtraveller, but you will be rewarded withspectacular scenery. A more popular overlandjourney is to travel south through Yunnan andcross the border into Vietnam. There are alsooptions to travel along the historic World War IIsupply route, the Burma Road, into Burma, or tocross into Laos at the border in theXishuangbanna region.www.audleytravel.com/china ?01993 838 220 ?China35Lake LuguLige village, Lake LuguRice terraces, YuanyangLocal market, Menghun

Yunnan DiscoveredThis 14 day trip takes you to some of the mainhighlights of pretty Yunnan province, including Dali,Lijiang, and the Tibetan town of Zhongdian, as well as exploring some of the minority villages in the region.Day 1Fly to Hong Kong overnight.Day 2Arrive into Hong Kong in themorning and connect with a flight to Kunming.Day 3Drive or fly to Dali, with the rest ofthe day to relax.Day 4Explore Dali's old town, as well asthe Three Pagodas, which overlookthe town.Day 5Take a cruise on Lake Erhai.Day 6Drive out to the village of Shaxi,passing through pretty ruralcountryside on the way.Day 7Spend time in the village, beforedriving further north to Lijiang,stopping off at the holy Buddhistmountain of Shibaoshan on the way.Day 8Spend the morning exploring Lijiang'sold town. In the afternoon strollaround the picturesque Black Dragon Pond.Day 9Take in the views from the JadeDragon Mountain. In the afternoonstop off in the small village of Baishato see some ancient frescos.Day 10Drive on to Zhongdian, stopping atthe spectacular Tiger Leaping Gorgeon the way.Day 11Visit the Songzanlin Monastery before taking a walk in the hillsoutside Zhongdian.Day 12See the pretty monastery ofDhondrupling; on the way back stopoff in a Tibetan village for a cup ofyak butter tea.Day 13Fly back to Hong Kong via Kunming,where you connect with your UK flight.Day 14Early morning arrival in London.When to go??The best time to travel.?A good time to travel, but there may be some factors to be aware of.~Travel is possible, but this is not the best time of year.?Travel is not recommended.Yunnan has a diverse climate to match its diversegeography. Dali, and especially Lijiang, tend toreceive a lot of rain from June to mid-September,so spring and autumn are the best times of yearto visit. Zhongdian, in the north can be chilly inthe months of April and September, and issnowbound over the winter months. Visits to thesouth are possible at any time of year, though inthe summer months it will be hot and sticky withrain. The rice terraces of Yuanyang are at theirmost spectacular between December andFebruary, when there is no rice growing.Time difference:GMT+7 hoursFlight time from UK:10 hoursBeach extensionsIf you're looking to finish your trip to China withsome time to relax on a beach, there are anumber of options. China's tropical island ofHainan is easily accessible, with direct flights fromKunming. Alternatively, the beaches of Thailandcan be reached via Hong Kong.PricesWe offer trips to cater for a wide range ofbudgets. You can find up-to-date guideline prices for your trip to China on our website,alternatively please call our specialists to discuss your plans.36JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec~~??????????????~Tailoring your tripThe itineraries shown are designed to give you aflavour of what is possible, and are routes thatwork particularly well. We can use these as abasis to plan your trip or can design a completelydifferent itinerary to suit your tastes and interests.Please call one of our China specialists to startplanning your itinerary.Telephone: 01993 838 220Getting aroundFlights to the region all go through Kunming, theprovincal capital, connecting on to the rest ofChina, including Hong Kong. Within Yunnan, wegenerally make use of a private car to enjoy thefantastic scenery. Roads within and between themain cities are of good quality, well maintainedand smooth. The more remote you get the morethe roads deteriorate, but new roads are beingbuilt all the time, and for most destinationsmentioned here, roads are of a reasonable quality.Two generations of Naxi women, LijiangChildren playing, KunmingZhongdianKunmingShaxiLijiangDaliTiger Leaping GorgeCHINABURMA