September 20‐27, 2011

South of the Clouds lie the remains of a storied Buddhist kingdom. A land where deities intervened in lives of the locals‐ stories that formed the basis for some of China's most treasured fables. It was here, some 1,300 years ago, that Hindu and southeast Asian cultures collided with the burgeoning wealth of the Nan Zhao Kingdom to form some of China's most unique iconography‐ a true blending of South and East Asian traditions. It was also in these mountains, south of the clouds, where the Dali culture thrived for some 600 years before finally succumbing to Kublai Khan in the 1300s.

Come join us on a bicycle exploration of the diverse cultures and stunning scenery of northwest Yunnan. We will traverse bucolic paths alongside the ancient Tea Horse Road, stopping in old caravansary outside pristine tea plantations. Our journey will cross the Burma Road and over the former landing fields that serviced the famed Flying Tigers. The constant throughout our time together will be spontaneous exploration and adventure.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Guests will arrive in the early afternoon from their previous destination to Kunming airport. Guests should arrive by 1 PM; we will leave together for the Linden Centre at 2 PM. You will be met at the airport and taken 4.5 hours to Xizhou by private transportation. After check‐in, a personally guided walking of the Centre will lead into a cycling tour of the village and surrounding countryside and farmland highlighting the .

Day 2: The Dali Kingdom Marco Polo traveled to Dali in 1287 and called the area the "Switzerland of the East." He was not the first, nor the last, traveler to be enchanted by Dali's scenery and famed hospitality. Today we will meander along the base of the Cang Mountains and the western shores of Lake Er. We will visit numerous temples, including the colorful Ba Mu Si (Eight Mother Temple), and will be able to take stunning late afternoon shots of the Tang Dynasty Three Pagodas. The ethnicity of the villages we traverse will change regularly, captured most clearly by the alternating Buddhist, Taoist and Muslim religious sites. We will arrive in the old walled city of Dali, the former capital of the Dali Kingdom, in time for shopping, dinner and drinks on the infamous "Foreigner Street."

Day 3‐ Weishan: Birthplace of the Nanzhao Kingdom Today's cycling will take us through the heart of the Weishan valley. This 40 mile long basin was the early base of the Nan Zhao Kingdom. It currently is home to Yi, Bai and Hui ethnic groups. This area's isolation allowed it to avoid much of the destruction of eastern China, and many of Weishan's ancient buildings still remain intact. We will stop in a renowned Muslim caravansary, Dong Lian Hua, for lunch with some of the local children and have an escorted tour of the village's numerous protected complexes. We will visit the source of the Red River, which flows south for 730 miles before entering the Gulf of Tonkin outside of Hanoi, Vietnam. We will snake through the foothills inhabited by Yi villagers, stopping for tea and house visits, before having dinner outside Weishan's famous Ming Dynasty Drum Tower.

Day 4‐ Nanjian – A Contemporary Yi Community and Tea Plantation Following breakfast, we will head due south along the nascent waters of the Red River to the Yi County Seat of Nanjian. After dropping off our gear at the hotel, we will cycle in the shadow of the famed spiritual mountain, Wu Liang Shan, before climbing to one of the region's most famous tea plantations‐ Luo Bo Ke. Our close friend, Mr. Li, the owner of the plantation, will escort us through fields of green and Pu Er tea bushes. We will have a late lunch/early dinner in one of the plantations original structures before gliding back down to our hotel.

Day 5‐ Xiangyun‐ Burial Place of Nanzhao Kings Our early morning start will have us on the road to Xiang Yun, the former base of the Flying Tigers and major stop on the Tea Horse and Burma roads. We will travel north along a rushing stream before entering the fertile Xiangyun valley. Snaking between fields of tobacco and walnut groves, we will arrive in Shuimu Shan‐ one of Yunnan's earliest Daoist retreats, where the cremated remains of Nanzhao’s kings are rumoured to remain. The ancient village of Xiangyun is home to the Tea Horse Road's largest caravansary and a museum documenting the exploits of the Flying Tigers‐ who were based here during WWII. We can even head out onto the plain that served as the landing strip for the famed pilots. We will make the short trip back to Dali 50km away for dinner and a foot massage.

Day 6‐ The Eastern shore of Erhai Lake Today we will journey along the eastern shore of the pristine alpine lake, Erhai. Erhai, with takes its name from the Chinese word for 'ear' because of its shape, is China's sixth largest lake with a length of over 25 miles. Its waters are fed by 18 streams flowing down from the neighboring 13,000 foot high Cang Shan mountain chain, and it rushes southwest from Dali to enter the Mekong River. After leaving Xiaguan at the Erhai's southern port, we will pass a number of temples as well as the renowned altar to Guanyin on Putuo Island. The 19 peaks of the Cangshan chain will remain to our West throughout today's ride, and their reflection in Erhai is one of the most photographed scenes of the Dali region. We will also end our trip in Shuanglang‐ a former fishing village that is quickly becoming a second home site for leading Chinese cultural figures, including the beautiful dancer‐ Yang Liping. We will travel across the width of Erhai by ferry and make the short ride back to the Linden Centre in time for our farewell dinner.

Day 7‐ Departure After breakfast, The Linden Centre will arrange for transport to the Kunming airport for guest to board their departing flights.

Linden Centre Itinerary 2011