Ladder to the Moon: A Nine-Day Epic of Terraces and Ethnic Cultures

$3,899.00

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Overview

This is a profound pilgrimage measured by the footprints you leave on the land. While most tour groups snap photos from viewing platforms, we invite you to live within the very capillaries of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Over nine days and nights, you will participate in the full cycle of a rice-farming civilization. Follow a Hani priest through sacred forests, sing under the moonlight with the Sani people (a branch of the Yi ethnicity), and finally, amidst the steam whistle of the historic Yunnan-Vietnam metre-gauge railway, understand how multiple ethnic groups have woven a rich tapestry of life upon this land.

Tour Highlights

Seven-Day Rice Farming Cycle Immersion. Participate in the complete Hani rice farming calendar, from rituals honouring the seedling god and the ceremonial start of planting to weeding. Personally place a family-marked wooden water divider into the terraces, deciphering the millennia-old wisdom behind this traditional water management system.
Three-Ethnicity Cultural Fusion Banquet. Attend a grand "Long-Street Banquet" in a century-old French-style station building along the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, featuring Hani, Yi, and Dai cultures. Savour Hani smoked meat, Yi lamb stew, and Dai pineapple rice, experiencing ethnic harmony through impromptu polyphonic folk song performances.
Ailaoshan Trek to the Sacred Spring Source. Trek through pristine forests led by descendants of hunters to find the sacred spring that nourishes the terraces. Participate in a purification ritual under a waterfall and learn the ancient skill of channeling mountain spring water using bamboo tubes.
Consecutive Workshops with Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritors. Spend three days immersed in different heritage workshops: Learn to chant excerpts from the Hani creation epic from a Bimo (ritual specialist); weave a traditional "rainbow waistband" in a Sani Yi home; fire water pots using ancient techniques with Dai potters.
Moving Classroom on the Métre-Gauge Railway. Journey through parallel river gorges aboard the Yunnan-Vietnam metre-gauge train, transforming your carriage into a mobile cultural salon. A railway expert explains the history of this century-old line, with stops at normally inaccessible stations, sipping Yunnan coffee on a French-style platform.

Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrive in Kunming | Cultural Preparation

Airport pickup and visit to the Southwest Associated University Museum to understand Yunnan's multicultural foundation.
Welcome dinner featuring Cross-Bridge Rice Noodles Banquet. Cultural advisor presents an "Ethnic Migration Map" sandbox.Check into a literature-themed hotel by Green Lake. Evening reading of "Impressions of Yunnan" manuscripts.

Day 2 | Crossing the Tropic of Cancer | First Encounter with the Terraces

4WD journey along the Ailao Mountains, collecting moss samples at 2200m altitude.
Visit a Hani "water master" family to learn how to read the terrace water system network.
Check into a renovated traditional Hani mushroom house. Listen to the "Migration Epic" over tea by the fireplace.

Day 3 | Rice Farming Civilization Day | From Rituals to Ploughing

Participate in the pre-dawn "Seedling God Ritual," tying red strings to seedlings for blessings.
Change into Hani linen clothes, experience ploughing with buffalo, and learn the secrets of water temperature regulation in the fields.
Afternoon bamboo tube rice cooking, sharing the first pot of new rice with villagers.

Day 4 | Ailaoshan Trek | Tracing the Hidden Map

8km trek through primary forest, brewing tea with spring water collected on banana leaves.
Learn how to set animal traps with vines during a cliff-cave lunch.
Evening session with a Bimo priest learning about the Hani calendar and cosmology.

Day 5 | Sani Yi People | Ashima Under the Moonlight

Transfer to a Yi village near Stone Forest, experience fire-grass weaving.
Learn to sing excerpts from the Ashima narrative epic and participate in moonlight singing.
Dinner featuring Yi lamb stew, learning the traditional three-stringed dance around a bonfire.

Day 6 | Dai Water Culture | Pottery and Water Blessings

Travel to a Dai village in the Red River Valley, learn slow-wheel pottery and well-lattice carving.
Participate in a "Water Blessing Ceremony" under a banyan tree, prepare banana leaf-wrapped grilled dishes.
Overnight in a Dai stilted house, listening to stories of the Lancang River from the grandfather.

Day 7 | Meter-Gauge Railway | A Conversation Across Time

Ride the Yunnan-Vietnam meter-gauge train with expert commentary on the engineering marvel of the Rendez-vous Bridge.
Afternoon tea on the French-style platform at Bisezhai Station, tasting railway coffee and Rushan cheese.
Visit a railway worker's home for a dinner featuring Sino-French Yunnan cuisine.

Day 8 | Intangible Cultural Heritage Day | Resonance of Three Epics

Morning: Record the recitation of the Hani creation epic "Woguoceniguo."
Afternoon: Learn the Yi ancient song "Meige," try on traditional bride's attire.
Evening: Attend a three-ethnicity song gathering, improvise multi-part harmonies.

Day 9 | Farewell Ceremony | Planting Your Spirit in the Sea of Clouds

Participate in a "Harvest Preview" ceremony at dawn, scattering multicolored grains.
On the return journey, work on a personal travel documentary edited by the photography mentor.
Receive a NIA learning certificate and a custom-made ebony water divider. Transfer to Kunming airport.

What's Included

Hotels are included in the itinerary.
China's domestic flights/trains are specified in the itinerary.
Entrance fees.
Meals are detailed in the itinerary.
Private transfers.
Private English-speaking guide and driver.
Service charges and taxes.

Notes

The itinerary outlined above can be customized to align with your personal interests and preferences. Please feel free to share your thoughts with us, and we will gladly make the necessary adjustments.
Pricing is subject to change based on the itinerary, activities, travel season, number of participants, and hotel selection. We provide accommodations across all levels for our tours, including renowned 5-star hotel chains and well-located 4-star hotels at various destinations.

Service Standards

Each tour is strictly limited in guest numbers to ensure privacy and a highly customized itinerary. A senior Dedicated Travel Consultant will accompany you throughout the journey, providing expert guidance and facilitating a deeper immersion into the local culture.

Each accommodation is meticulously selected to reflect the unique character of its location. Options include boutique design hotels with distinctive views, authentic local residences offering genuine hospitality, and characteristic heritage hotels steeped in regional history.

To enrich your journey, we provide a Curated Travel Resource Library, containing detailed maps, cultural background readings, and introductions to the natural environment, transforming your travel into an ongoing cultural exploration.

Upon completion of the itinerary, you will receive a uniquely crafted "Cultural Keepsake Box." This carefully prepared gift contains symbolic local products, serving as a cherished memento of your journey.

This is more than just a trip; it is an immersive exploration of local culture. Through interactions with intangible cultural heritage inheritors, participation in traditional handicraft workshops, and experiences of local festivals and activities, we enable you to truly step into the lives of local people and feel the pulse of their culture.

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