42 | YUNNAN PROVINCE
YUNNAN PROVINCE
e most diverse province in all China,
uncover superlative sights and cultural contrasts
PAGES 42 - 47
A GLIMPSE OF THE SIGNATURE
EXPERIENCES THAT AWAIT
Visit the amazing Stone Forest, an enormous
collection of karst rock pillars towering skywards.
Drive out of Lijiang to the Jade Dragon Snow
Mountain, where you'll have the opportunity to ride a
cable car up to the Yunshan Ping viewing platform.
Visit the gilded copper Songzanlin Monastery,
which can be seen from miles away shining in the
sun, built between 1679 and 1681.
Get up close to the loveable Giant Panda and
learn about the breeding program at the Chengdu
Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Worlds apart from the towering skylines of Beijing
and Shanghai, Yunnan's magical landscapes and
welcoming hill tribes offer a distinctive experience,
setting the scene for the ideal adventure. The region's
uniqueness stems from a glorious mountainous
countryside where localised cultures have formed
over centuries, and traditions differ greatly from
valley to valley. The endemic nature of the region's
28 ethnic groups has led to unique culinary traditions
and cultural practices, many that exist nowhere else in
the world. Bordering the tropical paradises of South
East Asia to the south, the mountains of Tibet to the
north, and China's river plains to the east, this diverse
Provence lends itself to a plethora of wildlife and
landscapes. Let APT's expert guides lead you through
this timeless land, home to the endangered panda.
