Name: Guizhou: A Land Stitched in Time
Brand: WildChina
SKU: 1

Nestled in the remote mountains of Guizhou, the region’s colorful minority cultures were, until recently, cut off from the outside world. Today, their timeless heritage lives on, from their music to the histories stitched onto their clothes. Explore the Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks, hike to the summit of Guizhou’s highest mountain, and meet people who are worth stitching into your own memories.

About this Journey

Guizhou may be one of the poorest provinces in China, but it is remarkably rich in minority culture and natural beauty. This southwestern province is home to several minorities, including many types of Miao as well as the Yi and Buyei people, each with their own special clothing, customs, and language. Guizhou’s natural beauty ranges from jutting karst peaks and gushing waterfalls to river gorges and azalea gardens. On this trip, discover the hidden side of Guizhou: wander inside a cave village, visit a floating stone forest, enjoy a Buyei musical performance, and indulge in some bird watching at a nature reserve.

What we love

Hiking through terraced hills to sunrise coffee above the local village
Learning white batik techniques from Baisha’s goose-feather artists
Learning about the several different groups of Miao from Black Miao to Large Flowery Miao

Map

Itinerary

Day 1Guiyang - Kaili

Step off the plane in Guiyang and meet your local WildChina guide in the airport arrivals hall. They’ll be waiting to welcome you and will have your private vehicle on standby, ready to take you to Kaili • Get your first taste of Miao minority culture with a local meal highlighting the Miao’s tendency toward sour flavors, including the famous “sour fish” hot pot.

Meals included: dinner

Day 2Kaili and nearby villages

Moving deeper into unpaved territory, set out on a ~1-hour drive bound for Leishan County, the heartland of the Long-Skirt Miao people • Trek from Baiyan to Taoyao through terraced fields and waterfalls, meeting ethnic minority villagers in a rarely seen corner of rural China • Refuel with authentic local flavors at a Leishan eatery • Unravel Datang Village’s mysteries—from 10cm Ming-era skirts to stilted granaries—where the Short-Skirt Miao defy modern conventions • In Paika, witness bamboo lusheng pipe-making and spontaneous concerts celebrating the Long-Skirt Miao’s ancient musical heritage.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 3Kaili and nearby villages

Set off for Fan Pai Village, a ~1-hour drive from Kaili • Discover the understated elegance of the Black Miao (Hmu) people in Fan Pai, where indigo-dyed textiles and dark wooden stilt houses reveal a quieter side of Miao culture during a hands-on dyeing workshop • Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch of locally-sourced organic produce in Fan Pai Village • Set out for Wangba, a sleepy village inhabited by the Gejia people, where women craft mesmerizing batik art with beeswax and indigo in a village frozen in time.

Meals included: breakfast, and lunch

Day 4Kaili - Dali Dong Village

Journey three hours from Kaili into Guizhou’s lush hills to reach the wooden stilt houses of Dali Dong Village • Taste the Dong’s legendary “Vintage Fish” consisting of a whole fish banquet traditional to the Dong people • Follow village elder Lao Yang through Dali’s timber bridges and granaries, culminating in a rare government-approved Dong bonfire ceremony with dancing and reed-pipe music • Dine under the stars by Dali’s towering Drum Tower, toasting with Dong elders over fiery rice wine and polyphonic folk songs.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 5Dali Dong Village

Learn Dong’s luminous soybean-dye techniques, a striking contrast to Fan Pai’s dark indigo, as local artisans demonstrate their delicate textile craftsmanship from vat to finished fabric • Visit the river-stone textile center where Dong women transform ancient indigo traditions into contemporary designs through a groundbreaking social enterprise preserving their cultural heritage • Hike through terraced hills above Dali for breathtaking valley views, then feast on a mountainside barbecue amidst the clouds • Gain rare insight into Dong spirituality through an intimate audience with the village shaman • Experience a UNESCO-recognized wonder as the Dong choir’s a cappella polyphony • Share a homemade feast with the village leader, discussing grassroots development initiatives over steaming bowls of sour fish soup and rice wine.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 6Dali Dong Village to Congjiang

Follow ancient footpaths through the Dong’s sacred hills at sunrise with a coffee break atop the ridges • Wind through Guizhou’s emerald valleys during the 1.5-hour journey to the legendary musketeer village • Enjoy your lunch in Rongjiang • Meet China’s last legal gun-owning tribe, where men sport ceremonial topknots and craft gunpowder at home, while women master rare white batik techniques using goose feathers • Drive to Congjiang and rest in your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast and lunch

Day 7 Congjiang - Guiyang

Your WildChina guide will escort you to Guiyang and help you check in for your flight home.

Hotels

Hampton by Hilton, Kaili

5 star

The Hampton by Hilton in Kaili blends Guizhou hospitality with home-like comforts.

The Well House Boutique Hotel, Dali Dong Village

Local Boutique

Designed by ATLAS, this hotel combines the local architecture traditions with modern elements to make for a cultural yet comfortable stay.

Xinxiang Songlai Grand Hotel, Congjiang

Local Boutique

The Congjiang Xinxiang Songlai Grand Hotel is the area’s leading hotel, known for its comfort and services.

Photos

Details

What’s Included

Services of an English-speaking WildChina guide
Accommodation based on double occupancy with breakfasts included
All overland transfers with private chauffeur and in-transport refreshments
Private chauffeur service to and from airport at start and end of your trip
All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary
Meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water

What’s Excluded

International and domestic flights, domestic trains, plus relevant taxes
Chinese tourist visa, which is required for most foreign passport holders
Travel and medical insurance
Meals, apart from those included in the itinerary, and alcohol
Expenses of a personal nature
Excursions and activities not included in the itinerary
Discretionary gratuities for guides and drivers

Next Steps

How do I book this tour?

Please use the inquiry form on the right-hand side of this page or email info@wildchina.com to get started. One of our travel designers will be in touch accordingly to start the process of planning your custom China trip!

What is the payment schedule?

1. Deposit:

Once you are ready to book, a $500 USD per person planning fee is required to begin reserving your arrangements. This will go towards your total trip costs and will be taken off your final balance amount.

2. Full payment:
Full trip payment will be requested 60 days prior to departure. If you’re booking within 60 days of your departure, you may be asked to pay make the full payment straight away.

Payments can be made via credit card, bank transfer, WeChat or Alipay.

What is your cancellation policy?

See our full booking conditions here.

Why WildChina

We’re on the ground with you

Our team of advisors will design every detail of the trip with you through close consultation, then orchestrate your entire journey while on the ground. We’re in the same time zone as you, so we can fulfill requests and handle issues without a hitch. With over 40 staff in Beijing and an expansive network of operational partners across the country, we have the manpower to ensure your journey is safe, reliable and comfortable from beginning to end.

Your trip, your way

Flexibility is our highest-ranking compliment. We pull off journeys for pioneers with a 6-hour layover to Hollywood’s elite, and everywhere in between. Our team regularly pulls off unprecedented logistical feats; nearly any time frame or budget is within our realm. No matter how you wish to experience China, we are here to bring that dream to life.

We embody passion

WildChina guides are carefully handpicked for their knowledge and charisma, then meticulously trained to maintain our exceptional service standards. They are expert storytellers and passionate natives of the regions where they guide, having the perfect combination of local insights and service know-how to bring you seamless once-in-a- lifetime moments all across China.

The little things, the big picture

Supporting inspired local economies allows you to experience the soul of the destination, while also protecting and cultivating China’s artisanal culture. From watching artisans hand make shoes in Yunnan, to picking organic vegetables for dinner on a local farm in Fujian, our tours are designed to showcase and protect China’s heritage, both natural and human.

Guizhou: A Land Stitched in Time

Have questions?