Our 2008 spring China tour will visit Yunnan Province of the China. Yunnan Province is the most southwest region of China bordering the countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Burma. It also borders Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhang Autonomous Region to the east, Chongqing and Sichuan to the north, and Tibet Autonomous Region to the northwest. Within these borders, Yunnan has a diverse topography that ranges from alpine mountain ranges to tropical rainforests and the greatest number of plant species in China. Yunnan, in Chinese, means “Beautiful Clouds in the South”.

Yunnan Province is endlessly fascinating. There are 25 different ethnic minorities in Yunnan, making it the most culturally diverse province in China. This multiplicity of cultures has endowed the province with a rich heritage that it shares with all who come to visit. There is always something wonderful to see and do here and you will find that Yunnan is a place that celebrates life.

The natural beauty of Yunnan Province defies description. It has mountain ranges and glaciers that are snow-capped all year round, deep virgin forests, lakes and hot springs, alpine landscapes, precipitous valleys, beautiful farmlands, mountain rivers and valley streams, floral splendor that blooms throughout the year, and vast skies with amazing clouds.

Until recent times most of Yunnan was not easily reachable as it was cut off from communication with the outside world by precipitous mountains. It now may be the last virgin land where one can observe cultures whose layers go back for thousands of years into the past. Visit Yunnan and be prepared to be enchanted.