|
Western China continues to be a mecca for plant explorers a century after George Forrest, Pere David and Joseph Rock travelled to those distant mountains in Yunnan. We will follow in their footsteps as we explore the Cangshan mountains from our base in Dali. Here we hope to see primulas, pleiones, iris, rhododendrons and deutzias in great profusion.
It's a short drive from Liiang to the Gang Ho Ba, where we'll spend two days looking for Meconopsis delavayi, Roscoea cautleoides, Stellera chamaejasme, Paeonia delavayi and Primula forrestii. The Zhongdian plateau is home to incarvilleas, gentians, cypripediums, podophyllum and mandragora. Rhododendrons carpet the plateau and yaks graze nearby.
Further north on Big Snow Mountain (Da Xue Shan) we hope to see two of the most sought after plants of the trip, Chionocharis hookeri and Rheum nobile. Finally from our base in Deqin, we'll spend two days on Bai Ma Shan. The mountain rises to almost 5500 metres, and on the slopes we should see lilies, fritillarias, corydalis and gentians, solmslaubachia and the much sought after Paraquilegia anemonoides.
Join us on this wonderful trip to an alluring region of unsurpassed splendour. |
|
| FACTS: |
| • | 19 days |
| • | Maximum of 18 participants |
| • | Start and finish in Kunming, China |
|
| HIGHLIGHTS: |
| • | Looking down on Erhai Lake from the Cangshan mountains |
| • | a meadow on Bai Ma Shan filled with Primula sikkimensis and Primula secundiflora |
| • | Stopping to photograph the Yangtze as it flows through the stark mountains close to Benzilan |
| • | Finding Paraquilegia anemonoides |
| • | Photographing Cypripedium flavum at Napa Hai |
| • | Seeing the Mingyong glacier from Bai Ma Shan |
|
| ACTIVITY LEVEL: |
| • | Easy to Moderate. We will sometimes be walking on rough or slippery ground as we will be in mostly mountainous terrain and will be walking uphill on occasion. Walking will always be at a slow pace, as there is so much to see. Sturdy hiking boots are recommended. You should consider bringing a collapsible walking stick or trekking pole to help keep your balance in some of the areas we'll be walking. If you have any concerns about being able to participate in this trip, please contact our office for further information. |
|
|
|
| ITINERARY IN BRIEF: |
| Day 1: |
|
Arrive in Kunming |
| Day 2: |
|
Fly to Dali |
| Day 3: |
|
Lower Cangshan Mountains |
| Day 4: |
|
Higher Cangshan Mountains |
| Day 5: |
|
Lijiang |
| Day 6: |
|
Gang Ho Ba |
| Day 7: |
|
Baishui Valley |
| Day 8: |
|
Tiger Leaping Gorge, Zhongdian |
| Day 9: |
|
Napa Hai |
| Day 10: |
|
Tianchi Lake |
| Day 11: |
|
Wengshui |
| Day 12: |
|
Da Xue Shan |
| Day 13: |
|
Da Xue Shan |
| Day 14: |
|
Dechen |
| Day 15 - 16: |
|
Bai Ma Shan |
| Day 17: |
|
Zhongdian |
| Day 18: |
|
Fly to Kunming |
| Day 19: |
|
Depart Kunming |
|
|
|
|
 Liz has researched and accompanied numerous wildflower tours around the world including Crete and Patagonia, Sichuan, Yunnan and Western Australia. She is an enthusiastic gardener and photographer.
 Peter Cunnington was for many years curator of Ness Botanic Gardens. A long time member of the UK Alpine Garden Society and part of its seed collecting expedition into Yunnan in the early 1990's, Peter has led several botanical trips to this and other regions.
416-633-5666 / 1-800-387-1483
 Taiwan
The Beautiful Island
Length: 13 days
Start: Taipei, Taiwan
Finish: Taipei, Taiwan
 South India
Land of Contrasts
Length: 14 days
Start: Chennai, India
Finish: Bangalore, India
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
