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Intimate interaction with local community: There is no better way to understand a particular culture than actually living together with the local people for a few days. Our program leads you through the remote stretches of Yunnan: from Lijiang, the center of Naxi culture, to Xishuangbanna which is famous for its Dai atmosphere. By staying with local families and interacting with family members, we will gain a much more intimate understanding of their life. We also ensure that profits from tourism and homestay visits directly benefit the villagers, and allow them to continue their traditions in a culturally sensitive and sustainable manner.
NGO Visit: While in Lijiang we visit Haixi village, part of a community project spearheaded by The Nature Conservancy to increase awareness and use of renewable energy sources. As a result of the partnership, over half the households in Haixi village have installed new stoves or taken other actions to incorporate renewable energy resources. During our trip, we will visit this village and learn about The Nature Conservancy’s efforts both in this particular village and throughout China.
Hani Thursday Market: We can enjoy the local market atmosphere, abuzz with the sound of a thousand conversations—weighing produce, gauging quality, and haggling over prices. Vendors (many of them Ai Ni women) display their wares on carts, tables and ground cloths. Strolling through the market, the visitor witnesses a cacophony of colorful sights and sounds: high stacks of cabbages; white sacks filled to the brim with red chili peppers, bitter melon, and fern curls; shoppers buying long strings of noodles; live fish and feisty chickens in round straw baskets; and more.
Mingling in the market are Dai women in bright floral designs, Hani women with large baskets, and Bulang women in black headdresses. A trip to the market will truly give you a feeling for the rhythm of life in rural Xishuangbanna, and a closer look at the fascinating variety of cultures.
Travel in a sustainable way: We patronize and support small, family-run, locally-owned businesses: hotels, restaurants, shops, tour guides. We choose people who invest their creativity and resources in giving travelers simple, friendly, sustainable, and honest experiences--people with ideals. Both in our office and on our trips, we take care to be environmentally responsible and reduce waste as much as possible. To us, traveling responsibly means consuming responsibly.
Travel responsibly: During the home-stays, we adhere to responsible practices by ensuring that we leave no trace of our presence behind. We pack out all our trash and equipment, and take care not to disrupt the environment in any way. Waking up in a pristine village over the vast paddy fields gives us a greater appreciation of our relationship to nature.
Uniqueness of program: China opened its long-sequestered hinterlands back to the early days. We’ve found many new areas, and many new approaches to old areas, and we’re struck by the unending discoveries that China offers. We’ve got a bright bagful of ideas for Private Journeys, ranging from walking and trekking excursions to art and cultural appreciation-focused trips.
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