Welcome to Forest Cafe,Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, South China!!!
Thank you for paying attention to our trekking service!!!
Welcome to join our trekking !

We do not spoil the environment
We do give extra money for accommodation to the local people
We do bring medicines to the local people

Some tour examples...

0. Ethnic culture one day tour Time: 8:30 A.M. start from Jinghong to a modern Dai village, 1.5 hours on the highway by mini-bus. After the Dai village we continue the trip to a moderately sized Aini village, a 15 minutes bus ride on a bumpy road. We visit the Aini village, take a walk in the jungle to a typical, fairly traditional Bulang village which takes around 40 minutes. After the Bulang village we walk down the hill crossing a huge tea plantation. Along the way you ?ll enjoy breathtaking views of valleys studded with rice fields. Around 5 P.M. we ?ll be back in Jinghong. Option: If the day of your choice is Sunday, we can visit the Sunday Market.If you like we can also visit a small home-style tea factory, JingEn temple or the 300 years old Jingzhen temple.

2. Easy tropical rainforest day trek  This trek starts with a 1.5 hours long bumpy road journey by mini-bus to a big Dai village north of Jinghong. From there there ?s a jungle footpath parallel to a small mountain river that we will follow for about 1.5 hours. We'll have a break midway and then continue to the waterfall where you will encounter a lot of ancient trees and fascinating rainforest plant species. This trip s particularly worthwhile during the rainy season (May to October). Afterwards we walk downhill along the rocks (in the dry season) back to the Dai village and get the bus back to Jinghong. The whole experience lasts about 5 to 6 hours.

3. Mengkuan one day trek We'll leave Jinghong around 8:30 AM by public bus. After 1,5 hours we get off in Mengkuan and walk for about 5 hours along a track that allows for beautiful views of rice paddies, pineapple and tea plantations. Along the way we'll cross six different villages populate by Ake, Aini and Dai tribes. There will be a steep uphill climb at the beginning that might be a little demanding, but later the track is fairly easy to walk. Only the last 40 minutes are more taxing, because the path leads steeply downhill. We return to Jinghong in the late afternoon.

4. Easy 2 days trek This trek kicks off with a 1 hour public bus ride to a Dai village , followed by 5 hours walking along the bank of the Mekong ­- a lot of up & down walking to be more precise! The second day also demands 4 to 5 hours of walking, albeit at a much more relaxed pace and less uphill. The path we follow on both days allows us beautiful views of the Mekong river and the stunning mountain panoramas of the China - Burma border region. We'll see many rubber and tea plantations as well as mountain rice fields. Ethnic groups that settle in the area include Dai ,Aini and Ake people. The night will be spent in a 600 years old Dai village that is brimming with atmosphere!( bedroom and bathroom in local people's family house)

5. Moderate level 4days (Noverber -May ) At 8:30 AM we take a minibus to Galanba .The drive takes approximately 1 and a half hours, our destination is a medium-sized Dai village. From there it's a beautiful 4 hours walk along a small trail to an small Aini village inhabited by only 17 families. The first night we will rest in the traditional home of a very hospitable Dai family. 2nd and 3rd day: On both days we face uphill and downhill 5 or 6 hours walks through dense forests, rubber plantations and mountain rice fields. The night of the third day will be spent in a hillside Aini village that offers ravishingly beautiful views down into misty valleys. Before reaching our overnight destination we'll cross the Mekong by ferry boat and then walk along the confluence of the Mekong and Luoshuo rivers. 4th day: An easy 3 hours walk downhill to a riverside Dai village. From there we'll get a private ferry boat for a 3 hours upstream ride on the Mekong to Ganlanba. Our journey ends with a 1 hour drive by public bus back to Jinghong. Overnight village. ethnic groups: Dai ,Aini ,Ake original forest, cloud sea Look nice picture on this trek: Nov.,2005

6. Moderate level trek 3 days (Noverber -May ) This trek begins with a 1.5 hour bus ride to Mengkuan. From there its a 3 hours walk to a 600 years old Dai village where we spent the night with a hospitable family. Our accommodation includes hot water shower and toilet (something that can not always be taken for granted on treks like this!). The second day we'll walk along a small, winding forest path following a small stream. There's a lot of up and downhill climbing involed! The night will be spent in a small Aini village that houses 11 families. On the third day our track leads us downhill for about 2 hours. There's some vantage points where we can enjoy truly breathtaking views of the rolling Xishuangbanna mountainscape. After that the terrain is more even and we'll walk for another two hours until we reach the Ake village where a mini-van will come to pick us up and takes us back to Mengkuan. From there's its a 1.5 hour bus ride back to Jinghong. Ethnic groups: Dai ,Aini ,Ake

7. Thursdays 2 days trek Bulang Time : leave 8:30am ,2.5hr bus ride to the place begin trek, 4--5hrs walk through Bulang ,Dai,Aini villages . Thursday : visit colourful market ,then 4--5hrs walk plus break . Terrain:some up and down hill ,great view of biggest valley in Xishuangbanna ,tea processing factory . Ethnic groups :Aini ,Dai ,Bulang (very old temple ,nice atmosphere) Overnight :guesthouse . Look nice picture on this trek: Feb.2006

8. 3 days hard forest & jungle trekking tour Yao Time : leave 8:30am ,3.5hr bus ride to the place start trek 1th Day : 1 hour walking in a cave, the cave with a river and interesting limestone.2 hours is hard up and down walk through the forest. 2th Day : 6 hours hard walking on small parth in the forest&jungles, top three high mountains, cross one river.highest mountain is about 1200 meters. 3th Day : 4 hours up and down walking on small parth in the forest&jungles Note: the 2th day & 3th day , maybe can see wild animals in the forest but can not garantee Ethnic groups :Yao , Dai Overnight :Yao village. Look nice picture on this trek: Forest tour

9.Bus tour in xishuangbanna
A. visit to Galanba for a daily vegetable market ,botanical garden ,Ake ,Jinuo .Flower Belt Dai ethnic villages
B. Ake ,Aini,Dai village with great view of Mekong River view ,rubber ,pineapple plantations .
C. Sunday market ,Aini, Dai village ,octagon temple ,small tea process factory .sugarcane plantation .come back from old road,see dam,waterfall,amazing Liusha River .
D. Thursday market ,Bulang ,Aini ethnic (2 branches ), Aini village ,very nice surroundings
E. luxury Pu er tea bus tour
1th 4-6 hours rubber dinghy boat from Jinghong to Galanba visit a water dai village .Afternoon visit an insteresting Pu er tea shop.
2th hours drive from Jinghong to Menlun Botanical garden ,overnight inside garden .
3th Menlun toYiwu ,3-4 hours drive ,visit local family Pu er tea cake processing workshop and wild old tea tree ,ancient tea horse caravan trail .Overnight in Yiwu guesthouse .
4th Yiwu to Jinghong ,5 hours drive ,visit Jinuo ,Chinese Dai , flower belt Dai ethnic villages on the way back .

10.Speed boat to Laos and Thailand
It takes around 8 hrs to Chain saen , price 800RMB .
Snacks & fruit is available on the boat.
Leaving time : (normally)each Tuesday , Thursday , Saturday 8:00 A.M.
You can book the tickets at Forest Cafe with the same price and get your tickets at Forest Cafe. It is convinent and save your time.

11.South-East Yunnan off the beaten tracks
One of the most beautifull regions of Southern- China is definetely the province of Yunnan. Well known places like Dali, Lijijang and Kunming attract already many foreigners but Yunnan has much more to offer. The trip we offer brings you along the most beautifull terraces in the world , where the Hani minoritypeople have built these terraces since the 16 th century. We visit the friendly place of Jianshui where you can find very old houses dating back to the Qing Dynasty . Colourfull people on the way we will meet where hardly other foreigners will come, Yunnan houses a lot of minority people. With their own culture , language and their own style of living We end the trip in lovely Xishuangbanna with it nice weather , friendly laid back people and tropical forests.
Detailed program infomation

12.Off the beaten trek around Yangshuo
A. day trek from Fuli to Gaotian ,nice scenery 5-6 hours walk .price depends on number of group members
B. Putao to Xingping 5-6 hours through villages , the most beautiful photos of Li River come from where Sara was born .


Please note:

These hikings require that you carry the following items in your backpack:

a light raincoat or an umbrella
an extra change of clothes, long shirt & pants (wear in the evening to prevent malaria)
good hiking shoes and extra socks
sunglass, sunscreen and a hat
mosquito repellent
any personal medication that you need
flashlight or head lamp
sandals for stream walk
sleeping sheet if you have.

Dos and don'ts:

Please ask the people or the guide before you take photos! Please pack out all the trash (especially plastic, cigarets etc.) don't give candy or gifts to children!
Don't smoke drugs in the family house where we stay in.

Thank you and enjoy your trek !!!
   
    Sara

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