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2024 Zhenyuan Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in October)
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Green Sea Golden Mountain. Zhenyuan Granary.
I originally thought Zhenyuan was a backward county nestled between the Ailao Mountains and Wuliang Mountains, without even a 4-star hotel. I didn't expect this small county to have a forest coverage rate of 72%, and to have won the titles of "National Garden County" and "China's Natural Oxygen Bar". It is also a secret place of the thousand-year-old wild tea tree king that only a few people know... I was too shallow 🤣
The Ailao Mountain's secret realm is indeed as extraordinary as the legends say
After work, I headed straight to Ailao Mountain; it's a bit over 3 hours from Kunming, and staying at the mountain top to watch the sunrise is very convenient.
The Sunrise Cloud Sea Viewing Platform charges 3 yuan for a good spot. Shimenxia scenic area has an entrance fee of 30 yuan, and parking costs 10 yuan. Nan'en Waterfall is free of charge.
If you only have one day and one night, I suggest the following itinerary: watch the sunrise in the morning, then visit Shimenxia, and on the way back to Kunming, you'll pass by Nan'en Waterfall, which is a nice detour.
Special attention!! For those driving themselves, after getting off the highway, take the route that goes through the national roads, do not follow the navigation's recommendation to take the 120 township road; the township road has too many bends and is a dirt road, which is very frustrating to drive on. On the return trip, taking the national road is much easier to drive on.
Yunnan Summer Tour, Ailao Mountain, a great summer retreat
Ailao Mountain, a green dragon stretching across the middle of Yunnan.
Here, it is warm in winter and cool in summer, with an average annual temperature between 17-23 degrees. In addition to natural scenery, there is also a unique ethnic charm.
This travel route includes: primitive forest tours, Shimen Gorge adventures, trekking on the ancient Tea Horse Road, and watching the sunrise over the sea of clouds.
🚘2-day itinerary:
Day one: Kunming - Jiasa Town - Nan'en Waterfall - Shimen Gorge
Day two: Sea of clouds sunrise - Tea Horse Road - Jinsan Primitive Forest - Kunming
👌Attraction check-in:
1️⃣ Jiasa Town (Food & Accommodation)
It takes about 3h from Kunming to Jiasa Town, where you can experience the unique Huayao Dai culture and find food and accommodation in the town.
2️⃣ Nan'en Waterfall (Sightseeing)
On the way from Jiasa to Shimen Gorge, the waterfall is spectacular, and you can park on the roadside.
💰Ticket: Free
3️⃣ Shimen Gorge Scenic Area (Hiking)
The area is densely vegetated with babbling brooks, a natural oxygen bar.
💰Ticket: 30 yuan/person, Parking fee: 10 yuan
👉Round trip is about 5km, and it takes 3-4h to visit.
4️⃣ Sea of clouds sunrise (Sightseeing)
Depending on the weather, the best time to view is from November to March of the following year.
💰Parking fee: 10 yuan
5️⃣ Tea Horse Road (Hiking)
This is a centuries-old bluestone road that bears the footprints of tea horse traders.
💰Ticket: 20 yuan
The whole journey is about 5km, and it takes 2-3h to visit.
5️⃣ Jinsan Primitive Forest (Hiking)
The forest is mysterious yet full of vitality, with a refreshing green as far as the eye can see.
💰Ticket: 10 yuan, Parking: 10 yuan
👉The whole journey is 1.7km, and it takes 1h to visit.
🏨Accommodation: You can stay in Jiasa Town (1h drive from the viewing platform), or in Yaonan Village (very close to the viewing platform) where there are many farm stays, as well as several nice homestays
Ailao Mountain Nature Reserve
Exploring the hidden treasure of Yunnan - Ailao Mountain
【Exploring the hidden treasure of Yunnan!】🌿🏞
It is said that only 3 hours drive from Kunming, there is a secret place ignored by 99% of tourists - Ailao Mountain. This place is full of primitive mystery and tranquility, and I decided to take an impromptu adventure to explore this forgotten paradise.
🌺 **Jiasa Town and Huayao Dai Culture**
Upon arriving in Jiasa Town, I was attracted by its simple style. The unique Huayao Dai culture is preserved here, and walking in the alley, you can feel the tranquility of time. I tasted the local food in the market and felt a different life from the city. And on the flower street, those cheerful dances seemed to take me into a mysterious fairyland.
💦 **Nan'en Waterfall and Swallow Cliff Waterfall**
The waterfall landscape of Ailao Mountain, whether it is Nan'en Waterfall or Swallow Cliff Waterfall, is fascinating. Hiking through the dense forest, listening to the birdsong along the way, feeling the power of nature. Coming to the edge of the waterfall, the fresh air and the water droplets splashed by the waterfall made me feel the vitality of life.
🏰 **Longxi World Manor**
Entering Longxi World Manor, it seems to travel back to ancient times. The buildings and scenery in the manor made me feel the weight of history. And the nearby Yaonan Village is a paradise for food, each dish has a strong taste of the land, it is unforgettable.
🍊 **Chu Orange Manor**
Chu Orange Manor is another treasure, walking in the orange grove, as if lost in the ocean of sunlight. Tasting fresh Chu oranges, the sour and sweet taste, I can't help but take one bite after another.
🌅 **Cloud Sea Sunrise Viewing Platform**
Coming to the Cloud Sea Sunrise Viewing Platform, I seem to be in a fairyland. The sea of clouds in the Red River Valley is surging like a tide, and the morning glow illuminates the entire valley, making people feel the magic of nature.
🌳 **Shimen Gorge and Jinshan Primitive Forest**
Shimen Gorge and Jinshan Primitive Forest are the places that left the deepest impression on me in Ailao Mountain. The trees in the forest are towering, and the moss is shining with a faint light, making me feel the tenacity and toughness of life.
🚗 **Transportation and Accommodation**
It is not difficult to go to Ailao Mountain from Yuxi City West Passenger Station. In Jiasa Town, there are a wealth of accommodation options, from homestays to inns, you can find a suitable place to stay. And the local transportation is very convenient, renting a car or chartering a car can more freely tour this mysterious land.
This trip not only made me feel the charm of nature, but also experienced a different way of life. Exploring Ailao Mountain is a journey full of adventurous spirit, and it is also a journey of self-cultivation and dialogue with the heart. May we all find the answers we want in the journey.🌟✨
Ailao Mountain Nature Reserve
Nanqiu Well and Salt Horse Ancient Road
Anyone who can understand the shooting location will know that this is the hometown of the 2700-year-old World Tea King - Zhenyuan County's new county town. Zhenyuan is located between the Ailao Mountains and Wuliang Mountains of the Hengduan Mountains, with rivers interspersed, high in the north and low in the south, surrounded by mountains and dense forests. The old county town is in Anban Town, also known as Anban Well, Nanqiu Well, one of the main well fields in southern Yunnan. Anban Well flourished for a while due to salt, becoming the political, economic, and cultural center of the county. The salt industry in Anban started in the first year of Yongzheng and has a history of more than 200 years. It was famous before the liberation, with the saying 'cattle and horses are busy day and night, people carry and shoulder sales all over the country'. In the second year of Yongzheng (1724), the local government of Zhenyuan Prefecture opened Anban Well, one of the main well fields in southern Yunnan. The then governor Yang Mingshi used the salt class to overflow the people's food, and set up a salt class ambassador in Anban Well. Anban Well produces four areas, namely, Dajing, Erjing, Maoqingjing, and Maopajing. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, a field was set up in Anban Well, and the sub-wells of Anban Salt Field, such as Baomu Well, Engeng Well, Lanyan Well, Manca Well, west of Maolajing, Maiaijing, north of Jingdong Well, ranked sixth in the province in salt production. The famous Anban pot salt is transported long distances by horse teams and sold to Kunming, Yuxi, Dali and Jinghong. The horse teams ferry across the Lancang River and sell to Lincang and the British and French colonies in Myanmar. This forms the famous Salt Horse Trade Ancient Road, such as Bore River Bridge, Nanda Bridge, Guodong Gate, and Jali Ferry, which are the historical witnesses of the 'Salt Horse Ancient Road'. During the Republic of China, many families in Zhenyuan also had horse teams, carrying Anban pot salt to Myanmar, exchanging light industrial products, high-end textiles, daily necessities, etc., as well as rare phonographs and shotguns. The incoming goods are mostly produced by Britain and France, and the people are used to calling them foreign goods. The local people's life is full of modern life! Pu'er City Zhenyuan Museum (Zhenyuan Lahuhu Historical and Cultural Museum)
This is not Italy, nor Switzerland, this is Yunnan - Ailao Mountain
Yuanlao Mountain is another name for Ailao Mountain, located in the upper part of the middle and northern section of the Ailao Mountain Range in central Yunnan Province, at the junction of three major geographical regions: the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the Hengduan Mountains, and the southern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Ailao Mountain Nature Reserve is the largest original mid-mountain wet evergreen broad-leaved forest area in the country, with a special geographical location, complex landform types, diverse mountain climates, an average altitude of more than 2500 meters, tall trees blocking the sky, shrubs and vines intertwined and growing, moss everywhere, and poor visibility.
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