Discover the Colorful Chinese Minority Culture
6-Day Guizhou Miao Minority & Huangguoshu Waterfall Tour
Urbanization liberates villagers from poverty; yet all this modernization threatens to bring traditional handicraft to its knees. Southeast Guizhou is inhabited by minority groups, where people are skillful at all kinds of delicate manual crafts, yet unfortunately, ancient crafts and traditional customs are disappearing.
This 6-day adventure gives insight into the diverse but disappearing culture of different minority people.
Highlights
- Paint and learn how to make stunning batiks.
- Experiment with the oldest way to make paper, using vegetable fiber.
- Go behind the scenes to see how a silversmith creates dazzling ornaments, step by step.
- Discover China's last gun-tribe and observe how traditionally they cut hair with a sickle.
- Hike through the hills and view breathtaking rice terraces between the clouds.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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The tour was of The Greta Wall of China
The tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history more
Mar 2024, Alice W
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Beautiful Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful guide, whose praises we can not sing loudly enough, was compassionate, caring, and overall endearing! His sense of ease and familiarity with each sight, which were unfamiliar wonders to us, provided a sense of peacefulness that facilitated full enjoyment - helped too by his punctuality and attention to detail. more
Feb 2024, apisn2023
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The Highlights and High Life of Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful tour guide, made our entire trip an absolute joy for us as he was extraordinarily caring, considerate, and generous. Having had the pleasure of taking in the sights of Beijing previously with another lovely guide, Angela, it was spectacular not only to show the family how fantastic the city is but also how high the quality of services provided by China Highlights are. Each day unveiled a new treasure, helpfully detailed by Ethan, and punctuated by delicious and varied local food. Our driver, Mr. Chen, was also a delight, and was equally as key to the overall experience as he was both attentive and almost mystically punctual! more
Feb 2024, Apis
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Great Time in Beijing
Our 4-day experience in Beijing was unforgettable. Our guide, Selinda, opened the doors to the city's millennia-old history and culture with her knowledge, kindness, and courtesy. We discovered magnificent places, tasted delicious food, and stayed in clean hotels, all accompanied by safe and reliable transportation service. We recommend traveling with China Highlights. more
Feb 2024, Nicola B
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3rd time the charm, is being charmed for the 3rd time.
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan Mueller
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3rd time the charm, is charmed for the 3rd time
The sites stay the same but each time we have done this tour, the tour guides manage to make it feel like it is the first time you are experiencing it. And, with the constant renovations, this time we were able to see previous areas that were unavailable the last time we came. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan M
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Great trip and experience!
From beginning to end, China Highlights was very courteous, responsive and attentive in planning and executing a great trip!Aspects and execution of the trip was as discussed and was an overall great experience. Our guide, Michael, was very kind and knowledgeable throughout the tour and would address all questions and help us take lots of photos. Would definitely travel with China Highlights again! more
Feb 2024, Karol
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3rd the charm is charmed for the 3rd time
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, jkjmueller
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1 Day in Beijing
Nice views, Not too much people, Jessi (guide ) so friendly and she have a great service & she knows the answer of all your questions more
Feb 2024, Fernando J
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Fabulous day!
Jesse He ,she is a nice tourist guide patience and take good care for us. We had a wonderful time in Beijing,we did the forbidden city and greatwall We love everything ! more
Feb 2024, Charon R
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Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs more
Jan 2024, Iriana Iriana
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An excellent day with Linda
Linda (Ling ling)is a great tour guide,provide a lot of knowledge and history of the great wall,and took us to taste very delicious food too,we had a very good time with her!highly recommend her! more
Jan 2024, Angeline Lim
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Great time in Beijing with Bruce
We stayed in Beijing for three days altogether. We went to the summer palace. the Tian'an'men square, the Forbidden City,the Temple of heaven and the Great Wall. Our tour guide Bruce is very friendly and speaks English fluently. He explained every scenic spot to us patiently and humorously. my family are very satisfied with his service. more
Jan 2024, Mayra C
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Bucket List Trip to China
My first stop in China was Beijing. Ethan was my guide there. Daily, they would pick me up and take me to the spots on the itinerary. He helped me plan outside activities like a Chinese acrobat show. He even walked me to my seat in my theater so I could easily find my correct chair. What was most helpful was Ethan waiting with me at the train station and even helping me on to my seat and giving the train attendant my meal order. Very little English was spoken by the train attendant. more
Jan 2024, Megan Sandbothe
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Great Wall at Jinshanling
We went to the Great Wall at Jinshanling which is a very beautiful place which is not that busy. In fact most of the time it felt like we were alone on the wall.The tourguide (Jack) was very knowledgeable and very friendly.A big thumbs up more
Jan 2024, Onno
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Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs. We had great 3 days in Beijing.We also visited Luoyang. Our travel advisor arranged a Business class seat for our high speed train to Luoyang. We were picked up at the station by our guide in Luoyang, Lisa. We then visited Dengfeng to see Songyang academy, shaolin temple, Luoyang grottoes. She also took care of us very well and very knowledgeable about the history. more
Jan 2024, lriana lriana
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Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing! more
Jan 2024, Lydia
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Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing more
Jan 2024, Explore49612084715
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Beijing
Fantastic couple days in Beijing. Thank you to my guide Mark who eloquently relayed stories about China history and culture. more
Jan 2024, Steve P
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Jack is an excellent guide
Jack is an excellent guide, very patient, punctual, wonderful command of english. I recommend him any day. more
Jan 2024, Brahma
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Suggested Itinerary
Welcome to Guiyang! Your private guide will meet you in the arrivals hall and transfer you to your hotel in a private car.
Tailor-Made Idea:
We offer a half-day tour of city highlights, including a brief introduction to Guiyang's history, with a walk through the city observing different architecture and tasting classic local snacks. If you arrive before noon and might be interested, let us know.
Hotel options:
Howard Johnson Plaza Guiyang (4-star)
Sofitel Guiyang Hunter (5-star)
After you have gained a basic understanding of the ethnic minorities in Southeast Guizhou from the Kaili Ethnic Museum, pay a visit to a special minority village.
Apart from the Han and the 55 recognized minority peoples, there is a sub-group of the Miao who claim they don't belong to any tribe. They say they should be recognized as the 56th ethnic minority, because they are distinct from all others, descendants of the legendary sun archer, Hou Yi.
If you are curious about this and would like to talk to the villagers, your guide can arrange a short visit to a local family.
It is interesting to observe the females, some of whom dress in army-uniform style, as their ancestors used to belong to the army. They also hang two batiks on the door instead of the usual antithetical couplets on red paper, as the village is renowned as a home to batik artisans.
Villagers dye white cloth blue by using indigo plant and paint various patterns with wax. You will have a chance to step into their dye-house, see how batik is made and try to dye.
Hotel options:
Heaven Sent Dragon Hotel (4-star)
The Miao are a large minority group with a complex set of sub-groups and a myriad of cultures. Today you will explore the charms of different kinds of Miao.
No group of people in China knows how to work with silver better than the Miao. It is normal for a woman's full set of silver ornaments to weigh up to 15 kilograms, partly because such ornaments are understood as symbols of wealth and also as amulets to ward off evil spirits.
Hidden deep in the mountains, the village you will visit first is famous for its silverware making. Observe a respected silversmith and learn how a dazzling ornament with complex patterns comes into being, step by step. Then have some fun taking part in the process.
After lunch, visit a village famous for its gorgeous mini-skirts and for its centuries-old creative way to store food.
Rural people are experts at using any available resources to make a living: for example, paper is formed from wood pulp and so on. There is a village where people today are still using their ancestors' methods for making paper.
Together with your guide, find the local heir of traditional papermaking methods and learn how intelligent ancestors were able to make paper simply from wood, and without smart machines, thousands of years ago.
The handmade paper is mainly used for writing. Some is mixed with colorful flowers and leaves to make delicate crafts, to be sold to other neighboring villages, to factories and even to places like the Forbidden City in Beijing.
You are encouraged to be as imaginative as possible and make a unique paper craft with your own hands, under the guidance of an experienced natural-paper maker.
After having lunch in a farmer's house, cooked with fresh ingredients, set off for China's last tribe of gunmen.
Apart from those who work in certain specific jobs, citizens in China are not allowed to carry guns. But you will visit an ancient village where men still carry a gun, gunpowder bag, bullet bag, and a knife. The traditional customs of the warrior Miao have been officially acknowledged and respected.
Hotel options:
Grand Noble Hotel Xi'an (4-star)
Wyndham Grand Xi'an South (5-star)
The most impressive of the rice terraces in Guizhou lie wild and high. Today you will have a chance to hike through some. You can't stop marveling at how in the past people constructed such large-scale terraces around the wild hilltops, without any firm scaffolding or convenient transportation.
The views from this 4-hour hike range from spectacular rice terraces and authentic hidden villages to stretches of green paddy field. Follow your guide and stroll along the bluestone paths, zigzagging between cloud-enveloped mountains.
Feel free to have a shower and freshen up at the hotel after your hike. Spend a relaxed afternoon at Zhaoxing, one of China's biggest Dong villages.
Sometimes young, single people gather in the drum tower on the main street to find their match by singing antiphonally. Girls simultaneously embroider small accessories like insoles, to give to their favorite boy at the end of the gathering.
Tailor-Made Idea:
The road condition is pretty smooth and the views are various and spectacular, but you can hike only half of the route and the car will pick you up if you want.
Trip Notes
Every element of the tour above can be tailored. Feel free to tell us your ideas and we will be happy to make adjustments for you.
1. Extend the Tour
- Zhenyuan: Add a day for a relax gorge cruise and a peaceful ancient town.
- Anshun: Add a day for China's biggest waterfall and karst park.
- Guilin and Yangshuo: Add 2-3 days for Li River Cruise and Yangshuo countryside.
- Zhangjiajie: Add 2-3 days for Zhangjiajie.
2. Hotels and Meals in Remote Areas
In remote areas, such as Zhaoxing, star-rated hotels might not be as good as the same standard of hotels in big cities.
China Highlights has carefully selected the best restaurant and hotel available, based on criteria like location and environment. Your private guide will assist you in ordering the dishes you like and will accompany you to check in to your room.
3. Transportation
As China's new big data valley, the network of Guizhou high-speed rail now links to many directions over the country.
Guizhou is a mountainous province but roads to every villages are accessible. So car is a ideal vehicle when transferring between villages. To provide you with a comfortable experience, private car is provided.
Tour Price
Price includes: