The Xigui & Bingdao Tea Culture Tour is a journey that combines natural scenery, rich cultural heritage, and unique tea flavors. During this trip, you will have the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Bingdao (located in Mengku Town, Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, China). The area is surrounded by mountains and shrouded in mist, providing a unique environment for tea cultivation. You can walk along the mountain paths, admire the rolling tea hills, and experience the tea trees under the sun, as if you are in a natural oxygen bar.
At the same time, Xigui tea is an indispensable part of this journey. Xigui tea originates from Mojiang County in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, and is a distinctive variety of tea with a long history and rich cultural heritage, making it a treasured gem among Pu'er teas. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to witness firsthand the tea-making techniques passed down through generations by local tea farmers and enjoy the fun of making tea yourself. Besides the natural scenery and tea culture, this trip will also introduce you to the local customs and culinary culture. In summary, the Xigui & Bingdao Tea Culture Tour is an unforgettable travel experience that will allow you to appreciate the beauty of nature, savor the essence of tea culture, and immerse yourself in the charm of local folklore.

Code of Tour: SZW0000043

Length of Travel: 3 Days

Departure City: Lincang

Price of Tour: Request

Highlights

• Xigui:Located in a valley with a small temperature difference between seasons, the tea trees grow in a stone-filled environment, absorbing mineral elements and giving the tea leaves a unique flavor and taste.

• Bingdao:The Bingdao ancient tea garden is located in Mengku Township, Mengla County, Yunnan Province, which is home to the Laohu, Wa, Blang, and Dai autonomous ethnic minority groups. The garden has an elevation of 1,560 meters above sea level, an average annual temperature of 19°C, and an annual rainfall of up to 1,800 millimeters.

• There are over 1,000 ancient tea trees with trunk diameters between 0.3 and 0.6 meters on this land. Bingdao tea is renowned for its lingering sweetness, intense and smooth flavor. When you drink it, the tea is sweet and smooth at the entrance, and it has a refreshing and floral flavor that lingers for a long time. The cup leaves a sweet and fragrant aftertaste, reminiscent of ice sugar. This unique flavor profile has made Bingdao tea a popular choice among Pu'er tea connoisseurs in recent years.

INQUIRY

Brief Itinerary

• Day 1: Lincang - Xigui Tea Mountain - Lincang

• Day 2: Lincang - Bingdao Tea Mountain - Lincang

• Day 3: Lincang

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Lincang - Xigui Tea Mountain - Lincang

Attractions & Activities: Xigui Tea Mountain Tour  
Meals: None  
Accommodation: Lincang  
Depart from Lincang, with an approximately 1-hour drive. Visit the Xigui ancient tea garden, where you can admire the unique shapes of the ancient tea trees and understand the growth environment and characteristics of Xigui tea trees, which are typically over 200 years old. The tea garden covers an area of 335 acres. Enjoy the red soil landscape along the banks of the Lancang River and the subtropical seasonal rainforest vegetation, where you can see various plants such as red tung trees, camphor trees, and large-leaved banyan trees.
Experience tea picking and processing. Follow the techniques of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inheritors of Pu'er tea to learn the "three leaves and one bud" picking technique and personally enjoy the fun of tea picking. Bring the fresh tea leaves back to the experience center and participate in the hand-making process under the guidance of a tea master, including withering, killing green, shaping, and drying, to learn about the process of making Pu'er tea.
Visit the Xigui Tea Museum, built by the river, which features historical artifacts related to tea culture and exhibits on tea culture, allowing for an in-depth understanding of the historical origins, cultural connotations, and development of Xigui tea. The observatory platform next to the museum offers excellent views to appreciate the magnificent scenery of the Lancang River.
Experience Tea Culture Activities: Participate in some unique tea culture activities, such as tea ceremony setup, tea art performances, and tea knowledge lectures, to enhance your understanding and appreciation of tea culture. You can also try setting up your own tea ceremony and brew a cup of Xigui tea made from your hand-picked leaves, enjoying a relaxing tea time.

Day 2: Lincang - Bingdao - Lincang

Attractions & Activities: Tea tasting at the Mengku Tea Factory in Shuangjiang, East Banshan Rattan Tea Garden, and rough production experience of Pu'er tea.  
Meals: None  
Accommodation: Lincang  
The Bingdao Tea Mountain tour starts from Lincang, with approximately a one-hour drive. Visit to Mengku Tea Factory: Tour the tea factory's production workshop to learn about the tea-making process, including picking, pan-firing, rolling, sun-drying, fermentation, and pressing. Experience the integration of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. Communication with the factory staff or tea experts to gain insights into the history, culture, planting techniques, and market trends of Mengku tea, which will enhance your understanding and appreciation of tea. In the tea tasting room, a professional tea artist will brew different varieties and ages of Mengku tea, such as Mengku large leaf Pu'er tea, Mengku green tea, and Mengku black tea. You will learn about the characteristics, flavors, and tasting methods of the tea, allowing you to personally experience the unique charm of Mengku tea.
The East Banshan Rattan Tea Garden is located in Banuo Village, known for having the most ancient tea trees in the Mengku East Banshan area. It has the largest area of rattan tea in Shuangjiang and is one of the best-preserved ancient tea gardens in the region. Stroll through the Banuo Rattan Tea Garden, closely observe the unique shapes of rattan tea trees, learn about their cultivation and picking methods, and enjoy the spectacular landscape of rattan tea throughout the hills, experiencing the perfect harmony between nature and tea culture. You can also look for the "King of Tea Tree," take photos, and learn about its history and value.
With guidance from the tea farmers, you will personally experience the joy of picking rattan tea, learning the "retention picking method," where you pick one out of every two new budding leaves on each branch, leaving the other to continue growing. The tea farmers will take the fresh leaves you picked to their homes, where you can observe the process of making tea, taste the freshly produced tea, and discuss planting experiences and market conditions with the farmers, gaining a deeper understanding of the stories and culture behind rattan tea.
Make Your First Cake of Pu'er Tea: Pu'er tea has a long history, dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty, was a tribute tea during the Tang Dynasty, and gained international fame during the Ming and Qing Dynasties along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Learn to select one bud and two leaves as the tea farmers do, feeling the delicacy and freshness of the leaves at your fingertips. Then, the leaves will wither on a bamboo mat, losing their grassy bitterness. After that, they will be pan-fired in a hot iron wok, releasing steam and gradually developing a fragrant aroma. Next, they will be rolled by hand to curl the leaves and release their essence. Finally, the leaves will dry in the sun, slowly taking shape and emitting a rustic aroma. Through this tea-making experience, visitors can intimately appreciate the blend of nature and tradition while enjoying the unique charm of Pu'er tea.

Day 3: Lincang One-Day Tour

Attractions and Activities: Lincang City Planning Exhibition Hall，Lincang Archaeological Museum，Lijing Pavilion，Zhongshan Bamboo Art Museum、Seven-Color Ceramic Culture Theme Park, Yulong Lake Park
Meals: None
Accommodation: None
Choose 2-3 of the following 6 museums and parks based on your preferences and time schedule.
Lincang City Planning Exhibition Hall: A 3-story building with a total area of approximately 10,000 square meters, showcasing the city's planning and architectural concepts. The hall uses advanced technology, including audio, video, and digital displays, to present the city's history, planning, and future development. It is a comprehensive knowledge base that combines science, history, geography, literature, and art.
Lincang Archaeological Museum: Located in the former Lincang Commissioner's Office, a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, the museum is divided into indoor and outdoor exhibition areas. It showcases the city's archaeological achievements through artifacts, texts, images, outdoor scene reconstructions, and interactive experiences.
Yulong Lake Park: A national AAA-level scenic spot, the park is an ecological oasis in the southern part of Lincang City, with a water area of 200 mu and a green landscape area of 204 mu. The park features various flowering trees, including cherry blossoms, cotton trees, and Bauhinia trees, as well as weeping willows. The park's eco-friendly environment attracts many bird species, including black-headed gulls and white egrets, and the black swans in the lake are a stunning sight.
Lijing Pavilion: A 9-story building with a total area of 3,397 square meters, the pavilion is a steel-reinforced concrete structure with a traditional garden architecture style. It is 60 meters high and has a unique landscape design, with a golden roof and four transparent sides. The pavilion is situated near the Cuiyan Mountain and the Yindu Temple, forming a unique scenery of "gold and jade in the south and silver temple in the north".
Zhongshan Bamboo Art Museum: The museum is located in a garden with over 100 species of bamboo, and the building is designed to blend in with the natural surroundings. The museum showcases bamboo weaving techniques, cultural heritage, and products, allowing visitors to appreciate or experience the art of bamboo weaving and feel the charm of intangible cultural heritage.
Seven-Color Ceramic Culture Theme Park: The park features various attractions, including a simulated dragon kiln, a exhibition hall, a simulated mantou kiln, a high-quality clay mining scenic kiln, a Thai kiln, and a Lahuo village. Visitors can learn about the process of making ceramics, from clay mining to firing, and admire the works of domestic and international master craftsmen.
Send to the airport, based on your flight schedule. The tour ends.

Service Included

• Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
• Private 5-19 seats car for transfers & sightseeing;
• English speaking tour guide;
• Service charge & government taxes;

Service Excluded

• Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
• Daily Lunch & Dinner.
• Chinese visa fees;
• Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
• Single room supplement;
• Tips to guides and drivers;
• Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
• Personal travel insurance;
• All optional programs.

Group Tour Service Standards

• For groups of 2-4 people, there will be an English-speaking tour guide as driver.
• For groups of 5-10 people, there will be an  English-speaking tour guide and a Chinese driver.

Itinerary Notice  

To offer you better travel experience, our company reserves the right to adjust the order of the tour itinerary, but the content of the tour will not be reduced. If certain attractions cannot be visited due to force majeure or policy adjustments, our company has the right to cancel or replace them with equivalent attractions, and any fees for additional attractions will not be refunded.