LUX* Resorts & Hotels has drawn inspiration from the great discoveries and journeys of the splendid Shangri-la region to create a unique experience. With two boutique hotels located along the legendary tea and horse route linking China and Tibet, guests can discover one of China’s most beautiful regions with breathtaking scenery while enjoying the comfort of LUX* hotels.
The route follows the ancient Tea Road, which dates back to the 13th century. Steeped in romance and adventure, this journey through China follows the trail of the caravans that once carried tea across spectacular landscapes from high mountains to deep gorges, and linked the Naxi and Tibetan cultures of Southwest China.
For millennia, merchants from Sechuan and Yunnan traded precious Pu’er tea for horses, salt and medicines the Tibetans knew the secret of. Today, explorers can still see the marks of the merchants who walked this path for hundreds of years, religious symbols carved in stone and roadside markers.
The trip organized by LUX* Resorts & Hotels takes place over 5 nights/6 days, with two itinerary options, one heading north from Lijiang in Yunnan Province, and the other south from the Tibetan village of Benzilan, via the three parallel rivers and the glaciers of the Meili Mountains.
Sample program: NORTH: Lijiang to Benzilan:
Day 1
The adventure begins in Lijiang – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – with a hike along winding cobbled roads where you can admire the well-preserved traditional architecture of Lijiang’s old town, called Dayan. The walk continues along the Qi’yi shopping street and ends in a typical old teahouse. Diana He, from a family of tea merchants, introduces customers to the preparation of local Pu’er tea, renowned for its healing properties, and reveals the secrets of China’s tea masters. The demonstration is followed by a tasting session. Guests are then welcomed to the LUX* Tea Horse Road Lijiang for the night.
Day 2
The stay continues with a visit to the picturesque town of Zhonghe (central river region), home to weeping willows, magnificent stone walkways and typical wells. The hotel’s Chef guides guests through Zhongyi’s bustling markets, immersing them in Naxi gastronomy and assembling the ingredients for his signature dish, a Naxi potée served that very evening.
Visitors then head to the foot of Jade Yulong Dragon Mountain, for lunch followed by a performance entitled “Impression Lijiang”, created by renowned Chinese director Shang Yimou(Raise the Red Lantern, House of Flying Daggers…). The show, presented in the open-air theater on the plains of Lijiang, features a hundred horses and almost 500 performers.
The day ends with a visit to the village of Baisha, home to frescoed temples and a school of silk tapestry weaving, a true Naxi tradition.
Day 3
The discovery of Shangri-La and the Napahai swamps offers a radical change of culture, immersing you in the Tibetan tradition, set against the backdrop of the spectacular Haba Mountains, the Tiger Leaping Gorge and the northern high plains, renowned for their intrepid horsemen. In Dukezong, a visit to the world’s largest Tibetan prayer mill is followed by a local lunch.
The Napahai swamps are home to a complex ecosystem that changes dramatically with the seasons, attracting hundreds of migratory birds including the endangered black-necked crane. It is in this horse-populated region that Tibetan farmers graze their yaks.
The ascent continues to the LUX* Tea Horse Road Benzilanthe region’s only mountain refuge, nestled in the bubbling gorges of the three parallel rivers, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 4
After a hearty breakfast, the journey continues to Dongzhulin Monastery for morning prayers by monks of the Gelugpa (or “Yellow Hat”) sect, and a lively debating session where monks shout, jump and dance to make themselves heard.
The day also includes Tibetan incense stick making, a visit to a bell-making factory in the Shuibianhe valley, and a picnic. In the evening, dinner at the hotel is followed by a “Cinema Paradiso” session where guests can watch a film under the stars on the hotel’s roof terrace.
Experiences not to be missed during the trip:
Taste Pu’er tea during a tea ceremony with Madame He (pronounced Her) in one of Liiang’s oldest tea houses. She introduces her guests to the art of tasting this rare tea, whose leaves are pressed into the shape of cakes using specially shaped stones.
Tasting Yunann cuisine. In Lijiang, Naxi dishes are inspired by the culinary traditions of the Yi, Hui, Bai and Dai tribes, who use spices and sweet-and-sour seasonings in their dishes. A wide variety of mushrooms growing in the region are used in local dishes.
Learn Dongba calligraphy with shamans at the Naxi cultural center in the village of Baisha.
Listen to the monks of the Dongzhulin lamasery during their morning prayers and accompany them to the sacred Kawagebo peak atop Mount Meili.
Learn pottery from master Luo Sang and take home a Tibetan black pottery bowl
Taste Yak butter tea or “po cha”, a genuine Tibetan cultural tradition.
The program for this timeless stay is fully detailed in the LUX* guide designed in collaboration with photographer and author Michael Freeman. To download it, please visit: www.luxresorts.com/fr
5-day package
From 13500 RMB or 1800 € for the North or South route
Flights not included – North route from Linjiang international airport and South route from Sangri-La airport
For reservations, please contact :
LUX* TEA HORSE ROAD LIJIANG
T +86 (0) 888 559 6666 /+86 (0) 888 556 1999
LUX* TEA HORSE ROAD BENZILAN
T +86 (0) 887 899 8000
Email: reception
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