Baoshan to Dali | A Trek along Yunnan’s Tea Horse Road

Trace the footsteps of ancient caravans, traders, scholars, and other itinerant adventurers on a trek that penetrates some of the remotest reaches of the ancient Tea Horse Road.  

Here, “road” is used in the loosest of terms, as it is not a wide, pave route, nor one single track to be followed, but a vastly branching network of intersecting passages that once connected villages far and wide, bringing tea and other goods from Yunnan to the Tibetan plateau and beyond.  

 ⭐ Traversing the forgotten trails of the ancient Tea Horse Road

 ⭐ Crossing the mighty Mekong in the towering shadow of Bonan Mountain

 ⭐ Tracing the footsteps of the countless caravans, exiled scholars, and travelers that once walked these storied roads

First Stop: Baoshan

Baoshan, nestled in western Yunnan, is a city of contrasts. It boasts a rich history evident in its ancient temples, yet thrives as a modern industrial hub due to its vast mineral resources. Its diverse landscape offers towering mountains, lush forests, and serene lakes, perfect for outdoor adventures.

Arrive: Baoshan

Your Yunnan adventure begins as you touch down in beautiful Baoshan, where your local WildChina guide will be waiting to welcome you at the arrivals hall/exit of the train station.

Banqiao Ancient Town and Qinglong Street

If there’s time, tread the mountain-beset alleyways of Banqiao Ancient Town’s Qinglong Street, a key stop along the 2000-year-old Yongchang section of the Tea Horse Road. This travelers’ haven was once alive with the clop-clop of caravans hauling tea, silk, and other goods from China to India. Sip local tea or coffee, uncover the secrets of archaeological artifacts and bask in the history of the cobbled lanes that offer a vision of Banqiao’s former glory.

Full Day Hike

Prepare for a full day of hiking (~17km over ~8 hours) along the Mekong and gaze upon the remnants of the once, sole crossing that bridged the two sides of this mighty river.

1st part:
Shuizhai Village (1,350m) – Pingpo Village (1,800m), ~5 km hiking, about 2 hours.

2nd part:
Pingpo Village (1800m) – Shanyang Town (1,944), ~13 km hiking, about 6 hours.

The Mekong River and Jueluyao Pass

Set off on a trek across the vestiges of the Tea Horse Road route from Shuizhai Village. On the way to the day’s destination, Shanyang Town, head down to the banks of the Mekong River to see the ruins of Jihong Bridge beneath the towering peaks of Bonan Mountain. Once the oldest chain bridge in China, Jihong Bridge was crucial for trade along the Tea Horse Road, serving as the sole crossing point. Gaze back down at the rushing lengths of the Mekong dotted with villages and terraced fields from the heights of Jueluyao Pass on the opposite bank.

Pingpo Village

Stop in at this bucolic hub of Yi and Bai culture on the way to Shanyang Village. Pingpo is a cozy little town tucked away in Yunnan’s cloud-crowned mountains. In recent years the village has started to see a small interest from domestic tourists, resulting in a flourishing of the arts, as well as agricultural projects that are putting it on the map.

Shanyang Village

Nestled in the Southwestern part of Yongping County is Shanyang Village, a culturally diverse locale still in the process of developing. Located along the Bonan Section of the Tea Horse Road routes, visiting this village is like a journey back in time, evoking the spirit and simplicity of the ancient Tea Horse Road days.

Full Day Hike

Prepare for a full day of hiking (~17km over ~8 hours) across the region’s mountainous terrain, punctuated by storied temples and ancestral halls.

Yongguo Temple and Yang Sheng’an Ancestral Shrine

Onward toward Huaqiao Village. Stop along the way to delve into a Ming Dynasty tale of glory and tragedy at Yongguo Temple and the ruins of the once sublime Yang Sheng’an Ancestral Hall. Once known as Ningxi Zen Temple, Yongguo Temple was a frequent stay for famed Ming scholar Yang Sheng’an (ask your guide for more details on his story – it’s an interesting one!)

Huaqiao Village

Follow the sweet scent of plum blossoms to Huaqiao Village where there grows an ancient plum tree said to have borne witness to many events across dynasties old. Huaqiao sits along the Bonan section of the trade routes, a path originally blazed by caravans in the 4th century BC. The influences of the many global cultures brought through this small village during the Tea Horse Road days can still be see in in the local customs and cuisines of the village today.

Heading Home

Enjoy breakfast before making the 1.5-hour drive to Dali where your journey comes to an end. Your WildChina guide will escort you to the airport and help you check in for your flight home.

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