An exciting journey across the spectacular shans and vast flowery grasslands of western China, from Yunnan to Sichuan. The floral mix is dazzling with slipper orchids, primulas, lilies and blue poppies alongside multi-coloured Tibetan monasteries and fluttering prayer flags. Beginning in Yunnan and the botanically rich Cangshan, we progress north through Yunnan to the fabulous floral wealth of Zhongdian and Baima Shan, to the granitic lakeland wilderness of Haizi Shan and on across vast grasslands to finish at another botanical hotspot, Balang Shan, near Wolong.
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Day 1 Arrive Dali (10 June)
The long but necessary flight sees us arriving at Dali airport in the afternoon on the 10 June and transferring to our hotel (altitude 1500 metres). Overnight Dali.
Day 2 Cangshan
The Cangshan rise directly behind the city and a cable car takes us swiftly to the upper slopes where we’ll find an array of rhododendrons and primulas readily accessible via a large boardwalk. Yellow
Rhododendron laetum contrast with the dwarf
R. impeditum smothered in mauve flowers, with plentiful
Primula calliantha,
P. serrata and pretty white
Pegaephyton scapiflorum. Dense heads of
Megacarpea delavayi and diminutive
Omphalogramma delavayi fill open turf below architectural stands of
Abies delavayi, a choice triumvirate of plants named for the French missionary Pere Delevay, one the first Westerners to visit this region. Overnight Dali.
Day 3 Dali & to Lijiang
A cultural interlude sees us visiting the impressive three pagodas, set in spacious grounds with plentiful birdlife, before the drive north to Lijiang. In the afternoon we’ll drive reach Wenghai to find the lovely
Thalictrum delavayi,
Arisaema franchetianum and stunning sheets of pink
Primula beesiana around the large lake there
. Overnight Shuhe.
Day 4 To Zhongdian (Shangri-la)
From Lijiang the road meanders through pine forests and crosses the Yangtse River where new bridges cross the dramatic defile before climbing onto the Zhongdian Plateau - a botanical hotspot. The turf here will be full of colour with
Incarvillea zhongdianensis, mingled with the remarkable near-black purple
Thermopsis barbata,
Anemone demissa,
Aster soulei and masses of
Euphorbia jolkinii amongst which are orchids, gentians and louseworts. Overnight Zhongdian (3300 metres).
Day 5 Napa Hai
Close to the town is a small botanic garden that encloses an area of natural vegetation including a tract of old forest. Our first blue poppy
Meconopsis prattiii grows here and along the roadsides nearby and within are the sumptuous pouches of
Cypripedium tibeticum, growing alongside
Cypripedium flavum,
Cypripedium plectrochilon and
Cypripedium guttatum as well as Greater Butterfly Orchids and Sword Helleborines. There will be many more of these exotic orchids in the afternoon growing among shrubberies of
Rhododendron wardii and then a fifth species of slipper orchid
Cypripedium yunnanense will round off the day. Overnight Zhongdian.
Day 6 Tianchi Hai
This remote high altitude lake and the surrounding area have many wonderful flowers. Stands of dozens of
Cypripedium flavum jostle alongside the gorgeous pink discs of
Nomocharis aperta, big clumps of
Primula chionantha hint at the feast of primulas on offer today with swathes of
Primula sikkimensis and
Primula secundiflora mingled together around the lake, abundant bells of
Primula amethystina and spires of
Primula deflexa. Darkest purple bells of
Lilium soulei pop up from the dwarf rhododendrons and the sinister spathes of
Arisaema elephas emerge from clumps of
Adonis davidii beside pale yellow
Meconopsis pseudointegrifolia. Overnight Zhongdian.
Day 7 To Baima Shan
An early departure sees us climbing onto the spectacular Baima Shan, where limestone cliffs hold
Paraquilegia microphylla. Climbing onto higher slopes we’ll find the superb tight domes of blue
Chionocharis hookeri amid magenta
Chesneya purpurea,
Primula dryadifolia,
Primula calliantha and dwarf shrubs of deep pink
Rhododendron calostrotum. Overnight Benzilan.
Day 8 Baima Shan and to Zhongdian
More time will be spent on Baima Shan, this time on the limestone slopes, in search of the lovely
Corydalis melanochlora,
Lilium lophopohrum, fragrant
Primula gemmifera amoena and the impressive gentian relative
Megacodon stylophorum. In the afternoon we’ll return to Zhongdian via pinewoods full of the scarlet drumsticks of
Androsace bulleyana and
Daphne aurantiaca. Overnight Zhongdian.
Day 9 Daxue Shan
The dramatic limestone teeth of Big Snow Mountain rises from tracts of mixed conifer and rhododendron forest coloured by dense carpets of
Androsace rigida. The high turf has purple
Meconopsis lancifolium,
Corydalis pachycentra and big domes of
Arenaria polytrichoides, whilst a nearby valley has high screes with the imposing
Rheum nobile and stunning
Corydalis benecincta. All amid stunning mountain landscapes. Overnight Xiancheng.
Day 10 To Litang
Densely wooded valleys frame serene rural scenes of neat Tibetan houses in various styles and immaculately tended fields. High passes have peculiar
Soroseris gillii and
Saussurea medusa, alongside
Solms-laubachia pulcherima,
Iris dolichosiphon and
Androsace wardii. As we descend there is
Primula orbicularis and stands of
Iris delavayi.
Primula involucrata carpets marshy flushes and we’ll stop for flowery grasslands full of
Incarvillea mairei and
Iris goniocarpa and the intriguing black-purple
Thermopsis barbata as we climb to a vast granite plateau that extends north. On the high plateau are many
Meconopsis integrifolia,
Aster himalaicus and tight cushions of
Arenaria oreophila as well as
Primula orbicularis and the creamy-spires of
Rheum alexandrae that crowd marshy areas. The expansive lakeland climbs to over 4500 metres with snow-capped shans in the distance. Overnight Litang (altitude 4000 metres).
Day 11 To Yajiang
There will be a cultural diversion in the morning to visit the imposing Litang Monastery with it's vibrant colourful interiors. Heading east the roadsides slopes are full of colour with plentiful
Lilium lophophorum,
Incarvillea mairei,
Ajuga lupulina, Meconopsis henrici and the peculiar rosettes of
Pleurospermum surrounded by prayer flags. Overnight Yajiang.
Day 12 To Danba
Today we will experience the vast grasslands that stretch across this eastern fringe of the Tibetan Plateau. Roadside banks have the soft yellow of
Primula prattii and blue spires of
Meconopsis racemosa, whilst
Paeonia anomala ssp
veitchii crowd the shrubberies and we'll pass through several typical Tibetan villages with their distinctive houses. The pass near Danba has
Corydalis conspersa, pretty mauve
Primula violacea and
Sinopodophyllum hexandrum. Then we find
various colour forms of
Salvia prattii as we descend into lusher woodlands. Overnight Danba.
Day 13 Siguniang Shan
Heading along the deep valley east of Danba we climb steadily seeing
Eremurus chinensis and bushy plants of flowery
Incarvillea arguta before a more serious ascent bring us onto the flower-rich turf of Siguniang Shan with new species of pedicularis, primula and corydalis, together with the developing forms of
Saussurea medusa, akin to woolly botanic jellyfish. In the alpine turf are large numbers of
Meconopsis integrifolia. Overnight Rilong.
Day 14 Balang Shan
The incomparable Balang Shan is where we spend the whole day. The high turf is smothered in flowers with many drooping red
Meconopsis punicea and various mauve poppywort species mingled with
Cypripedium tibeticum,
Fritillaria sichuanica, masses of wide-faced
Omphalogramma vinciflora,
Corydalis curviflora, many louseworts and primulas including
Primula polyneura, and both
Veratrum album and
nigrum, lovely roses and delicate and refined
Corydalis flexuosa. Overnight Rilong.
Day 15 To Chengdu
We'll explore some other delightful areas around the lower Balang Shan including stands of the spectacular lily
Cardiocrinum giganteum, before heading to the big city in the afternoon. Overnight Chengdu.
Day 16 Flights home (25 June)
International return flights from Chengdu airport.
