With a name that literally means south of the clouds, Yunnan province is one of the most diverse in China, in every sense.
The Northwest of the province is heavily influenced by Tibet, with which it shares a mountainous border. The South is influenced by its proximity to Laos, Burma, and Vietnam. Since ancient times, Yunnan has served as China’s gateway to Southeast Asia and South Asia, and it remains a meeting point of eastern and western cultures. The Southern Silk Road, Tea Horse Road, and other ancient caravan routes have connected China to the rest of the world for more than 2,000 years, and traces of them can still be seen (and traveled!) in many places.

Yunnan is a mountainous province, with high elevations in the northwest and low elevations in the southeast. Most of the population lives in the eastern part of the province. In the west, the relative height from mountain peaks to river valleys can be as much as 3,000 meters. The province is interwoven with tributaries of some of the most important rivers in Asia (Yangtze, Pearl, Mekhong, Red, Salween, Irrawaddy), whose lushness support the largest diversity of wildlife in China. The province is famed for its multitude of ethnic groups, whose diverse customs can still be seen today. Of China’s fifty-five officially recognized ethnic minorities, twenty-five can be found in Yunnan: about one-third of the population is not ethnic Han-Chinese.

Keystone Adventure‘s Yunnan programs combine the region‘s incredible topography, rich cultures, and storied history. Our flagship program in Dali mixes outdoor elements (hiking, rock climbing, & cycling) with cultural elements (DIY Batik tie-die, cheese-making, & Taiqi). We can also facilitate this program in the form of a multi-day adventure race. Our programs in Shaxi Old Town, meanwhile, are geared towards traditional Bai ethnic culture and impactful service projects. For schools that really want to get even further off the beaten-path, there is the spectacular Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La, Yunnan’s gateway to Tibet.

There is a reason why we are based in Yunnan…come find out why!