10 Days Textile Tour to off the Beaten Tribes

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The best traveling season

From the mid of March till the end of Apr, the weather is getting warm, but still not the busy time for farming (They would start busy farming in May). So it's the right time for the villagers to do their needlework. March and Apr are the blooming time for azalea and rape flowers, and the rice terrace field would be irrigated since the mid of Apr and till the end.

September and October. There are different kinds of festivals would be held after the harvest, so the villagers need to urgently make their new clothes for wearing in the festival. And the rice terrace field would be turn golden in Sep and last till the beginning of Oct. People would wear their most beautiful dress to attend the festivals, find the lovers in the singing and dancing show. So the festival time is the best chance to appreciate their fantastic clothes. Kindly find bellowing the time table for the different local festivals held in the slack season of the farming:

Note: We all mentioned the place as “near or around Kaili”, that's we need to protect these unique information, because 60% of the above festivals are not known by tourists, so please double check with us if you are interested in attending these above festivals, where does it exactly happen, and we would include it in the trip appropriately with your itinerary.

The weather in Guizhou Province

The weather is getting warm in March and Apr. There would be light rain in these 2 months. The temperature is around 15℃ (59℉) - 24℃ (75℉). And it would enter the summer since May till the beginning of Sep. The temperature would be between 25℃ (77℉) - 34℃ (93℉), the weather is hot and humid and sometimes with heaving rain. The weather turns to more comfortable since the mid of Sep till the Nov. Most of the days are sunny and cloudy days and the temperature would be around 14℃ (57℉) - 26℃ (79℉). The temperature would be lower inside the mountain. So if there is any isolated villages included in your trip inside the mountain, you need to prepare the clothes which is match with 7-8 ℃ lower climate.

Transportation

Guizhou is mountainous area, the main transportation is by private vehicle. But the motor-way is also developed in Guizhou province except sometimes you need to drive inside the narrow ways into the small villages, so we might probably need to change the local mini-bus if necessary. As most of the times, you need to hike to the village built on the mountain, so you'd better wear the comfortable hiking shoes for long distance walking and uphill or downhill walking.

Diet

Guizhou cuisine is one of the most delicious cuisines in China. Distinctively spicy and sour food. So if you don't accept spicy food or only can accept a bit spicy, please inform your guide in advance. As most of the itinerary in Guizhou is shuttling inside the villages, and there is only some very simple local restaurant available. The food might not reach your expectation, and the time might not exactly the right time for having meal, so please prepare some snacks and fruit before entering the remote areas.  

Accommodation

Except the capital city Guiyang, all the rest of the cities in Guizhou province are 4 star is their best hotels. And local 3 star is the best one in most of the towns and counties. Special inside some village, only very simple accommodation, guesthouse or just stay inside the villagers'house. But except the toilets (most of them are very traditional dry pail latrine), we would provide you the at least clean accommodation. Some of the villages, the couples cannot sleep in one bed or even in one room according to the local custom. And nearly all the guesthouses or villagers’home without independent shower rooms, they are public. Showering is not available in some of the isolated villages. Most of the local accommodations cannot provide western style breakfasts, but our experienced guide would prepare the western style breakfasts like bananas, milk, juice, toasted breads, fried eggs in advance. Laundry Service is only available in Guiyang and Kaili these two big cities but not other cities.

Attention for photo taking

Local Guizhou people are kind and simple, most of the time, they are ok if you taking picture for them or with them. But some of them are a bit shy, special the women, so you can take the picture of their children or grandchildren firstly, and show the pictures to them, in order to make the distance getting closer with them, then they might probably accept picture shooting for them. You'd better prepare some small gifts to the local villagers, like combs, shampoo, towels or sewing kit. Cash is not in our suggestion. You also can prepare the gifts under our guide's instruction upon arrival.

These things might be helpful for your trip

• Mosquito Repellent
• Headlight or flashlight
• Toilet articles because some of the guesthouses do not provide it like toothbrush, shampoo and etc
• Some necessary medicines for diarrhea, cold or accident hurt.

Cultural Taboos

• Please do not pee near the villagers'house
• Local Miao people like to drink rice wine, and are happy to serve the best wine to honored guests. So if possible, please do not refuse them, even just take a sip. But if the wine is totally unacceptable for you, please remind your guide firstly.
• If meet with funeral on the way, please do not take the picture of it.
• For any animals you see in the village, like cattle or dog, but please do not touch it.
• The couple cannot stay in one bed inside the Miao or Dong Ethnic Group Village according to their local culture.