Un jour Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Tour avec spectacle Impression Lijiang

Absolutely loved this tour! Impressions show is one of the best performances I have ever seen. Directed by a famous Chinese director who also directed the Beijing Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies and a number of award-winning films, it was truly an unforgettable experience. The show included 500 actors, hundreds of horses and gorgeous costumes and instruments. The show takes place with a backdrop of the Snow Mountain on a red mini-mountain (similar to the Red Rocks Theater in Denver). I was told there are about 50 ethnic minorities in China, half of whom live in the Yunnan Province. The show celebrates diversity of these cultures through their music, dance and costumers. This director has 9 more shows I believe and I may structure my future trips around seeing them. The rest of the day we visited the mountain which was gorgeous. The lake is super bright blue and there was a cool white yak which you can take a picture with. It was pretty amazing. My guide Sandy was super nice, knowledgeable and thoughtful.

Our guide was Sophie - knowledgeable, helpful and understanding of our pace at 10,000 ft. Although the mountain was hidden by clouds, the cable car to the meadow was worth it. The walk round the ponds and waterfall was a highlight- the picture in your ad does not capture the true beauty. The Impression show far exceeded expectations - easy to follow. Lunch was traditional Naxi food - really enjoyed it..sophis is a superstar!

What a fantastic day. My wife and I were there last month as part of a 19 day tour of China. We had been to China before, so this trip was to places off the normal tourist route. All the arrangements and a guide and transportation were provided by China Tours. We had a great time, but were limited to seeing only the Yak Meadow due to health issues. It was well worth the effort and time. The Impression Lijang show is totally different and unexpected, even though it is explained before you go. The show tells the story of the Nakhi people in song, music and motion in a fairly large outdoor amphitheater with multi-tiered performance platforms. The ever changing scenes and flow of the various ethnic groups in native dress on deck and and on horseback is most impressive and interesting. Large screen displays help with English translations and explanations. A must do if in the area.

Nothing prepared us for the unforgettable tour that Yunnan Adventure Travel and guide, Sophie had in store for us. As soon as we left our Hotel, we headed straight for the National Park of which Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Spruce Meadow, Blue Moon Valley, the Impression Lijiang Show, the Naxi Village and Baisha Murals are all a part of. As we drove through the vast arid landscape leading to the bus station entrance of the park, Sophie requested our driver to stop in certain places from where we could take great photos of the snow capped Jade Dragon Mountain looming in the distance. Once we reached the cable car station after a short bus ride, it was up, up and away, amidst glorious mountain scenery towards Spruce Meadow-a grassy area surrounded by spruce trees, grazed upon by goats and sheep. The meadow which is crested by the Jade Dragon Mountain, is held sacred by the Naxi people. The walk from the cable car station to the meadow is through a forest and it's not uncommon to see lambs and goats run around and munch on a twig or two. Around the meadow are stalls manned by indigenous people, it was here that Sophie recommended that my daughters and I dress up in traditional attire and take photos. Next we made our way down by cable car to the buggy station, as we were to travel to the glacial lakes of Moon Valley. As Sophie explained, minerals in the lakes make them change colour during every season. We were lucky to see vivid blue and green water and very clear views of the surrounding mountains and forests. The walk by the lakes is very intelligently designed with boardwalks and paved paths. Since the area is very romantic, we were privy to many a pre wedding photo shoot. What excited our daughters the most however, was seeing a pair of white yaks, in the company of an authentic Naxi tribal. Much photography later, we caught a shuttle bus to the open air venue of the Impressions Show. This jaw dropping spectacle of music, dance and drama conceptualised and directed by famed Chinese film director, producer, writer, actor, and former cinematographer, Zhang Yimou, has hundreds of ethnic people from neighbouring villages as its actors, horsemen and musicians. The show which takes place thousands of feet above sea level is set against the backdrop of snow capped mountains. Lunch was immediately after in an authentic Nexi village restaurant, where we feasted on fresh local delicacies before taking a leisurely walk through the town, watching people go about their everyday tasks and hearing about their ways from Sophie. The highlight was visiting the Embroidery Institute with its spectacular award winning displays and watching students hard at work. Sophie's eye for detail drew our attention to Naxi "grannies", elderly women who are care givers of their grand children while their parents are busy at work; and to cute "tile cats" that adorn many a village roof, protecting the homes and its occupants from evil. The Baisha murals which Sophie took us to next were very interesting in their detail and it was amazing to know of their significance and extent of survival through the ages, thanks to her knowledgeable and detailed commentary. Our last stop was a stroll with Sophie through Lijiang Ancient Town,being a local, she knew all of its intricacies and encouraged us to sample many a local delicacy. If I could turn back time, I would play this day back in a loop! Thank you Yunnan Adventure Travel and Sophie for making it spectacular for us. ~Felicia Variava Albert, Managing Director, Blaze Tours & Travels Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, India