Festival Traditions from Guiyang to Kali

Welcome to Guiyang! After check-in, leisurely check out Jiaxiulou, a centuries-old pavilion standing on the riverfront of downtown Guiyang. As night falls and the city lights come on, its shimmering reflection in the water draws many people pressing their camera shutters.

In the morning, take a 2-hour car ride to Huangguoshu Waterfall, one of China's most spectacular waterfalls. As the filming site of "Journey to the West", the scenery here is as magnificent as the myths. View the waterfall from the top, middle, and bottom, and even walk behind it to admire its powerful flow from inside. Beyond the main waterfall, marvel at the scene of strange rocks, gentle streams, and waterfalls.

Then, drive about one hour to Tianlong Tunpu, a rare fortress village that preserves Han culture in the ethnic minority region. Watch a "Dixi" - an ancient form of folk opera, where masked actors with flags, weapons perform song, dance, and battle in the beat of drums. If you wish, try crafting a Dixi mask, dressing up in Ming-style costumes, and immersing yourself in the living legacy of Han culture from 600 years ago.

This morning, we will drive about three hours to Kaili. On the way, enjoy a home-cooked Miao lunch in Qingman and then visit Shiqiao, another Miao village, where you can watch local craftsmen turn bark into paper with 1,500-year-old techniques and then try to craft your own pieces. Pick a piece of wild grass and put it on the paper pulp to add a slice of artistic and natural flavor to your works.

Today, we will visit Langde, a typical village of Long-skirt Miao, where females traditionally wear ankle-length pleated skirts made of indigo-dyed cloth. Walking lovers can hike about 40 minutes, alongside a snaking stream, from the lower part of the village to the upper.

At the entrance of the upper village, you will be greeted with 12 cups of "Lanmenjiu (block-the-door rice wine)", which is considered the highest welcome ritual of the Miao people. Step into the village center, where a lively Lusheng song and dance show awaits.

After an authentic local lunch, stroll through the village lanes, visit historic homes and the ethnic museum, immersing yourself in the charm of ethnic minority culture.

Depending on your travel dates in Guizhou, witness one of the Miao's important annual festivals.

During the Sister's Meal Festival (usually in early April), regarded as Valentine's Day of the Miao, witness silver-adorned Miao girls and boys courtship singing and share rice cakes.

If you are here during the Miao New Year (late autumn), join villages in lush feasts, Lusheng dancing, bullfight, or other endemic games, to celebrate the harvest of the year. Whichever you catch, it's a unique chance to explore Guizhou's intangible cultural heritage.

As the journey draws to a close, transfer to Kaili railway station for your next destination. Wanting more? Why not take an extension to Zhaoxing to participate in the Dong people's Lusheng Festival, lasting three months from November to next February?