Jason | Two Things We Want to Do

In April 2023, we traveled to Iran. Because we had local friends, we were fortunate to experience local life in depth. We realized that it is not easy for a traveler to truly enter an unfamiliar place and have an immersive journey. Therefore, we are more determined to do our part well from the traveler's perspective.

Travel is not just arriving at the destination's towns or guesthouses; that is only the beginning. The next part is what matters: truly entering the place—going into nature, villages, and the everyday restaurants and cafes tucked away somewhere. During travel, talk with sincere and down-to-earth people, learn about each other's lives, and feel the richness and some meaning of travel.

So we clearly want to do two things:

1️⃣ [Make immersive travel simple] That is our outdoor experience—taking you to places that are not easy to reach: mountain paths, streams, lakes, villages, farmhouses, and local cuisine. Make your trip rich and simple.

2️⃣ [Provide abundant self-guided travel information] On our own travels, besides cost considerations, we also want to explore freely and independently without a guide. We will unreservedly provide a wealth of content that you can explore on your own. This includes nature and outdoor activities, temples, ancient villages, hot springs, cafes, restaurants, and other local commercial experiences we find worthwhile. It also includes the season's climate, clothing tips, how to get to Dali and local transportation, accommodation, and meals.

Please see here: Some recommended information for traveling in Dali

It will be updated from time to time. Referencing this information in advance not only helps when you arrive but also aids in trip planning.

We hope this will make your trip rich, smooth, and frustration-free, and that you have a wonderful holiday that is meaningful to yourself and those around you.

◆ Watch a beautiful sunset over Cangshan

◆ Go hiking in the mountains, learn about plants, birds, and animals

◆ Go paddleboarding/kayaking or take a boat trip on a rural lake

◆ Pick mushrooms in Cangshan (June to October)

◆ Do ecoprinting in streams, hike, draw

◆ Visit a cafe in the mountains, hike to watch the sunset

◆ Hike to a temple deep in the mountains and enjoy a vegetarian meal

◆ Camp by a lake in the deep mountains

◆ Take a boat trip on the lake to watch the stars

◆ Use local clay as material to make your own pottery

◆ Do kintsugi, bead stringing, and make a tile cat in the quiet courtyard of "Yungong Kaiwu"

◆ In the beekeeper's forest, learn about the world of bees

◆ Use mushrooms and moss collected from the mountains to make a mushroom lamp

◆ Collect fresh moss from the mountains and create a forest terrarium in a jar

◆ Spend a day at a mountain farmhouse, eat wild vegetables, and take a walk in the alpine pastures

◆ In spring and summer, go to the tea garden to pick and process tea; in autumn and winter, make a pu'er tea cake with your own hands

◆ Go to an ancient market on a town along the Ancient Tea Horse Road

Whether it is the peak holiday season or usually, the places we go are quiet and have few tourists; for the most part, it's just us.

*Some of our guides may bring their small dogs (the dogs love nature and they can't bear to leave them at home), and they are all friendly. If you are afraid of dogs, you can confirm in advance.