Über diese Reise
Eryuan Rural Tour is an excellent way to leave the bustling Dali Old Town and experience the tranquility of the countryside, fields, lakes, and Dali's unique history. In Dengchuan, known for its dairy products, you can not only watch the daily production of local Rushan and fresh milk but also experience the making process and learn about the culture of this traditional snack. There are no other tourists around. This is a deeply immersive journey suitable for everyone. Bring your family, leave the tourist attractions behind, and enjoy a leisurely trip.
As a guest named FairyH described, she wrote it better than our own activity description:
"The people of Dengchuan say Rushan is the white gold of the Bai people. When you dip your hands into the warm milk curds, the milky aroma wraps around your fingers as light climbs up, and the congealed fat spins into thin wings on bamboo poles, drying in the wind that sifts through the nineteen peaks of Cangshan.
The oar cuts through West Lake, ripples spread, the sound of the paddle mingles with clouds and shadows. Children and Guobao (the dog) play in the water, both humans and dog getting soaked.
Jiming Village (Rooster Crow Village) looks hardly Islamic from the outside. The tailor took me to visit the unconventional mosque, a conflict between faith and reality that left me unsettled for a long time.
On the way back, we encountered a huge rainbow. Today's journey had the coolness of the lake, the heat of the milk curds, and the prayers I didn't get to hear must have been long and lingering, all in the same porcelain bowl, rippling like silver fragments.
Thank you to our guides, Tailor and Guobao. Eryuan is well worth it."
"I am Aruna, from Inner Mongolia, and I have lived in Dali for ten years. I have a baking studio in Xiaocen Village near the old town, where I teach baking. I enjoy camping in nature and once traveled for half a year in a van, so I usually lead camping trips in Shangri-La and other places near Dali. My deep travel group partners—usually He Chen, Xiao Qi, Xiao Chun, Hong Hong, and others—and I really love Eryuan. The fields there change with the seasons, colors shift, migratory birds fly to the lake, and the reed marshes turn green and yellow. The friendly sisters at the Rushan workshop, Uncle A Du who runs the boat, and the occasional cows and sheep we meet in the villages—everything becomes more familiar as time passes. I hope to share these simple and beautiful daily life scenes with you."
Possible Discomfort:
Transportation: Our tour vehicles are mostly ordinary minivans. We are frugal and often carry outdoor gear on natural mountain roads and village paths, so minivans are usually the best choice. Many children enjoy the bumpy ride, calling it the 'shaking car.'
Graves in the mountains: Sometimes guests may feel uncomfortable passing by graves. In rural Yunnan, many graves are located on hillsides near villages, even along roadsides. The relationship with graves here is different from urban areas—people pass by cemeteries while working in the fields, picking mushrooms, herbs, or gathering firewood. People might even have a picnic near a grave. The sunshine, peaceful atmosphere, and local customs make this place unique. If you are sensitive to cemeteries, please consider carefully before booking.
Some snapshots along the Eryuan Rural Tour: Harvest season: In November, migratory birds gradually return to the lake, and more birds of prey circle overhead. The lake for boating. The sheep in the Muslim village.
Itinerary Experience:
Dengchuan Rushan Workshop: Visit the daily production process of Rushan, taste fresh milk, or enjoy milk popsicles. If you like, you can personally experience the process of making Rushan, where fresh milk is converted into cheese by heating and separating curds and whey.
Walk through villages and fields: Follow small paths through rice paddies, villages, and fields.
Explore a century-old ancient village: Stroll through an ancient Muslim village, where the evening broadcast echoes in the air.
Boat ride on the lake: Sail along winding waterways, enjoying the white-walled, black-tiled villages and distant mountains.
Local cuisine: If you are not in a hurry to return, you can have dinner with the guide at a local farmhouse or halal restaurant on the way back. I think it's a rare cost-effective and tasty restaurant in Dali (about 35-50 RMB per person).
Detailed Itinerary:
This journey will take you to a lakeside village 55 kilometers from Dali, far from typical tourist destinations. Walk through natural fields where locals work, visit a peninsula in the lake, take a boat through reed marshes, and go deep into the lake. The area is full of waterfowl, with views of the distant Cangshan Mountains and Bai villages with white walls and black tiles. This is a picturesque rural scene you may have never seen before.
Along the way, we will stop in Dengchuan, an important source of fresh milk in Dali. There are many Rushan workshops in the town where you can watch or participate in the Rushan-making process, taste fresh milk, and enjoy milk popsicles at very affordable prices (2-3 yuan).
After the boat ride, we pass by another century-old ancient village with huge banyan trees that tell the long history of the village, possibly dating back to the Mongol period 800 years ago.
We will walk along a flower-lined road at the foot of the mountain, where few people tread. From this high point, you can overlook the village and the lake. The road is lined with eucalyptus and walnut trees, and nearby there is a lake as green as jade, surrounded by farmland. We can stop here for afternoon tea, ordering black tea and fruit while enjoying the lake and mountain scenery. Lotus flowers bloom in the lake, and in the evening, villagers usually go boating to fish. This lake was once covered with Egyptian papyrus, possibly with a unique connection to ancient Egyptian culture. Sitting by the lake, you can quietly watch the smoke rising from the village on the opposite shore.
At the end of the itinerary, if you are not in a hurry to return, you can have dinner with the guide at a local restaurant in the town (about 30-40 yuan per person, shared). This is an opportunity to experience true local restaurant prices. We will return to Dali Old Town around 8:00-9:00 PM.
Distance from Dali Old Town: 55 km
Difficulty: Easy, suitable for infants and the elderly
Departure time: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM (confirmed at booking; later departure in summer to avoid heat)
Return time: 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Child fee: Same as adult
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