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MISTY MOUNTAIN TEA

In a remote valley in the lush mountains that straddle China’s provinces of Sichuan and Gansu, there is an old village of tea plantations ensconced by mist and situated at the fringes of a vast nature reserve. It’s about an hour’s drive from the nearest town, but it feels like the end of the earth – the village’s old houses are evocatively constructed of wood, the ancestral temple is a fantastic wooden structure hundreds of years old, and the old people particularly are outlandish and exotic in their old-fashioned clothes. A river rustles as it courses through the valley, forming a scattering of pools with clear and greenish water, and wild flowers proliferate along the dry stone walls. And on the slopes, the villagers potter in their plantations of green tea. It all makes a timeless and idyllic scene, especially in spring and summer when tea leaves are harvested – after being cut, the leaves are then dried and eventually singed in specially-built ovens, then the tea is ready for brewing.  

So, if you have ever wondered where the wonderfully aromatic green tea comes from, here is your chance to travel to the source. You will be greeted with sounds and sights that are quintessential of old and rural China, and hosted by the peasants that are hospitable and curious – it’s a wonderful place, and its remote location makes it seem like a discovery. Mountains tower above the village, rising on both sides in slopes that are dark with dense forest, which is home to species such as pandas and bears and leopards – plenty of terrain that begs for walks and explorations. 

We can take you on long-weekend tours in which you base yourself in the village – you can either lodge with one of the villagers or camp by the riverside – and then explore the area. Activities you can do include hiking in the forests, exploring the scatters of farmhouses and tea plantations in the valley, and learn about the cultivation and preparation of tea. If you like, you can even help out at the plantations, cutting tea, then spreading it out to dry, and finally singing the leaves in the wood-fired specially-built ovens (the final product – or tea you buy – would be singed in an oven, that is why the leaves would be curled). Another option is to visit the area as one of the stops in a larger route.

Start & Finish: Chengdu

Trip Logistics: Minimum duration is four days round-trip from Chengdu. Activities and level of immersion is your choice. 

Accommodation: Accommodation is either with a host family in the village, or camping in the village, or even staying in a hotel at the nearest town (1 hour drive away). 

Prices: Price will depend on length of stay and type of accommodation, as well as the specific arrangement of each particular trip.