WILLIAM D BOEHM TOURS for 2018

Natural History and Living Heritage of Three Parallel Rivers, Yunnan, China

Guided trip with Ecologist/photographer and

Author William D Boehm in partnership with

Songtsam Lodges

The aim of this tour is to offer unmatched experiences that maximize opportunities to photograph the natural history and engage the culture of Yunnan with an itinerary carefully designed by Songtsam. You will enjoy a 9 day experience with Author/Photographer William D Boehm to explore the Three Rivers area of Yunnan, China in 5 star Tibetan style lodges, and experience the natural history and culture of a beautiful scenic section of Yunnan. The Three Parallel Rivers Area of Yunnan encompasses the majestic land hemmed in by the mighty Yangtze, the free-flowing Mekong and the wild Salween. Many of the twenty-five different ethnic minorities currently living in Yunnan can be found in this area which features snow-capped peaks more than 6,000 meters high, glaciated gorges and terraced fields. These peaceful people have for generations not only preserved, but also nurtured this “Shangri-La”. We will explore the natural history of remotely accessible locations in Yunnan, including Baima Snow Mountain Reserve, Nanjiluo alpine lakes area, and the Black snub-nosed Monkey National Park. We will also encounter Naxi, Tibetan and Lisu Hill tribe cultures, and visit several Tibetan monastaries in our journey to explore a part of Yunnan that few have seen. Yunnan contains a tremendous biodiversity of flora and fauna, due to its geographical north south alignment of mountains and rivers, with influence and mixing of Myanmar, Thailand Tropical forests with Chinese and Tibetan montane forests.

Dates: May 31 to June 8, 2018 Minimum 4, maximum 10.

October 8 October 16, 2018 Minimum 4, maximum 10

Current Availability: Yes: Please Enquire

Background : William D Boehm is an award-winning photographer and author, with a background and graduate work in wildlife biology, botany and zoology, William has worked as a Senior Environmental Scientist in the Pacific Northwest in Salmon habitat and wetland restoration for 20 years, and retired in 2012. He has led tour groups as a naturalist including Lindblad/National Geographic in Baja Mexico, SE Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, and Peru. He has explored wild areas throughout the world for 45 years, including Asia, South America, North America, Africa and Australasia, sharing his passion of natural history and cultural history, including leading tours and lecturing. His publications include the award winning book “Glacier Bay Old Ice New Land” 2015, and his photographs and articles have appeared in National Geographic Our Awesome Earth and Alaska's Magnificent Parklands,Sierra club and Time-Life, and in magazines including Smithsonian, International Wildlife, Audubon, Sierra, and National Geographic Kids.

http://nickgarbutt.com/contact/

Songtsam Experience: Authentic ● Experiential ● Adventurous

Living Heritage of Three Parallel Rivers The Three Parallel Rivers Area of Yunnan encompasses the majestic land hemmed in by the mighty Yangtze, the free-flowing Mekong and the wild Salween. Many of the twenty five different ethnic minorities currently living in Yunnan can be found in this area which features snow-capped peaks more than 6,000 meters high, glaciated gorges and terraced fields. These peaceful people have for generations not only preserved, but also nurtured this “Shangri-La”. Songtsam has established a series of lodges in five carefully selected locales, enabling guests to experience the different cultures and landscapes inherent to these regions throughout all four seasons. Incorporating stays at different Songtsam lodges; this circuit trip takes you into the heart of Three Parallel Rivers Area, and lets you explore the mysterious land.

Each lodge provides a distinct

experience of this magical

land. Songtsam can arrange

expeditions ranging from 3 to

15 days. Trips start either

from Lijiang or Shangri-La.

Trip Highlights

This trip is for adventurous travelers looking for an experience encompass physical and cultural activities; discovers unique wildlife and explores untouched, wild regions. From the stunning views of the highest snow peak of Yunnan to the lush and flowery Mekong valley, this trip takes you through the heart of Three Parallel Rivers Area and reveals the living heritage. Program highlights include:

Explore untamed and wild terrains at Meili Snow Mountains

Every year many Tibetans as well as travelers travel from all over the world to worship Kawagebo, the major peak of Meili snow mountain range. At tranquil Songtsam lodge away from main touristy spots, we know some of the most beautiful and untamed paths around Meili. Guided hikes or leisure walks take you to the heart of this mysterious land and allow you to avoid dense crowds.

Understand the rich culture through experiential activities:

This circuit is a voyage of breathtaking landscapes and wonderful cultures. All activities are designed for travelers to experience the living heritage intimately:

- Visit Nature Reserves and national parks to photograph, observe flora and fauna - Visit important Tibetan Monasteries in this area - Visit local families of different ethnic people: Tibetan, Naxi and Lisu. - Visit Cizhong Catholic church and scenic upper Mekong river valley - Attend handicraft workshop at Nixi making traditional black pottery cup; at Gonjo

painting traditional lacquer wooden box;

Enjoy the great geographic diversity; discover the wonderful world of wildlife

Due to the quick changes in altitude, one can move from cold snowy mountains to warm flower-filled valleys within a couple of hours, and experience four seasons within one day. Great biodiversity is highlight of this route, exciting discoveries include:

- Watch the rare species of Yunnan golden monkey; - Discover hundreds of different kind of rhododendrons (blossoming from late May to

early June) ;

- Reveal the home place of numerous flowers you find in world gardens today - Hike village trails or mountain paths, look for mushroom in the woods in summer Go off-the-beaten path in comfort

Throughout the journey, guests will be staying in Tibetan style boutique Hotels – Songtsam Lodges. All lodges feature exquisite level of amenities, handpicked antique

furniture/art collections and services that guests wouldn’t expect for such remote places. Songtsam Shangri-La (3,300m) is situated right next to the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan province. The lodge is housed in a traditional Tibetan dwelling within this typical, self-sufficient Tibetan farming village where the founder of Songtsam, Baima Dorji, spent his childhood. In a small green valley by Yangtse River, sits Songtsam Benzilan (1,900m). Amid barley and wheat fields, the lodge is surrounded by white-walled Tibetan houses and close to a white Stupa. From the hotel, it is an easy walk to the nearby hills and traditional Tibetan villages, where temples are decorated with beautiful murals. Songtsam Meili Lodge (3,600m) overlooks the majestic Meili Mountain Range. Most of the rooms have a stunning view of Meili, a memorable experience for every guest who stays here.

Songtsam Tacheng Lodge (2,020m) forms part of a mixed Tibetan/Lisu farming community. Its year-round mild climate yields abundant crops of fruits and nuts. Rice, wheat and grapes surround the terraced fields. Tacheng is also home to the charming, endangered Yunnan Golden Monkeys (Rhinopithecus biteti). Hidden in scenic upper Mekong valley, Songtsam Cizhong Lodge (2,200m) faces the hundred-year-old Cizhong Catholic church built by early missionaries. Today the beautifully decorated and painted church still serves nearly half of local Tibetans for regular Sunday Mass and other occasions. The fertile land, grape yards and mild weather make Cizhong village an enchanting place all year around.

Songtsam Linka Lijiang (2,400m), As the beginning point of Songtsam Yunnan-Tibet Route, Songtsam Linka Lijiang is located in a traditional Naxi village called Ciman, with the ancient town in the east, Wenbi Peak in the south, and Yulong Snow Mountain in the north. Since Lijiang is inhabited by Naxi ethnic nationality, the architectural building of Songtsam Linka Lijiang features itself in a combination of both Naxi and the Central Plains regions, but adhering to the official building standard. The interior decoration of the hotel also reflects the local culture, with carpets, figures of Buddha, stones from central China as well as furniture. The hotel rooms are characterized with six windows, from the floor-to-ceiling which is typical Naxi-style, transparent and bright, and enlightened with the color-glass lamps, warm and comfortable.

PHOTOGRAPHS BELOW TAKEN BY WILLIAM D BOEHM OCTOVER 2017

Himalayan sunrise from Meilli lodge by William boehm

Nanchilao lakes by William boehm

Trip Schedule

Program starts from and ends in Lijiang

Note: All information in this itinerary is accurate to the best of our knowledge but please note that changes

to our trips can and do occur.

Day Overnight Location Activities

Day 1

Sontsam Linka Lijiang

(2,400m)

Deluxe room

D

- Pick up from Lijiang airport - Dinner at hotel - Refresh at hotel or have a leisure walk around the

hotel if arrive early

Day 2

Songtsam Tacheng (2,020m) Deluxe room

B,L,D

- Visit Ancient town in the early morning to look for Forgotten Kingdom

- Lunch at hotel - Drive to Tacheng after lunch (4 hours) - Stop at Yangtze River Bend and Shigu town - Arrive Tacheng lodge in the late afternoon - Dinner at hotel

Day 3

Songtsam Tacheng (2,020m) Deluxe room

B, L,D

- Visit Black snub nosed Monkey national Park to hike the forest trail, and observe the rare group of habituated monkies

- Visit Hada village and learn how to make soy milk and Toufu in a local family to enjoy the local life

(Tacheng is a great place for relaxing with beautiful rice fields, iris, rose, other flowers and villages)

- Dinner at hotel

Day 4

Songtsam Cizhong

(2,000m)

Deluxe room

B, L, D

- Return to visit Yunnan Golden Monkey national park

- Hike for 1-2hours into the nature reserve - Drive to Cizhong along scenic upper Mekong river

(4hrs)

- Have lunch at local restaurant (or lunch box) - Stop at Tongle Lisu village for taking photos. - Arrive Cizhong in the afternoon - Join the Mass after the dinner if on Monday,

Wednesday and Friday evening

Day 5

Songtsam Meili

(3,600m)

Deluxe room

B, L, D

- Visit Nanjieluo after breakfast - Hike into the nature area to the holy lake on the top

of the mountain, this is a new place without tourists. (Visit churches in this area and watch the documentary inside the hotel if bad weather)

- Have a lunch box at scenic spot - Drive back Cizhong to relax and pick up luggages

to go to Meili hotel in the late afternoon

- Dinner at hotel

Day 6

Songtsam Meili

(3,600m)

Deluxe room

B, L, D

- Morning sunrise at Kawagebo - Day hike into Baima Snow Mountain area for 5-

6hours, and have simple picnic lunch at scenic spot)

- Return the hotel and relax in the afternoon - Dinner at hotel

Day 7

Songtsam Benzilan

(1,900m)

Deluxe room

B, L, D

- Morning sunrise at Kawagebo - Drive to Benzilan via Baima Snow Mountain Pass

(or via the tunnel due to the weather condition)

- Visit Dongzhulin Monastery on the way - Lunch at Songtsam Benzilan - Visit Gonjo village and learn Tibetan wooden bowl

painting workshop

- Dinner at hotel

Day 8

Songtsam Shangri-La (3,300m)

Deluxe room

B, L, D

- Drive to Shangri-La after breakfast - Have a stop at Napa Lake on the way - Visit Songzanlin Monastery - BBQ at Shangri-La - Have a leisure walk into the valley beside in the

afternoon

- Have farewell dinner

Day 9 Departure

B

- Drive to Lijiang after breakfast (3-4hours)

- Arrive Lijiang to the airport directly or stay at Songtsam Linka Lijiang

Trip Costs

Persons 4pax 6pax 8pax 10pax Single supplement

Cars 1 Van 1 Van 1 Coaster 1 Coaster

SGD 4400 4050 3900 3650 840

Land Costs INCLUDES:

- All land transfers on best‐in‐class local transportation indicated in the itinerary

- All admission fees and activities as indicated in the itinerary - All accommodation based on double occupancy - All meals starting from Dinner on Day first to Breakfast on the last day - Drinking water and snacks throughout the trip - Complimentary soft drinks, local beer, coffee, tea and drinking water at all Songtsam

Lodges

- Service of local guides Land Costs DOES NOT INCLUDE:

- Medical, Travel Insurance or Evacuation Insurance plans - Domestic and International Air fare to and from Lijiang - Personal telecommunication / laundry charges - Excursions and activities not included in itinerary Deposit: A deposit of 25% of the total value of the tour is required in SGD to secure your reservation booking for the trip. Full payment of the balance of 75% is required 45 days before the starting date of the tour. Cancelation Policy: Please note that due to the considerable amount of planning and work, including hotel bookings in the tour prior to the arrival of each party, the cancellation policy follows: For cancellation great than 60 days from departure, the full amount paid minus $200 for administration will be refunded. For cancellation between 60 days to 30 days before departure, 50% will be refunded. Cancellation less than 30 days before departure starting date of the trip 0% refund and will be charged as a no show.

Trip Expectations

To and from starting city: Shangri‐La(Diqing airport) has regular flights connecting to Kunming, which offers daily flights to major international gateway cities, such as

Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Flights from Kunming to Shangri‐La are usually

scheduled around 7‐8 AM morning or 8 PM at night. Flights to Beijing (via Chongqing), Guangzhou, and Chengdu are available.

There are multiple daily flights connecting Lijiang to Kunming, which offers daily flights to major international gateway cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Trip Difficulty: This journey is considered moderate touring and moderate to strenuous hiking. Our itinerary includes full days of activities, which start early in the morning and end in the evening. We take hikes of up to 5-6 hours.

We stay overnight at places of up to 3,300 meters (10,500 feet) above sea level at Shangri-La and 3,600 meters at Meili. We will reach to over 4000 meters on the road over Baima snow mountain pass and during day hike in Meili. Each person can respond to a change in altitude differently, in the event of altitude sickness, we would move to a lower altitude. After plenty of rest, symptoms usually subside. For more information, please consult your doctor.

Road Conditions and Transportation: Depending on group size, we travel in well‐ maintained 4WD jeeps or vans. All vehicles are driven by experienced staff drivers of Songtsam. Our journey includes a drive of approximately 4hours from Lijiang to Tacheng, 3.5 hours from Tacheng to Cizhong, 2hours from Cizhong to Meili, 2 or 3 hours from Meili to Benzilan, 1.5 hours form Benzilan to Shangri-La and finally 4 hours from Shagnri-La to Lijiang. Many sections of the road follow winding mountain paths, and are bumpy especially when some parts are under construction. We will prepare water and snacks for the road trips. We will also make stops at beautiful villages and scenic spots on the way. Weather: This trip takes you to diverse temperatures, from snowy high land of Meili and Shangri-la to green valley of Cizhong, Benzilan and Tacheng where the altitude goes down to 2,000 meters. Temperature can change from 20 degree centigrade to 5 degree centigrade within one day. Wearing layered clothes is advisable to allow for changes in temperature. Meals: During our journey we enjoy Tibetan cuisine, which includes a good amount of barley flour-based items, such as dumplings and noodles, as well as red meat, such as yak and mutton. At Meili, Benzilan, Cizhong and Tacheng lodge, we provide set menus which combine Tibetan and Chinese cuisines and include complimentary soft drinks and a glass of wine. Emergency Evacuation and Procedures: We suggested all travelers purchase an International SOS (an AEA company) Service Plan, which provides for emergency evacuation to the nearest medical facility of international standards.

Trip Escorts: Our well trained local guides will travel with you throughout the trip. From different villages around the area, everyone has a story to tell about their hometown, helping to provide a vivid travel experience for all our guests.

Songtsam Lodges: Our Story

The concept behind Songtsam lodges emerged after their founder, Baima Dorji, made

a trip to Shangri‐La in 1999 to make a TV documentary about his hometown. Upon

realizing that the area, which was just emerging as a tourist destination, lacked

comfortable hotels, Baima decided to turn his family home, just down the road from the

imposing Songzanlin Monastery, into a small guest house. Traditional and complex

Tibetan building methods were used throughout the structure, and local artisans were

commissioned to produce art for the hotel. The project took close to two years to

complete. In October 2001, Songtsam Shangri‐la (originally named as Songtsam

Green Valley) opened its doors to guests.

The venture was a great success, encouraging the Tibetan entrepreneur to bring this

concept to the heart of northern Yunnan, the core of Three Parallel Rivers area. With

liked minded partners joining in, by 2010, four other lodges (Benzilan, Meili, Cizhong,

and Tacheng) had been built, bringing comfort and style to these beautiful and remote

areas. All of these four lodges are situated in charming villages with great views and,

most importantly, with friendly and personalized service. (www.songtsam.com)

http://www.songtsam.com/

About the area

The great China tectonic plate runs into the Tibetan Plateau in Northern Yunnan, forging high mountain ranges with soaring snow-packed peaks. Three major rivers, the Yangtze (Jinshajiang), Mekong (Lancangjiang) and Salween (Nujiang) run through deep gorges with wild, untamed scenery. This charming destination is diverse in nature and culture due to its unique geography, indeed, one can experience all four seasons in just one day. Due to the vast range in altitude, travelers can quickly move from cold snowy mountains to warm flower-filled valleys. Northwest Yunnan is the richest area in China in terms of biodiversity, boasting unique flora and fauna, and is possibly the most biologically diverse temperate region on earth. This is the original location of the world’s gardens: in spring and summer, the surrounding hills are blanketed with rhododendrons and camellias. The Victorians collected and brought these to the Western world. The temperate forests and lowlands contain over 3,000 species of orchids and more than 200 of the world’s 400 species of rhododendron. In summer time, strikingly blue irises are in blossom along the mountain paths. Bird watching and cycling bring travelers in close proximity to all kinds of migrant birds at their winter heaven around Napa Lake, including the black-necked crane – the holy bird for Tibetans. High in the forests between the Mekong and Yangtze River lives the rare Yunnan Golden monkey (Rhinopithecus biteti), one of the world's most endangered primates - fewer than 2,000 are now found in the wild. These monkeys live at the highest altitude (3,000-4,500m) of any animal primate. Historically, people were separated by the soaring mountains and deep gorges in this area, facilitating the development of the most distinctive ethnic cultures. Kham Tibetans in Diqing are characterized by their big white wooden houses and colorful customs which differ from Tibetans in other areas of Tibet. In this area along the Lancang River, although the shining golden roofs of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries sparkle in the light, Tibetans here follow Catholic teachings and practice their ceremonies at small Catholic churches surrounded by vineyards. Traveling from the highlands to the banks of the rivers, styles of housing and costume change. The Lisu peoples, another ethnic group, dwell close to the water in the mountain valleys. The Tea and Horse Caravan Road, an ancient trade route linking tea-producing areas with Tibet, connects the mountains and deep gorges as well as different ethnic groups. For hundreds of years, horse caravans traveled along this route carrying tea to Tibet and India, and bringing other commodities back home. This route has formed a corridor rich in culture, as different groups interact with each other in their daily lives. Today, one can travel around this area journeying along different parts of this ancient trail.

THANK YOU!