A Tea mountain tour, or tea mountain trek, has been gaining popularity in recent years, with more and more people choosing this option when planning their trips.
Many famous Chinese Tea-producing areas are located in picturesque landscapes, far from the hustle and bustle of cities. Of course, there are exceptions like the West Lake Longjing tea region, which is closely connected to the city, but even there, the tea mountains are incredibly beautiful, finely sculpted, and pleasing to the eye. As the saying goes, “Good tea comes from good mountains and waters,” and “The best teas come from the world's famous mountains.” There is always an allure that draws people to tea mountains.
In earlier times, tourism was primarily focused on sightseeing, mostly about looking. People would wake up early and travel long distances, sometimes enduring hunger, just to catch a glimpse of something. The phrase “rise before the chickens, eat worse than pigs” aptly describes such travel experiences. Beyond the visual feast, these tours often left much to be desired in terms of overall experience.
Recognizing the shift from sightseeing to leisure and vacation tourism, many companies over a decade ago started upgrading or creating new destinations centered around “eating, lodging, transportation, touring, shopping, and entertainment.” They aimed to provide comprehensive products and services catering to travelers during their entire trip duration.
Almost simultaneously with the rapid development of the cultural and tourism industry, the tea industry began advocating for the integration of “primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, production, culture, and tourism,” leading to increased attention on tea tourism. However, for businesses engaging in such integrated projects, clear positioning is crucial. After all, tea companies remain primarily tea-focused, and tourism is an add-on. If the positioning of a tea company's tea tourism project is unclear, it can face operational pressures down the line.
This type of tea cultural and tourism project is a relatively new phenomenon over the past decade. Despite being in its exploratory phase, these projects have contributed to the local Tea culture by organizing resources and developing tourism routes, thereby making tea mountain tours more convenient and comfortable.
Those who haven't experienced a tea mountain tour might wonder: What makes a tea mountain tour different from regular tourism?
I'll illustrate with a personal example. A few years ago, I accompanied two prominent figures from different fields on a two-day trip to the Yiwu tea mountains in Xishuangbanna. For a typical Xishuangbanna sightseeing tour, one would visit places like the Wild Elephant Valley, Olive Dam, Manting Park, and the Great Buddha Temple. However, this itinerary would not have been suitable for our trip. So, I briefly planned our route for the two days.
On the first day, at around 10 am, I picked up the guests from the Century Golden Resources Hotel. After driving for about an hour, we arrived at the Mengla Botanical Garden, which was the perfect time for lunch. We had lunch at a small restaurant near the garden, where we had dined previously and enjoyed the food. The dishes we ordered received high praise from our guests.
After lunch, we continued our journey, winding through the mountains, and after another hour, we reached the Yiwu factory. At the factory, we enjoyed a cup of tea and rested briefly before exploring the old street of Yiwu, visiting the sites of old tea houses and feeling the historical significance of Pu'er tea. We then drove to Luoshuidong village, where we visited the tea king tree, walked along the tea mountain path, and experienced the local ecological tea village. After a dinner featuring local cuisine, we headed to the hotel for the night.
The next morning, after breakfast, we drove directly to the Treetop Walkway scenic area. In the pristine tropical rainforest, a young guide gave us an engaging and informative lesson on plants as we walked along the aerial walkway, adding a unique experience to our trip. After leaving the scenic area, we had an authentic Dai meal in a nearby Dai village before heading to the Mengla Botanical Garden. Upon exiting the garden, the guests checked into the Anantara Boutique Hotel nearby.
Throughout the trip, the two prominent figures commented more than once, “We didn't expect to have so much fun on this trip!” Having traveled extensively around the world, they were thrilled with their experience in Yunnan's tea mountains, which exceeded their expectations.
In planning the route, I had a general theme in mind called “Xishuangbanna Tea Mountain Rainforest Cultural Tour.” The basic route revolved around this theme, with specific activities planned, such as what to see, what to talk about, where to eat, and where to stay. Because I had visited these places, experienced them myself, or could connect with locals, the guests had a wonderful experience. If you only saw greenery in Xishuangbanna without knowing that some of it might be rubber trees, the experience would be less satisfying.
This was one of my experiences acting as a small guide. I've had similar experiences multiple times, both in the tea mountains of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, and in Huangshan, Anhui. Although the locations of the tea mountains differ, the essence of a tea mountain tour remains the same: it's a journey in the name of tea, offering the opportunity to explore quality teas, gain firsthand knowledge about them, learn about local customs and culture, taste local delicacies, relax amidst beautiful scenery, and engage in experiential learning.
The specific itinerary can be tailored based on the traveler's time, budget, and preferences, focusing on providing a wonderful experience. One point I'd like to emphasize is the importance of local cuisine in a tea mountain tour, provided you're familiar with the area. For example, if you go on a tea mountain tour in Huangshan, Anhui, and don't try the local river fish, you'll miss out on a significant treat—such eco-friendly delicacies are typically only available locally. But I won't say too much about this, as it might make you drool!
If you have the chance, why not visit a tea mountain?