7 Days Guizhou Lusheng Festival Tour 2025 (in Nov.): Miao-Dong Villages & Huangguoshu

Welcome to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province! Upon your arrival, your local guide and driver will meet you at the airport or train station arrival hall.

Then, you will be transferred to Kaili, the heart of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture. Enjoy the scenic 2-2.5 hour drive (approx. 160 km). After hotel check-in in Kaili, the remainder of the day is yours to explore or relax.

Get ready, because tomorrow you will witness one of Guizhou’s most vibrant and spectacular celebrations: the Gulong Lusheng Festival!

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your Kaili hotel, setting off for a day filled with culture and celebration.

Begin your journey at Matang Gejia Village (麻塘革家寨), just 19 kilometers from Kaili (about a 30-minute drive)

The villagers of Matang believe themselves to be descendants of Hou Yi, the legendary archer. Their clothing is mainly decorated with batik and red embroidery. They fashion their headdresses into the shapes of bows and arrows, and their necklace pendants resemble various weapons, reminiscent of ancient generals. Legend has it that in ancient times, a general's wife went to the battlefield in her husband's armor and won a victory. To commemorate her, women wear general's attire during festivals.

Beyond their attire, the Gejia people's batik artistry is also very famous. The patterns are quite unique, often depicting powerful creatures like tigers and other animals, as well as flowers, birds, and insects, reflecting the Gejia people's deep love for nature. In the village, you can observe the villagers making batik by hand using beeswax.

Next, drive approximately 1.5 hours (60 kilometers) to Gulong Village in Huangping County for the annual Gulong Lusheng Festival (谷陇芦笙节), a spectacular Miao celebration. Named after the lusheng, a traditional bamboo reed-pipe instrument, the festival fills the air with resonant melodies as hundreds of young Miao men play in unison, forming circles and performing traditional dances. Miao women, dressed in vibrant costumes with dazzling silver ornaments and intricate embroidery, create a “flowing river of silver” as they dance, showcasing skills hailed as an “ethnic costume expo.” The colorful procession, set against Gulong’s mountainous backdrop, is a visual feast, perfect for photographers and cultural enthusiasts.

Note: The Gulong Lusheng Festival is held annually from the 27th to 29th day of the ninth lunar month. Before attending the festival, please be sure to confirm the exact dates for the year with your travel advisor.

In the late afternoon, you will return to Kaili (about 1.5 hours) and check into your hotel to relax.

In the morning, depart from Kaili and drive to Langde Miao Village(朗德苗上寨), known as the "Hometown of Chinese Folk Song and Dance." It is nestled amidst lush mountains and terraced fields. Unlike more commercialized villages, Langde retains its untouched, authentic charm, where ancient customs and the rhythm of songs and dances unfold slowly.

Upon arrival, you will be greeted with the "Twelve Cups of Block-Way Rice Wine” ceremony. Villagers dressed in magnificent silver headdresses and embroidered clothing will welcome guests and offer rice wine in ox horn cups. This is the highest etiquette of the Miao people for receiving distinguished guests, with each cup of wine representing blessings for a month. Afterward, you will walk along the stone-paved path to the Lusheng ground in the center of the village. Here, a wonderful Miao song and dance performance will take place, featuring toasting songs, Miao flying songs, and Lusheng dances in succession, leaving you mesmerized.

As an open-air museum of the Miao culture, the village exudes a rich ethnic flavor everywhere. Stroll among the stilted wooden houses (diaojiaolou) with a hundred years of history, traditionally built on stilts and scattered on the hillside in a well-arranged manner. The clothing here is also unique; the Miao residents are characterized by wearing long skirts, hence the name "Long Skirt Miao," representing the most gorgeous branch of Miao costumes.

Next, you will drive from Langde to Zhaoxing (approximately 2.5 hours) to visit Zhaoxing Dong Village (肇兴侗寨) known as the "Number One Dong Village." It is one of the largest and most well-preserved Dong villages in China.

Zhaoxing Dong Village is world-renowned for its spectacular drum tower complex. The village is home to over 6,000 residents, all from the Lu family line, divided into five major clans. Each clan forms a “group” or “tuan” - Ren, Yi, Li, Zhi, and Xin - representing the Confucian virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and integrity. Each “tuan” is centered around a drum tower and has its own drum tower, wind-and-rain bridge, and opera stage. The drum towers serve as gathering halls and are viewed as the spiritual and communal hearts of each group.

You can wander through the five "Tuan," exploring each of the five uniquely styled drum towers, and appreciate the wisdom and exquisite architectural skills of the Dong people. Strolling across the wind and rain bridges, with the flowing water and gentle breeze, you will feel as if you are in a beautiful landscape painting. You can also walk up to the village gate viewpoint for a stunning panoramic view over the entire village.

Optional Experience:

Watch a Dong Grand Song performance and listen to this heavenly music, which has been listed by UNESCO as a "Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity." These polyphonic songs, sung without instruments, are hauntingly beautiful and deeply moving.

Free Time Idea: Night View of Zhaoxing Dong Village

As night falls, Zhaoxing Dong Village glows with soft lights and quiet charm. Stroll through ancient alleys or climb to a viewpoint to admire the stilt houses and wind-and-rain bridges bathed in a gentle, dreamy glow.

After breakfast Zhaoxing, you will drive to Congjiang (about 1 hour) to begin today's exploration.

Your first destination is the mysterious Biasha Miao Village (岜沙苗寨), known as "China's Last Gunman Tribe." Stepping through the village gate is like traveling back to an ancient era. The men wear dark blue cloth jackets and straight, wide-legged trousers, with firelocks and machetes hanging from their waists, displaying a heroic spirit. The men here start learning to shoot from a young age; for them, the firelock is both a tool for hunting and a weapon to protect their homes.

Biasha men are distinguished by their "Huge (户棍)" hairstyle, where the surrounding hair is shaved off with a sickle, leaving only a topknot in the center, symbolizing "harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity." Boys' hair is not cut from birth until their coming-of-age ceremony when elders shave it off with a sickle. It is said that this tradition has been passed down since the time of the legendary tribal leader Chiyou.

Furthermore, the Biasha people have worshipped trees since ancient times, and their grandest sacrificial ritual is the worship of the tree god. In Biasha, when a new life is born, the family will plant a tree in the forest representing that little life; when life ends, people will use this tree that accompanied them throughout their lives to make a coffin for burial, allowing them to rest peacefully.

In Biasha Miao Village, you will have the opportunity to witness unique folk performances, such as the sickle haircutting ceremony. You will see the gleaming sickle shaved hair close to the scalp, strand by strand falling. It looks quite thrilling to onlookers, but the barber and the person getting the haircut appear relaxed and at ease, showcasing the bravery and resilience of the Biasha people.

Next, you will visit Zhanli Dong Village (占里侗寨), a legendary and tranquil village where every household has exactly one son and one daughter. Legend has it that there was a female herbalist in Zhanli who used a herb called "Huanhua Grass" (herbal fertility tea) to balance the gender of fetuses. However, Zhanli also has ancestral rules stating that this herb can only be taken by villagers. Don't be disappointed; even if you can't uncover the secret of herbs, you will surely appreciate the peaceful life by the flowing stream near Zhanli Bridge. Also, don't forget to look for the village's "male well" and "female well," which are said to be key medicinal guides for taking "Huanhua Grass."

After your village visits, drive about 1.5-2 hours to Rongjiang, and check into your hotel.

After breakfast, you will visit Dali Dong Village (大利侗寨), an ancient Dong village with a long history, famous for its "five bridges and Siheyuan-style courtyards " layout.

Inside the village, you'll see five Dong-style wind-and-rain bridges, each over a century old and featuring distinct architectural styles. As you explore the traditional Dong dwellings, the most iconic is the Yang Family Courtyard, a unique wooden Siheyuan (courtyard house) that is the only Dong residence in the village built in the Han architectural style. The village lanes are paved entirely with bluestone slabs, laid during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, preserving an authentic historical ambiance.

At the heart of the village stands the iconic drum tower, an essential feature of every Dong village and a powerful symbol of clan unity and pride. Opposite the tower is the local opera stage, a venue for performances that sustain Dong culture. Since the Dong people do not have their own written language, the Dong Grand Song and Dong Opera bear the responsibility of cultural inheritance.

Surrounding Dali Dong Village, lush ancient trees thrive, including over 400 ancient Phoebe zhennan trees, embodying the Dong people's traditional belief in the harmony between humanity and nature: "old people guarding the village, ancient trees protecting the settlement."

After the tour, drive to Huangguoshu County for accommodation (approx.4 hours, 340 kilometers).

Today, you will visit Huangguoshu Waterfall Tour, the largest waterfall in China and Asia. You will hear the roaring water a kilometer away and admire the waterfall's dynamic views!

Back in the 17th century, Xu Xiake, a famous ancient Chinese geographer and pre-internet celebrity, traveled to this resort. His blog boosted the reputation of this waterfall nationwide! Follow the popular path he took:

Head to Doupotang Scenic Area (陡坡塘), known for its 105-meter width. It is one of the filming locations for the TV series version of Journey to the West, one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. During the wet season, the water flow is rapid and makes a low roar, hence its nickname "Roaring Waterfall." Many tourists enjoy imitating the scenes of Journey to the West pilgrims. Feel free to try it!

Next, take a sightseeing bus to Tianxingqiao Scenic Area (天星桥), to admire the most complete karst landscape in the scenic area - caves, waterfalls, and water stone forests interwoven. You can enjoy view from various angles, with no repetitive vlog or plog scenery. It is especially famous for Silver Chain Dropping Pool Waterfall (银链坠潭瀑布). Unlike ordinary waterfalls, where water falls linearly, multiple small waterfalls converge and cascade from a circular stone beach into the deep pool below.

Afterward, take a sightseeing bus to Huangguoshu Waterfall (黄果树瀑布). As the main waterfall with a huge drop, 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide, it consists of 18 waterfalls with different styles. At first glance, it can be folded into four layers. During the summer flood season, the water volume per hour is enough to fill 1296 swimming pools, falling into the 17-meter-deep pool. The roaring sound of water hit rocks day and night. You will build a deep connection with nature, find scenery changes from high up, straight on, and from the side.

Behind the waterfall is the 134-meter-long narrow Water Curtain Cave (水帘洞), a great place to touch the flowing water and see how it falls. You will walk to it and return by escalator.

After the tour, drive back to Guiyang for accommodation (approx.2.5 hours, 140 kilometers).

It is time to end your 7-day Guizhou Lusheng Festival Tour. Your guide will escort you to the airport/train station for your flight or high-speed train to your next destination.

Extend Your Travel: Guizhou is close to Yunnan, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan, and Guangxi. From Guiyang Railway Station, you can take a high-speed train to popular travel destinations such as Kunming (3 hours), Fenghuang Ancient Town (2 hours), Chongqing (2-2.5 hours), Chengdu (3-3.5 hours), and Guilin (2 hours).

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel for your Guizhou Tour. We are always here working for you and hope to see you again for your next trip to China/Asia. Safe journey!