FERGAL QUINNtreks along the Yangtze, at the edge of the Himalayas, through the stunning province of Yunnan
THE CHILD SITTING alone in the freshly cut field of hay is the last person we pass on the gently inclining dirt trail that begins the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek. Spotting me and my travelling companion, he laughs uproariously, jabbing towards the sky with his finger.
There's a lot of up still to go on this jaw-droppingly beautiful route, which winds along a ridge overlooking one of the world's deepest gorges, in Yunnan province, where the Yangtze river cuts through the foothills of the Himalayas towards inland China.
That first day we zigzag up the mountain to meet the section of the path that was once a trade route, where pack horses were led from Tibet to be exchanged for Yunnan tea.
The odd, tangy scent of the berries that flavoured the ginger tea we drank the previous night permeates the early-morning air. The sun rises higher, the valley deepens and the mist beneath us lifts, revealing hills and cliffs narrowing into the gorge a few kilometres ahead.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the easternmost point of the Himalayas, looms across the gorge, climbing into clouds that cling to its tip. As the sun moves across the sky the mountain's sheer rocky face becomes a bewitching patchwork of slow-moving shadows.
Some sections of the path cling to the side of steep cliffs – which, with the mountain across the way seemingly almost within touching distance, can be quite disorientating. At some points the Yangtze hurtles along almost 4,000m below us.
A placid ribbon as we begin our ascent, the gorge narrows to the point where, according to legend, a tiger once leaped across; it then becomes a foaming torrent, dropping more than 200m in just a few kilometers.
The 25km trek is easy to moderate, and can be covered at a reasonable pace with plenty of stops in a day and a half. A couple of guest houses along the way offer food and hot tea to the weary hiker.
We stay that night at the Halfway House. It's a simple, comfortable inn, with views to die for – and the so-called Number One Toilet in Heaven and Earth, where you can take in the incredible vista while answering the call of nature. One's enjoyment is only partially lessened by the fact that eight toilets have been added to the expanding guest house. Which of them is Number One is anyone's guess.
Yunnan, which is widely considered to be among China's most picturesque provinces, offers a fantastic introduction to a nation both modern and timeless. Despite the pace of change in this emerging superpower, life still moves slowly in what is a remarkably hassle-free environment.
Its capital, Kunming, is an exuberant place, its people brimming with an individuality that belies the rather austere socialist-style architecture that has displaced almost all the old city. Throngs of elderly men in Mao suits still dominate the public spaces, playing chess or smoking huge water pipes, while young fellows on the make sport outlandish suits that leave them looking like characters from Only Fools and Horses as they whizz by on electric motorbikes.
The open-air food market just off Xinwen Lu is a fantastic spectacle. A horse's head sitting forlornly atop a dustbin across the road almost puts me off a delicious light meal of spicy noodle soup and delicate iced cakes.
Kunming, with its population of a mere four million or so, may be an insignificant city in Chinese terms, but skyscrapers are sprouting up around the centre, a hive of gleaming shopping malls and boutiques. The exuberance of the commercial energy on display makes one wonder yet again how socialism could have been imposed here so thoroughly and for so long.
Aside from eating, drinking and shopping, Kunming does not offer a great deal, although Yunnan Provincial Museum, which has some fascinating exhibits, is a well-presented guide to the area's ancient history.
Aside from Tiger Leaping Gorge, the province's most popular draws are the old cities of Dali and Lijang. The walled city of Dali is best at night, when lanterns bathe the wooden buildings in light and a plethora of restaurants hum with activity.
In the daytime, as visitor numbers pick up, it's best to hit the countryside. We rent a few horses and a guide to go up Mount Cangshan. I feel sorry for my rather undersized horse – though one I saw earlier in the week, in Kunming, rather puts its troubles in perspective – as we trot up a steep track through pine forests.
One can also take a cable car to a beautiful paved pathway that runs around the mountain, with great views of the valley below, as well as a host of beautifully named attractions, such as the Seven Dragon Maidens Pond. The path is fairly quiet, punctuated by the occasional yodel from an overexcited visitor.
Lijang, a few hours north of Dali, is an even prettier, fully preserved old town, with a fantastic warren of narrow cobbled streets and canals that is easy to get lost in. The elaborately costumed Naxi people, who dominate this part of China, are exceptionally hospitable.
When we visit, Tibet is closed to foreigners travelling overland; to get a taste of it we edge towards the border, taking in Zhongdian, which the authorities have somewhat opportunistically renamed Shangri-La, after the imaginary Utopia of James Hilton's book Lost Horizon, which, they argue, was inspired by this region.
The town has enough to offer without any cheap tricks, though. There are numerous national parks and some lovely cycles through the immense flat plains ringed by mountains. Also well worth a look is Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, a 400-year-old Buddhist complex, the biggest in Yunnan, which at its peak could accommodate 2,000 monks.
The old town might look suspiciously young, but the laid-back and friendly city is an atmospheric and hugely enjoyable place to spend a few days, with barbecued yak, gilded animal skulls aplenty and nightly exercise routines in the square to help you while away the time.
The closer one gets, the more powerful the pull exerted by Tibet, so we embark on the most incredible bus journey to Dequin.
The rugged landscape shifts as we drive to where snowy peaks begin, plunging down to rocky plains and steep inclines covered with vivid purple heather.
If Tibet is the roof of the world, then this part of Yunnan is the room with a balcony right below it. But in this instance it's less about the destination than the journey. Dequin is the type of place that only those with a particular appreciation of demented little border towns need spend much time in.
We stay for a while in Feilai, a village about 15km towards the border, and a good base for trekking (if you can handle the altitude). It has a pretty Buddhist temple and amazing views of Kawa Karpo, aka Mount Meili – almost seven kilometres high and apparently never climbed – and the Mingyong glacier.
Whatever about the Chinese capacity for economic advancement, there is little anyone can do about the weather. Constant rain all but renders useless a trip to Yuangyang rice terraces, where thousands of hectares of paddies have been cut from the mountains. We have to make do with occasional glimpses through the mist of its stunning landscape, before heading back for a final few days in Kunming.
Air China (www.airchina. com), Air France (www.air france.ie), Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) and KLM (www.klm.com/ie) are some of the airlines that link Dublin and Kunming.
Try a site such as www. ebookers.ie to compare prices and routes.
Where to stay
In Kunming, the New Era Hotel (99 Dongfeng West Road, 00-86-871-3624999) is well regarded and quite good value – a decent room can cost €60 a night – as well as being centrally located for shopping. If you’re happy to spend a bit more, the four-star Grand Park Hotel (20 Hong Hua Qiao, Kunming, 00-86-871-5386688, www.parkhotelgroup.com) offers plenty of creature comforts and has nice views of Green Lake Park.
The Kai Wah Plaza (157 Beijing Road, 00-86-871- 3562828, www.kaiwahplaza. com/en) is in a less attractive spot, but the hotel is a step up in the style stakes.
China’s superb hostel network is worth checking out, for the great value and quality of the accommodation and for being an excellent source of information. People of all ages use them. Individual rooms are available if you book in advance; the comfortable dorm rooms, of varying sizes, are great family options. Cloudland Hostel (23 Zhuantang Lu, Kunming, 00-86-871-4103777, cloudland2005@126.com) was a particularly good example.
In Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Halfway House offers basic but very comfortable rooms from €8– with incredible views of Jade Snow Mountain.
Where to eat
Yunnan has a distinctive spicy cuisine in which mushrooms feature prominently. A speciality I enjoyed particularly was guoqiao mixian, or across-the- bridge noodles – a bowl of chicken stock to which you add meat, noodles and spices.
One of the standout restaurants in Kunming is 1910 La Gare du Sud (8 Houxin Jie, 00-86-871-3169486), a colonial-style railway station that has been turned into a classy but reasonably priced restaurant.
Aside from that, Brothers Jiang has a couple of outlets around town, with lively atmospheres and great food. Few places make many concessions to English speakers, but even if you can’t find anywhere with picture menus it’s great fun to roll the dice now and again.
In Shangri-La the Authentic Dong Bei Dumpling and Noodles Restaurant, a few minutes up the main street, outside the old town, deserves a mention for having fabulous dumpling and noodle soup.
In Lijang, Indulgence restaurant, a Chinese-Japanese fusion place on Wenhua Alley, near Mama Naxi’s guest house, was brilliant.
What to remember
Lijang and Dali get an awful lot of tourists, especially in the late mornings and early evenings, so get some exploring done in the wee hours of the morning, as the markets grind into action and you can get a sense of the timelessness of these places.
What to avoid
Don’t oversleep during the Tiger Leaping Gorge trek. It can get surprisingly busy, so to have it pretty much to yourself, stay overnight at the start of the trek and set off at first light.