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Frequently asked questions about Yosemite Conservancy's trip to China
Our 2009 trip went really well . An adventurous group joined YC's Resident Naturalist, Pete Devine on a very full exploration of our two remarkable sister parks. Highlights included the Xihai Canyon trail and swirling clouds at Yellow Mountain, and spending time with rangers and with Tibetan villagers in lesser known parts of Jiuzhaigou. We loved the pandas at the research center and the food was incredible. Details about our autumn 2010 trip are now posted. We can't wait to bring more people to see these astonishing places.
How is this different from other trips/tours to China?
- This trip is very park-oriented: in-depth visits to hike in our two sister parks, explore their natural history and meet with their personnel, plus visit two additional World Heritage Sites
- Most of the inexpensive China trips (such as with a chamber of commerce) rely on very large parties (up to 400 people per tour) to make them work. Our small group of 15 maximum focuses on a quality experience.
- We are staying and dining in the better establishments in the places where we travel. We’ll avoid daily mass buffets, faceless motels and lots of trinket shopping. Most of our hosts will speak English.
- Our local and national (one Chinese and one American) guides are specialists in natural history and the outdoors, not just in moving crowds around.
- We are going to places where we’ll see very few Westerners, where international tourism is not well developed.
What do Yosemite and YC have to do with China?
The United States Department of the Interior National Park Service has formal international agreements with these two Chinese parks. Like Yosemite, both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, both are mountain parks, and both are popular to the point of having people management issues. Our former Superintendent and several of Yosemite’s Division Chiefs have spent time in both parks. Almost a dozen Chinese park rangers have spent terms of 1-4 months learning in Yosemite.
Is there a discount for YC members?
Everyone pays the same price for this trip.
How fit do I need to be for this trip?
You do want to do some physical preparation before the trip and to be in decent walking shape. Because our trip has some options built in, you don’t have to walk all day or climb up and down every trail, but you’ll certainly experience these parks in much more depth if you’re ready to walk more.
At Huangshan everyone needs to be able to walk at least 4 miles and up and down stairs while carrying a daypack at 6000’. Even if you ride the cablecar up and/or down, it’s still a ways on foot to and from our hotel. The trails are extremely well-engineered, wide, solid and even, with handrails wherever needed. Our dayhike into Xihai Grand Canyon is on some of the most incredible trails you’ll EVER see anywhere. Those stairways go down and up about 1500’, on cantilevered beams, across cliff faces, through stone tunnels. They’re all very solid, even and wide, with elaborate handrails throughout, but a fear of heights could be an inhibitor for this day’s trek.
At Jiuzhaigou we’ll get as high as 10,000’ elevation (by bus), but again, we’ll be walking on wide, solid boardwalks for miles of the main park routes. Most of our walking will be in a gradual downhill direction.
What if I can’t do all the walking?
You don’t need to do ALL the walking as our itinerary is built with a bit of flexibility. At Huangshan some shorter mileage walks in the summit area will still give a great look at the park. At Jiuzhaigou, park shuttles should allow some flexibility for individual pacing and distances. You do need to be able to comfortably walk at least 5 miles at some elevation in order to come on this program, though.
Do I need to speak Chinese or be able to use chopsticks?
Neither. Mr. Zhao Bei and our local guides can take care of all the language translation we need. Almost everywhere, we’ll dine with chopsticks, so some people prefer to bring their own fork along.
What will the weather be like in September and October?
We’ll be at latitudes a little south of San Francisco’s, and it’s generally mild here such that you’ll want to be in a t-shirt. However, we’re headed to mountain settings where we know cold and storms are more likely. Particularly at Jiuzhaigou, where we’ll get up to 10,000’ in elevation, we should expect morning frost and mild afternoons, though snow and rain are also possibilities. Layers and good outerwear will be important.
Do I need to carry a lot of money with me?
You will want to have a bit of spending money for any alcohol with meals, occasional snacks, souvenirs, etc. but you shouldn’t need to carry large quantities. US travelers checks can be cashed in most of our hotels, and ATM machines are available in most places.
What about tipping?
Gratuities for your guides and drivers are already built into your trip price, so unless you feel someone deserves something extra from you, the tips have been taken care of.
Can Yosemite Conservancy arrange my airline tickets?
No, but our friends at WildChina and Wilderness Travel have a great history with thousands of satisfied travelers working with an agency called Air Treks. We’ll send you the details on how to reach them.
How do I find out about trip extensions available to see other parts of China?
Our partners at WildChina have scheduled a 5-day extension to Beijing and the Yangtze River, which starts right after our parks trip finishes in Chengdu. We’ll send those details on request.
What should I pack?
We’ll send a packing list to everyone who sends us a deposit, but in general you want to pack light, emphasizing outdoor function over indoor fashion. You’ll need a daypack for our time on the trails, good walking shoes, and outerwear for any weather.
Do I need any shots or medicines for this trip?
We’ll send all those details to those who send in their deposit, but nothing extreme is required. Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, you’ll want to make sure your routine (MMR, DPT, etc.) and Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and typhoid vaccinations are current. We won’t need anti-malaria medicines where we’re going. See http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinationChina.aspx#notices.
What about getting a visa for China?
Americans visiting China need a Tourist Visa and these need to be obtained in advance. If you live within convenient distance of a Chinese consulate (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C.) you can get your visa in person. We’ll send participants a referrals to a couple of organizations that will get your visa for you, for about $170-180.
Would this trip be appropriate for kids?
Mature youngsters of 15 and up will be welcomed, but this trip won’t be paced or structured for most kids.
What is meant by camping with the Tibetans?
This is something new and special that few Americans or Chinese visitors have done. The Tibetan residents of Jiuzhaigou have just opened a side valley to ecotourism and we’ll be among the few visitors allowed to stay inside the park. After visiting a local village and temple, we walk a dirt trail up-valley to a quiet camping spot. We are provided with portable toilets, a cook staff, camp staff, sleeping tents, a dining cabin, furniture, and warm sleeping bags, liners and camp mattresses.
What do those park names mean?
Huang shan means “yellow mountain,” which refers not to the pale Mesozoic granite outcrops but to the famed Yellow Emperor of ancient times. This name has been known throughout China for centuries as a place of great esthetic beauty. A large amount of prose, poetry and art has been inspired by this sculpted summit. Access to the top of the range would’ve been possible for only a few determined people before the cable cars and the incredible trail system were built.
Jiu zhai gou means roughly “valley of the nine villages,” a reference to the Tibetan settlements found along this mountain basin. While Tibetans have farmed and grazed yaks here for centuries, Han Chinese only arrived in this part of Sichuan about 50 years ago. They found beautiful subalpine valleys of old growth forests which the Tibetans were protecting. When the Beijing and provincial governments realized this was panda habitat, they started increasing the land protection here ever since.
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