From my base at Kunming, it’s a 1 hour flight to the south-west town of Lancang close to the Myanmar border to get to Jingmai Mountain for the Ancient Pu’er tea plantation. For some reasons, both my flights to and from Lancang were delayed 2-3 hours. This seems to be the routine occurrence as I was told by my Lancang driver that it was due to airline trying to sell some last minute tickets. The Lancang airport is small with only 2-3 flights a days. Upon arrival, it’s easy to make arrangements with the airport taxis for a 5-6 hrs drive/tour of world heritage Jingmai Mountain to marvel at the ancestors of Pu’er tea plantation. Not quite one would expect of neatly manicured rows of tea growths as often presented in tea plantation pictures but, it’s almost like tea grown in the wild, and for the casual tourist, just a walk in the garden. Still, here is where one find the ancient tea trees and the beginning of the Old Tea Horse Road. To me, it’s China’s answer to Italy’s Val d’ Orcia…that is ‘what’s Jingmai Mountain to tea in China is what Val d’ Orcia in Tuscany to wine in Italy.

The drive out to Jingmai Mountain for the ancient tea plantation will include visits of some of the tribal villages of the Dai, Blang, Hani and Lahu tribes and further appreciation of their tea processing techniques and way of life.