Lincang Tea Mountains

Home to both Pu'er and Dian Hong black tea, with the famous teas of Bingdao Old Village, the Jinxiu Tea Ancestor tree in Fengqing and Lushi Ancient Town on the Tea Horse Road; Wulao Mountain and Daxue Mountain lie close to central Lincang.

Lincang, in southwestern Yunnan, takes its name from its location beside the Lancang (Mekong) River. Bordered by Pu'er to the east, Dali to the north and Myanmar to the southwest, it is one of the world's centres of origin for the tea plant, and bills itself as the "World's Wa Homeland, the World's Tea Granary." This destination centres on Linxiang District (the city proper) and covers Shuangjiang, Fengqing, Yunxian and beyond. In the city are Suoshui Pavilion, the Lincang Museum and Wulao Mountain National Forest Park; to the east are Lincang Daxue Mountain and the ancient tea hills of Xigui on the Lancang River, while the outskirts hold Wanyao, an old pottery town, and Nanmei Lahu Ethnic Township. Mengku in Shuangjiang is home to Bingdao Old Village and the wild ancient tea trees of Mengku Daxue Mountain. In the north, Fengqing is the birthplace of Dian Hong black tea, with the Dian Hong Tea Museum, the Fengqing Confucian Temple, the Jinxiu Tea Ancestor tree and Lushi Ancient Town on the Tea Horse Road. Yunxian has the Baiyingshan ancient tea gardens and the long reservoir of Manwan. Wengding and the rock paintings of Cangyuan are covered as a separate destination.

Lincang has a subtropical monsoon climate with mild winters and no scorching summers. The Nov–Apr dry season is the best time to visit, and the Mar–Apr spring tea season is the most rewarding time to head into the tea hills; in the May–Oct rainy season, mountain roads are prone to landslides. Lincang Airport has flights to Kunming, and rail and expressways link Lincang with Dali and Kunming. Sights in the counties are scattered 60–130 km from the city, so you'll need to drive or hire a car. Allow 4–5 days: 1 day for the city and Wulao Mountain, 1–2 days for Bingdao in Shuangjiang, and 1–2 days for Fengqing and Lushi. Local food includes chicken rice noodles, sapie (a tangy Dai dish), Wa chicken rice porridge and a range of ancient-tree teas. Buy teas from famous mountains only through reputable sellers, and check official sources for the latest information on sights.

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