Whilst the populated cities of China have been accessible for some time, the mountain areas in the Southern provinces are just opening up to adventure travellers. This trip offers the chance to experience wonderful hiking surrounded by mountains as high as the Alps - together with close encounters with the iconic giant pandas; there will be riding on grassy plains and sharing the warmth and hospitality of mountain peoples' unchanged for centuries - unique like the Walking Wedding of the Masuo people, and significant cultural heritage like the Leshan Buddha, by far the largest pre-modern statue in the world, completed in 803AD. Together with the famous (spicy!) Sichuan food it will be an unforgettable journey.