from March 14th, 2027
Spring tea tour: Yunnan
Kunming, Dali, Jianshui, Xishuangbanna, Nannuo, Laoman'e, Laobanzhang, Bulang, Yiwu
The tour starts on the eve of spring, when tea leaves, trees and mountains all are waiting for the first rain: the buds will sprout, and new fragrances and aromas will be discovered.
Beyond the valleys and plateaus, the skies of Yunnan keep an incredible diversity, from the Himalayan mountains of the north to the lush subtropical forests of Xishuangbanna.
Our journey begins in the ancient cities of central and northern Yunnan, where history and tea intertwine: Kunming, home to tea studios, an important tea market for professionals, and a renowned incense school with an extraordinary collection of raw materials; and Dali, capital of the ancient Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms, which for centuries lived between Tang and Song China, the Tibetan Empire, and cultural influences from South and Western Asia, with high-altitude tea gardens.
We will explore Jianshui, a renowned pottery town whose kilns have been firing since the early Ming, producing celadon and blue-and-white porcelain for centuries before developing its own purple pottery recognised as one of the four great potteries of China for its refined aesthetic and the extraordinary skill each single piece demands.
The second part of our journey brings us south to Xishuangbanna, the land of the ancient Dai kingdom, on the borders of Laos and Myanmar. Here rise the mountains whose names define pu’er tea: Nannuo, Bulang, Yiwu. We will walk among ancient tea trees, sit at the tea table with local farmers, and spend two days immersed in tea production at our forest workshop: right in the heart of our tea forest on Nannuo Mountain, surrounded by the sounds and fragrances of tea.
We chose the very beginning of spring, when the season has just begun and is not yet hectic: usually, at this time of year, only a small quantity of buds has fully sprouted to be harvested. This allows us to travel the mountains at a slower pace, taking enough time to talk with people, and to make tea with our own hands: picking from our own trees, following the leaves through withering, firing and rolling, and pressing them into a cake.
On this journey, you will find everything that makes up Eastern Leaves: our Yunnan, an in-depth dive into Chinese culture, and all the people that make our tea journey meaningful.
March 14th – March 27th, 2027: Spring tea production in Yunnan
Our travel is designed by us, and it is independent of any travel agency: we bring you with us on Eastern Leaves routes, guided by a farmer and tea scholar, through places, tastes and people that are most meaningful for us.
From our travelers
I still can't believe I was in all these amazing places
"I am drinking a rock tea from Wuyishan at home, a month after our trip. Brewed in a beautiful Yixing pot that I bought in actual Yixing, and tea from the mountain that I hiked on. I still can't believe I was in all these amazing places... I am reminiscing about this holiday a lot. It was just perfect. People were incredibly nice. We had wonderful encounters with lots of lovely different tea people, and the people in our group were the best. Tea people are so nice. We saw incredible things, drank the best teas and had so much fun together. Everything that was abstract for me beforehand became concrete while travelling. It's hard to capture my feelings in words, but I have been back home for a month now, and there was not a single day that I didn't think about the trip. I wasn't homesick while travelling, but I am tripsick now.
And all of this took place under the caring and enthusiastic guidance of Vivian and Lorenzo, truly two of the most kind, warm-hearted and knowledgeable people that I know."
W.E., from The Netherlands
We have become more sensitive and have touched beauty
"I want to consider a different approach. I don't want to make a review of what went well and what didn't go well. I don't want to dwell on individual stages and describe a fantastic world. I reject any image of travel, tea, an extraordinary country and all that. I want to forget any kind of knowledge I have. Tea lovers already know all about these things. I want to tell them that they don't need "yesterday" because it is the necessary condition to savour any moment with its different temperatures, colours and fragrances. Isn't this what happens when you drink forgotten tea? Isn't it like drinking a new tea, after all? When we abandoned the concept of tea bags, what did we do? We entered an ancient forest for the first time. We put our hands in the clay. We tasted food with a sparkling and surprising flavour. We have become more sensitive and have touched beauty. And this is where the world of Eastern Leaves becomes real."
D.N., from Italy
Our travel package includes accommodation in selected, cosy hotels, all the internal transportation, and meals. It doesn't include the flight from/to your country of origin, visas (but we support your application), and insurance.
Once you decide to travel with us, we assist you in everything we can, following our experience with travellers from all over the world.
We apply special rates for our Eastern Academy alumni: contact us to choose a date and customise together your travel at the origin of tea!
Contact us
Further travel options
Tea Horse Tour
November 22nd – December 5th, 2026
We built this journey along the Chama Gudao 茶马古道, the ancient Tea Horse Road that for centuries carried pressed tea from Sichuan and Yunnan into Tibet. Starting in Chengdu, we explore Sichuan's teahouse culture before reaching Mengding Mountain, traditionally regarded as the birthplace of cultivated tea, and Yingjing, home to the Tea Horse Road Museum and to zangcha, the dark tea once pressed specifically for the Tibetan trade.
From Kunming we continue to Dali and the ancient town of Shaxi, one of the best-preserved staging posts on the old route. The second half of the journey brings us home to Xishuangbanna, at the botanical origin of the tea plant, where we visit our own forest on Nannuo Mountain, press tea by hand with the farmers of Menghai, and end in Yiwu—historically the starting point of the Tea Horse Road itself—walking a stretch of the original stone path before a final tasting together. This journey reflects the spirit of Eastern Leaves—tea, craft, landscapes, and the people who bring them to life.
Winter Tour
December 23rd, 2026 – January 5th, 2027
This new itinerary explores the diversity of our beloved Yunnan in tea, geography, and culture: we cross its high-mountain geography from north to south, through its two most important kingdoms of Nanzhao (Tang dynasty, 618-907) and Dai (Song dynasty, 960-1279), indulging in the best leaves that the locals who inhabited these lands refined over centuries.
It is a tour of study, with the workshop we prepare for you on brewing, ancient incense, and Tang dynasty cakes; of exploration, with mountains, forests and new encounters; of awe, thanks to the breathtaking landscapes of Yunnan; of people, we will brew together with the producers their best teas, and we will be hosted by pottery masters and tea professionals, freely interacting with their humanity and work.
This journey will take you through everything that makes Eastern Leaves: our Yunnan, a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, and all of the people that make our tea journey meaningful.
Custom Tea Journey
Tailored to your preferences and passions. From wilder explorations to focused courses and masterclasses, each tour is designed with the same depth and immersion in our tea world.
Travel's FAQ
We carefully choose all our accommodations to make sure you have a comfortable and pleasant stay.
In Xishuangbanna, you'll stay in a private villa next to our tea studio, so you can fully immerse yourself in the tea experience.
In other cities, we use trusted hotels we've worked with for years. We choose them for their great service and reliability, and some have even become like a second home to us.
You can see the full list of all our partner hotels in the document below.
To join our tours, a tourist visa is required: most countries can obtain a 30-day visa free entry.
If you country is not in this list, you need to obtain a regular 30-days visa: the procedure is pretty straightforward, and it is more and more simplified.
We offer all possible assistance based on the experiences of the travellers we have welcomed over the years from all over the world.
For the most recent news on China visa policy, we recommend visiting the website of the China Visa Application Center.
Sure! Food is an important part of our experience (and of our lives), so we plan it carefully.
Chinese cuisine is extremely diverse: it includes countless varieties of tofu and a variety of vegetable cooking techniques; we will encounter tubers and radishes, wild herbs and flowers: a plant-based diet, in addition to a an omnivore diet, is entirely possible.
We also have experience with various dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, lactose intolerant, and religious restrictions; when you contact us, please let us know your needs and preferences, and we will gladly plan your meal accordingly.
As you are probably aware, we are huge fans of photography, particularly when done slowly and with passion: if you, too, enjoy cameras and pictures, it would be wonderful to share our enthusiasm along the way.
Photos and videos are permitted as long as they do not disrupt the flow of travel for our farmers and experts, ensuring a pleasant experience for all of our guests.
If you want a tour specifically designed for documentary purposes, complete with filming mics and equipment, please contact us in advance to plan a customised trip.
When you decide to book we advise to keep in touch with us, we will assist you as much as possible with flights from your country of origin, visas, and any preparation you may need.
Visas for China have recently become easier to obtain for the majority of nationalities; for the most up-to-date visa rules, we recommend checking the official Chinese website and your local Chinese Embassy or Consulate.
Yes, if you wish, we can provide you with a digital or printed certificate for your travel experience into tea.
For travellers, China is one of the safest countries in the world, with extremely low crime rates, including pickpocketing.
Our commitment along the route is to keep you as safe as possible, both physically and mentally.
For our longer tours, we usually offer the option to join only a portion of the tour, for at least 12 days, based on availability.
If this is your wish, please contact us so that we can plan your trip together.
