Terratribes Longsheng Trek and Yangshuo Base Camp School Trip Sept 2011

 
In September, Terratribes guided a trip through the rice terraces on a two day trek.  Because of the size of the group, hikers were split into two groups.  One group hiked from Longsheng to Dazhai, and the other group traveled in the opposite direction.  It was fun to hike up to the view point and see the post card worthy terraces.  On the first day, the sky was clear, and the rice terraces were visible for many kilometers all around.  One of the teachers remarked that the area of the hike looked the way she had pictured China to look before she ever got there.  It was also the little things such as seeing the many red chili peppers drying in the windows that made the trip enjoyable.

The food and accommodation at the hostels kept everyone full and comfortable.  The meat of the trek occurred on the second day when the students hiked for about 5 hours through the terraces and seeing small local villages on the way.  At break times, Terratribes staff ensured that everyone had plenty to drink and a few snacks to keep them going.  About halfway through, there was a joyful reunion as the two groups met going opposite directions.  Continuing on, everyone made it safely and happily back to the busses.
 
After hiking, everyone loaded into the busses and headed to Yangshuo to eat dinner at the Rock and Grill.  After dinner, everyone headed to the Yangshuo base camp where hot showers and clean toilets were available.  At camp, tents had already been erected, so the all that was left was to distribute sleeping bags and pads while the students divided themselves into tent groups. 
 
For the next two days, students divided into 4 groups and participated in rock climbing, zip-lining, abseiling, raft building, and orienteering. 
 
While most meals were prepared by Terratribes or others, one dinner was the responsibility of the students when they had the opportunity to cook their own pasta dinners using camp stoves and ingredients provided by Terratribes. This was simple for some, and a learning experience for others as students, but in the end, everyone was able to eat. 
 
On the final morning, everyone headed to the local school to participate in some community service.  It was a rewarding experience as the groups painted different murals on a wall and interacted with the local school children.