Would you be surprised if we told you that in a small town on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, 80% of the population was Catholic?

And would you be even more surprised if we told you that in this town, a community of Buddhists, Muslims, and Catholics all live harmoniously side by side around a French-built church in the center?

The town we're talking about is Cizhong in northern Yunnan and for us, this is the area of Shangri-La James Hilton is talking about in Lost Horizon. Here, you'll find Lisu, Yi, and Tibetan people still tending the vineyards that French missionaries grew and attending the church built in a captivating blend of Chinese and European architectural styles.

The villagers in Cizhong gather every Sunday for an improvised mass, singing Catholic songs in Tibetan as their ancestors once did, in a church where religious images on the walls were erased by Red Guards.

Cizhong is a town overflowing with living history and it's where we'll be spending Christmas this year, together with the local residents who no matter their faith, come together to celebrate.

Would you like to join us?

Day 1-4: Shangri-La - Deqin

Arrive in Zhongdian • Songzanlin Monastery • Thangka painting class • Shangri-La Old Town • Baijisi Temple • Nixi artisan village • Sample “tsampa” with a Tibetan family • Dhondrupling Gompa • Meili Snow Mountains • Mingyong Glacier

Day 5-7: Cizhong - Tacheng

Meet a family of Tibetan Catholics • Participate in the Christmas service in Cizhong • Join the Christmas dancing celebrations of Cizhong • Learn about Snub-nosed Monkey conservation in Tacheng • Transfer to Lijiang

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Small-Group Journey: December 20th - 27th, 2020

From RMB10,280 per person (max. 12 guests)