Dali Experience Community

I participated in Phoebe's nature observation session. Teacher Phoebe is super patient and very knowledgeable, and she can even explain things in both Chinese and English—she's a total treasure. Her own natural history notes are detailed and beautiful; she is truly someone who loves life and has a free soul. I hope everyone can join her to observe the beautiful natural world of Dali.

Following Phoebe and Xiangyang from the foot of the mountain, we were immediately 'awed' by a stick insect, a stink bug, and a spotted-thighed grasshopper in turns. Fortunately, winter isn't peak season for insects. For the rest of the way, besides the Trichonephila clavata and the oothecae of the Chinese mantis, no more scary bugs appeared.

Along the way, I tasted mustard-flavored nasturtium; smelled the resin of the Yunnan poplar; crunched on an unripe buckwheat; took apart 'Lego-like' scouring rush and clipped it to my eyebrows; saw a bubbling spring; rubbed the leaves of blue gum, Szechuan pepper, mugwort, and lemongrass in my hands; carefully learned the differences between stinging nettle and ramie; saw the rampant Crofton weed and the galls from its natural enemy, the Eupatorium gall fly... taking notes frantically all the way.

But the happiest part was encountering a quiet stick insect 'model' that stayed perfectly still on my arm for 5 minutes until I finished drawing it. As someone who is terrified of bugs, it's hard to imagine that one day I would genuinely find an insect cute (perhaps personality determines fate; 'I' people and 'I' bugs have some resonance).

Walking in the mountains on a sunny day, listening to Phoebe and Xiangyang patiently introduce the plants we passed, watching an elderly couple in our group take photos with great enthusiasm, and picking up colored pencils after a long time to draw what I saw and heard—five hours passed slowly and immersively, leaving a quiet and beautiful trace in my heart.

When I return to the city, I must also maintain my curious eyes~

The children learned a lot about plants while doing nature observation notes with Phoebe on the mountain. There were no insects in winter, but there were birds and squirrels. Phoebe was very patient, taking us to the highest point for the view, and the afternoon tea at the summit was delicious. A wonderful experience!

Stunning route, hard to quit, I really want a refill

Half of the route is primeval forest. From the moment I entered the forest, my whole being was in a "soft heart" state. The tree beards swayed in the wind, constantly flickering the light; it was fuzzy green before my eyes, soft under my feet, and tender in my heart.

Yangmi picked a tree for a picnic; the light in that area was leisurely and scattered, and so were we.

Half of the route is pine forest and pasture; I'm tired of saying how vast it is. The pine forests here are on the slopes, towering into the clouds. Looking forward and back, I was howling at the beauty of it all. Sliding down the slopes on pine needles was a lot of fun.

The soil here is pinkish, quite romantic.
Thanks to Yangmi and Yanzi for bringing Xiaoxi and Liangdian to the mountains with me, see you next time~

Today I experienced a van trip with Xiao Jing, which was the happiest and most meaningful part of my entire journey. Walking on the small winter paths, I could hear the rustling sound of stepping on leaves; in the evening, I could see the sunset glow spilling onto the flowing stream, and looking up, I could see the lines carved by time on the tree trunks. Spending time with Xiao Jing was very relaxed and pleasant, and Xiao Jing was very thoughtful with the preparations. Looking forward to our next meeting.

A perfect, cozy day to clear my mind:
From a noisy place to the mountains of nature.
At noon, she took me to the village to eat freshly made Rushan and drink milk, then we went to a very local market in the village, tasted very sweet milk strawberries, and bought my favorite blueberries... a new experience...

In the afternoon, we walked in the fields, picked plants, took photos, then had afternoon tea and even made a botanical print bag. There was almost no one in the fields, and the super warm sun shone all afternoon. The experience was top-notch.

Thanks to the leader Yanzi, who was our driver, guide, and narrator. She knows all kinds of plants and told many stories about the people of Dali. The journey was not boring at all. A very leisurely and wonderful itinerary.

I chose Phoebe's Cangshan Mini Nature Observation activity this time, and it was totally worth it!

At first, Phoebe took out several jars of small insects for me to identify and explained them to me. Since winter has arrived, insects are not as common as in summer.

But fortunately, sharp-eyed Phoebe found two stick insects hidden in the bushes. It was truly amazing; they really looked just like tree branches, making it hard to tell them apart.

We identified plants along the path all the way up. Phoebe could tell me the name, story, and even medicinal use of any plant I pointed to. Phoebe is not only knowledgeable about plants but also has quite a bit of research on birds and squirrels. Since it was just the two of us and we were quiet, the birds and squirrels were undisturbed and very active. We spent a long time observing forest birds and got to know many new species! We were even lucky enough to encounter the mating chase of Perny's long-nosed squirrels, which is supposed to happen in spring. It seems spring might arrive sooner than we expected.

Besides that, Phoebe also took me to an excellent spot for a picnic and shared a very special Fengyu mooncake with me—it was delicious! We watched the sunset over Cangshan, the moonrise over Erhai, and the Belt of Venus (Earth's shadow) together. Nature itself is indeed the definition of romance.

It was a very interesting experience. Under Phoebe's guidance and leadership, I opened up a new perspective on the microscopic world. It turns out every plant and tree is so detailed and interesting. The breadth of my life has expanded again~

“26.1.5 Phoebe's Nature Notes
Thanks to Phoebe, an experience that made me fall in love with Dali, Cang Mountain, and nature.

Teacher Phoebe is incredibly knowledgeable, gentle, meticulous, and patient. She knows every plant and tree like the back of her hand, and the journey was full of surprises and joy! Phoebe’s preparation was thorough and serious. Since there weren’t many insects in the grass during winter, she even brought some of the insects she raised to show and explain to me. For the first time in my life, I overcame my fear of insects and had a close interaction with a stick insect — it was such a magical and heartwarming experience! Phoebe also showed me many of her nature notes, along with ideas about note-taking, diary writing, practicing writing, and drawing. It was a very pleasant exchange~

The itinerary was also very well planned. Although the route was easy, it was rich in content! Not only were there explanations about nature along the way, but at higher altitudes, there were tea snacks and an excellent viewing area. On the way down the mountain, we passed by a mountain shrine and saw artistic graffiti on the walls, which was also a fascinating sight.

It’s a pity that I have to leave Dali so early this time, but I will definitely come back to join other activities next time. Looking forward to it!

The activities at Cang Mountain Hiking Home are so diverse. After much deliberation, I finally chose Phoebe's Nature Notes. I originally thought there wouldn't be much to gain from a winter hike, but I was overwhelmed with the amount of information.

Phoebe’s explanations were very vivid, covering plant species from overseas to domestic ones, along with additional insights into local culture. The bilingual (Chinese-English) presentation was fascinating. As long as you’re interested in a topic, she will patiently explain it to you. It felt like flipping through a thick encyclopedia of natural science. Along the way, we collected many specimens. Xiangyang was also amazing, finding insects for us throughout the journey — we even spotted a tiny stick insect! We'll definitely come back to play again in the summer and bring our friends along.

Getting to know Phoebe and Xiangyang is the right way to experience Dali. By the way, there's also the camping afternoon tea they brought up the mountain, featuring local specialty snacks, showing such thoughtful and considerate hospitality.

Followed Phoebe, the team leader, to recognize many interesting plants and small insects in the Cang Mountain. I was deeply impressed by the mantis ootheca, the Eupatorium beetle on the ragwort, the Pteridium aquilinum, and the extrafloral nectary. Being stung by the edible but untouchable nettle also constituted an interesting part of the experience, haha, this plant really knows how to protect itself.

Realized that our understanding of the world is really limited. The same place can look completely different from a new perspective; flora and fauna are truly full of wisdom. Throughout the journey, I felt Phoebe's professionalism, seriousness, and love for nature, which was infectious! A whole new world has opened up for me, thank you!

Our child is not yet 3 years old, so why did we still choose Phoebe's "mini nature observation"? Perhaps it's because I, as a mother, really love to "play" - it's been too long since I went hiking, and I miss that feeling of "being on the road." Fortunately, we met Phoebe.

She is patient, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. She eliminated all our concerns about the trip and helped our 2-year-and-8-month-old baby complete his first deep contact with nature.
Along the way, we encountered the tranquility of lush forests, the surprise of finding a stick insect camouflaged as a dead branch, the healing of discovering a clear spring by following the sound of water and pushing through the bushes, and the exhilaration of seeing the vast horizon after climbing high.

Stop thinking, go see, go listen, and experience it yourself - nature never disappoints those who set out.

Signed up for the afternoon van trip two, and Xiaomi, our team leader, took my family to experience a joyful life in the field and forest!

Actually, I was asking Xiaomi on the van why she thought there were so many things to play with in nature. Xiaomi was momentarily speechless until we arrived at this ancient woods. She led us along the way to identify various plants, crushed leaves for us to smell the different plant aromas, pinned plant Legos on my braided hair, and squeezed dry mushroom heads to see them puff smoke. At this moment, Xiaomi said, 'Look, there are just so many fun things in nature that are hard to describe with words.'

We put the collected leaves into the basket, found a big rock by the road, and started making plant imprints. At this time, Xiaomi was preparing afternoon tea for us - there were thorny horned melons freshly picked from the morning market, mung bean cakes specially bought from the ancient city, herbal teas brewed from plants she grew herself, a table full of snacks and fruits!

Just when we thought it was about to end, Xiaomi asked us, 'I just picked some water dropwort and fragrant herbs, do you want to try them?' Then magically, Xiaomi took out a pot, oil, and even tempura flour. Oh my goodness, it was really delicious!

After only half a day together, I was already moved by Xiaomi's vitality - her beautiful and cozy van, the little yellow flowers she stopped to pick along the way, the wild vegetables she cooked right away after taking out the cooking utensils. Next time, I will ask her to take me mushroom picking.

This parent-child nature observation activity was absolutely fantastic! My child’s eyes sparkled throughout the entire event, eagerly asking the teacher questions non-stop. Even after returning home, my child kept talking about the little bugs seen and the new plants recognized. It was much more vivid than reading books.

We both squatted down to observe and record, playing very intently. Not only did the child learn a lot, but I also gained knowledge. This kind of activity where kids can play and learn while strengthening bonds is truly worth recommending!

Today was the first time participating in an activity; our family of three signed up for Phoebe’s mini nature observation, and the experience exceeded expectations!

The children loved catching insects. Teachers Phoebe and Yoyo were meticulous and patient, not only teaching various knowledge about animals and plants but also providing great emotional value to the children. The children were thrilled to see stick insects for the first time.

The unexpected picnic session was also excellent, and it was hard work for the teachers to carry so many things up the mountain. Throughout the process, we could feel the teachers' deep love for nature. It was wonderful, and we will definitely participate in activities again in the future.

Fengyu Golden Autumn Hike: In the waves of rice and warm sunshine, encounter the most healing mountain wilderness moments.
If there is a 'top-tier travel' in Dali's autumn, it must be He Chen and Wang Wang taking us on this light hike in Fengyu Town – from afternoon to dusk, every step treads on scenery, every moment wrapped with care.

Our two couples had just gathered when we were impressed by the professionalism of the team: both Wang Wang and He Chen are meticulous and professional leaders who had carefully planned the route in advance. From helping us choose the freshest homemade milk fans at the milk fan shop check-in point, to pointing out branches and leaves to teach us about local unique plants upon entering the mountains, they even clearly distinguished each type of fern. They were more like friendly companions, always helping us watch our steps, offering suggestions for good photo angles, and continuously calling us over to see grazing sheep on the hillside, saying, 'Come here, the best shooting angle is here.'

The biggest surprise was the mountain afternoon tea – who would have thought that during a hike, we could sit on the warm grass, drinking hot flower tea and eating sweet pastries? Above us was the blue sky with floating white clouds, and beside us was the pleasant autumn breeze. Below the mountain, the Bai ethnic town was hidden among green trees, and the air carried the freshness of the wilderness. The highlight of the journey was the golden rice field we encountered at the end: the heavy rice ears bent low, sunlight sprinkled over them like broken gold, and the sound of 'rustling' filled the air as the wind blew through. We couldn’t help but walk into the fields, the air filled with the fragrance of rice. The joy of seeing the abundant harvest made us all incredibly elated.

The entire 'light hiking' pace was very comfortable, without the rush of traveling. There was only the relaxation of 'looking slowly, playing slowly,' all thanks to the thoughtful planning of the leaders. They precisely controlled the intensity of each section of the journey, allowing us to enjoy the fun of the wilderness without feeling tired. They constantly paid attention to everyone’s condition; even our casual mention of wanting to photograph the rice fields later was remembered, leaving ample time accordingly. Every detail was filled with warmth.

Such a route, such companions, really make people engrave the most beautiful autumn of Fengyu in their hearts. Finally, I'll record this beauty with four lines of poetry: 'Fengyu's golden autumn treads on green, the waves of rice fields turn gold and intoxicate the hearts of visitors. Ancient temples and white clouds reflect each other amusingly, joy and clear weather all the way.'

If I seek the autumn mountain wilderness again, I will definitely return to Dali and set off with them again!