Exploring Nuodeng Village: 2-Day Tour to the Millennium Salt and Horse Village

“Traveling to Nuodeng Village, a 2-hour drive away, is a rare opportunity to explore this ancient village in depth. Enter through a hidden path, stay with a local family, explore the cultural relics left by our ancestors in the mountains, hike through nearby valleys, hills and villages, experience the life of salt miners and taste their famous ham. This trip provides an opportunity to connect with the history and imagination of this land.”

I toured Nuodeng with eight different guides the other day. We all agreed that the route was truly amazing. Whether it was your first time or not, everyone would discover a rich beauty that they had never noticed before. For me, this was my fourth visit to Nuodeng (a remote village that I had visited three times before, which shows its charm). This season, the lacquer trees were bright red, scattered on the hillsides of the ancient village and in the surrounding valleys. The sunset and the ancient buildings amazed all of us. The next day's visit to Dongling Temple and the nearby valleys made everyone even more impressed.

From the travel video we recorded, you can vividly understand:

More than a thousand years ago, this village hidden in the valley was an important post station on the salt-horse trade route. In the Song Dynasty, it was one of the seven major salt-producing areas in the country. The salt produced here was transported to the southwest, even as far as the Sichuan-Yunnan border, becoming a supplement to the ancient Tea-Horse Road. Due to the prosperity of the past, there are rich historical buildings and cultural heritage left here. With the arrival of modern sea salt, Nuodeng's economy declined rapidly, but it also retained its traditional architecture and lifestyle. The villages on the hillside still have no cars to travel, and transportation relies on mules. The ancient stone road winds through the village and leads to every household.

Not only have the buildings been preserved, but the tradition of making "Nuodeng ham" has also continued. This is a salt-cured ham. In addition to tourism, this remains the main livelihood of the villagers. Whether it is used to cure ham or produce local salt, salt continues to nourish the people of Nuodeng.

Our Unique Itinerary: What Makes This Tour Worth Joining

About Nuodeng:

While visitors can make their own way to Nuodeng, the experience of entering from the visitor center and visiting the main attractions is limited. Our tour avoids the tourist area and winds up from the other side of the mountain. We pass through natural villages and overlook the vast valley and mountains in the distance. We travel along the remote mountain road and arrive at Nuodeng with a completely different experience.

Approaching Nuodeng:

When we arrived, the first view of Nuodeng was breathtaking.

Explore Nuodeng in depth:

We stayed in the village, so as we hiked to the ancient buildings in the back hills, we naturally walked through winding village roads and fields, exploring areas that ordinary tourists would miss. Arriving at the quietest time, we learned about the history and evolution of the ancient buildings (Jade Emperor Pavilion, Wen Temple, Wu Temple). The ruins spoke silently, but the imagination inspired by learning about their history was exciting.

Living with the Nuodeng people:

Instead of a trendy hotel, we stayed at a local family’s home. The landlady, Fang Jie, was a lively woman. The first time I stayed there, she shared some chicken with us, saying, “Today is a good day, otherwise the chicken would fly up the tree and we wouldn’t be able to catch it.” Her home has three floors: a small shop on the top floor, the main living area below, and a kitchen with a traditional wood-burning stove. Outside, a narrow alley connects to the neighbors’ homes. Our meals were simple but delicious, cooked in a wood-burning stove and served with locally made ham and vegetables.

The room was very clean and had a nice view. Here is the view from the room window:

Overlooking Nuodeng:

To really understand a place, sometimes you need to leave it and look back. This is in line with our travel tradition: to discover new places on foot.

The next day, we walked through the alleys and came to the largest salt well in the village. We crossed the village, followed an ancient and narrow stone road, went deep into the valley, and came to another village. Standing on a high place, we had a panoramic view of the whole picture of Nuodeng.

Meet the characters in Nuodeng history:

During the hike, we accidentally discovered an ancient temple in the mountains, a small temple with a long history. This ancient temple was built by a scholar in the Qing Dynasty. At the end of his term in Guangdong, he passed by Jizu Mountain and felt that it was very similar to the peaceful scenery of Nuodeng, which reminded him of his hometown. He built this temple to commemorate the peaks of Nuodeng and his own roots. We stayed here for a long time, imagining the chanting of monks and students echoing in the valley.

Visit a Salt and Ham Manufacturer:

Before leaving, we went to visit a family near the salt well. Lao Li had bought salt and ham from them before, and Sister still remembered. We watched the salt-making process in the shed, where rows of stoves covered with salt were placed. Due to poor business, fewer people bought ham, and the production of salt slowed down. However, we bought some two or three-year-old Nuodeng ham, which can be eaten raw and tastes very fragrant.

Tour Overview:

• Day 1: Departure at 13:00
• Day 2: Return to Dali at 18:00

Distance from Dali to Nuodeng: 150 km (2 hours by car)

The fee includes: round-trip transportation, travel insurance, one night's accommodation, three meals (dinner on the first day, breakfast on the second day, lunch and dinner on the way), that is, all expenses except personal shopping.

Accommodation: 2 people per room (single room needs to be charged 75 yuan/room).

Minimum group size: 2 people.

If these dates don't work for you, feel free to ask me if I can make it happen for two people.

2025.01.01 Travel Record

Because we will enter Nuodeng from the top of the mountain on the first day, our leader will go to the parking lot and drive the car down the mountain at night. If you follow along, you will experience a magical trip at night: