The Ancient Tea-Horse Road

In October and November 2014 we have been travelling the Ancient Tea-Horse Road in South West China. 

 

The Ancient Tea-Horse Road (茶马古道) is a network of trade routes which linked different part of Yunnan province to China proper, Himalayan kingdoms, Southeast Asia and beyond. Tea, silks, silver and other goods were carried by horse caravans. Towns and villages flourished along the trade route. Some became regional centres where a class of wealthy merchants and inns keepers developed. The splendeur of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road (茶马古道) is long gone and some of these ancient trading point have now become tourist attractions. Some are famous and have changed under the impulse of mass tourism and commercialisation while others are off-the-beaten path and impoverished villages. Source: www.TravelCathay.com