SW China Karst Tour – October 11-25, 2007

[DirtDoc]

SW China Karst Tour – October 11-25, 2007

The October 2007 trip is in the final stages of planning. There are still a few places available for those who decide soon.

We will enter China through Hong Kong, adjust our internal clock, and see local sights. Then to Guilin where we will be introduced to local karst and caves, visiting developed and, if possible, wild caves. The Institute of Karst Geology will be a special visit. Next down the Li River through the heart of the most spectacular of Chinese tower karst to Yangshuo, where we will spend most of our karst days. Yangshuo is in an intimate setting, closely surrounded by karst towers. We will see classic examples of foot caves in the karst towers and study the hydrology, surface geomorphology, and underground drainages of a major river cave.

The cultural aspects, in addition to obtaining a real sense for rural China, will include a few days in a minority area north of Guilin visiting villages of the Dong, Yao, Miao, and Zhuang minority people. Over the millennia the locals have sculpted 2,000-foot tall peaks and created the most astounding terraced rice fields in China.

We are trying to arrange a 3-4 day extension to the Tiankeng area and Wulong Karst National Park near Wulong. This is located SE of Chongquing (south of the Yangtze Gorges) near the San Qiao natural bridges and the Tianxing and Houping caving areas.

You will also be provided with a field trip guidebook that discusses the karst, Chinese karst terminology (with examples that we will visit), hydrology in non-technical terms, and local culture.

Check out John Taylor’s images of the October 2006 trip:
http://home.att.net/~jhtaylor42/Karst/Karst_p1.html

Also the Karst Research Institute, Guilin, October 2006
http://www.karst.edu.cn/news/20061211ne ... 0visit.htm
and
http://www.karst.edu.cn/wwwcn/news/20041015usa.htm

The Chinese sites are not always up, so if at first you cannot get through to them, try again a few hours later.

For more details and costs contact Dwight Deal in Denver
DirtDoc@ Comcast.net
303-632-9254