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If you really want to experience China at its best, opt for a scenic adventure drive that takes you into a rather remote and rugged part of China, off road, and on secondary roads. A seven-day driving adventure took our small and intimate motorcade comprising four Toyota Prado SUV vehicles led by Swiss adventurer and motorcar racing enthusiast Peter Schindler, through the mountain kingdoms of Yunnan in the southwest of China. Driving through lush farmland dotted with quaint villages we had a glimpse of the stunning scenery – from fertile paddy fields to high snow clad peaks.

Very different from other Chinese provinces, this multi-ethnic region is home to 25 of China’s 56 minority groups. The four main religions practiced here are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity. With a population of 41 million, it shares a border with Tibet, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Traveling eight hours a day at an average vehicle speed of 60-70 kmph, staying in small village inns, eating various types of country cuisine in unpretentious surroundings, our journey took us from Lijiang to Shangri-La on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, via Shaxi and Dali. Each place we stayed in had very different food although the common thread was very spicy lamb, chicken, pork, plenty of vegetables and very little fish. 

On arrival in Kunming (altitude 2,050 m), we were taken to the vehicle licensing department to complete our temporary Chinese driving license application. This involved a simple eye test and a short safety briefing from the Kunming police. Later in the day, we had a pre-departure safety briefing before dining in a beautifully restored Qing Dynasty mansion beside the Green Lake.

The next day we flew from Kunming to Lijiang (55 minutes, altitude 2,450 m), former capital of the Nakhi Kingdom introduced to the West by eccentric Austrian-American botanist Joseph Rock in the 1930s and 40s. The cobbled streets of Lijiang’s old town, a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World heritage site, run alongside crystal clear streams and up the steep slopes of Lion Hill, from where one can enjoy a wonderful view of Lijiang’s old town up to Mt Saseto (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Lijiang is home to the Naxi minority whose culture Rock feared would be extinguished by the encroaching Han Chinese culture. Luckily, many aspects of Naxi culture are still visible in Lijiang — elderly ladies walk the streets proudly wearing their traditional costumes — but Lijiang’s beauty and atmosphere are spoiled after dark by the noise and neon of "bar street.” Fortunately the very touristy section of Lijiang is confined to just a few streets, and it is easy to lose the crowds down quiet back lanes. 

The highlight of the visit was the "Impressions Lijiang” show, held on a spectacular outdoor stage, just inside the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at the foot of the mountain itself. With 500 actors, it features songs and dances from some of Yunnan’s many colorful minorities. "Impressions Lijiang” has been directed and designed by award-winning Chinese director Zhang Yimou who was responsible for the stunning opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The third day presented us with our first opportunity to get behind the wheel and start driving towards the picturesque Mt Saseto. The day’s drive took us north to Shangri-La via the Tiger Leaping Gorge where the Yangtze roars into a narrow gorge between two soaring mountain ranges, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to the south and Haba Snow Mountain (5,395 m or 17,700 ft) to the north. We parked the cars and walked down to the river’s edge to reach the narrowest point where a legendary tiger is said to have jumped across the river.

From the Tiger Leaping Gorge it is a few hours’ drive north to Shangri-La on a beautiful, rarely driven back road. The road climbs to a 3,800 m mountain pass before descending to Zhongdian, the main town of Shangri-La situated at an altitude of 3,380 m. We settle into our hotel, the beautiful Songtsam Retreat, built entirely out of stone, which is situated within Ganden Sumtseling Temple, one of the most historic and the second largest temple of Tibetan Buddhism after the Potala Palace in Lhasa.

The town of Shangri-La is known as Gyalthang in Tibetan, meaning "Royal Plain.” The town itself sits on a plain which is surrounded by mountains. The town’s original Chinese name, Zhongdian, is a translation of the Tibetan name and still remains on some road signs. In 2002 the mayor of Zhongdian successfully applied to have the town’s name changed to Shangri-La, or Xianggelila in Chinese. Zhong­dian, it is claimed, has many similarities to James Hilton’s fictional paradise but the boost that the change of name has given to the local tourism industry is perhaps the clearest explanation for why the name was changed.

Zhongdian was originally a small highland town, but recent development has destroyed much of the town’s charm. A few streets of recently reconstructed "old town” remain to show visitors how the town used to be. The highlight of our visit is an invitation to a Tibetan home where we share a simple Tibetan lunch with the hosts.

The following day we drive back south to Shaxi (altitude 2,450 m), along a different route which tracks, in part, the upper reaches of the Yangtze. The river has four sections, each going by a different name: Yangtze, Golden Sands River, Reaching Heavens River, Tuotuo River.

Shaxi, one of Yunnan’s hidden gems, is a Ming and Qing dynasty caravan town on the Tea Horse Road that for centuries transported Yunnanese tea to Tibet. Shaxi, in contrast to Lijiang and Shangri-La, is rarely visited by tourists despite its historical importance and excellent state of preservation thanks to a collaboration between the county and provincial government with, of all institutions, the Swiss Technical Institute in Zurich.

We stay in the Laomadian Lodge, a coaching inn in the village, that has been transformed into a small hotel. In this rustic locale we had to sleep on the floor under mosquito nets, staring at mold on the walls!

The next day’s drive took us over the lush Cangshan Mountains to Xizhou, near Dali at an altitude of 2,100 m. A relaxed town situated on the shores of Lake Erhai, it was formerly the capital of Yunnan’s Nanzhao Kingdom. Xizhou is famous for local scholars and Xizhou Baba, a local type of fried wheat bread. We stay at the Linden Centre, a Bai mansion dating from the early years of the 20th century that has recently been converted into a beautiful boutique hotel which is our home for the night.

On our journey back to modernity, we stop to see Dali, an old walled town, former capital of the Nanzhao kingdom, which ruled a swathe of what is today Yunnan province and northern Burma between the 8th and 9th centuries AD.

Much of the road that we were travelling on was first established as part of the Burma Road during the first half of the 20th century. We drive past Yunnanyi, formerly a base for the Flying Tigers, the first American volunteer group of the Chinese Air Force in the early 1940s. The entire road formed an important supply route for China during World War II. And finally we reach Kunming, and fly back to Hong Kong with lasting memories.

China has a superb road network with a plethora of modern day rules of the road, all observed in the breach! Always expect the unexpected. A red light does not mean stop, it means you stop and the rest keep on driving. One way streets can be three-way thoroughfares where people cross the road whenever they want and animals have the right of way. A gas station need not necessarily have fuel. Road facilities are few and very dirty if available, so learn to squat and disappear behind a tree.  

Honking incessantly is part of the game whilst driving through any village. God forbid, if you have an accident, settle it immediately with a generous compensation payout on the spot without involving the local authorities failing which you may end up having to extend your vacation by several days till things are sorted out and worse, having the vehicle impounded. You really have to drive with utmost care and caution, keeping your wits about you and not taking anything for granted. Always yield to everyone and stay calm.