This was such a lovely experience. Fancy is a personable and knowledgeable guide, fluent in English and French. The market visit itself was a great highlight of our Yunnan trip, but it was the cooking class and lunch in her lovely home kitchen, shared with her husband’s French bakery that really made it special. Fancy is an engaging and patient teacher. We ate our lunch al fresco with delicious local fruits and the smell of fresh coffee and croissants in the air. We’d recommend her for anyone with an interest in ethnic cuisine and meeting locals.

This experience will truly be one to remember. Certainly one of our favourites since we’ve been in China. When looking for activities, we were hoping to find an authentic experience and this was definitely it. Fancy was very knowledgable, friendly and a wonderful host. She firstly gave us a tour of the local market to buy our ingredients and treated us to a local snack en route whilst telling us lots of info about the market. We then enjoyed an amazing cooking class in which the food was so fresh, delicious and overall brilliant!! We then all ate our creations together in Fancy’s gorgeous garden next to her French bakery which was also amazing! A definite must do if you’re in the area (or even if you’re not- it’s worth the travel just for this experience!!) Thank you Fancy!! You’ve played a big part in making our first trip to China very special.

We had a wonderful day with Fancy. It started off with a fascinating trip around a large food market - frequented by locals and not on the tourist trail - which was super interesting. We loved seeing all the vegetables, spices, fungi, traditional Chinese medicine, meats (and livestock!). The cooking class back at Fancy’s lovely home was great. We made three delicious dishes, easy to make but fantastic in flavour. It was also the mid-autumn festival, so we also tried some traditional ‘moon cake’. The fruit tea Fancy made for us was also extremely tasty. Fancy’s home is also a 15 minute walk from the Black Dragon Pool, so it was very convenient to walk there afterwards for a visit Thank you Fancy for a perfect day.

My sister and I spent half a day with Fancy - first at the local market and after, learning to make three dishes with her in her home kitchen. We were amazed by the passion she has for her native Naxi cuisine as well as her knowledge about other ethnic minority groups in Lijiang. She welcomed our many food related questions with patience, and even introduced/treated us to small local snacks at the market. As a generous host, she also provided different seasonal fruits for us to try. After lunch, we visited the Luxi Croissant bakery within the same compound to get coffee and yummy croissants made by her/her husband and a young team. Can’t recommend Fancy’s cuisine class enough if you want to understand more about local life!

We thought we just booked a cooking class but we got so much more. It started with the beautiful visit of the local market - which was indeed local. Although we already travelled for several weeks through China, we learned a lot about the local vegetables and fruits. After the stroll we went to Fancy‘s wonderful house which does not only offer a kitchen but is also a very cute bakery / café. Her husband bakes excellent croissants, Brezen, Canelés and much more. We totally fell in love with the place. The dishes that we have prepared were all very tasty and the class felt very personal and not rushed. We would highly recommend that class to everyone who visits Lijiang and wants to get a deeper understanding of its Nanxi culture and is a fan of Asian food :)

My wife and I had a really good time with Fancy's cooking class. She took us on an educational and insightful tour of the local wet market where we bought ingredients for the cooking class. Fancy speaks mandarin, french and english! Being an experienced tour guide before, she was friendly and knew what to highlight to us as tourist. During the class, she explained the dishes and process like a true chef who is passionate about the Naxi cuisine. The dishes we cooked made an absolutely delicious lunch. Plus she has a french bakery in the same premises. We bought some and they were really good! We would highly recommend this class to anyone visiting Lijiang.

I took this tour with Daisy in April 2023 and had a brilliant time. The tour is curated perfectly, giving you the opportunity to experience the best sights along the ancient tea & horse caravan road and the food is wonderful throughout. Daisy was a friendly and super knowledgeable guide, she made sure I got lots of the food I love and had loads of knowledge about the area and its history. I’d thoroughly recommend doing this trip with Lost Plate (and Daisy!)

It's not just the food (but oh! the food!). It's also the activities and the philosophy of travel. Lost Plate organizes small groups guided by experts, staying in boutique hotels, eating at family run restaurants, and enjoying experiences that aren't possible either with big bus tours or as an independent traveler.  Why not just travel independently? Well, in large part because travel in China is hard right now. It's not a real vacation if you're spending all your time worrying about health codes, trying to find hotels that allow foreigners, or figuring out the when and where and how for COVID tests. But even if China lifted all travel restrictions tomorrow, I'd still travel with Lost Plate because they're just that good. Groups are small enough to fit around one large table, eating family style, trying a few (or lots of) bites of well over a hundred dishes over the course of a week. Even a well-practiced eater like myself couldn't sample that variety while traveling on my own. And don't worry, if there's a dish that's a hit with the whole table, your guide will order seconds (or thirds)! Activities are also designed to appeal to those who want unique and varied experiences. Yunnan isn't a place where you go with a checklist of sights to see like you might in Beijing or Shanghai. It's where you go to enjoy the minority (non-Han) cultures and the scenery and the pace of life. Lost Plate has created an itinerary that keeps you engaged and interested but not so busy you can't catch your breath. Highlights include walking through multiple adorable and historic old towns, visits to a tiny shop to see how they handmake their famous stuffed bread, an optional hike well away from the crowds at Tiger Leaping Gorge, and a local market tour followed by a cooking class using the very freshest ingredients.  Hotels were also a highlight for me, with each of them offering something memorable, from a 500-year old history to some neverending views. Not places you'd ever stay if traveling with a big bus tour of 30+ people.  If you want to explore some of the best that Yunnan has to offer, I can't recommend this tour enough. And if you think organized tours aren't for you, let Lost Plate change your mind.

Lost plate tours brings together likeminded travellers who love trying new foods and being outdoors. Small groups (maximum 10) allows for a personalised service where we could move at a pace not so different than if we were on our own. We were very fortunate to have Daisy as our lead guide and Brian supporting. I cannot fault their manner and willingness to ensure our trip was memorable.

What a charming and authentic experience learning about Lijiang and Naxi culture while cooking an amazing meal! Fancy was so hospitable, first showing us around the market to buy ingredients for our meal, and second inviting us into her cooking studio to cook and enjoy good food, local drink and conversation. To make the experience even more special, Fancy went to the market earlier that morning to ensure she got some of the first mushrooms of the rainy season which had just begun that week. She cooked the mushrooms up in her favorite way, with some mushrooms and spices, and we absolutely loved it! This is an experience that should not be missed. So many experiences in China these days are tinged with a feeling of inauthenticity, so it was a refreshing surprise that this was the most authentic experience we had on our trip across Yunnan. You won't be disappointed!

This was definitely one of the top three trips of my life - the others being an epic Sagrada Valle tour (think Manchu Picchu) and a storied Indian wedding (think Taj Mahal). The difference is that those trips were planned with groups of friends, and this one I went on "alone"... but our group of strangers soon became friends due to the detailed planning and care put into the itinerary and activities. I am usually an extemely independent traveler, so I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this trip, but the activities are perfectly curated so that the group time is well spent and there is free time each day for one to go out and explore on one's own. What makes this tour so special is the care and effort put into it by each member of the team; you can tell they truly want you to have an amazing experience. The sights were unbelievably gorgeous, the food adventures sooooo delicous, varied, and soooo much fun, and the itinerary included so many optional activities (bike rides, hikes, bookstores, cafes, crafts, cooking...) that perfectly complement to all that delicious food. Moreover, the company founder, Ruixi, shared just the right amount of cultural, historical, and food-related information at just the right time, so I learned a lot. I also loved that while the focus was on food, it wasn't just about eating: we explored markets, participated in cooking classes, and learned about various food-related traditions. Lost Plate will even take care of you if you aren't the easiest person to eat or trave with. In fact, the company founder, tour guides, and driver made adjustments to fit the needs of the group, which was extremely thoughtful. For example, I have a gluten intolerance, and the guides let me know what foods I should be aware of. In another example, I easily get car sick, so the Lost Plate team came up with a locally sourced innovative cure which not only prevented car sickness, it also provided a fun distraction for me and the group. I didn't have to worry about anything for the entire trip, every moment was a delightful surprise, and Ruixi even helped me plan the day I came early and the days after I left. This trip is worth every penny! I will definitely be joining again.

I loved the way that the trip was planned with many different types of activities in addition to delicious food. There was a tie dye activity, cooking classes, historical tours, biking and hiking, and also options for enjoying the night life as well. It was truly a beautiful and wonderful experience packed with fun and good food! Timings were flexible and every need was accommodated. Our guides were also very knowledgable, friendly, and fun! It was truly a dream trip for me.

We spent a wonderful week touring ancient towns from Dali to Lijiang and enjoying fabulous food and experiences. We saw and ate amazing things that we would never have experienced if we had traveled without this tour. Our guides Ruixi and Longjiao were very attentive and informative, and our driver Agwan was professional and thoughtful. We stayed in unique small hotels and guest houses in breathtaking locations. Lost Plate helps make experiencing China so much more accessible and I would highly recommend this tour. They did/do extensive planning to find really special places to visit and they are open to feedback and accommodations. Thank you for a great holiday!

Our first time to Yunnan and a great introduction to the best part of China. As ever with LPFT, there was a well thought through and executed itinerary with some off the beaten places (and dishes) that you’d never find in your own. Highlights included the mountain bike and the cycling around Shaxi and all of Dali!

We had a magic 8-day trip through Yunnan with Lost Plate Tours with two families. With 4 adults and 4 teenagers (12-15), there was a little something for everyone to enjoy. Our Guides Ruixi and Alison went above and beyond to help us - even before the tour officially started! We arrived a couple of days before the tour and 4 of us needed to visit a doctor (not COVID related, don't worry!). They accompanied us to the hospital, helping with translation and ensuring we got all the medication we needed. So! On to the tour! Overall, something I loved about this trip was how relaxed it was. You didn't feel you were being rushed from place to place, and there was enough downtime built in that you could chill out. If you wanted to explore, you could go ahead. If you needed some relaxation time in your room, that was fine too. FOOD As a food tour primarily, I can say we were not at all disappointed! Something that made this trip special for me included getting to try regional foods that I would never have been aware of without their expertise. The bacon dish in Lijiang was a teen favourite, as were the many (and varied) potato dishes. But each region we visited had unique dishes to sample, and there was always plenty to eat. A highlight for all of us was our final meal in Dali - the giant platter. Unforgettable! Now that I am back in Beijing, I am craving some Yunnan specialities! ACCOMMODATION The guest houses at each location were fantastic. Beautiful, spacious rooms that are locally owned and operated. Trust that Lost Plate knows what foreigners appreciate in a guest house. ACTIVITIES I thought the range of activities we got to do, really catered to a range of interests. From shopping and market tours to cooking classes, hiking, tie-dyeing and clay cat sculpting, our families were engaged and interested throughout.