This is the first of a three-part 2010 documentary series from ICTV about the tea road trade from Yunnan to Beijing on the one hand, and Tibet on the other.
Pu’er tea is recognised as some of the finest tea in the world, and the region is indeed the original home of tea.
Traditionally it was left to grow wild, and there were customs concerning how it could be harvested, and this is still the case with some of the hill tribes today.
But increasingly, as demand has risen, the tea is cultivated and processed using modern methods, based on the old skills.
The making of the tea though is only part of the story, afterwards it has to be taken to market, and the films are about that extraordinary journey.
After the preliminaries concerning the making of the tea, we see the caravanserais along the road, and hear from old time caravan leaders and hosts.
We also go on the first part of the trek led by Gadana, one of the Caravan Leaders, as she begins the journey to Beijing with her load.
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to see an album of stills click here