Journey II · 24°N · 11 nights
The Stone Forest
Limestone towers four hundred metres tall, a river the colour of jade, and cloud that sits in the valley until ten.
Day 1
River landing
A seaplane sets down on the bend. Bags go by bamboo raft; you walk the last kilometre.
Day 3
Tower camp, 340 m
Six canvas rooms on a ledge halfway up a karst pillar. Coffee arrives by pulley.
Day 5
The cloud walk
A four-hour traverse between towers above the mist line, with the valley still asleep below.
Day 8
Night canoe
Paddling the side channels by headlamp, listening for the frogs that only call after rain.
Day 11
Out by water
Downriver to the coast at first light. Nobody on the boat talks for the first hour.