Greetings from the Lao Ban Zhang village, the home  of the renowned "King of Puerh" tea!  

Victoria's current tea trek has taken her to Bulang Mountain, Yunnan province, where tea has been produced since the late 15th century.  This region is heavily populated with ancient tea treas, some more than 1000 years old, which are interspersed amongst other exotic flora and fauna, as part of a natural mountain jungle. As such, and at an elevation of around 6000 feet, the tea trees thrive in this pristine habitat with no need for pesticides or commercial fertilizers.

See below for some examples of these ancient trees.  Many even require ladders or scaffolding in order to harvest their precious leaves. 

Genuine Lao Ban Zhang raw puer tea is highly sought after and can be very expensive. It also has great health benefits, especially as an aid in digestion and for helping to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure.