8-Day Yunnan Private Tour of Kuming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La

Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Kunming

Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China! Your local guide will meet you at the arrival hall of airport. Then you will be escorted to your hotel in a private vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to explore this city.

Attractions: Stone Forest, Jiuxiang Scenic Area
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Kunming

After breakfast, your local guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and then escort you to discover Stone Forest first for about 1.5 hours’ riding (85km)!

Kunming Stone Forest as the “Essence of World Karst Landform” has been listed as the UNESCO World Natural Heritage with the incomparable coverage of 12 square kilometers’ stone pinnacle groups. Take the sightseeing bus to visit the Greater Stone Forest Scenic Area to admire the typical concentrating cinerous stone pinnacles by walking through the maze of stone peaks and jumping high for the panorama of the forest of protruding stone peaks. Also, you will see the famous peak on many photos and even stones towering over 40 meters.

There is a saying goes: See stone forest above ground and explore Jiuxiang underground. After stone wonderland exploration, let’s go to discover Jiuxiang Scenic Area after driving about 40 minutes (36 kilometers). Boasting more than 100 different sized Karst caves, Jiuxiang is praised as the “Museum of Karst Caves” and the “Hometown of Karst Caves” for world visitors to explore the incredible underground palace. You will take a sightseeing boat at the emerald gorge and then go down to be immersed into the dazzling world with diverse shaped stalactites lit in rich colors, layers of amazing stalagmites like terraced fields, iridescent underground river, etc.

After today’s visiting, be escorted back to your hotel in Kunming downtown. Have a good sleep!

Attractions: Erhai Lake, Chongsheng Monastery, Dali Old Town
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Dali

In this morning, you’ll be escorted to Kunming Railway Station to take a high speed train from Kunming to Dali (about 2 hrs). After your arrival at Dali Railway Station, you will be welcomed by the local tour guide and transferred to begin today’s sightseeing.

First, pay a visit the symbol of Dali – Three Pagodas and Chongsheng Temple. After that, go to have a relaxing boat trip on the vast Erhai Lake (Ear-shaped Sea) with crystal clear water and charming landscape. Later, be followed a trip to explore Dali Old Town. Enjoy your time roam in this famous old town and feel like going back to the old times.

Attractions: Xizhou Ancient Town, Zhoucheng Tie-dye, Lijiang Ancient Town
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Lijiang

After breakfast, visit Xizhou Ancient Town. Set eyes on the local morning market. Walk into the “the Museum of Bai Architecture” and appreciate the exquisite residential complexes. Taste Bai’s Three-Course Tea in bitter, sweet and mixed flavors and experience the tea ceremony. Then, visit Yan Family Compound to learn more about the fine Bai ethnic architecture. Then, transfer to “Hometown of Bai People’s Tie-dye Art” – Zhoucheng Old Town for an appreciation of Tie-dye. You’ll visit local indigo workshop in Zhoucheng and know the way of making.

Later, transfer to Lijiang. Upon arrival, wander in Lijiang Ancient Town (Dayan Ancient Town). Walk to the central area of the old town and visit Mufu Palace. Then, wander through the old alleys, old bridges, featured shops and bars to Sifang Street Square. If time permits, join the Naxi people and tourists to dance happily in a round. (Optional Activity: Take a leisure walk up to the Lion Hill and climb up the 33-meter-tall Wanggu Tower – the landmark building of Lijiang to enjoy a panoramic view of the whole old town and overlook the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance.)

Attractions: Yuhu Village, Baisha Murals, Shuhe Ancient Town, Dongba Culture Museum, Black Dragon Pool Park
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Lijiang

First, be transferred out of Lijiang Old Town to Yuhu Village. Explore leisurely around this Naxi Village and then go to explore the Former Residence of Joseph Rock. Later, head to Baisha Village and appreciate the ancient Baisha Mural Paintings. (Optional experience: You can have in-depth cultural experience to learn how to make Baisha embroidery instructed by the local masters in Baisha Village.) Then, it is followed by a relaxing trip to Shuhe Ancient Town. Take a nice stroll here to explore local cultures, folk customs and traditions over several centuries.

After that, transfer to Dongba Culture Museum. Take a gentle walk to Black Dragon Pool Park to enjoy gorgeous view and peaceful surroundings. If weather permits, get to the best spot to overlook the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and shoot some amazing pictures.

Attractions: First Bend of the Yangtze River, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Shangrila

You will be picked up from your hotel in the early morning, and be transferred to the First Bend of the Yangtze River, where you can see fatanstic landscapes as well as important historical stories. Then you will continue the journey further north to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world, 16 km long with a sheer 3900 meters between the wild waters and the top of the snow-capped Haba Snow Mountains next to it. 

After lunch, you will continue to Shangri-La, and on the way, you will notice that the landscapes and architecture gradually changes as you go further into the Tibetan cultural areas, with barley fields and yaks scattered across the valleys.

On the way to Shangri-La,you will visit a local Yi Minority Village. Then you will arrive at your final destination: Dukezong Ancient town, a key stop on the old Tea-Horse road. You can enjoy your free time and relax in the ancient town.

Attractions: Songzanlin Monastery, Tibetan Family Visit, Pudacuo National Park
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Overnight in Shangrila

Today, drive to Songzanlin Monastery (Ganden Sumtseling Gompa), the “Little Potala Palace”. Walk 147 steps to get atop of the monastery and pay clockwise visit to the three main lamasery buildings. If time permits, take some quiet time to walk around the peaceful Lamuyangcuo Lake and shoot panorama view of Songzanlin Monastery with reflection in the clear water.

Then, drive to Pudacuo National Park. Visit the spots by clockwise and throw yourselves into the lush green forest with diverse species of flora and fauna, walk along the plank road to catch the gorgeous scenery of Shudu Lake. Walk along the wooden plank road to admire the satisfying alpine meadow and immerse into the verdant scenery of the peaceful Bita Lake, which is praised as the “pearl of the plateau”.

After the merry time in the park, pay a visit to a local Tibetan family. (Optional Experience: Follow the locals to involve in the process of making butter tea.)

Attractions: Dukezong Old Town, Guishan Hill
Meal: Not included
Hotel: Not included

In the morning, explore Dukezong Old Town. With a history over 1300 years, Dukezong Old Town is the largest and the best preserved Tibetan community in China. Climb up to the top of Guishan Hill (or Tortoise Hill) to have a panoramic view of both the endless snow-capped mountains surrounded the pure land and the large scale of the old town with countless Tibetan dwellings. Join in the tourists to turn the largest Prayer Wheel in the world in clockwise direction. (Optional experience: Learn at Shangri-la Thangka Institute. Programs here include Thangka painting, chanting, Tibetan language and calligraphy. You can choose your like.) After the tour, be escorted to the Shangri-La Zhongdian Airport for your flight to next destination. Service ends!