WONDERS OF YUNNAN
2025-07-16 22:19:54
DAY 1: FLIGHT TO KUNMING 1900 m alt.
- Flight to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, located in southwestern China.
DAY 2: ARRIVAL IN KUNMING
- Upon arrival in Kunming, you’re met at the airport by your driver, and transfer to your city hotel by private car.
- You can take a stroll to Green Lake Park, which is close to your hotel. It is the most well-known garden with a history of 300 years.
- Visit the Yuantong Buddhist Temple.
DAY 3: KUNMING, HIGH-SPEED TRAIN TO LIJIANG 2400 m alt.
- Transfer to Kunming Train Station and take the high-speed train to Lijiang.
- Arrive in Lijiang, you will be met by your new driver.
- Stroll in Baisha Village and Yuhu Village.
DAY 4: LIJIANG – TIGER LEAPING GORGE 1800 m alt.
- Stroll around the charming old town of Lijiang.
- Visit the Zhongyi Market and the Black Dragon Pool Park.
- Visit the Residence of the Mu family.
- Optional tour: you can visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (2hrs).
- Transfer to the Tiger Leaping Gorge (100 km, 2hrs/2h30), check in at your hotel.
DAY 5: TIGER LEAPING GORGE – BENZILAN 2000 m alt.
- Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
- Then transfer to Benzilan (3h30/4hrs).
- On the road, take a short stroll in Tibetan villages around Napa Lake.
- Arrive at Benzilan, check-in at a local hostel.
DAY 6: BENZILAN – SHANGRI-LA 3300 m alt.
- Visit the Tharpaling Lamaist Monastery, the only Lamaist monastery in Yunnan composed of nuns.
- Drive to Shangri-La (1h30/2hrs).
- On the way, visit the Dongzhulin Monastery.
- Stop for the magnificent view of the Golden Sand River (Upper Yangtze River).
DAY 7: SHANGRI-LA
- Optional tour: Visit the Baiji Monastery this morning.
- Visit the Songzanlin Monastery, which is the most important lamasery in Yunnan.
- Visit the Ringha Temple, or Monastery of the Buddha of the Five Wisdom, which is one of the main Tibetan monasteries in Yunnan.
- Optional tour: Meet your guide at Ringha Village where you will hike for 4 hours to Shangri-La town through forests and Tibetan villages.
- Stroll in the old town of Shangri-La. Visit the Guishan Temple and its huge prayer wheel.
- Participate in the spontaneous Tibetan dances in the evening with the locals in the old town square.
DAY 8: SHANGRI-LA – SHAXI 2000 m alt.
- Drive to Shaxi (4hrs).
- On the road, you would discover the old town of Jianchuan, little known by tourists, but praised as the wood carving paradise.
- Stroll through Shaxi Village, a former major trade center on the Ancient Tea and Horse Road.
- Free bike ride to discover the Shaxi countryside.
DAY 9: SHAXI – DALI 2000 m alt.
- Explore the Shibaoshan Caves on foot.
- Then drive to Dali (2hrs).
- On the road, stroll in Zhoucheng Village and visit the batik workshop.
- Free stroll in the old town of Dali.
DAY 10: DALI – XIZHOU – DALI
- Drive to Xizhou Village (30 minutes), visit the lively morning market.
- Head to Cangshan Mountain, where you can visit a tea plantation, to learn how to make tea: pick, roll, bake.
- Discover the splendid Three Pagodas Temple, which is the religion center of Dali.
- Optional tour: You can take a short bike ride from Caicun Village along Erhai Lake and enjoy an amazing view of the countryside and the lake.
DAY 11: DALI, HIGH-SPEED TRAIN TO PUZHEHEI 1500 m alt.
- Drive to Dali Train Station (45 minutes) and take the high-speed train to Puzhehei.
- A pleasant boat trip to discover lakes, caves, karst peaks, ethnic minority settlements, and the generally unspoiled ecological environment after arriving in Puzhehei.
DAY 12: PUZHEHEI – YUANYANG 1900 m alt.
- Excursion to Green Dragon Mountain in the morning, you will have a panoramic view of the region.
- Drive to Yuanyang (6hrs). You can enjoy the landscapes of rice terraces on the mountainous road.
- Glowing sunset over the rice fields at the “Bada” viewpoint.
DAY 13: YUANYANG
- Watch the impressive sunrise over the rice fields in the village of Duoyishu.
- Visit the local ethnic minority market.
- Hike through beautiful rice terraces and small villages.
- Discovery of several viewpoints on the rice fields: Qingkou, Dayutang, Quanfuzhuang, etc.
DAY 14: YUANYANG – JIANSHUI 1300 m alt.
- Visit authentic villages of the Hani such as Azheke.
- Drive to Jianshui (168km/3h30).
- Stroll in the Zhu Family Garden, built at the end of the 19th century by wealthy merchants.
- Go on an excursion to the magnificent Confucian Temple which is the largest in China after that of Qufu.
DAY 15: JIANSHUI – SHILIN – KUNMING, RETURN FLIGHT
- Drive to Shilin (3h30) and visit the Stone Forest.
- Then drive to Kunming Airport (1h30) for your return flight.
- Arrive home with precious memories in mind.
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Place the chair next to the refrigerator, the beauty of life always exceeds your imagination. Tomorrow, this cat will experience a heart wrenching low point in its life. Its experience is like a colorful vegetable garden, full of challenges and opportunities.