5-Day Yunnan Adventure: Kunming to Feilai Temple – Explore Ancient Towns, Epic Hikes & Breathtaking Landscapes

Here’s the 15-day Kunming→Dali→Shaxi→Lijiang→Tiger Leaping Gorge→Feilai Temple itinerary in Yunnan complete with day-by-day highlights, must-do’s, and handy tips—ready for you to save and share! ✨

🌿 Days 1–4｜Slow-Paced Kunming

Day 1: Green Lake & Nanping Street

Morning ☀️ Green Lake Park: Mirror-calm water, lotus blooms, elders doing Tai Chi—picture-perfect for photos 📸
Afternoon 🌸 Yunnan University Red Walls: Academic-chic vibes, perfect backdrop for daydream shots
Evening 🍜 Nanping Street Eats: Crossing-bridge rice noodles and rose-flower pastries—sweet finish!

Day 2: Stone Forest Adventure

All day: Explore the Karst pillars of Stone Forest—naturally formed “stone labyrinth” with epic light and shadow for your IG grid ✨

Day 3: Guandu Ancient Town & Flower-Bird Market

Morning ☕ Guandu: Ming-Qing lanes, lanterns, cute cafés—artsy must-visit
Afternoon 🌺🐦 Dounan Flower & Bird Market: Endless orchids, songbirds, and greenery to liven up your feed

Day 4: High-Speed to Dali

Morning 🚄 : 2-hour bullet train to Dali—fast and comfy
Afternoon 🛍️🍰 Dali Old Town: Cangshan + Erhai views, silver-filigree shopping, then handmade rice-flower cake and tea time

🍃 Days 5–8｜Dali’s Countryside Charm

Day 5: Erhai Lake Cycling

Route 🚴‍♀️ : Old Town → Xizhou → Shuanglang → Wase, rice paddies & fishing boats gliding by

Day 6: Cangshan Hike & Three Pagodas

Morning 🚠 : Cable car up Cangshan—sea of clouds & mirror-lake vibes
Afternoon 🏯 : Three Pagodas sunrise reflections—slow down and soak it in

Day 7: Bai Culture Experience

Activity 🎨 : Indigo dye workshop + stay in a Yi-style guesthouse, plus ethnic-flavor afternoon tea

Day 8: Transfer to Shaxi

Travel 🚗 : Private car or bus (~2 h) from Dali to Shaxi
Evening 🏘️ : Shaxi Ancient Town stroll—stone streets, small bridges, morning market energy

🌾 Days 9–10｜Shaxi’s Timeless Vibe

Day 9: Deep Dive into Shaxi

Morning 📷 : Sideng Market—old Tea-Horse Road hub, Confucius Temple & ancient opera stage
Afternoon 🛍️ : Hand-carved wood souvenirs—one-of-a-kind mementos

Day 10: Countryside Trek & Butter Tea

Day trip 🥾 : Hike the Tea-Horse Trail—mountain streams, stone bridges, hilltop panoramas
Break 🧀 : Try yak-butter tea and Tibetan cheese for a warm, local snack

🏯 Days 11–12｜Laid-Back Lijiang

Day 11: Old Town & Black Dragon Pool

Morning 🌌 : Lijiang Old Town—lantern-lined alleys & Naxi Drum Tower
Afternoon 🐉 : Black Dragon Pool reflections of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain—pure calm

Day 12: Baisha Murals & Naxi Music

Morning 🎨 : Baisha Village Tang-era murals & Four-Square Street
Evening 🎶 : Live Naxi music—erhu, sanxian, and vocals under paper lanterns

🌊 Days 13–14｜Tiger Leaping Gorge Thrill

Day 13: Upper Gorge Trek

Start 🗻 : Qiaotou trailhead—cliffs above the roaring Yangtze River, heart-pounding views
Lunch 🍲 : Simple mountain meal—hot porridge and barley cakes around a wood fire

Day 14: Middle Gorge & First Bend

Morning 🌄 : 28 Pillar Stone → Middle Gorge viewpoint—nine-curve river panorama
Evening 🔥 : Back to Lijiang for a hearty lamb hot-pot feast to refuel

⛩️ Day 15｜Feilai Temple Sunrise Pilgrimage

Early 🕓 : Meet at 4:30 AM for the drive up the Yunnan-Tibet Highway
Sunrise 🌄 (5:30 AM): Meili Mountain peaks framing ancient stupas—spiritual and stunning
Breakfast 🥣 : Tibetan tsampa and butter tea—a perfect high-altitude send-off

📝 Must-Know Tips

What to Pack: Layered clothing + windbreaker—big temp swings! 🧥
Getting Around: Kunming→Dali by high-speed train/bus; private car rental for max freedom 🚗
Snacks: Bring bars & chocolate—energy boost in chilly mountain sections 🍫
Essentials: Power bank, raincoat, sunglasses—be ready for ever-changing plateau weather ⛈️😎
✨ Save & share with your travel squad—get ready for your own #Yunnan15DayAdventure!