The Three Parallel Rivers refer to the three rivers of the Jinsha River, the Lancang River and the Nujiang River, which originate from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and run more than 170 kilometers from north to south in Yunnan Province, cross the mountains between Dandang Lika Mountain, Gaoligong Mountain, Nu Mountain and other high mountains and lofty hills.
Highlights of Three Parallel Rivers
1. Three Famouns Canyons and Beautiful Bends of Rivers: In Three Parallel Rivers, there are several famous canyons and bends, namely, Jinsha River Tiger Leaping Gorge, Nujiang River Grand Canyon, Lancang River Meili Grand Canyon, Dulong River Grand Canyon, the First Bend of the Yangzi River in Lijiang, the Great Bend of Jinsha River in Diqing, the First Bend of Nujiang River in Nnujiang.
2. Abundant Ethnic Minority Culture: There are 22 ethnic minorities, such as Naxi, Lisu, Tibetan, Bai, Yi, Pumi, Nu, Dulong, etc. living around Three Parallel Rivers. The Dulong is a little-known ethnic minority. Women’s tattoos are quite strange customs of the Dulong people.
3. Ideal Place for Adventures: Three Parallel Rivers is a ideal placce for adventures, such as, Hiking Tour, Rafting Adventure, Climbing Snow Mountain Tour. As for hiking, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Yubeng Village may be tourists’ best choice. And Climbing Haba Snow Mountain, Biluo Snow Mountain are also recommended.
4. Abundant in Animals and Plants Resources: Gaoligongshan Mountain, known as the Birdwatching Paradise, is the best habitat for more than 500 species of birds. Baihualing in Baoshan is praised by the majority of bird lovers as “China’s five-star bird watching holy land”. The Three Parallel Rivers is a best place for Flowers Tours, Wildlife Tours, including taiwania flousiana, alsophila spinulosa, yew, fir, snow leopard, bengal tiger, and black-necked crane, Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey.
5. Classic Must-see Attractions: There are many attractions around Three Parallel Rivers, such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Laojun Mountain National Forest Park, Liming Qiangui Mountain, Tacheng Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey Park, Meili Snow Mountain, Mingyong Glacier, Baimang Snow Mountain, Cizhong Village, Cizhong Church, Biluo Snow Mountain, Bingzhongluo, Yunling Mountains.
6. Birthplace of Ancient Tea Horse Road: The folk international trade channel with the horse caravan as the main means of transportation is the corridor for the economic and cultural exchanges between the southwestern Chinese people.
Meili Snow Mountain is located about 10 kilometers north-east of Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. It is 849 kilometers away from Kunming. It is a holy land of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists, and ranks the first among the eight sacred mountains in Tibet area(the eight sacred mountains: Mount Benri, Moerduo Mountain, Kawagebo Peak of Meili Snow Mountain, the Aemye Ma-chhen Range, Mount Kailash, Gaduojuewo, Yalxiangbo and the Himalayas).
Highlights of Meili Snow Mountain
▪ Abundant Herbs: It is known as producing a variety of precious herbs.
▪ Buddhism Culture: It is a holy place for Buddhism and regarded as the one of the Four Holy Mountains of Tibetan Buddhism.
▪ Ideal Place for Adventure Tour: A snow mountain that has not been conquered by humans has attracted countless climbers.
The Haba Snow Mountain stands by the Jinsha River, 120 km southeast of Shangri-La City, with its main peak of 5,396 meters. The attraction of the Sanba Tourist Area is attributed to the towering peaks of the Haba Snow Mountain and its alpine moraine lake, endless tracks of azalea flowers and cluster of waterfalls cascading down snow-covered cliffs. The glacier on the Haba Snow Mountain is the southmost glacier in China.
Highlights of Haba Snow Mountain
- Snow Mountain Climbing: Haba Snow Mountain is the best mountain for climbing tours in Yunnan with an elevation of 5,396 meters in the summit. People can take a Haba Snow Mountain Climbing Tours from Lijiang or with Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking. You can find more Haba Snow Mountain Climbing Tours here.
- Mystical Heihai Lake: The Heihai Lake is not the Black Sea in south-eastern Europe. Actually, it is a lake that gets its name from the color of its water, which is as black as ink. An abundance of Chinese giant salamanders swim together forming a ring in the shallows of the Black Sea with an appropriate temperature is reached, which makes it more attractive.
- Beautiful Rhododendra: It is the best time to visit Haba Snow Mountain from April to June when the rhododendra are in full blossom. You will be surprised to find that there are so many varieties of rhododendra. More than 200 hundred kinds of rhododendra are distributed from the bottom to the top of the mountain, accounting for 70% of those in Yunnan.
As one of the hottest tourist destinations in Southeast Yunnan, Puzhehei was approved as National AAAA tourist scenic spot in 2009. It has been named as the National Wetland Park in 2012. ‘Puzhehei’ in the Yi language, means ‘a pond teeming with fish and shrimp. In the Puzhehei, the beautiful lakes and mountains composed a beautiful scenery for your eyes. There are 68 Karst Lakes and over 300 mountain peaks. It is also named “the Guilin in Yunnan” which means the most beautiful place in Yunnan. Colorful costumes, traditional villages and a real sense of continuity with the past mark this pastoral area as a nice alternative to some of the more heavily trafficked tourist spots. The limpid lakes, countless green hills, flourishing lotus flowers and small villages side by side attract hundreds of thousands of tourist every year.
Highlights
Nature Landscape: Known as “Guilin of Yunnan”, Puzhehei Scenic Area consists of clusters of diverse limestone peaks, unique karst caves and natural lakes embraced by mountains, also the flourishing lotus flowers, such as Dajianshan Scenic Area, Swan lake in Puzhehei and Qinglong Mountain in Puzhehei etc.
Ethnic Culture: Puzhehei is the home of Yi, Miao and Zhuang ethnic minorities, enjoying the splendid culture and continuity with the past, such as Xianrendong Village, Nahong Zhuang Ethnic Village, Caihuaqing Miao Ethnic Village in Puzhehei, Wenshan.
Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces is located in the south of Yunnan province, the south section of Ailao mountain range. Yuanyang is adjacent to Jinping County in the east, Lvchun County in the south, Honghe County in the west, and faces Jianshui County, Gejiu City and Mengzi City in the north across the Honghe river. Yuanyang becomes well-known for its spectacular Hani rice terrace. Yuanyang County has 170,000 mu (about 11333 hectares) of rice terraces, which is the core area of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. It is one of the important producing areas of Yunnan tropical fruits, as well as cloud and mist tea. The 6 cultural attractions, mainly consisting of Hani minority and 170,000 mu of terraced fields, constitute a beautiful and spectacular picture scroll.
Highlights:
- Terraced Landscape: Yuanyang is mainly terraced landscape, and is the core area of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. The Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces mainly include three major scenic spots, Bada Rice Terraces, Laohuzui Rice Terraces and Duoyishu Rice Terraces. A vast expanse of rice terraces form a magical and magnificent landscape in the shadow of vast forests and under the cover of boundless sea of clouds.
- Ethnic Culture: Yuanyang is a county mainly inhabited by Hani people. Hani culture includes ecological culture marked by forest, farming culture marked by rice terraces, food culture characterized by Long Street Banquet, architectural culture marked by mushroom house, costume culture dominated by apparel embroidery, and festival culture marked by Kuzhazha festival.
- Local Ethnic Markets: Many villages in Yuanyang have the custom of going to market, which is lively. When you travel to yuanyang, you might as well buy a local calendar and pay attention to the time of going to market in the local villages. You can have a better experience of local conditions and customs in the market.
- A Heaven for Photographers: Every year, a crowd of photographers are attracted by the spectacular view of Yuanyang Hani rice terraces like sunrise, sunset, sea of cloud. More and more people admire the charm of Yuanyang rice terrace. The sunrise of Duoyishu rice terraces is the most beautiful, while Bada rice terraces and Laohuzui rice terraces are the best places to watch the sunset. Bada scenic area is often shrouded in clouds, you can see the wonderful sea of clouds landscape.
Located halfway from Lijiang to Dali, Shaxi Ancient Town is well-preserved in a traditional way of life that offers a glimpse into a forgotten era. Shaxi has a long history that dates back to its role as a trade station on the Tea and Horse Caravan Route, also known as the South Silk Road, which is concentrated on Yunnan province and links up China, Tibet, Myanmar and parts of Thailand and Laos. A new highway has made the driving distance from Dali to Shaxi or Lijiang just 90 minutes. Due to the help of the local government, Shaxi Ancient Town is getting more and more popular among tourists.
Highlights of Shaxi
▪ Original Architectural Style: Shaxi Old Town is a true ancient town that remains the most original architectural style. The ancient temples, ancient stages, ancient stores and ancient alleys seem to bring travelers to the ancient time.
▪ Sideng Friday Market: The Sideng Friday market in Shaxi is one of Yunnan’s finest. On this day, minority peoples of the Yi and Bai come down from their mountain villages dressed in their finest attire. The market serves as both a meeting place for friends and family as well as a place to trade for goods hard to come by in the mountains.
Dongchuan Red Land is located in Hongtudi Town in Dongchuan District, about 40 kilometers southwest of Kunming City. The Red Land here spans hundreds of miles, which is the most typical, lumped and featured red land in Yunnan. Due to the warm and humid climate, the iron in the earth has been oxidized and deposit year after year. Every September to December, the bright red land with various crops, blue sky, white cloud and unpredictable light form the spectacular scenery hence the name ‘God’s Palette’. People can choose 2 Days Dongchuan Red Land Photography Tour which is one of the most popular Kunming City Tours.
Highlights of Dongchuan Red Land
▪ God’s Palette: Overlooking hundreds of miles of red land in wonderful splendor, all kinds of colors, just like the palette overturned, unfold a painting of magnificent natural scenery.
▪ Brilliant Starry Sky: There is hardly light pollution in Dongchuan so that tourists can appreciate brilliant starry sky at night wherever you look up.
Kunming is the capital and largest city in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Today it is a prefecture-level city and the political, economic, communications and cultural centers of the province, as well as the seat of the provincial government. Kunming is the forefront and the portal of China facing Southeast Asia, South Asia and even the Middle East, southern Europe and Africa. It is called the Spring city due to its moderate weather. According to the report by Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2016, Kunming ranked 2nd livable city in China.
Highlights:
- Spring City: With its perpetual spring-like weather which provides the ideal climate for plants and flowers, Kunming is known as the “Spring City”. The city is covered with blossoms and lush vegetation all-year round.
- Minority Culture: Kunming is a multi-ethnic city. Ethnic minorities account for about 13% of the city’s total population, including Yi, Hui, Bai, Miao, Lisu, Zhuang, Dai, Hani and so on. Among them, Yi minority has the largest population, and the torch festival of Yi has long been famous in Yunnan.
- Noted Tourist Attractions: Kunming owns many national and provincial famous scenic spots such as Stone Forest World Geological Park, Dianchi lake, Jiuxiang cave, Jiaozi snow mountain, as well as the world horticulture expo park and Yunnan ethnic village, etc.
- Birdwatching: Every winter, black-headed gulls from Siberia fly to Kunming and settle in Green Lake and Dianchi Lake, forming a harmonious scene of human beings and nature.
One of the key attractions while on a trip to Kunming is a visit to the local casino. A casino is a facility where people go to engage in various forms of gambling, such as playing slot machines and table games. In Kunming, locals often prefer to start playing with smaller amounts of money, reflecting a cautious approach to gambling. This trend is also seen globally, where both physical and online casinos attract players by offering the option of small deposits. Check the page https://sportostrowiecki.pl/niski-depozyt/ to find out best small deposit casinos accepting. This allows for a more accessible and less risky gaming experience, catering to a wider audience.
Jinghong is the prefectural city of Xishuangbanna, bordering Myanmar in the south. It is a small city on the Lancang River with lush tropical and subtropical scenery and a unique folk culture. As a central city of international regional cooperation area of China, Thailand, and Myanmar, Jinghong city boasts subtropical monsoon climate and high forest coverage rate. Amazing tropical scenery, together with the colorful ethnic culture attract thousands of tourists every year.
Highlights of Jionghong
- Minority Cultures: Jinghong is home to 13 ethnic groups including the Dai, the Hani, the Jinuo, and the Bulang. Dai culture is also reflected in the building styles and decorations of the city streets. Gaozhuang Xishuangjing and the Dai Minority Garden are highly recommended for your culture tour. Jinuo Mountain Village is not far away from Jinghong city for tourists to experience the folk culture of the last listed ethnic group in China.
- Dai Water Splashing Festival: The annual Water Splashing Festival of Dai people held from April 13 to 15 inspires people’s imagination of carnival and blessing. It is the “Oriental Carnival” that cannot be missed during Xishuangbanna travel. Joining the water splashing activity in the daytime and then enjoying the local delicacies in the night markets are the must-try things to do.
- Tropical Landscape: Jinghong is rich in nature and cultural resources such as enchanting tropical landscape, and the scenery of Lancang – Mekong River. Cycling along the Lancang – Mekong River, hiking in the nearby tropical rain forest and rafting on the Luosuo River are good choices for sports lovers.
Lincang is a beautiful and fertile land by the Lancang river. On this land, 23 ethnic minorities live and breed for generations. Lincang of Yunnan province is also an important gateway from Yunnan province to Myanmar and southeast Asia, known as the “southern silk road”. Lincang enjoys a subtropical low-latitude mountain monsoon climate, with small the temperature difference among the four seasons, distinct dry and wet seasons, abundant rainfall and sunlight. It has the reputation of “Asia constant temperature city”. The climate here is warm and humid, the natural environment is beautiful and colorful. Every year, a large number of tourists come to Lincang for sightseeing.
Highlights:
- Abundant Tourism Sources: Lincang climate is warm and moist, the natural environment is beautiful and colorful, there are a lot of tourism resources. Main scenic spots in Lincang include Wengding Wa Ethnic Village, Lincang Tea Culture Garden, Cangyuan Cliff Painting, Lushi Old Town, etc.
- Tea and Mango: Fengqing county in Lincang city is the world famous “Hometown of Dianhong Black Tea”. Lincang has a long history of tea culture, and there are quite a few tea plantations. Moreover, Yongde county of Lincang city is called “the Hometown of Mango in China”. Every year, Mango Cultural Tourism Festival is held in Yongde County.
- Ethnic Minorities: Except for Han, there are other 23 ethnic groups in Lincang. Among them, 11 ethnic groups, including Yi, Wa, Dai, Lahu, Bulang, Lisu, Hui, Miao, Deang, Bai and Jingpo, live in Lincang for generations. Lincang is the hometown of Wa in the world, is one of the birthplaces of Wa culture. Every year, Monihei Carnival of Wa Ethnic Minority in Cangyuan County attracts a crowd of tourists.
Bordering Burma to the west, Tengchong is the important gateway for China to South Asia and Southeast Asia. As the famous hometown of overseas Chinese, cultural town and vital distributing center of jade, it boasts an important geographic position since ancient time. It is well known for its volcanic activity.The city is named after the town of Tengchong which serves as its political center, previously known as Tengyue (腾越) in Chinese.
Highlights of Tengchong
- Volcanic Landscape: Tengchong abounds in geothermal energy. There are over 80 steaming fountain hot streams and boiling fountains. There could be as many as 70 volcanoes within 100 kilometers (62 miles) of Tengchong city that is just located on lavas. The Cluster of Volcanoes is must-see attraction to appreciate the volcano scenery.
- Geothermal Landscape: Tengchong has China’s famous geothermal scenic area – Rehai Hot Spring Scenic Area that hides abundant terrestrial heat. Hot spring recreation is also popular among locals and tourists. There are many hot spring resorts in Tengchong, with the famous ones being Yuechun Hot Spring Resort and Rehai Hot Spring. You can relax yourself in the comfortable springs, relieving the fatigue.
- Birding Tour: Boasting rich natural resources, Tengchong is one of the excellent areas for bird watching in Yunnan. Beihai Wetland Reserve is a paradise for water birds Laifeng Mountain National Forest Park known as a “green pearl” embedded in the first city of the extreme side offers the rich spicies, more than 300 species of wild birds and 50 species of mammals. Gaoligong Mountain Botanical Garden is also best place for bird watching in Tengchong.
- Red Culture Tour: Tengchong was the vital site of fierce battles against the Japanese during WWII. The Graveyard of the National Heroes and The Museum of Yunnan-Burmese Anti-Japanese War are the must-see places of Tengchong red culture tour.
Lugu Lake, at the border between Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces and about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Lijiang city, is an alpine lake renowned for its stunning scenery and unique Mosuo culture. The formation of the lake is thought to have occurred in a geological fault belonging to the geological age of the Late Cenozoic.
Highlights of Lugu Lake
• The Females’ Kingdom: Lugu Lake is the native place of “The Females’ Kingdom” composed of the Mosuo people, a branch of the Naxi nationality.
• Natural Landscape: Lugu Lake has become one of the more unique and promising tourism option with its intact natural living environments, charming lake landscapes, and the harmony of water and mountains.
You Might Like
- 1 Day Lashihai Lake Boat Cruise and Horse Riding Tour along the Ancient Tea Horse Road
- 1 Day Shangri La Hiking Tour to Abujicuo Lake and Pasture
- 5 Days Meili Snow Mountain and Yubeng Village Hiking Tour from Shangri-La
- 2 Days Kawa Karpo Meili Snow Mountain Tour from Shangri-La
- 1 Day Kunming Puerh Tea Culture Tour (Tea making, Factories and Markets)
- 1 Day Honghe Huquan Golf Tour with Huquan Hot Spring and Spa
- 12 Days Dulongjiang River Valley Hiking Tour with Nujiang Grand Canyon
- 5 Days Lijiang Golf Tour with Lijiang Ancient Lakefront Golf Course and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club
Three Parallel Rivers
The Three Parallel Rivers refer to the three rivers of the Jinsha River, the Lancang River and the Nujiang River, which originate from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and run more...
Meili Snow Mountain
Meili Snow Mountain is located about 10 kilometers north-east of Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. It is 849 kilometers away from Kunming. It is a...
Haba Snow Mountain
The Haba Snow Mountain stands by the Jinsha River, 120 km southeast of Shangri-La City, with its main peak of 5,396 meters. The attraction of the Sanba Tourist Area...
Puzhehei
As one of the hottest tourist destinations in Southeast Yunnan, Puzhehei was approved as National AAAA tourist scenic spot in 2009. It has been named as the National Wetland...
Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces
Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces is located in the south of Yunnan province, the south section of Ailao mountain range. Yuanyang is adjacent to Jinping County in the east, Lvchun County...
Shaxi Ancient Town
Located halfway from Lijiang to Dali, Shaxi Ancient Town is well-preserved in a traditional way of life that offers a glimpse into a forgotten era. Shaxi has a long history that...
Dongchuan Red Land
Dongchuan Red Land is located in Hongtudi Town in Dongchuan District, about 40 kilometers southwest of Kunming City. The Red Land here spans hundreds of miles, which is the most...
Kunming
Kunming is the capital and largest city in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. Today it is a prefecture-level city and the political, economic, communications and cultural centers of the province,...
Jinghong
Jinghong is the prefectural city of Xishuangbanna, bordering Myanmar in the south. It is a small city on the Lancang River with lush tropical and subtropical scenery and a unique...
Lincang
Lincang is a beautiful and fertile land by the Lancang river. On this land, 23 ethnic minorities live and breed for generations. Lincang of Yunnan province is also an important...
Tengchong
Bordering Burma to the west, Tengchong is the important gateway for China to South Asia and Southeast Asia. As the famous hometown of overseas Chinese, cultural town and vital distributing...
Tips Before Travel
Bring copies of your passport
Don't assume you're restricted to the main hubs of Beijing and Shanghai, our tours can start from any city.
Register with your embassy
For your safety, please register with the Embassy.
Always have local cash
Exchange some local currency for your trip
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