15 Days Southwest Yunnan Birding Tour

Bordering Burma, Vietnam, and Laos, the state of Yunnan lies at the crossroads of Asian bird diversity. It is the most bird-rich province in China, with a distinctly subtropical feel in the south. The largely mountainous terrain supports an incredible variety of forest types, and wetland refuges and powerful rivers increase the variety of habitats to explore.This is a fascinating tour to a seldom-visited region featuring some of the most diverse birding in Asia (more than 300 species possible) with spectacular scenery, fascinating botany, colorful tribal groups, tasty traditional food, and wonderful tea. Many great birds possible, including such gems as Black-necked Crane, Red-tailed Laughingthrush, Red-billed Scimitar-Babbler, Yunnan Nuthatch, Derbyan Parakeet, and Collared Treepie.

Highlights

  • Experience the diverse birding.
  • Visit spectacular sceneries.
  • Meet colorful tribal groups.
  • Enjoy the diverse ethnic culture and tea culture.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Kunming Arrival
  • Day 2: Kunming
  • Day 3: Kunming – Dali
  • Day 4: Dali – Weishan – Yunxian
  • Day 5: Yunxian – Gengma – Cangyuan
  • Day 6: Cangyuan
  • Day 7: Cangyuan – Zhenkang
  • Day 8: Zhenkang – Mangshi
  • Day 9: Mangshi – Ruili
  • Day 10: Ruili – Yingjiang – Cangyuan
  • Day 11: Yingjiang – Tengchong
  • Day 12: Tengchong – Yunlong
  • Day 13: Yunlong – Shaxi – Lijiang
  • Day 14: Lijiang
  • Day 15: Lijiang Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Kunming Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities:Kunming Arrival
Accommodation:Kunming
Meals:

Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China! Upon arrival at the Kunming airport/train station, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel. You’ll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming. 

Day 2 Kunming

Sightseeing and Activities:The Green Lake and Dianchi Lake Bird Watching
Accommodation:Kunming
Meals:B,L

The Green Lake Park(Cuihu Park) in Kunming

After breakfast, drive to the Green Lake for bird watching. The Green Lake is one of the famous parks which situated in the center of Kunming City. During the winter months, red-beaked gulls from Siberia migrate to Green Lake and entertain the crowds of visitors as they circle around and snap up bread, usefully provided by a herd of local vendors, thrown up into the air by tourists. 

After lunch, transfer to Dianchi Lake Dam for bird(seagull) watching. Dianchi Lake Dam, on the eastern shore of the Dianchi Lake, the dam is one of the popular sites in Kunming’s Dianchi Lake Holiday Resort 8 km from downtown. During the Chinese New Year Festival, herds of locals and tourists will gather here to feed seagulls and admire scenery of the West Hill. 

 

Day 3 Kunming-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities:Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake Bird Watching
Accommodation:Dali
Meals:B,L

Sea gulls are seen flying over Erhai Lake in Dali in Southwest China's Yunnan province

Take the morning High Speed to Dali and your local tour guide and driver will meet you at Dali train station. Then take a boat ride across Erhai Lake to local Bai ethnic minority villages. If you are lucky, you will see some birds on the lake. Go on a cable car up Cangshan Mountain and enjoy bird watching at Cangshan Mountain. Cangshan Mountain is a high mountain rising above the city of Dali in the southern province of Yunnan. The local government has designated it as a scenic area. The mountain is a highlight of the Dali area, with numerous birds, springs, ponds and waterfalls, beautiful scenery, hiking trails, a range of ecological zones with thousands of plant species, and scenic views of lakes and the city of Dali.

Day 4 Dali-Weishan-Yunxian

Sightseeing and Activities:Dali-Weishan-Yunxian
Accommodation:Yunxian
Meals:B,L

Dali-Weishan-Yunxian

Day 5 Yunxian-Gengma-Cangyuan

Sightseeing and Activities:Yunxian-Gengma-Cangyuan
Accommodation:Cangyuan
Meals:B,L

Yunxian-Gengma-Cangyuan

Day 6 Cangyuan

Sightseeing and Activities:Cangyuan
Accommodation:Cangyuan
Meals:B,L

Cangyuan

Day 7 Cangyuan-Zhenkang

Sightseeing and Activities:Cangyuan-Zhenkang
Accommodation:Zhengkang
Meals:B,L

Cangyuan-Zhenkang

Day 8 Zhenkang-Mangshi

Sightseeing and Activities:Zhenkang-Mangshi
Accommodation:Mangshi
Meals:B,L

Zhenkang-Mangshi

Day 9 Mangshi-Ruili

Sightseeing and Activities:Mangshi-Ruili
Accommodation:Ruili
Meals:B,L

Mangshi-Ruili

Day 10 Ruili-Yingjiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Ruili-Yingjiang
Accommodation:Yingjiang
Meals:B,L

Ruili-Yingjiang

Day 11 Yingjiang-Tengchong

Sightseeing and Activities:Yingjiang-Tengchong
Accommodation:Tengchong
Meals:B,L

Yingjiang-Tengchong

Day 12 Tengchong-Yunlong

Sightseeing and Activities:Tengchong-Yunlong
Accommodation:Yunlong
Meals:B,L

Tengchong-Yunlong

Day 13 Yunlong-Shaxi-Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Yunlong-Shaxi-Lijiang
Accommodation:Lijiang
Meals:B,L

Yunlong-Shaxi-Lijiang

Day 14 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Lijiang
Accommodation:Lijiang
Meals:B,L

Lijiang

Day 15 Departure from Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Lijiang
Accommodation:
Meals:B

Departure from Lijiang

Recommended Hotels

Destination 5 Star 4 Star 3 Star Hostels
Kunming Sofitel Hotel Jingjiang Hotel Long Teng Hotel Tu Tu Inn
Dali Hilton Dali Resort and Spa E-outfitting Boutique Hotel Gnosis Hotel Fengxuegucheng
Yunxian / Sanjiang Bandao Hotel Zheshang Hotel /
Cangyuan Mengluo Hotel Jialinsai Hotel Jingwa Hotel Eighteen Tribe Hotel
Mangshi Huafeng Peacock Lake Hotel & Resort Mangshi Dabo Hotel Mangshi Hotel Xiaochenggushi Inn
Ruili Jing Cheng Earthsea SPA Holiday Center Ruili Sidawo Hotel Hesheng Hotel Lingfeng Inn
Tengchong Guanfang Hotel Tengchong Pumi Wenlv Zhang’s Courtyard (Hepan) Yongle Holiday Resort and Spa Yonder Way Hostel
Yunlong / / Yulongwan Hotel Nuo Deng Fu Jia Liu Fang Inn
Lijiang InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort E-outfitting Boutique Hotel Liwang Hotel Flowers Hall Inn

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
  • Private English-speaking tour guide;
  • Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;.

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs.