9 Days Kunming Dali Lijiang and Shangri-La Tour with Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking

Embark on a 9-day journey through Yunnan, visiting the famous attractions of Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La. This tour is also a cultural exploration, offering a unique opportunity to discover the rich diversity of ethnic minorities such as the Yi, Bai, Naxi, and Tibetan communities. The highlight of your adventure will be a one-day hike through the awe-inspiring Tiger Leaping Gorge, where the rugged landscape and majestic mountains will leave a lasting impression. This part of the trip is a must for any hiking enthusiast.

Highlights:

  • Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La: Explore the iconic sights and attractions of these renowned cities.
  • Ethnic Culture: Experience the diverse cultures of the Yi, Bai, Naxi, and Tibetan minorities.
  • Tiger Leaping Gorge: Enjoy an unforgettable hike through one of the most magnificent and rugged gorges in the world.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Kunming Arrival
  • Day 2: Kunming – Stone Forest – Kunming
  • Day 3: Kunming – Dali
  • Day 4: Dali – Lijiang
  • Day 5: Lijiang
  • Day 6: Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge
  • Day 7: Tiger Leaping Gorge – Shangri-La
  • Day 8: Shangri-La
  • Day 9: Shangri-La Departure

Google Map

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Kunming Arrival

Sightseeing and Activities:Kunming Arrival
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals:None

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 – Stone Forest – Kunming

Sightseeing and Activities: the Stone Forest, Green Lake
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Depart from your hotel in the morning, you will take a visit to  the Stone Forest (2 hours) – famous as the typical karst landform and known as the First Wonder of the World. After lunch, drive back to Kunming. Stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of tea houses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. Then drive back to the hotel in Kunming and free of the rest day.

Day 3 Kunming-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Cruise in Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas, Dali Ancient Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, take high speed train to Dali (2 hours), the ancient political, economic and cultural center of Yunnan area. Upon arrival, your tour guide will wait for you at the airport and transfer you to start today’s tour. The first stop is Erhai Lake, ranked the second in Yunnan Province and the seventh freshwater lake in China by area and water storage. Take the Erhai Cruise (3 hours). Continue to visit Three Pagodas(1.5 hours) – the symbol of the history of Dali. After that, drive back to the your hotel and free of the rest day. Walk around in Dali Ancient Town(1 hour) – which is featured by the unique traditional Bai ethnic folk houses.

Day 4 Dali-Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, Lijiang Ancient Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. Visit Zhoucheng Village and the Bai people’s Tie-dying cloth workshop where you can take some special souvenir with the Bai ethnic style.

After that, drive to Lijiang(2.5hrs), take a short visit to Lijiang Ancient Town (1 – 2 hours) – walk down the cobblestone streets over 700 years and see the Naxi way of life which changed little over time. After that, drive back to your hotel and free of the rest day.

Day 5 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities:Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui River, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yak Meadow, Yufeng Temple, Baisha Old Town and Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, drive about 30KM to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), you will take the sightseeing bus for a short visiting through the Baishuihe River, take the chairlift up to visit Yak Meadow of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. You will hike around 1 hour in the original forest in Yak Meadow After lunch, visit Yufeng Temple (30min) – a distinctive and conjunct architecture style of Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism and the local Naxi Dongba Religion. After that, go to see the Baisha Murals (30 min) in Baisha Old Town– the cradle of the Naxi culture and ancient capital of the Naxi Kingdom. After this tour, drive back to your hotel and free of the rest day.

Day 6 Lijiang -Tiger Leaping Gorge -Tea Horse Guesthouse

Sightseeing and Activities: Tiger Leaping Gorger trekking
Accommodation: Tea Horse Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, our guide pick up from your hotel in Ljiang. At 8:00 am, drive to Qiaotou Town, which takes 2 hours on the trip. Tiger Leaping Gorge hiking tour is one of the most beautiful trekking tour of Yunnan Province. Your hiking trip starts from Qiaotou. About two hours trekking in the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge, you will arrive at Naxi Family and have lunch there. It is easy trekking from Qiaotou to Naxi Family, but beautiful scenery.

After lunch, a trekking from Naxi Family to 28 zigzagging turns will be a challenge for you. From the top of “28 turns” on the high path further uphill to a place of altitude above 3000m, you can have a view of the panorama of the entire Gorge. Then go pass Tea Horse Guest House (5 hours).

The total trekking route is 26 km, and it takes about 5 hours.

Day 7 Tea-horse Guesthouse- Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities: Tiger Leaping Gorge trekking
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning, continue to another 2hrs trekking from Tea Horse Guesthouse to arrive at Halfway Guesthouse (2500m) , after a rest here, further 1.5hrs trekking to Tina’s Guesthouse. Finish 3.5-4 hrs trekking and have lunch at here. After lunch, drive to Shangri-La (2.3-3hrs ) for checking in your hotel.

Day 8 Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities:Pudacuo National Park, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, Tibetan family, Dukezong Ancient Town, Guishan Hill, Giant Prayer Wheel
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, move to visit the tranquil Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.

And afterwards you’ll visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan Monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. Have a visit of the local Tibetan family. Stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India. Walk up to the top of Guishan Hill or Tortoise Hill, you will see the largest Prayer Wheel of the world and have a panoramic view of shangri-La county and Dukezong Ancient Town.

Day 9 Departure from Shangri-La

Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Shangri-La
Accommodation:None
Meals:Breakfast

Free at leisure before be transferred to Shangri-La airport for the flight to next destination. Service ends.

Recommended Hotels

Destination 5 Star 4 Star 3 Star Hostel
Kunming Crown Plaza Kunming City Centre Wenhui Hotel Baiyun Hotel T&T Story Hotel
Dali Hilton Dali Resort And Spa Landscape Hotel Gnosis Hotel Dali Fengxue Gucheng
Lijiang Hilton Garden Inn Wangfu Hotel Louwailou Hotel Baisha Holiday Resort
Tiger Leaping Gorge / / / Tea&Horse Guesthous
Shangri-La Hylandia By Shangrila Zhaxidele Hotel Shenqu Hotel Wu Fu South Yunnan Boutique 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;
  • High speed trian tickets from Kunming to Dali (2nd class seats).

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.