Tours
Tour information pages
Located in southwest corner of Sichuan province, Daocheng is well-known for the 3 holy peaks named by the 5th Dalai Lama, Shiannairi Peak(6032 m high), Xianuoduoji Peak(5898 m high), Yangmaiyong Peak(5898 m high). Every year, there are many people trek around the 3 holy peaks for increasing their merits and virtues. Lugu Lake is located in northwest part of Yunnan province, it covers 58 square kms, the water is very clear. The unique matriarchal Mosuo people live by the lake, which earned this area another name: the Mysterious Queendom. Trekking from Daocheng to Lugu Lake is surely one of the best trekking route in China.
Highlights
- With the most wonderful arrival and departure destinations – Lijiang and Shangrila.
- Visit charming Lijiang Old Town, Yangtze Canon, Yi villages, Snake Islet of Lugu Lake.
- Trekking the river, village, farm, Monastery and grassland.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang
- Day 2 Lijiang
- Day 3 Lijiang – Lugu lake
- Day 4 Lugu Lake – Yak Farm-Grassland
- Day 5 Grassland-Tongtian River
- Day 6 Tongtian River-Kawa Village
- Day 7 KawaVillage-Lusi Grassland
- Day 8 Lusi grassland – Kasi Village
- Day 9 Kasi Village-Kasi Yak Farm
- Day 10 Kasi Yak Farm-Chonggu Monastery
- Day 11 Chonggu Monastery-Daocheng
- Day 12 Daocheng-Shangri-La
- Day 13 Shangri-La
- Day 14 Departure from Shangri-La
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Lijiang
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Lunch
Pick you up from the airport and transfer to the hotel in the old town. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the old town and buy something necessary for the trip. In the evening, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel to give you the briefing of itinerary.
–Lijiang Old Town has a history more than 800 years, which was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people.
Day 2 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Lijiang Old Town, Mu Palace, Black Dragon Pool, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning, visit Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, is a central town of the Lijiang Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province. Afterwards, visit Mufu Palace, situated in the southwest of the Old Town of Lijiang. It is the Tusi Mu’s Yamen of the Naxi Ethnic Group in Yunnan. Tusi Mu was the ruler of Naxi during the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911).
Then transfer to visit Black Dragon Pool. Black Dragon Pool (also Heilongtan), or Jade Spring(Yuquan) Park is the main headwater of the Yushui River which goes through the Old Town. In the late afternoon, pay a visit to Baisha Old Town. It was the cradle-land of the Tusi Dynasty evolved from the Mu Clan. It was also the earliest settlement of the Naxi people. Then visit Baisha Murals. It is about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
Day 3 Lijiang – Lugu lake
Sightseeing and Activities:Yangtze Canon, Yi villages, Liwubi Island, Snake Islet of Lugu Lake
Accommodation: Lugu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, dive about 4 hrs on the mountain road to visit the mysterious Lugu Lake. On the way, enjoy the beautiful view among the huge mountains and rivers. You plan to start your walking from Jin’anqiao Bridge to Shudi along the road at the bank of Yangtze River. See the beautiful canon and Yi ethnic people’s villages in the steep mountains. After 1 hour walking in the canon, continue the driving and you can stop in many Yi villages.
In the late afternoon, take the canoes to visit Liwubi Island and Snake Islet in Lugu Lake.
(Optional)In the evening, take part in the night party and performance which is named the Soul of Mosuo. There are a lot of Mosuo young people dancing and singing around the fire in the outdoors theatre.
Day 4 Lugu Lake – Yak Farm(45km/1.5hs drive) – unknown Grassland(17km/7hs trekking)
Sightseeing and Activities:Yak Farm, Yeji Mountain Pass, Lion Mountain, trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early in the morning we will drive directly to Yak Farm, which is our trekking start point and meet our horse-men team. Have our luggage packed on the horses. It takes 4 hours or so to walk up to the Yeji Mountain Pass(3,600m), passing by the Yi People village on the way.
The colorful prayer cloth on the trees reminds us of arriving at the mountain pass, from there we may have a nice view of the Lion Mountain near Lugu Lake. And we will trek down among the virgin forests for 3 hours directly to our camping site, an unknown grassland near the river.
Day 5 Unknown Grassland-Tongtian River(22km/6-7hs trekking, 2,700m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today’s walking is easy for us, though it is long, for the reason of no strong rise and fall on the way. After breakfast we go outside the forest, walking along the tractor road, where a river accompanies us all the way.
Before arriving our camping site, we will pass by some Tibetan villages, Yiji and Jiaqu villages. From Jiaqu village we will trek down to Tongtian river, where we will camp nearby.
Day 6 Tongtian River-Kawa Village(16km/6-7hs trekking 3,000m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning we will trek up along the half-way up mountain trail until arriving at the top, where we can see Tongtian River meeting Dongyi River. When trekking up, we will have a fantastic view on the way, what impress us are the high mountains, huge valleys, and villages scatter in the opposite deep mountains.
Before arriving at our camping site near Kawa Village, where Mongolians live, we will pass by Hadi Naxi People village(3,300m). This section of trail makes us walk on the top of high mountains, as if walking in the clouds.
Day 7 KawaVillage-Lusi Grassland(15km/6-7hs trekking 3,200m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From Kawa village down to Keku Village(2,700m) on the way, we may see many huge cactus growing on the cliffs, and what surprises us most is a house build on the cliff close to Dongyi River. Keku Village is a place where Tibetan people live, from there we will trek up again until arriving at our camping site, leaving the river far behind.
Day 8 Lusi grassland – Kasi Village(17km/6-7hs trekking,2,600m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is a long journey for us. Early in the morning, we will leave our camping site, trekking down outside the forest until arriving at the Seku village(2,600m). From there we will go across the river by the bridge, and walk further to Wangzi village, where we stop our trekking today, and change the van to Kasi village.
Day 9 Kasi Village-Kasi Gorge-Kasi Yak Farm(16km/6-7hs trekking 4,000m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From today we will start the hardest trekking section, for the average height of the altitude is above 3,800m. Kasi village is the entrance to Kasi Gorge, and in the morning we will enter the Gorge, walking in the virgin forests.
Two hours trekking along the bottom of the gorge later, we will trek up until reaching Kasi Yak Farm, where we will camp tonight. And from here the altitude is above 4,000m.
Day 10 Kasi Yak Farm-Chonggu Monastery(16km/7-8hs trekking 3,800m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today’s trekking is the most strenuous. Before trekking down again we have to reach the highest mountain pass(4,800m) of these days, from where we have a nice view of the two snow mountains(Chenrezi (6032) and Chenadorje (5958)), and Milk Lake(4,750m). Have a short rest near the plateau lake below the mountain and then we continue trekking down into the virgin forests where we can find the height of the altitude descending sharply.
Before getting to the guesthouse near Chonggu Monastery, we firstly will pass by Luorong Yak Farm (4,200m), located among the center of the three snow mountains, Chenrezi (6032m), Jampayang (5958m) and Chenadorje (5958m).
Day 11 Chonggu Monastery-Daocheng(110km/3hs by bus 3,700m)
Sightseeing and Activities:trekking
Accommodation: Daocheng
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we needn’t get up very early, in the morning enjoy the leisure time on the grassland near the monastery, after lunch we will trek down about one hour outside the scenic spot, where we say good-by to our horse-men team, and take the bus waiting to Daocheng. Stay in the local guesthouse.
Day 12 Daocheng-Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Daocheng-Shangri-La
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will leave for Shangri-La.
Day 13 Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Shangri-La
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Explore the Shangri-La city at leisure.
Day 14 Departure from Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Shangri-La
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast
Today your wonderful tour will end. Be escorted to the airport for your flight and service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Lijiang | Lijiang Hilton Garden Inn | Wangfu Hotel | Baisha Holiday Resort | Local Hostel |
| Lugu Lake | Silver Lake Island Hotel | Shilili Hotel | Nverguo Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Daocheng | / | / | / | Local Hostel |
| Shangri-La | Shangri-La Hotel | Zhaxidele Hotel | Shenqu Hotel | Local Hostel |
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.
Daocheng is located in southwest corner of Sichuan province, it is well-known for the 3 holy peaks named by the 5th Dalai Lama, Shiannairi Peak(6032 m high), Xianuoduoji Peak(5898 m high), Yangmaiyong Peak(5898 m high). Every year, there are many people trek around the 3 holy peaks for increasing their merits and virtues. Lugu Lake is located in northwest part of Yunnan province, it covers 58 square kms, the water is very clear. The unique matriarchal Mosuo people live by the lake, which earned this area another name: the Mysterious Queendom. Trekking from Daocheng to Lugu Lake is surely one of the best trekking route in China.
Highlights
- Meet the most wonderful sceneries in both Lijiang and Daocheng.
- Visit charming Lijiang Old Town, Yangtze Canyon, Yi villages, Snake Islet of Lugu Lake.
- Trekking the river, village, farm, Monastery and grassland.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang
- Day 2 Lijiang
- Day 3 Lijiang – Lugu lake
- Day 4 Lugu Lake – Yak Farm – Grassland
- Day 5 Grassland – Tongtian River
- Day 6 Tongtian River – Kawa Village
- Day 7 KawaVillage – Lusi Grassland
- Day 8 Lusi grassland – Kasi Village
- Day 9 Kasi Village-Kasi Gorge – Kasi Yak Farm
- Day 10 Kasi Yak Farm – Chonggu Monastery
- Day 11 Chonggu Monastery – Daocheng
- Day 12 Departure from Daocheng
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Lijiang
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: None
Pick you up from the airport and transfer to the hotel in the old town. Enjoy your free time in Lijiang.
–Lijiang has a history more than 800 years; it was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people.
Day 2 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Lijiang Old Town, Mu Palace, Black Dragon Pool, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning, visit Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, is a central town of the Lijiang Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province.
Afterwards, visit Mufu Palace, situated in the southwest of the Old Town of Lijiang. It is the Tusi Mu’s Yamen of the Naxi Ethnic Group in Yunnan. Tusi Mu was the ruler of Naxi during the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911).
Then transfer to visit Black Dragon Pool. Black Dragon Pool (also Heilongtan), or Jade Spring(Yuquan) Park is the main headwater of the Yushui River which goes through the Old Town.
In the late afternoon, pay a visit to Baisha Old Town. It was the cradle-land of the Tusi Dynasty evolved from the Mu Clan. It was also the earliest settlement of the Naxi people. Then visit Baisha Murals. It is about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
Day 3 Lijiang /Lugu lake(216km/7hs drive 2,640m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Yangtze Canyon, Yi villages, Liwubi Island and Snake Islet of Lugu Lake
Accommodation: Lugu Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning, dive 6 hrs on the spectacle mountain road to visit the mysterious Lugu Lake. On the way, enjoy the beautiful view among the huge mountains and rivers. You plan to start your walking from Jin’anqiao Bridge to Shudi along the road at the bank of Yangtze River.you will see the beautiful canon and Yi ethnic people’s villages in the steep mountains. After 1 hour walking in the canon, you will continue the driving and you can stop in many Yi villages.
Late afternoon, you will take the canoes to visit Liwubi Island and Snake Islet in Lugu Lake.
(Optional)In the evening, take part in the night party and performance which is named the Soul of Mosuo. There are a lot of Mosuo young people dancing and singing around the fire in the outdoors theatre.
Day 4 Lugu Lake/ Yak Farm(45km/1.5hs drive) / unknown Grassland(17km/7hs trekking 2,900m
Sightseeing and Activities:Lugu Lake, Yak Farm
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early in the morning we will drive directly to Yak Farm, our trekking start point and meet our horse-men team, have our luggage packed on the horses . It takes us 4 hours or so to walk up to the Yeji Mountain Pass(3,600m), passing by the Yi People village on the way.
The colorful prayer cloth on the trees reminds us of arriving at the mountain pass, from there we may have a nice view of the Lion Mountain near Lugu Lake. And we will trek down among the virgin forests for 3 hours directly to our camping site, an unknown grassland near the river.
-Trekking Tour from Lugu Lake to Yading.
An entirely singular experience, this trek combines an awe-inspiring beauty with an ancient mystique in a wilderness experience like no other. Rising from the warm cultivated landscape around Lugu to altitudes of 4-5000m, the trails takes in views of the three sacred peaks – Chenrezi (6032), Jampayang (5958) and Chenadorje (5958), passing through virgin forests, along valley floors, and around sacred lakes. Scattered throughout the region are the rough stupas, mani stone piles and temples that give testament to the reverence Tibetans hold for this area. In Tibetan Buddhism, mountains such as these have a religious significance higher than the Dalai Lama or any monastery, and it’s not difficult to see why. The trekking ends at Chonggu Temple; from here it’s a 1500m descent by jeep along a very high and exhilarating road to Riwa, a bustling town which even has wireless these days
Day 5 Unknown Grassland/Tongtian River(22km/6-7hs trekking, 2,700m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Yiji and Jiaqu villages
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today’s walking is easy for us, though it is long, for the reason of no strong rise and fall on the way. After breakfast we go outside the forest, walking along the tractor road, where a river accompanies us all the way. Before arriving our camping site, we will pass by some Tibetan villages, Yiji and Jiaqu villages. From Jiaqu village we will trek down to Tongtian river, where we will camp nearby.
Day 6 Tongtian River/Kawa Village(16km/6-7hs trekking 3,000m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Tongtian River、Dongyi River、Kawa Village
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning we will trek up along the half-way up mountain trail until arriving at the top, where we can see Tongtian River meeting Dongyi River. When trekking up, we will have a fantastic view on the way, what impress us are the high mountains, huge valleys, and villages scatter in the opposite deep mountains.
Before arriving at our camping site near Kawa Village, where Mongolians live, we will pass by Hadi Naxi People village(3,300m). This section of trail makes us walk on the top of high mountains, as if walking in the clouds.
Day 7 KawaVillage/Lusi Grassland(15km/6-7hs trekking 3,200m)
Sightseeing and Activities:KawaVillage/Lusi Grassland(15km/6-7hs trekking 3,200m)
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From Kawa village down to Keku Village(2,700m) on the way, we may see many huge cactus growing on the cliffs, and what surprises us most is a house build on the cliff close to Dongyi River. Keku Village is a place where Tibetan people live, from there we will trek up again until arriving at our camping site, leaving the river far behind. Camp
Day 8 Lusi grassland /Kasi Village(17km/6-7hs trekking,2,600m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Lusi grassland /Kasi Village(17km/6-7hs trekking,2,600m)
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is a long journey for us. Early in the morning, we will leave our camping site, trekking down outside the forest until arriving at the Seku village(2,600m). From there we will go across the river by the bridge, and walk further to Wangzi village, where we stop our trekking today, and change the van to Kasi village. Camp
Day 9 Kasi Village/Kasi Gorge/Kasi Yak Farm(16km/6-7hs trekking 4,000m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Kasi Village/Kasi Gorge/Kasi Yak Farm(16km/6-7hs trekking 4,000m)
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From today we will start the hardest trekking section, for the average height of the altitude is above 3,800m .Kasi village is the entrance to Kasi Gorge, and in the morning we will enter the Gorge, walking in the virgin forests. Two hours trekking along the bottom of the gorge later, we will trek up until reaching Kasi Yak Farm, where we will camp tonight. And from here the altitude is above 4,000m. Camp
Day 10 Kasi Yak Farm/Chonggu Monastery(16km/7-8hs trekking 3,800m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Kasi Yak Farm/Chonggu Monastery
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today’s trekking is the most strenuous . Before trekking down again we have to reach the highest mountain pass(4,800m) of these days, from where we have a nice view of the two snow mountains( Chenrezi (6032) and Chenadorje (5958), plateau lake(the Milk Lake(4,750m). Have a short rest near the plateau lake below the mountain and then we continue trekking down into the virgin forests where we can find the height of the altitude descending sharply.
Before getting to the guesthouse near Chonggu Monastery, we firstly will pass by Luorong Yak Farm (4,200m), located among the center of the three snow mountains, Chenrezi (6032m), Jampayang (5958m) and Chenadorje (5958m). Camp
Day 11 Chonggu Monastery/Daocheng(110km/3hs by bus 3,700m)
Sightseeing and Activities:Chonggu Monastery/Daocheng(110km/3hs by bus 3,700m)
Accommodation: Daocheng
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we needn’t get up very early, in the morning enjoy the leisure time on the grassland near the monastery, after lunch we will trek down about one hour outside the scenic spot, where we say good-by to our horse-men team, and take the bus waiting to Daocheng. Stay in the local guesthouse.
Day 12 Departure from Daocheng
Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Daocheng
Accommodation: Daocheng
Meals:Breakfast
Departure from Daocheng.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Lijiang | Lijiang Hilton Garden Inn | Wangfu Hotel | Baisha Holiday Resort | Local Hostel |
| Lugu Lake | Silver Lake Island Hotel | Shilili Hotel | Nverguo Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Daocheng | \ | \ | \ | Local Hostel |
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.
The hiking or trekking routes in Nujiang Valley area are mainly for enjoying ethnic culture and landscape. For all hiking or trekking routes, we will pass through the primeval forests with biodiversity. For some of the routes, we will pass through high snow mountains, and deep valleys. Usually, the lowest altitude of high mountain is about 4000m, the highest altitude is about 4300m. We will make our camps at an altitude of about 3200m to 3600m.
Highlights
- Pass through the primeval forests with biodiversity,high snow moutains, and deep valleys.
- Experience the ethnic life and culture in Lujiang.
- Witness dramatic changes of ecosystem.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Dimaluo
- Day 2 Dimaluo – Baihanluo-Sewalongba
- Day 3 Sewalongba-Shelaka Pass-Ri Xia Tong
- Day 4 Ri Xia Tong-Cizhong
- Day 5 Cizhong Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Dimaluo
Sightseeing and Activities: Dimaluo
Accommodation: Local family’s home
Meals: Lunch
In the morning we reach Dimaluo from Gongshan.
The idyllic village of Dimaluo is located about 40km north-east of Gongshan in a side valley of the Nu Jiang (Nu Jiang) Valley in the north-eastern part of the Yunnan province. As the original population in the valley was predominantly Nu, many of the families of Dimaluo are now mixed Nu-Tibetan descent. About 80% of the population is Catholic which is a result of some missionary activities by Swiss and French Jesuit Priests from the Mission Etrangre in Paris¡, who arrived in the area around 1850 and 1960. Together with the locals we visit the weekly Mass that is held in the over 100 years old local Catholic Church. In the afternoon tour briefing and time at leisure.
Simple overnight accommodation at a local family’s home
Day 2 Dimaluo – Baihanluo-Sewalongba(trekking time about 8 hours)
Sightseeing and Activities: Baihanluo, Sewalongba
Accommodation: Tent
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Immediately behind the village of Dimaluo the path (1’815m) starts to rise sharply and leads up the mountains towards the village of Baihanluo. There is a beautiful, small Catholic Church which was built here in 1898 by French Missionaries. Even though the Church has been built in French style, the Tibetan influence is clearly visible. We continue our trek uphill until we reach the highest point at 3’800m after about 5 hours. After another 3 hours walk through a magnificent Rhododendron Forest we reach the picturesque Nisai Valley where we set up our camp for the night at 3’400m. Overnight accommodation is in a tent.
Day 3 Sewalongba-Shelaka Pass-Ri Xia Tong(trekking time: 8 hours)
Sightseeing and Activities: Sewalongba, Shelaka Pass-Ri Xia Tong
Accommodation: Tent
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the early morning we leave the idyllic Nisai Benggu and climb for another 4.5 hours up the slopes of Biluo Mountain, passed the tree line towards the Shelalaka Pass located on 4250 meters above sea level. On a nice day we are rewarded with a breathtaking view over the Biluo Mountain Range and the surroundings. After a short rest we begin our 3 hours decent toward Ri xia Tong, an idyllic pasture at 3’200 meters. Our camp lies on the foot of a snow capped mountain and next to a crystal clear stream that is running down towards the Mekong River. Overnight accommodation in a tent.
Day 4 Ri Xia Tong-Cizhong (trekking time 6.5 hours)
Sightseeing and Activities: Cizhong
Accommodation: Catholic Church
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Through marvelous pastures, past ruminating cows and astonished looking Yaks, across magnificent, meadows and pristine forests our trek of today leads mostly downhill towards the Mekong Valley deep below. Pass centuries old Rhododendron Trees, Azaleas, wild cherry trees and there are countless small waterfalls plunging down the deep mountain slopes. Arrive in Cizhong in the late afternoon. Overnight accommodation is inside the Catholic Church that has been built here in the 1920s.
Day 5 Cizhong Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast
Continue your journey by private car to either Deqin or via Weixi to Tacheng or Lijiang.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Cizhong | Songtsam Cizhong Lodge | / | / | Local Hostel |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the attractions listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accomodation with breakfast;
- English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with experienced driver;
- A bottle of mineral water everyday;
- Travel Agents Liability Insurance.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Airport pick-up and drop-off service;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- All optional programs;
- Surcharge for national holiday;
- Tips to guides and drivers. (For driver: RMB150/day/group; for guide: RMB200/day/group)
Niru village is one of the well-known pastures in Shangri-La, with vast grasslands and lush water plants. The place has been neglected by people for a long time because there is no road connecting the outside world. Tibetans here live a simple but happy life all year around. Hence, Niru is regarded as the last fairyland in Shangri-La. Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking is the most famous and welcomed route which can not be missed.
Highlights
- Hiking the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge and Niru Alpine Pasture.
- Experience the ethnic life and culture.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang
- Day 2 Lijiang
- Day 3 Lijiang – Qiaotou – Tea horse Guesthouse
- Day 4 Tea horse Guesthouse – Halfway Guesthouse – Haba Village – Baishuitai
- Day 5 Baishuitai – Niru Village
- Day 6 Niru Village – Nanbo Pasture(4100m) – Dingru Lake
- Day 7 Dingru Lake – Selie Lake – Niru – Xiadiaoge Meadow ( 3200m )
- Day 8 Xiadiaoge Pasture – Dijie Pasture – Shudu Lake – Shangri-La
- Day 9 Shangri-La
- Day 10 Departure from Shangri-La
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Arrive in Lijiang
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: None
Pick you up at Lijiang airport. Transfer to hotel for checking in. Relax yourself in Lijiang Old Town.
–Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, is a central town of the Lijiang Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province. Located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters above the sea level and embraced by the tree-covered Lion Mountain in the west, Elephant and Golden Row Mountains in the north, vast fertile fields in the southeast and crystal clear water running through, the old town looks like a big jade ink slab, therefore got the alias the Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen).
Day 2 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Ganhaizi Meadow, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Spruce Meadow, Blue Moon Valley, Impression Lijiang Show, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Drive about 30KM to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), you will take the sightseeig bus for a short visiting through the Baishuihe River, take the chairlift up to visit the Spruce meadowof Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Then take a battery cart to Blue Moon Valley.
After lunch, you will enjoy the Impression Lijiang Ethnic Show directed by Zhang Yimou. It is held in Ganhazi Meadow about 3100M above the sea level.
And then, you can stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Naxi style old town. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
Day 3 Lijiang-Qiaotou – Tea horse Guesthouse
Sightseeing and Activities:the First Bend of Yangtze River,Tiger Leaping Gorge hiking
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early in the morning, guide will pick up you from hotel. Then you willtransfer to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge via Qiaotou Town ( 2.5hrs) along the Yunnan- Tibet Road. Take a stop on the way, have a bird view of the First Bend of the Yangtze River, a world-famous geological phenomenon of a V-shape bend and an extraordinary panoramic scene whose vistas you will long remember with great pleasure.
After arrival at the tickets office of Qiaotou Town, you will start the 2 hours trekking up to Naxi Family Guesthouse by the high trail. Take a break to have lunch at the beautiful guesthouse. Afterward,continue to the trekking (3-4hrs) from Naxi Family G.H. to Tea horse Guesthouse via 28 zigzagging turns. The trekking of this section is a challenge for you as the trail is difficult however once you have seen the splendid view view from an altitude about 3000m, you will know that is worthy. Then you will arrive at the sleep place of tonight –Tea horse Guesthouse. Have dinner and accommodation at here.
Trekking time: 5-6hrs
Day 4 Tea horse Guesthouse – Halfway Guesthouse- Haba Village-Baishuitai
Sightseeing and Activities:Tiger Leaping Gorge hiking, White Water Terraces
Accommodation: Baishuitai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast,continue the trekking to Halfway Guesthouse ( 1.5-2hrs ) by a flat walk. Enjoy the most beautiful view section of the high train. Take a short break at Halfway G.H. Later process another 2 hours trekking to arrive at Tina’s Guesthouse. You will see several waterfall on the trail and view of the middle gorge with switchbacks of the Low Road. There is a small climb leading you to a ridge at 2480m. Then the trail descends gradually to Tina’s Guesthouse. Have lunch at Tina’s G.H.
After lunch, transfer toWhite Water Terraces (2.5hrs ), upon arrival , take a tour of White Water Terrace. After tour, check in your hotel.
Trekking time:3.5-4hrs
Day 5 Baishuitai – Niru Village
Sightseeing and Activities:Niru Village, Baishuitai
Accommodation: Niru Village
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
After breakfast, you will transfer to Niru Village of Shangri-La ( 5hours ) via Luoji Town. Take a stop at Baishui Terrace (white water terrace) The three – square – kilometre Baishui Terrace lies snugly on a mountain slope 2,380 metres above sea level in Baidi Village, Sanba Township, 101 kilometres southeast of the seat of Zhongdian County. The variegated karst landform of the tableland is an outcome of the continuous piling up of Tosco (calcite sediments), resulting from the disintegration of calcium bicarbonate contained in the water.
Upon arrival, check in your guesthouse. Overnight at local guesthouse of Niru.
Day 6 Niru Village–Nanbo Pasture(4100m) –Dingru Lake
Sightseeing and Activities:Nanbo Pasture(4100m), Dingru Lake
Accommodation: Dingru Lake
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today , you will firstly make a Hike for4 hours to Nanbao Yak Meadow (3500m), very close to the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Afterward further your trekkingabout 1.5-2hours to Dingru Lake.
Trekking time : 6-7hrs
Overnight camping near to Dingru Lake.
Day 7 Dingru Lake –Selie Lake –Niru- Xiadiaoge Meadow ( 3200m )
Sightseeing and Activities:Selie Lake, Niru Village, Xiadiaoge Meadow ( 3200m )
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is another challenge for you since it is a very long, tough day of Trekking. Morning,firstly you take 1-1.5hrs trekking to Selie Lake, after a nice walk around the lake area, followed another 3.5 hours trekking back to Niru Village . After later lunch at Niru Village, you will continue trekking 3.5hours (about 9km) to arrive at Xiadiaoge Meadow
Trekking time : 7-8 hours
Overnight Camping in the tent at Xiadiaoge Meadow near to Qicai Waterfall.
Day 8 Xiadiaoge Pasture- Dijie Pasture –Shudu Lake – Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Qicai Waterfall, Xiadiaoge Yak Meadow, Shudu Lake, Bengalaka Mountain Pass, Dijie Yak Meadow
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Departure at 7:30am in the morning, trekking to visit Qicai Waterfall , after the visiting, you will return back toXiadiaoge Yak Meadow,then followed by another trekking about 6hrs for 25km to Shudu Lake where is now one part of Pudaocuo National Park. During the trekking you will through virgin forests to view of Bengalaka Mountain Pass (3980 m), then continue to passing Dijie Yak Meadow.
After arrival Shudu Lake, you will take the green coach of the park to the main entrance to meet your driver. Then transfer to your hotel in downtown of Shangri-La. Have a good rest before dinner.
Trekking time : 6-7 hours
Overnight at Shangri-La
Day 9 Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Shangri-La
Accommodation:Songzanlin Monastery, a Tibetan Family, Dukezong Old Town
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
This morning you will clime up to visit Songzanlin Monastery, or ‘Little Potala’ as it is affectionately known, is a spiritual place that invites you to discover the mystery and traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Since the 5th Dalai Lama chose the site through divination in 1679, the monastery has grown into the most important community of its kind in Yunnan.
Then you will make a visiting a local Tibetan Family to charting with the local people to know about their local life and at try to drink a cup of Yak Butter Tea. Enjoy the rest time of the day in Dukezong Old Town where you can see a big pray wheel about 10 meters high and the local house. In the evening, people will gather at here to dance Guochuang Tibetan dancing. During Yifeng, Tiaolu periods of the Tang Dynasty, Tubo government established a stockade village here, named “Dukezhong” meaning City of Moonlight, in addition, another stockaded village called “Likezhong” meaning City of Sunlight was built at the edge of opposite Naizi River.
Day 10 Departure from Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Shangri-La
Accommodation:None
Meals:Breakfast
Departure from Shangri-La
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Lijiang | Lijiang Hilton Garden Inn | Wangfu Hotel | Baisha Holiday Resort | Local Hostel |
| Shangrila | Shangrila Hotel | Zhaxidele Hotel | Shenqu Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Baishuitai | / | / | Baishuitai Hejia Hotel | / |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the attractions listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accomodation with breakfast;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with experienced driver;
- A bottle of mineral water everyday;
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Any domestic airfares;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Airport pick-up and drop-off service;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- All optional programs;
- Surcharge for national holiday;
- Tips to guides and drivers. (For driver: RMB150/day/group; for guide: RMB200/day/group)
Located in the northeast of Shangri-la in Yunnan Province, Niru is a beautiful land boasts a wide variety of different ecosystems, including meadows, forests and lakes.In Niru Village, the Tibetan villagers live a peaceful and carefree life, and they always go to bed with the lamb, and rise with the lark. Located in the mysterious valley, Niru village is regarded as a place where people prefer drinking themselves to death. It is a paradise for tourism, adventure and hiking.
Highlights
- Hiking the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge and Niru Alpine Pasture.
- Experience the ethnic life and culture.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Shangri-La – Diji Pasture
- Day 2 Diji Pasture – Niru Village
- Day 3 Niru Village – Hongxing Village
- Day 4 Hongxing Village – Shangri-La
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Shangri-La – Diji Pasture
Sightseeing and Activities:Shangri-La – Diji Pasture
Accommodation: Camp
Meals: Lunch
In the morning, drive for one hour to Shudu Lake situated at an altitude of 3,600 meters. This mirror-like alpine lake is known as the Pearl on the Plateau. Starting hiking across the forest beside the lake and it takes about an hour to reach Cuopu Pasture. Cross the Cuopu Mountain in the virgin forest and it takes around 2.5 hours to reach the vast and classic Diji Pasture, located in the Tibetan area with an altitude of 3800 meters. Camp overnight on the pasture.
Day 2 Diji Pasture – Niru Village
Sightseeing and Activities:Diji Pasture – Niru Village
Accommodation: Niru Village
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Get up early to catch the beautiful sunrise as well as the plants and flowers on the alp. Hike for half an hour from Deji Pasture to the Benggalaka Mountain Pass. Continue for 2 hours to cross the Benggalaka Mountain (3980m), which overlooks the Dalagong Mountain. Enjoy the beauty of the pasture on the mountain. Walk along the clear Niru River in the virgin forest and you will reach Qicai Waterfall (3150 meters). Hike for another 3 hours to reach Niru Village. Along the way, enjoy the beauty of the Xiajiang Pasture and the valley of Niru River. Upon reaching the Niru Village at Xanadu, visit a local Tibetan family and the Niru elementary school. Stay overnight in the village.
Day 3 Niru Village – Hongxing Village
Sightseeing and Activities:Niru Village – Hongxing Village
Accommodation: Shangri-la
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy the natural beauty of the village try taking part in the class at the Niru elementary school. Niru Village is 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away from Hongxing Village and it takes about 4 hours of hiking time. En route, visit the Xianren Cave, the valley of the Niru River, the waterfall of Yin River, the Valley of Guanmen Mountain and the village of Lisu Minority. Upon arrival at Hongxing Village, visit a local family and the elementary school. Stay overnight in the village.
Day 4 Hongxing Village – Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Hongxing Village – Shangri-La
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Hike 4 to 5 hours from Hongxing Village to Luoji Village (2220 meters). located 16km away. From Luoji Village, take a bus for about 2.5 hours ride back to Shangri-La located 87km away.
After a rest in Shangri-La, it is recommended to take a bus to the Tiansheng Bridge Hot Spring Resort located on the east of Shangri-la 10km away. The Tiansheng Bridge is a natural bridge made of limestone on the upper stream of Shudugang River. The hot springs and bridges are the main characteristic of the resort and there are many of the former within the 2000 square meters of the resort. Temperature of the hot springs ranges from 40℃ to 50℃. Staying overnight at the hotel, where one can view the green mountains and river.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Lijiang | Lijiang Hilton Garden Inn | Wangfu Hotel | Baisha Holiday Resort | Local Hostel |
| Shangri-La | Shangri-La Hotel | Zhaxidele Hotel | Shenqu Hotel | Local Hostel |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the attractions listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accomodation with breakfast;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- English-speaking tour guide;
- Vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with experienced driver;
- A bottle of mineral water everyday;
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Any domestic airfares;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Airport pick-up and drop-off service;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- All optional programs;
- Surcharge for national holiday;
- Tips to guides and drivers. (For driver: RMB150/day/group; for guide: RMB200/day/group)
Located in the northeast of Shangri-La in Yunnan Province, Niru is a beautiful land boasts a wide variety of different ecosystems, including meadows, forests and lakes. In Niru Village, the Tibetan villagers live a peaceful and carefree life, and they always go to bed with the lamb, and rise with the lark. Located in the mysterious valley, Niru village is regarded as a place where people prefer drinking themselves to death. It is a paradise for tourism, adventure and hiking.
Highlights
- Visit the meadows, forests and lakes.
- Experience the ethnic life and culture in Shangri-La.
- Explore the mysterious valley, to adventure and hike.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Shangri-La – Niru Village
- Day 2 Niru Village – Nanbao Pasture
- Day 3 Nanbao Pasture – Pudacuo National Park – Shangri-La
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Shangri-La – Niru Village
Sightseeing and Activities:Shangri-La – Niru Village
Accommodation: Niru Village
Meals: Lunch
Nizu (also spelled Niru) has a lot to offer and it’s hard to take it all in. However, this trip makes the best attempt possible. First, we enjoy the drive from Shangri-la to Nizu that passes by Pudacuo national park, over a 3900 m (12,800 ft) mountain pass, and down the winding road through Tibetan and Yi villages down to Luoji Township. From there, the road continues up a secluded valley and passes by villages of many different minorities and eventually into the Tibetan village of Nizu.
Day 2 Niru Village – Nanbao Pasture
Sightseeing and Activities:Niru Village – Nanbao Pasture
Accommodation: Nanbao Pasture
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Nizu-3 hours to Munan Pasture-half hour to Seven Colored Waterfall-3hours to Nanbao pasture.The first day affords time for a round trip day hike to Qicai “Seven Colored” Waterfalls with round trip hiking time of 6-7 hours. Dinner at Nanbao pasture and Camp at Nanbao pasture.
Day 3 Nanbao Pasture – Pudacuo National Park – Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Nanbao Pasture – Pudacuo National Park – Shangri-La
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After breakfast, trekking 2 hours to Shudu lake of Pudacuo National Park. Drive back to Shangri-La.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Shangri-La | Shangri-La Hotel | Zhaxidele Hotel | Shenqu Hotel | Local Hostel |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the attractions listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accommodations: hotels based on twin occupancy as specified;
- English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with experienced driver;
- A bottle of mineral water everyday.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Any domestic airfares;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Airport pick-up and drop-off service;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- All optional programs;
- Surcharge for national holiday;
- Tips to guides and drivers. (For driver: RMB150/day/group; for guide: RMB200/day/group)
This tour will bring you to experience the city highlights of Kunming including the “first wonder of the world” – the Stone forest and the most charming part is to visit Dongchuan Red Land which is believed to hold the world’s most imposing red earth, just like a painting of a great magnificent landscape.
Highlights
- Appreciate the fabulous Yunnan natural sceneries, including the world natural heritage-the Stone Forest.
- Enjoy different view of Dongchuan Red Land – Sunset and Sunrise.
- Get very close to local citizens in the Green Lake Park.
- Enjoy leisure time in flower and birds market.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Kunming Arrival
- Day 2: Kunming – the Stone Forest – Kunming
- Day 3: Kunming – Dongchuan
- Day 4: Dongchuan – Kunming
- Day 5: Kunming Departure
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:Green Lake
Accommodation:Kunming
Meals:None
You’ll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming. Upon arrival at the Kunming International Airport, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.
You will take a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. If time permits, you will have a Kunming city tour.
— Kunming is the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world’s most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city.
Day 2 Kunming-The Stone Forest-Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:the Stone Forest, Qixing Village, the Flowers and Birds Market
Accommodation:Kunming
Meals:B,L
After breakfast, you’ll be driven 86 km to the renowned Stone Forest, the ‘First Wonder of the World’. You’ll marvel at its natural stone masterpieces and be bewitched by the intricate formations. You feel like come into a ‘stone world’.
Afterwards, visit Qixing Village of Sani Ethnic People, to admire their colorful minority costumes and exotic tradition cultures. You’ll have a nice chance to listen to the touching love story of Ashima told by local old people. The Sani minority people are one group of the branches of the Yi. The Sani Minority Villages around the Stone Forest cluster many small Yi ethnic villages.
After the tour, be transferred to Kunming and visit the Flowers and Birds Market in the downtown.
— The Stone Forest is in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers from Kunming and requires only a three-hour drive. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres) and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots. The Stone Forest has unique karst topography which is one of the best of its kind within China. There are six scenic spots in the Stone Forest: the Greater Stone Forest, the Lesser Stone Forest, the Naigu Stone Forest, the Zhiyun Cave, the Long Lake, the Da Dieshui Waterfall and the Qifeng Cave.
Day 3 Kunming-Dongchuan
Sightseeing and Activities:Dongchuan Red Land
Accommodation:Dongchuan
Meals:B,L
After breakfast in hotel, drive to Dongchuan Red Land(150 km 4 hours on national highway). Arrive at Red Soil Dongchuan in the noon, after a short rest, then go to take photos at Damakan hill, JingxiuYuan hill and so on, there are about 6 to 7 spots around.
–Dongchuan, a rural place in the Wumeng Mountainous area, about 180km north of Kunming, becomes very famous among Chinese photographers for its red soil. In the mid 1990s, the first Chinese photographers came to discover the Wumeng’s scenery. The first came and scooped award-winning photos, but kept their location a closely guarded secret. But slowly the details leaked and now more and more photographers are making their arduous trip into the arid mountains. The brilliant red soil, the yellow buckwheats and the dramatic skies make the region around Dongchuan a paradise for photographers.
Day 4 Dongchuan-Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:Dongchuan-Kunming
Accommodation:Kunming
Meals:B,L
This morning, get up early and enjoy the sunrise at ‘Hit Horse Hole’, watch what local people do in the fields, then drive back to Kunming.
Day 5 Kunming Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:Departure from Kunming
Accommodation:None
Meals:B
Departure from Kunming, service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Kunming | Sofitel Hotel | Jingjiang Hotel | Long Teng Hotel | Tu Tu Inn |
| Dongchuan | / | Shanju Hotel | Chunqiu Hotel | Caiyunxuan Inn |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accommodation with breakfast as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide and vehicle for transfers & sightseeing;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Two bottles of mineral water each day.
- 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 insurance;
- All optional programs;
Western Yunnan Cycling Tour is developed by Charlie, who is the market manager of Lijiang China International Travel Agent (CITS Lijiang). It is a new but exciting cycling tour in the border cities between Yunnan and Myanmar. You will visit the top attractions of Tengchong and Ruili. Cycling to famous acenic spots, ancient towns and ethnic villages. Enjoy the beautiful views on the way. Then, fly to Kuming for city highlights cycling tour, also pay a visit to the “first wonder of the world”-the Stone Forest.
Highlights
- Visit the Heshun Old Town, Rehai Hot spring, the Volcano Mountains, Nandian Chieftains House, the King of Banyan Tree, MengbaNaxi Rare Park and Tree-wrapped Pagoda.
- Experience the ethnic life, border culture and visit the ethnic villages and towns.
- Take the bamboo rafting, and adventure on the Ruili River.
- Have a wonderful tour about ethnic religion.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Kunming-Tengchong
- Day 2 Tengchong
- Day 3 Tengchong-50KM-Lianghe-48KM-Yingjiang
- Day 4 Yingjiang Cycling and School visiting
- Day 5 Yingjiang-Husa
- Day 6 Husa-45KM-Longchuan-30KM-Ruili
- Day 7 Ruili-30KM-Nongdao-30KM-Ruili
- Day 8 Ruili-30KM-Nongdao-30KM-Ruili
- Day 9 Ruili-30KM-Wanding-70KM-Mangshi
- Day 10 Mangshi – Kunming
- Day 11 Kunming-Departure
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Kunming-Tengchong
Sightseeing and Activities:Heshun Ancient Town, the Graveyard of the National Heroes, Dieshuihe Waterfalls
Accommodation: Tengchong
Meals: Lunch
Arrive in Kunming International Airport and change the flight to Tengchong. After arriving, you will drive from Tengchong Airport to Heshun Old Town for check in the hotel, after a short rest, cycling around Tengchong to visit the Graveyard of the National Heroes, Dieshuihe Waterfalls.
After dinner, enjoy Lisu Ethnic Show in Yuquan Garden.
–Tengchong County lies at the western foot of Gaoligong Mountains, in the western part of Yunnan Province. The Dieshui River-a tributary of the Dayingjiang River-winds its way round the city. Bordering on Keqinbang of Burma on the west with a boundary line of 148.7 kilometers, the county has an area of 5,693 square kilometers and a population of 530,000. This population consists of more than 10 ethnic groups, such as the Hans, Dais, Bais, Huis, Lisus, Achangs, and others, each with their own rich and colorful cultures and customs. Tengchog is a famous historic and cultural town, known as “the Homeplace of Overseas Chinese” and ” Land of Culture”. Besides, it is a “Geological Museum”, a “Natural Botanical Garden” and a “Natural Museum” that scientists long to visit.
Day 2 Tengchong
Sightseeing and Activities:Tengchong Cluster of Volcanoes National Park, Longjiang River Canyon, Beihai Wetland Park
Accommodation: Tengchong
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch
Drive to visit Tengchong Cluster of Volcanoes National Park in the morning. Visit the Volcano Museum, the Volcano Cones of DakongShan Mountain and Xiaokongshan Mountain. Then ride the bike down to Longjiang River Canyon, start a short trekking from “Joint Pillar” to Heiyu (Black Fish) River. After a short break, continue the cycling to Beihai Wetland Park for your lunch.
After lunch, you will take the canoes to visit Beihai Wetland Park, ride back to Heshun Old Town in the late afternoon, visit local architecture and courtyard, the Dragon Pool, Wenchang Palace and Heshun Library, the Former Residence of Aisiqi, Anti-Japanese War Museum.
–Tengchong is one of China’s three major geothermal areas, known as “Land Abounding in Geothermal Resources”. There are plenty of springs of hot water and hot vapour, called “Hot Sea”. There are quite a number of hot fields as well. Tengchong is a resort where people can travel, take a bath and have medical treatment. The Hot Sea, with an area of 9 square kilometers, lies 20 kilometers away southwest of the county seat and in the center of the geothermal area. There are over 80 springs of hot water and hot vapour, of which there are 14 spring whose temperature reaches 90¡ãC. The spring can be regarded as a rarity as far as their number and geothermal energy are concerned. The most magnificent view is the boiling pool with a temperature of 97¡ãC, so it is called “the Big Boiling Pot” by the local people. There are dozens of big springs of vapour with a temperature of 94¡ãC at the mouths of the springs, where you can steam food.
Day 3 Tengchong-50KM-Lianghe-48KM-Yingjiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Xuanfu Former Chieftain Office, the Jade Carving Workshop, Bapai Huge Spring, Hehua Town, Lianghe Hot Spring, Dai Ethnic Villages
Accommodation: Yingjiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
You will have an easy cycling tour from Tengchong to Lianghe County, visit the Jade Carving Workshop in Hehua Town and Dai ethnic Village and Xuanfu Former Chieftain Office at Nandian. You will have lunch in Lianghe, then ride to Yingjiang County, visit Dayingjiang River which is the upper reach of the Irrawaddy River.
When you arrive in Jiucheng Town, you will visit some Dai villages in Yingjiang Basin, Dai ethnic farmland, some big banyan trees as well.
–The King of Bayan Trees Yingjiang
The tree grows at Laodao Village of Tongbiguan in Yingjiang County. It is over 400 years old, 40 meters high and covers an area of 5.5 mu. More than 100 new trunks have grown from aerial roots, which touch the ground. The new and old trunks join together, forming a wonderful one-tree forest. Walking under the tree, you will feel as if you were wandering in a virgin forest. It is the biggest banian tree that has ever been found in China. That is why it is called the king of the Banian Trees in China
Day 4 Yingjiang Cycling and School visiting
Sightseeing and Activities:Manbing Elementary School Visiting, Dai ethnic villages, Yunyan Burmese Pagoda,Yinghu Lake, Dayingjiang River
Accommodation: Yingjiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit Yunyan Burmese Pagoda in Yunyan Mountain, and then ride along Dayingjiang- Irrawaddy River to Mangyun Town, you will have the opportunity to cross the Bamboo Bridge by Dai people over the Dayingjiang River. Drive back to Yingjiang for your lunch. In the afternoon, you will ride to the countryside to visit some original ethnic villages. Enjoy the local life with the dance and singing of local people. You will visit the local ethnic school and exchange with the ethnic students. If you prepare some gifts for the students, it will be better.
After dinner, you will have a relax night in New Land Bar at the bank of Yinghu Lake in the centre of Yingjiang, fresh Mango juice is available to drink in the bar with a nice night view. Also you can enjoy the modem dance with local people in the square, it happens every night.
Day 5 Yingjiang-Husa
Sightseeing and Activities:the Husa River, Husa Town, Husa Knife Factory, Achang Ethnic Minority
Accommodation: Husa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, you will ride to Nongzhang Town, and Mangxian Town, you have to ride up to Husa Mountain and ride along the Husa River which is the tributary of Dayingjiang River. You will cycle to the remote villages on a dead-end road in Husa Town and visit the Husa Knife Factory.
Husa is an Achang Autonomous Town of Longchuan County. “Husa Knife,” a long-famed handicraft of the Achang ethnic group, gets its name because the Achang mainly inhabit Husa Town of Longchuan County in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province. This sort of knife is well-forged and elaborately made, and very sharp, tensile, durable. Sheaths made of wood, leather, silver and other materials are extremely exquisite, too.
Day 6 Husa-45KM-Longchuan-30KM-Ruili
Sightseeing and Activities:Guangshan Jingpo ethnic village, Jingpo Ethinc Square, the Golden Pagoda of Dai People
Accommodation: Ruili
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling from Husa Town, you will ride up to a mountain about 15KM long, and then ride down to Zhangfeng Town in Longchuan County. You will visit Guangshan Jingpo ethnic village, Jingpo Ethinc Square, the Golden Pagoda of Dai People, optional cycling 8KM to Zhangfeng Border between Myanmar and China and visit the local market in the border.
Drive about 30KM to Ruili in the late afternoon. Explore Ruili city at night.
–Capital of the subtropical frontier county of Ruili, she lies on the east bank of the golden Ruili River, Whence comes her name. People call Ruili “the foggy town”, in the wintertime, she wakes up under a blanket of fog that she only sheds an hour or two after midday to welcome the sun.
Ruili is a beautiful land covered by green subtropical rain forest, dotted with big Banyan trees, each one looking like a forest. Buddhist temples can be seen everywhere in this city. The most famous temple is Jiele Golden Temple composed of 17 ring – shaped towers. The major tower is 36 meters high, surrounded by the other 16 towers that are smaller in size and height. Some outdoor scenes of the famous TV program ” Journey to the West ” were taken here.
Day 7 Ruili-30KM-Nongdao-30KM-Ruili
Sightseeing and Activities:Dadenghan Dai ethnic village, Dadenghan Temple, the King of Banyan Tree, Hansa Village, Hansa Temple, Jiele Golden Pagoda
Accommodation: Ruili
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Cycling to Nongdao Town, visit Dadenghan Dai ethnic village, Dadenghan Temple, the King of Banyan Tree, Hansa Village, Hansa Temple. After lunch, drive back to Ruili and visit Jiele Golden Pagoda, Jiegao Border, and the border market.
–Jiegao Border Port
“Jiegao” in Dai language, means “old city”, which passed down since between Yuan and Ming (13-14th century), when the LuChuan King built a capital in this area, hence its name. During the Anti-Japanese War, a temporary airport was built here and there were very often takeoffs and landings of the U.S. aircrafts delivering munitions and supplies. It is located in the urban Ruili about 4 km southeast of the Ruili River, with a total area of 2.4 square kilometers closely linked to the state level port—Mujie of Myanmar in the East, south and north.
Day 8 Ruili-30KM-Nongdao-30KM-Ruili
Sightseeing and Activities:Dadenghan Dai ethnic village, Dadenghan Temple, the King of Banyan Tree, Hansa Village, Hansa Temple, Jiele Golden Pagoda
Accommodation: Ruili
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, you will cycle to Wanding, visit One Banyan Tree Forest and Wanding Border, and then drive to Huihuan for the Ruili River cruise from Huihuan to Wanding Bridge. Ruili River is the tributary of Irrawaddy River, you will cruise about 15KM along the Ruili River.
After the cruise, drive to Luxi City, the capital city of Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, you will ride around Luxi city to visit the Menghuan Grand Pagoda, the Peacock Lake, Mengba Naxi Rare Park, Tree-wrapped Pagoda, Mangshi Plaza.
Day 9 Ruili-Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:Western Hills
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, you will take the flight to Kunming. After checking in the hotel, ride to Western Hills, take the chairlift from the Dragon Gate to Yunnan Ethnic Villages. Continue the riding back to visit The Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Archway in the downtown.
Day 10 Kunming-78KM-Stone Forest-Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:the Stone Forest , Guandu Ancient Town, Jingang Pagoda
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
You will drive 86 km to the Stone Forest. An old local saying says that ‘If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.’ Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan. After lunch drive back Kunming to visit the Guandu Ancient Town which is a famous historical & cultural town in Kunming; it keeps the main architectural style of Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties.
After dinner, you will have an option to enjoy the large-scale dance drama “Dynamic Yunnan” which has been an outstanding innovation on the Chinese stage in recent years directed by Yang Liping. Primitive, unsophisticated folk dances and a fresh artistic concept converge in the programme, giving audiences a unique “Yunnan Impression.” Sixty-two drums and 120 masks of strong ethnic characteristics are incorporated in the performance.
Day 11 Kunming-Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:Kunming Departure
Accommodation:None
Meals:Breakfast
Transfer to Kunming International Airport and take the flight back home. Service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Tengchong | Guanfang Hotel | Tengchong Empark Grand Hotel | Tengchong Dongfang Xuanyi Holiday Hotel | Mid-hill Villa Tengchong Heshun |
| Ruili | Jing Cheng Earthsea SPA Holiday Center | Jingcai Hotel | Yujingtan International Hot Spring Hotel | Lingfeng Inn |
| Yingjiang | / | SHI MI WA DI HOTEL | Jing Zhu Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Kunming | Crown Plaza Kunming City Centre | Wenhui Hotel | Baiyun Hotel | Tu Tu Inn |
Service Included:
- All land transfer and transportation;
- Accommodation with breakfast;
- Entrance fees and activities as listed in the program;
- A Skilled driver& An Experienced English-speaking guide;
- Two bottles of water each day each person;
- Meals as mentioned;
- Air ticekts from Kunming to Tengchong and Ruili to Kunming.
Service Excluded:
- International Train Tickets/Flight Tickets;
- Meals not mentioned;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Personal Travel Accident Insurance;
- Any optional programs/activities;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Personal Consumption;
- Tips (150CNY/day to Guide; 100CNY/day to Driver);
- Bank Charge of remittance.
The Ledo Road (中印公路) (from Ledo, Assam, India to Kunming, Yunnan, China) was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942. It was renamed the Stilwell Road, after General Joseph Stilwell of the U.S. Army, in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek. It passes through the Burmese towns of Shingbwiyang, Myitkyina and Bhamo in Kachin state.
Highlights
- Visit the Heshun Old Town, Rehai Hot spring, the Volcano Mountains, Nandian Chieftains House, the King of Banyan Tree, MengbaNaxi Rare Park and Tree-wrapped Pagoda.
- Experience the ethnic life, border culture and visit the ethnic villages and towns.
- Take the bamboo rafting, and adventure on the Ruili River.
- Have a wonderful tour about ethnic religion.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Chongqing
- Day 2 Chongqing
- Day 3 Chongqing-Guiyang by High-speed train
- Day 4 Guiyang-Anshun
- Day 5 Anshun-Qinglong-Guiyang
- Day 6 Guiyang-Kunming by High-speed train
- Day 7 Kunming-Yunnanyi-Xiangyun County
- Day 8 Xiangyun County-Dali
- Day 9 Dali-Yangbi-Yongping
- Day 10 Yongping-Yunlong-Wayao-Baoshan
- Day 11 Baoshan-Huitongqiao-Songshan-Longling-Tengchong
- Day 12 Tengchong -Mangshi
- Day 13 Mangshi-Wanding-Ruili
- Day 14 Ruili
- Day 15 Departure from Ruili
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Chongqing
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Chongqing
Meals: Lunch
Arrive in Chongqing. Pick you up at Chongqing airport. Transfer to hotel for overnight.
Day 2 Chongqing
Sightseeing and Activities: Ciqikou Old Town, Hongyadong
Accommodation: Chongqing
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Drive to visit Stilwell Museum，Stilwell’s former residence and office in the morning. Then visit Ciqikou Old Town. In the late afternoon, walk around Hongyadong, have your leisure time.
Transfer to hotel.
Day 3 Chongqing-Guiyang by High-speed train
Sightseeing and Activities: Qingyang Ancient Town
Accommodation: Qingyang Ancient Town
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Drive to Chongqing High-speed train station. Take high-speed train to Guiyang. Drive to Qingyan and visit Qingyan Ancient Town.
Day 4 Guiyang-Anshun
Sightseeing and Activities: Tianlong Ancient Garrison Village, Huangguoshu Waterfall
Accommodation: Anshun
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Morning visit Tianlong Ancient Garrison Village.
Afternoon visit Huangguoshu Waterfall.
Day 5 Anshun-Qinglong-Guiyang
Sightseeing and Activities: 24 Zigs of Stilwell Road, Annan Ancient Town, Stilwell Town
Accommodation: Guiyang
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Visit 24 Zigs of Stilwell Road, Annan Ancient Town, Stilwell Town.
Afternoon drive back to Guiyang.
Day 6 Guiyang-Kunming by High-speed train
Sightseeing and Activities: Flying Tigers Memorial Museum, Kunming Flowers and Birds Market
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Pick you up at Kunming South Train Station. Drive to Kunming downtown. Visit Flying Tigers Memorial Museum. In the afternoon, visit Kunming Flowers and Birds Market.
Transfer to hotel.
Day 7 Kunming-Yunnanyi-Xiangyun County
Sightseeing and Activities: Yunnanyi, Transportation Museum of the China-Burma-India Theatre in WWII, Stilwell Road in the town
Accommodation: Xiangyun
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Drive to Yunnanyi. Visit this old town and the Transportation Museum of the China-Burma-India Theatre in WWII. Walk along the Stilwell Road in the town.
Day 8 Xiangyun County-Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery, Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake, Xizhou Town, Three-Course Tea, Zhoucheng Village, Bai People’s Tie-dying Cloth Workshop
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Drive to Dali. Visit the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
Then 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.
In the late afernoon, you will visit the Dali Ancient Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the relax time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.
Day 9 Dali-Yangbi-Yongping
Sightseeing and Activities: Shengbei Bridge, Stilwell Road.
Accommodation: Yongping
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Drive to Yangbi County. Vist Shengbei Bridge and drive along the Stilwell Road to see the historycal sittes on the road. Drive to Yongping for overnight.
Day 10 Yongping-Yunlong-Wayao-Baoshan
Sightseeing and Activities: Wayao Town
Accommodation: Baoshan
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Drive to visit Gongguoqiao in Yunlong County. Then drive to Wayao Town– a town where Bai and Yi people live. Drive along Stilwell Road to Baoshan for overnight.
Day 11 Baoshan-Huitongqiao-Songshan-Longling-Tengchong
Sightseeing and Activities: Huitong Bridge, Nujiang river, Songshan Mountain, Gaoligong mountains.
Accommodation: Tengchong
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Visit Huitong Bridge this morning. This “Burma Road” bridge (Sometimes spelled as Hwei Tung), with a span of 123 metres, has been preserved as a monument because it was here that the Japanese army was stopped during World war-II. The invaders coming up the Burma road from the South were unable to cross the Nujiang river (Salween) after the bridge was blown up on the 5th of May 1942 by the Chinese.
Then transfer to Songshan Mountain. The Songshan (Pine tree mountain) is located in the Gaoligong mountains range and controls the Burma Road’s approach to the vital Huitong bridge spanning the Nujiang (Salween) river.The Songshan mountain was the fortified base of the Empty spacer Japanese invading forces closing off the Burma Road during WW-II. On May 11, 1944, some 32,000 soldiers of the Chinese Expeditionary Force (before known as Y-force) crossed the Nujiang on bamboo rafts and American supplied inflatable boats. Later to be followed by more men and thousands of pack animals.
In the lateafternoon, transfer to Tengchong for overnight.
Day 12 Tengchong -Mangshi
Sightseeing and Activities: Heshun Old Town,Museum of Yunnan-Burmese Anti-Janpanese War, Stilwell Road Museum
Accommodation: Mangshi
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
This morning, visit Heshun Old Town. Visit the Library, Museum of Yunnan-Burmese Anti-Janpanese War, Heshun Lane, Wanlouzi Museum, various temples and ancestral halls.
After lunch, transfer to visit Stilwell Road Museum in Hehua Town.
In the late afternoon, drive along the Stilwell Road to Mangshi for overnight.
Day 13 Mangshi-Wanding-Ruili
Sightseeing and Activities: Mengbalaxi Exotic Garden,Tree-wrapped pagoda and Tower-wraped Tree , Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda, Bodhi Temple
Accommodation: Ruili
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
This morning, visit Mengbalaxi Exotic Garden, Tree-wrapped pagoda and Tower-wraped Tree, Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda, Bodhi Temple. Drive along Stilwell Road to Wangding, the starting point of the Stilwell Road in Yunnan. Visit Wangding Bridge. Drive to Ruili for overnight. On the way, visit Stilwell Wetland Park.
Day 14 Ruili
Sightseeing and Activities: Golden Duck Pagoda, Moli Waterfall, China-myanmar Street, Hansa Temple
Accommodation: Ruili
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Today, setting out to the Golden Duck Pagoda, an attractive stupa set in a temple courtyard, which is a symbol of good luck and happiness.
Then visit China-myanmar friendship bridge, single tree forest. Moli Waterfall, China-myanmar Street.
Then head to the Hansa Temple, a great place to experience mysterious Buddhism culture, which features in its grand buildings and splendid decorations.
Day 15 Departure from Ruili
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals:
Drive to Ruili airport. Service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| City | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chongqing | East Garden Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Guiyang | Jiahetianhao Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Anshun | Yuancheng Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Kunming | Crown Plaza Kunming City Centre | Wenhui Hotel | Longteng Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Xiangyun County | Shenzhou Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Dali | Hilton Dali Resort And Spa | Landscape Hotel | Taiheju Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Yongping County | Green Tree Alliance Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Baoshan | Minghe Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Tengchong | Guanfang Hotel | Tengchong Empark Grand Hotel | Dongfang Xuanyi Holiday Hotel | Local Hostel |
| Mangshi | Sheenava Hotel | Local Hostel | ||
| Ruili | Hehe Hotel | Local Hostel |
Service Included:
- All land transfer and transportation;
- Accommodation with breakfast.
- Entrance fees and activities as listed in the program.
- A Skilled driver& An Experienced English-speaking guide;
- Two bottles of water each day each person;
- Meals as mentioned;
- High-speed train tickets from Chongqing to Guiyang, Guiyang to Kunming.
Service Excluded:
- International Train Tickets/Flight Tickets;
- Meals not mentioned;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Personal Travel Accident Insurance;
- Any optional programs/activities;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Personal Consumption;
- Tips (150CNY/day to Guide; 100CNY/day to Driver);
- Bank Charge of remittance.
This tour is one of the most classic tours in Yunnan. It will take you to the best of Yunnan covering all the highlights in Xishuangbanna, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La which will give you a better view of Yunnan. Experience a very different side of China, well away from the factories and big cities.
Highlights
- Appreciate the fabulous natural sceneries, including the world natural heritage-the Stone Forest, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Pudacuo National Park.
- Meet diverse Yunnan ethnic cultures of Yi, Dai, Bai, Tibetan and Naxi.
- Explore the profoud history of Yunnan in ancient towns;
- Have a summer experience in Xishuangbanna.
Breif Itinerary
- Day 1 Arrive in Jinghong
- Day 2 Jinghong
- Day 3 Jinghong
- Day 4 Jinghong-Shangrila by Flight
- Day 5 Shangrila
- Day 6 Shangrila-Lijiang
- Day 7 Lijiang
- Day 8 Lijiang-Dali
- Day 9 Dali
- Day 10 Dali-Kunming
- Day 11 Departure from Kunming
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Jinghong
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Jinghong
Meals: Breakfast
You’ll begin your journey from Jinghong. Upon arrival at the Jinghong airport, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2 Jinghong
Sightseeing and Activities: Wild Elephant Valley, Dafosi Temple
Accommodation: Jinghong
Meals: Breakfast
Drive to Jinghong. Full day excursion to Wild Elephant Valley and visit Dafosi Temple on the way back to Jinghong City.
–Wild Elephants Valley is the place in Xishuangbanna where wild elephants move about most often and frequently. Convenient in traffic, distinctive in equatorial forest landscape and easy to see wild elephants, it has become the popular tourist site in Xishuang Banna.
Day 3 Jinghong-Mengla
Sightseeing and Activities: Menglun Botanical Garden, Dai Minority Garden, Jinuo minority village
Accommodation: Mengla
Meals: Breakfast
Drive to Mengla, visit Menglun Botanical Garden and Dai Minority Garden on the way, visit the Jinuo minority village as well.
—-Located in Menglun town of Menglai county around 80km away from Jinghong city, Menglun tropical botanical garden is the largest tropical botanical garden in China. It was established in 1959 by Chinese famous botanists including Prof. Cai Xitao, who devoted all his life to related scientific research with remarkable achievements. The garden boasts more than 4000 species of tropical plants covering an area of 900 hectares, quite a few of which are rare elsewhere, forming a colorful botanical landscape.
–The Dai Ethnic Garden, located in the Ganlan Basin in Menghan County, proudly holds a national 4A rating as one of China’s top scenic spots. Within the Dai Ethnic Garden, five Dai villages – Manjiang, Manchunman, Manting, ManZha, and Manga – cover an area of 3.36 square kilometers and consist of 309 families, or 1487 individual villagers. Rainforest surrounds and permeates the villages. The well-proportioned bamboo-constructed houses of the Dai people are dotted here and there, hidden in the coconut palms, Areca Catechu palms, mango trees, Litchi trees, Bombay Blackwood, and pomelo trees.
Day 4 Mengla-Jinghong-Shangri-la
Sightseeing and Activities: Dukezong Ancient Town, Guishan Hill
Accommodation: Shangrila
Meals: Breakfast
Drive back to Jinghong. Take flight to Shangri-la in the afternoon.
Meet your local guide in Shangir-la. Walk 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 shangrila county and Dukezong Ancient Town.
Check in hotel.
Day 5 Shangri-la
Sightseeing and Activities: Songzanlin Monastery, Tibetan village, Shudu Lake, Pudacuo National Park
Accommodation: Shangrila
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, 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.
Then drive to visit a Tibetan Village and a local family.
And afterwards you’ll 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, but more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.
Day 6 Shangri-la–Tiger Leaping Gorge-Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Tiger Leaping Gorge, Iron Chain Bridge, the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch
From Shangri-la, drive to Qiaotou Town. Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha River in this area because you can find gold in the river.
Then drive to Shigu Town. Visit the Iron Chain Bridge, the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument in the Shigu town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks.
Drive to Lijiang. On the way, you’ll have a stop to see the First Bend on the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery.
Day 7 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Yulong Snow Mountain, Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui River and Terraces, Baisha Old Town and Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Enjoy the sunrise of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang Ancient Town 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 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The cableway will be arranged according to the condition of the mountain. You will hike around 1 hour in the original forest in Spruce Meadow (3200M).
After lunch, you will enjoy the Impression Lijiang Ethnic Show directed in Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M). A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou, Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, with a cast of over 500 people and a number of horses.
In the afternoon, you’ll stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan town. Visit the Baisha Murals about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
Day 8 Lijiang-Dali by Private Car
Sightseeing and Activities:Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, Black Dragon Pool, Dongba Museum, Lijiang Ancient Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
In the morning, you’ll head for the scenic Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Museum to explore the rich Naxi minority culture.
Then explore Lijiang Old Town. Lijiang Old Town has a history of more than 800 years; it was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people.
Afternoon, drive to Dali. 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.
Day 9 Dali
Sightseeing and Activities:Three-pagodas in Chongsheng Temple, Erhai Lake Cruise, Dali Ancient Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
In the morning, visit the Three Pagodas in Chongsheng Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years and located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
After lunch, you’ll cruise in Erhai Lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island. In Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy a view of the green Cangshan Mountain and the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake.
At last, you will visit the Ancient Dali Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the relax time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have a panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.
Day 10 Dali-Kunming by Bullet Train
Sightseeing and Activities:Stone Forest
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
In the morning, take a bullet train to Kunming. Upon arrival, you will drive 86 km to the Stone Forest. An old local saying says that ‘If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.’ Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.
Drive back to Kunming for overnight.
Day 11 Kunming Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:Stone Forest
Accommodation: none
Meals: Breakfast
Drive to Kunming airport for departure. Service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| City | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star |
|---|---|---|---|
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 train tickets from Dali to Kunming (2nd class seats);
- Air tickets from Jinghong to Shangri-la(economy-class).
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.
Show you around one of the three largest and most mysterious ancient town in China “Lushi old town” to experience the ancient tea horse road routes, taste the specialty foods, admire the plateau lakes “Xiaowan” and all stone-made village“Tangfang village”, as well as the traditional village “Gumo village”, visit the last primitive tribe of China “Wengding primitive tribe” and one of the oldest rock paintings “Cangyuan rock painting” ever discovered in China.
Highlights:
- Discover the ancient villages and Wa ethnic culture.
- Appreciate the charming landscape of Lincang.
- Explore and learn the rock painting of Cangyuan.
Brief Itinerary：
- Day 1 Lincang-Fengqing
- Day 2 Fengqing
- Day 3 Fengqing-Yunxian
- Day 4 Yunxian-Gengma-Cangyuan
- Day 5 Cangyuan
- Day 6 Cangyuan Departure
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Lincang-Fengqing
Sightseeing and Activities: Taste the delicacies of Yunnan
Accommodation: Fengqing
Meals: Lunch
You will head to Lincang by plane or by train, and then go to the hotel in Fengqing county to check in. Then free activity. You can taste the delicacies of Yunnan: the characteristics of stinky tofu, a bowl of delicious rice noodle, all kinds of fresh fruit juice, all dazzling Yunnan snacks and hundreds of varieties for your choice, at the same time feel the ethnic flavor!
Day 2 Fengqing
Sightseeing and Activities: Lushi Ancient Town, Tangfang Village
Accommodation: Fengqing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, set off for Fengqing for Lushi ancient town, passing through the long lake and crossing the bridge in Mang street, you can taste the special river fish, also take the yacht to admire the scenery of lake and the mountain, and enjoy the plateau lake “xiaowan”; then visit Lushi ancient town to experience the route of the ancient tea horse road and taste the authentic farmhouse food! Visit the village of Tangfang in the afternoon.
Day 3 Fengqing-Yunxian
Sightseeing and Activities: Gumo Village, Yunxian County
Accommodation: Yunxian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Start from hotel to “Gumo village” in the morning, belonging to Shili township, Fengqing county, Lincang city, yunnan province, which won the prize of “China traditional village“, “China summer town in 2013 ”as its better preserved ancient mill group, clear and exquisite lover river, unique stone houses, ecological and livable environment and rich folk customs.
From Gumo village to Yunxian county in the afternoon, you can enjoy the most authentic native chicken rice noodle, which looks unassuming and senses not so good especially for its micro black color and lustre of chicken, but aroma overflowing , the thick and fresh sweet soup, the tender meat, neither greasy nor dry, delicious and exquisite, smooth and fragrant, leads people to endless aftertastes .
Day 4 Yunxian-Gengma-Cangyuan
Sightseeing and Activities: Experience Tea Processing, Cangyuan Rock Paintings, Thousand-meter Picturesque Gallery
Accommodation: Cangyuan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
From Yunxian county to Cangyuan (about 4 hours) in the morning, through Gengma county and Mengyong county, you can go to Gengma to make tea and experience the life of farmers. Arrive at Cangyuan in the afternoon to visit ancient rock painting of Wa ethnic people and Chinese painting corridor in kilometers, appreciate the beauty of the mountain and the Wa! The unique ancient rock paintings, including weddings, hunting, sacrifice and other varieties of life in content, are drawn by ore powder and animal blood, preserved through three thousand years of wind and rain, which have high artistic and historical value.
Day 5 Cangyuan
Sightseeing and Activities: Guangyunmian Temple, Wengding Village
Accommodation: Cangyuan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, go to Guangyun Buddhist Temple. Visit Wengding village in the afternoon and experience the life of primitive tribe.
Guangyun Buddhist Temple located in the north of Mengdong street in Cangyuan county , commonly known as “School Myanmar Temple”, was built in the Qing dynasty. As a Buddhist building of Theravada Buddhism, it is one of the temples with most influence to Theravada Buddhism in southwest of Yunnan province. The style of Temple architecture, mainly influenced by the Han, which retains the form of Theravada Buddhism’s temple , is the organic combination of architectural appearance of Han’s and interior decoration of Dai’s , unique in style of architecture arts . The wood carving in the Guangyun Buddhist Temple, besides the two dragons in front of the door, all the doors and windows are engraved patterns with extremely fine craftsmanship .The interior wall of the hall is painted with 10 mural paintings. The murals are mostly ink-lined and refilled with color, whose style and technique are similar to those of the mainland in Ming and Qing dynasties. Most of the buildings in the painting are multiple eave hiped-roof, which belongs to the architecture style of Han, while the characters are officials, women, soldiers and attendants, etc., different clothing to different ethnic groups. Among them, the warrior wears a crown and a jacket with narrowed horseshoe-shaped cuffs , which is the typical clothing of Qing dynasty .
Guangyun Buddhist Temple, also known as “School Myanmar Temple”, is located in Mengdong town, Cangyuan Wa autonomous county in Yunnan province. Namely the buddhist temple, built in the early years of Qingdaoguang, now only exists in the great hall and the second door. The wood structure style in the hall is triple eave hiped-roof, with six golden pillars juxtaposed inside and painted patterns decorated on the beams .The walls inside the temple are painted with murals, mostly painted with ink outlines and then refilling. The style techniques are similar to those of the mainland in Ming and Qing dynasties.
In the Wa’s language, Wengding is the meaning of “misty villages”.It has been known that this is a relatively primitive Wa’s village. After the founding of new China, it has completed the transition from primitive society to socialist society. The primitive worship has made this place still full of mystery. Before 1957, with the custom of “headhunters to worship” for the sake of good harvest of grain, every Wa village will capture a grown man from other villages before sowing, then sacrifice his head to the Harvest God. Today the pile for sacrificing heads strewn at random can also be seen in the village.
Day 6 Cangyuan Departure
Sightseeing and Activities: Departure from Cangyuan
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
Today, pick you up at hotel and transfer to Cangyuan airport. Service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Fengqing | / | / | / | Local Guesthouse |
| Yunxian County | / | / | Sanjiang Peninsula Hotel | Cangjiang Pearl Hotel |
| Cangyuan | / | / | Jinwa Hotel | Cangyuan Yinfeng Guesthouse |
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;
- Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.
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.
Travel Tips:
- Visitors are advised to always carry changes of clothing due to the large variations in temperature between day and night.
- The climate is relatively dry, so drink more water every day.
- Protecting oneself from strong UV radiation at high altitude.
- Protecting oneself from altitude sickness. Lessen the effects of altitude sickness, avoid strenuous exercise and have plenty of rest.
- Respect local customs , habits, and religious beliefs.
For this classic tour , you will visit the most famous scenic spot of Kunming such as Green Lake Park-a central park in Kunming. Yuantong Temple, it is one of the grandest as well as the most important Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province.
Highlights
- Visit the most famous scenic spot of Kunming such as Green Lake Park-a central park in Kunming.
- Discover the local Buddhist culture.
- Enjoy the daily life of local people in the Green Lake.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:The Green Lake, the Birds and Flowers Market, Jinma Biji Archway, Nanping Street, East and West Pagodas,Yuantong Temple
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Lunch
Pick up from your hotel . This morning, we visit the Green Lake, enjoy fresh air and morning life of local citizens. Your private tour today will begin with a visit to the Zhuanxin Farmers’ Market, which is the largest marketplace in Kunming. Roaming around this place, you will get an impression of the local people’s daily life, since thousands of people come here to buy fruits, vegetables, meats, etc. every day.
Then we experience a 20 minutes’ walking to Birds and Flowewrs Market from the Green Lake Park. Afterwards, walk to visit Jinma Biji Archway, Nanping Street and East and West Pagodas. They are very clso to each other.
After lunch, drive to visit Yuantong Temple –the grandest and most important Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province. Drive back to your hotel. Service ends.
Service Included:
- Entrance fees and activities listed in the tour;
- Land transfer by private vehicle;
- Chinese lunch;
- Skilled driver and experienced English-speaking guide;
- Two bottles of water for each person.
Service Excluded:
- Accommodation with breakfast;
- Dinner;
- Any personal consuption;
- Optional program.
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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
Our Team
Fenggu Yingshan Tea House and Tea Culture Learning Lijiang
Charlie Lee-General Manager of Yaso Travel and Xilinshan Tea Company
Leon Liu-Network Engineer of Trans Asia Discovery
Vincent Zhao-French Market and the Founder of VoyagesYunnan.com
Gary Elliot-Shareholder of Trans Asia Discovery
Michael Huang-Excellent French and English-speaking Tour Guide in Yunnan
Stephane-Volunteer of Yaso Travel
David Yao-Lijiang Tour Operator of Yunnan Exploration
Cindy Cao-Yunnan Tour Operator
Xilinshan Tea House (Kunming, Yunnan)
Rachel Nan-China Tour Operator
Lydia Li-The Founder of Yunnan Exploration
Anna Chen-Yunnan Tour Operator
Kelly Yu-Yunnan Travel Consultant
Cloudy Fu-Website Editor of Yunnan Exploration
Cuiyuan Yang
Skye Zhang-website editor of Yunnan Exploration
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