Highlights:
- Old towns of Dali and Lijiang;
- Yangtze river;
- Bai, Naxi and Dai minority nationalities.
Day 1: Kunming
Arrive in Kunming, be met by your Local Guide and be transferred to the Harbour Plaza Hotel 5* for 2 nights (or Golden Dragon hotel 4*) near the city's centre and beside the beautiful Green Lake.
Kunming, (Spring City) 1,896 m, the capital of Yunnan Province, the gate of China to South East Asia. The trade to Burma, Thailand and Vietnam is very flourishing. As its climate is nice all over the year, Kunming is also famous for its variety of flowers.
Visit Bird & Flower market in the old town of Kunming. Visit Bamboo Temple with 500 arhat statues that were built in Qing Dynasty.
Day 2: Kunming - Shiling (stone forest)
Visit the Golden temple which was build in early Qing Dynasty (1671 AC) to see the largest bronze house in China. Road to Stone Forest 68 km. Visit Qixing Sani village on the way. Visit Stone forest, the number one spectacle in China by the nature, which was under the water 270 million years ago and with shifts in the earth's crust the sea receded to make a new tableland while its limestone bed rose up, full of stone pillars. Transfer back to Color Yunnan to have the special flavor food: noodle crossing bridge and enjoy the show by minority nationalities while having the dinner.
Day 3: Kunming - Dali
Kunming/Dali by the early flight. Dali is located beside the beautiful Erhai Lake, used to be the capital of Nanzhao and Dali kingdom, two strong and independent dynasties lasting from 725 until 1360 AC, their territories include all actual Yunnan and some period even spread to Guangxi. The dominant minority is Bai people, young girls' traditional dress is beautiful, and especially the hat is very eye-catching.
Visit to Xizhou Bai village, one of the oldest towns in Dali, enjoying the typical Bai architecture - houses in 3 sides and a tall, white wall in front of the yard entrance - in Yan Family garden. Tasting the Bai special tea ceremony as well as the simple Bai show performance. Discovery the symbol of Dali - the Three Pagodas - built during the Song dynasty in 925 AC in distance. The rest of time would be free to explore the old town of Dali. Night in Landscape (Lanlingge) 4*
Day 4: Dali - Lijiang
Road to Lijiang is about 4 hours (198 km) in the morning. Lijiang is the capital of a large area inhabited by Naxi minority. Before conquered by Mongolian Kublai Khan in the 12th century, it used to be a prosperous kingdom with very high culture, specially their unique writing character's style.
This afternoon a visit will be made to the beautiful Old Town of Lijiang called Dayan that locates at an altitude of almost 8,000 feet and a UN World Heritage Site. The old part of the town has wonderful old cobbled streets, meandering streams and views that will take your breath away and visit the Mu Family Palace and the Town's interesting Market. Enjoying the Naxi Ancient concert in the evening. Stay at the Guanfang hotel 5* for 2 nights (or Jiannanchun hotel 4* in the old town)
Day 5: Lijiang area
Today you will visit a traditional Naxi Village of Baisha, where life has gone relatively unchanged for hundreds of years, visiting Doctor He's house to learn the knowledge of Naxi herb. Black Dragon Pool, where the snow-capped mountains seemingly shimmer as they are reflected in the waters of the lake and a Tibetan lamasery Yufeng are also on the agenda. This afternoon has been left free for further independent exploration of the old town.
Day 6: Lijiang - Shangri-la (Zhongdian)
A full day in the countryside north of Lijiang where the scenery is stunning. Drive first to Shigu to see the Yangtze River in its infancy and where it changes course so as to flow through China and then to The Tiger Leaping Gorge where The Yangtze River, still in its infancy here, passes through the Gorge with cliffs of almost 4,000 metres on either side. Visit a Yi minority village enroute to Shangri-la and transfer to the hotel on arrival - Paradise hotel 5* (or Holy heaven hotel 4*) for 2 nights.
Day 7: Shangri - la (Zhongdian)
Being so high, an average of 3,500 m, and the relief is similar to Tibet, Zhongdian is inhabited by Khamba people, a branch of Tibetan, for more than 1,000 years. Lifestyle has all characteristics of highland Tibetan culture: Barely cultivation, yaks, and monasteries.
Enjoy a day in mini-Tibet and here we are now on the Tibetan Plateau and where the majority of people are of Tibetan ethnicity. By road to Lake Shudo, a peaceful oasis where the countryside is pristine and yaks graze by the lakeside. During the afternoon visit a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and spend some time with a Tibetan Family.
Day 8: Shangri-la - Kunming. Departure
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Kunming where you connect onto next flight.
Include:
- All meals in Chinese style with Yunnan flavor;
- Surface transportation and transfer in bus with A/C;
4 pax in 11 seats bus; 5-9 pax in 19 seats bus; 10-16 pax in 30 seats bus;
All the buses are new, not more than 2 years old;
- Local English-speaking guides in all areas;
- Admission fees and parking fees;
- Travel insurance in China.
Not included:
- Meals other than breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and beverages other than tea at meals;
- Tipping or gratuities to guides and drivers;
- Mandatory international travel insurance;
- Excursions other than those specified in trips;
- Extra cost if itinerary is delayed or changed due to unexpected reasons beyond control.
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