8 Days Yunnan Exploration Tour from Kunming to Zhongdian

Today yo will take the flight to Kunming, and meet your guide and driver at the airpot, then transfer you to the hotel and check in. The rest of day is for your leisure

After breakfast, we will transfer and visit Stone Forest– a notable set of limestone formations. The tall rocks seem to emanate from the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like petrified trees thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Stroll around Green Lake, enjoy your free time and the beautiful scenery, also can explore the local lifestyle. Attractions in the neighborhood of Green Lake Park include the former Yunnan Army Academy, believed to be the biggest quadrangle building of China, and you will people in Kunming enjoying their leisure life in the afternoon.

Afterwards, transfer to train station to take an express train to Dali. Upon arrival, meet and pick up by the local guide and driver, transfer to your hotel. Have a good rest

Morning after breakfast, we will explore Cangshan Mountain (take a cable car to Gantong Temple) that made up of 17 peaks, among which, Malong Peak is the highest one that reach the height up to 4122m. You will catch a cable way up the mountain. On the mountain top, you can enjoy the fantastic view of Erhai Lake. After that, you will have a chance to ascend on the Zhoucheng village and learn to make the local famous Tie-dye cloth. Later return back to Ancient Town of Dali, weathered gray granite stands at 2,100 meters on a long, narrow rice plain between the Cangshan Mountains and the Erhai Lake, a natural configuration that seems specially designed for a good, bountiful life.

After breakfast, we will drive to Lijiang, on the way, you will visit the Xizhou which is not only a famous historic city but also a typical commercial town of Bai people, meanwhile, this is one of the cradles of National capitalism of Bai people and a famous hometown to overseas Chinese in Yunnan. and arrive in Lijiang, proceed to visit Family Yan's courtyard is a good example of traditional Bai houses. And each morning, villagers in Bai dresses gather in a small market to buy and sell their produce and daily wares.

Thereafter we will arrive in Lijiang, a gathering place of rugged mountain people with the Naxi forming the majority, Lijiang is a small mountain town of stone and tile, laced with swift canals, which was enlisted as an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1999. Pay a visit to old town of Lijiang with Zhongyi Local market and Black Dragon Pool with Dongba Museum. Somewhat idiosyncratically Black Dragon Pool, the Jade Spring Park to the north of Lijiang derives its name from the waters which sparkle like jade and are as clear as spring water. At the far side of the pool, there are renovated buildings used for art exhibitions, the Moon-Embracing Pavilion with its own white marble bridge across the water, and the Five-Phoenix Temple built during the Ming Dynasty.

Today, you will enjoy a full day excursion to Lijiang. Start your travel today by visiting Baisha Village of Naxi Minority, one of the oldest villages in Lijiang City. “Baisha” means “white sand” and it got its name from the natural white sand in the area. Baisha Village is not only the cradle-land of the Tusi Dynasty evolved from the Mu Clan, but also the first Naxi minority ancestor settling stronghold. 

Continue your visit to the Yuhu Village. Walking along this village, you can see how local people really live and experience the original face of the village. You will also visit the Rock's Museum, an Austrian-American explorer, geographer, linguist and botanist, who was based in Yuhu 1922-1949 and studying the flora, peoples and languages of southwest China. He wrote a Naxi dictionary, several scholarly papers, and many articles for National Geographic. It was said that Rock's articles inspired James Hilton's novel “Lost Horizons” about a fictional Himalayan paradise, Shangri-la. Then free time for stroll in the Ancient Town which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage in1997. Visit Si Fang Jie (Square Street) of Old town of Lijiang is a big area with its center, or in the form of an official ink stone, hence its name Dayan (ink stone) Town. Wooden structures, mountains, small rivers and lanes integrate harmoniously in this mountain town.

After enjoying the nice buffet breakfast at the hotel, today our professional tour guide will bring you to head to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is on the Jinsha River of the upper reaches of the Yangtze, and it is located 105 kilometres south of Zhongdian County. The gorge is 17 kilometres long with a drop of 213 metres. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is divided into three sections: Upper, Middle, and Lower Hutiao. At the narrowest spot, the river is only 30 metres wide. The mouth of the gorge is 1,800 metres above sea level. The river is flanked by Yulong and Haba snow mountains, with a height difference of 3,900 metres. It is one of the deepest gorges in the world.

Afterwards, transfer to Shangri-la, on the way stops for half an hour and visit Xiaozhongdian Grassland.

Exploring Shangrila is like searching for treasures, where you can always find many surprises and dazzling sights. Today, after enjoying the delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel, our tour guide will bring you to visit the Sonzanlin Monastery, being the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, Songzanlin Monastery, also known as Guihua Monastery, is one of the famous monasteries in the Kang region. The monastery is located near Shangri-La County, at the foot of Foping Mountain. Construction of the monastery began in 1679 and was completed two years later. The monastery seems like a group of ancient castles and is composed of two lamaseries, Zhacang and Jikang.

Thereafter, pay a visit to Napa Lake and the villages around, Napa Hai ("Lake behind the forest") Nature Reserve is a state-designated wetlands area situated some 8 kilometers north of Shangri-La County (aka Zhongdian County) on the Yunnan - Guizou Plateau in northwestern Yunnan Province. Not surprisingly, this wetlands area is a true paradise for all types of birds, most especially for waterfowl. In spring, the higher, drier parts of the reserve is a prairie landscape carpeted with flowers. Parts of this prairie are farmed, the main crop being highland barley.

Today you will say goodbye to pleasant journey and back to your sweet home, be transferred based on your schedule. See you next trip!