7 Days Yunnan Tour to Lijiang, Shangri-La

Today you will take the flight to Lijiang. When you arrive, we will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel check-in. For the rest of the day, you can enjoy a walking tour of Lijiang Ancient Town, the ancient city of Lijiang can be traced back to more than 800 years ago. Besides its unique architecture and local ethnic culture, it is also known for its orderly arrangement of bridges and waterways. Walk along the winding cobbled paths — it is said that you won't get lost as long as you follow the water. 

Meet your guide at the hotel, then we will drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge. You can travel on foot for about 4 hours, pass the "air" path between Haba Mountain (5398 meters) and Yulong Mountain (5596 meters), and head for the Tiger Leap over Gogre Yachajiao Manor. Next to the path were irrigation canals dug by the Naxis to make their land fertile on the highlands.

Information:

A: I suggest you prepare your backpack and water in advance for hiking. Large suitcases can be left in the car and the driver will take them to your hotel.

B: This hiking trip is not difficult, but it is not suitable for dizziness patients, as some passages are very narrow and the other side is empty. 

Set off from the highway to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge, and visit Hutiaoshi Viewpoint: You will descend along a modified path to the Yangtze River rapids (descent time: 20 minutes, then return for 30 minutes, with many stairs). Once you reach the river, the power and roar of this powerful river will leave an indelible memory for you. We will arrive in Shangri-La in the late afternoon.

After breakfast, drive to Shangri-La, first visit Songzanlin Monastery, which is one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Yunnan. Here, tranquillity prevails, as its 700 monks and acolytes (often beginning their training at the age of five) go about their daily lives – just as they have done for more than three centuries. 

Next, we will drive to Pudacuo National Park, the first national park in mainland China. In the Tibetan language, Pudacuo means reaching the opposite side of the lake by boat with the help of a deity. Forest, marsh, valley, alpine meadow, and so on can be seen in the park.

After breakfast, we will visit the Napa Nature Reserve, the largest grassland in Zhongdian County, known for its scenic plateau characteristics. Due to the careful care of Tibetans, many birds such as black-necked cranes, yellow ducks, and bar-headed geese visit here when autumn arrives, flying high and low in the grasslands. Then travel to the Dukezong Ancient Town, Dukezong Ancient Town is Located on the southeast corner of Shangri-La County in Yunnan province, Dukezong Ancient Town is an ancient Tibetan town with a history of more than 1,300 years. Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and was built for the Tubo Kingdom of the Tang Dynasty. "Dukezong" is a Tibetan pronunciation, meaning "Moonlight City" and "castle built on stone”. Just behind Dukezong is Guishan Park with the world's biggest prayer wheel. Climb up to the temple on the top, and enjoy the panoramic view of the city.

Thereafter, we will drive to Shaxi, it is a town with a long history dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period 2,400 years ago. It is an ethnic minority residence dominated by Bai, Han, Yi, and Lisu. In the old town, we can also visit the ancient opera stage and Sideng Street.

This morning, we will drive to Lijiang and start a beautiful hiking day from Wenhai to Shuhe Old Town. You can enjoy lakes, snow-capped mountains, farms, and forests, villages on the way. This walking route is almost a dirt road (It is recommended to go hiking on sunny days, better not to try it on rainy or snowy days).

When we finish today’s hiking, we can have leisure time at Shuhe Old Town, which is one of the oldest habitats of Lijiang and a well-preserved town on the Ancient Tea Route showing the history of Naxi ethnic minority group from farming centralization to commercial centralization.

What a fantastic day today! In the morning, we will go out early to visit the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which is the snow mountain closest to the equator of the Northern Hemisphere. Taking 25 25-minute cable car to Glacier Park, you will see the vegetation changes with ascending altitude. Walk along the plank road to reach 4680m and appreciate the fairyland with ice and snow. Take a cable car down, and drive to visit Blue Moon Valley with turquoise-colored water.

After visiting, you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight based on the schedule. Wish you a pleasant journey home and hope to see you again in your next China tour! Please book the flight after 19:00!