Yunnan Discovery

Your English-speaking guide will meet you at Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) with a private vehicle. Transfer to your hotel in the city center (approximately 45 minutes).

After checking in, take a leisurely stroll through Green Lake Park (Cuihu), a beloved urban oasis where locals gather for mahjong, tai chi, and traditional music. In winter, Siberian seagulls flock here by the thousands. In the evening, enjoy your first taste of Yunnan with a bowl of crossing-bridge rice noodles (guoqiao mixian) — a iconic dish where thinly sliced meats and vegetables are cooked at the table in a piping-hot broth.

• Private airport transfer
• Green Lake Park walk (1–2 hours)
• Welcome dinner: crossing-bridge rice noodles
• Overnight in Kunming

Drive approximately 1.5 hours to the Stone Forest (Shilin), a UNESCO Global Geopark featuring towering limestone pillars stretching across 350 square kilometers. These surreal karst formations, some rising over 30 meters, have been sculpted by 270 million years of erosion. Your guide will lead you through the maze-like pathways, pointing out formations resembling elephants, swords, and lotus flowers.

Visit a nearby Sani ethnic village to learn about the indigenous Sani people — their embroidery, folk songs, and fire festival traditions. Enjoy a simple local lunch before the scenic 3.5-hour drive to Dali, arriving in time for dinner along the ancient city walls.

• Stone Forest entrance + guided tour (3 hours)
• Sani ethnic village visit
• Private transfer to Dali (3.5 hours)
• Overnight in Dali Old Town

Begin the morning at the iconic Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, dating back to the 9th century Nanzhao Kingdom. The central pagoda stands 69 meters tall — an engineering marvel that has survived centuries of earthquakes. Behind the pagodas, climb to the Reflection Pond for the classic mirror-image photo.

Next, rent bicycles for a scenic ride along the western shore of Erhai Lake — the "Ear-Shaped Sea" stretching 40 km at an elevation of 1,972 meters. Pass through lakeside Bai villages, terraced fields, and fishing docks. In the afternoon, visit a Bai tie-dye workshop in Zhoucheng Village, where artisans create intricate indigo patterns using techniques passed down for over 1,000 years. Try your hand at the tie-dye process yourself.

• Three Pagodas + temple complex (2 hours)
• Erhai Lake cycling tour (2–3 hours)
• Bai tie-dye workshop experience
• Overnight in Dali Old Town

Start early at Xizhou morning market, one of the most authentic local markets in Yunnan. Browse stalls selling fresh mountain herbs, handmade cheeses, pickled vegetables, and colorful traditional garments. Sample a Xizhou baba (savory flatbread) — a local specialty.

After the market, drive 2.5 hours north to Lijiang, climbing through pine forests and mountain passes. Check into your hotel near the Old Town, then spend the evening exploring the Lijiang Old Town — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 800-year-old Naxi architecture, flowing canals, and stone bridges lit by red lanterns. Listen to Naxi ancient music at a traditional performance venue.

• Xizhou morning market visit
• Private transfer Dali → Lijiang (2.5 hours)
• Lijiang Old Town evening walk
• Optional: Naxi ancient music performance
• Overnight in Lijiang

Drive 30 minutes to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan), a sacred peak of the Naxi people reaching 5,596 meters. Take the Glacier Park cable car up to 4,506 meters, where you can walk along the high-altitude boardwalk for close-up views of the glacier and sweeping panoramas across the Lijiang basin. The air is thin — walk slowly and stay hydrated.

Descend to Blue Moon Valley, a series of terraced turquoise lakes fed by snowmelt, set against the dramatic backdrop of the mountain. The water turns a vivid blue on sunny days. In the afternoon, attend the Impression Lijiang outdoor spectacle — a 500-performer show directed by Zhang Yimou, featuring Naxi songs, horseback riding, and rituals against the snow mountain backdrop.

• Cable car to Glacier Park (4,506m) included
• Blue Moon Valley walk (1.5 hours)
• Impression Lijiang show ticket included
• Oxygen canister provided for high altitude
• Overnight in Lijiang

Depart Lijiang and drive 2 hours to Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiaoxia), one of the world's deepest gorges where the Jinsha River thunders between Jade Dragon and Haba Snow Mountains with a 3,900-meter drop. Walk the upper trail along the cliffside boardwalk, feeling the mist from the thunderous rapids below — the river narrows to just 30 meters at its tightest point.

Continue to the First Bend of the Yangtze River at Shigu Town, where the river makes an extraordinary V-turn, flowing northeast before swinging south. Stop for photos at this dramatic geological feature. Arrive in Shangri-La (elevation 3,200m) in the late afternoon. Take it easy — the altitude is significant. Enjoy a warm Tibetan dinner of yak meat hotpot.

• Tiger Leaping Gorge upper trail (2–3 hours)
• First Bend of Yangtze photo stop
• Private transfer Lijiang → Shangri-La (3.5 hours total)
• Overnight in Shangri-La

Visit the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, often called the "Little Potala Palace." Built in 1679, this sprawling complex houses over 700 monks and features golden rooftops, elaborate murals, and yak butter lamp halls. Climb the 146 steps to the main assembly hall for panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and lakes.

In the afternoon, explore Pudacuo National Park, China's first national park. Walk the boardwalk trails through primeval forests, past alpine meadows dotted with yaks, and alongside the crystal-clear waters of Shudu Lake and Bita Hai. The park is home to rare species including the Yunnan golden monkey. Your guide will then provide a private transfer to Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG) for your departure.

• Songzanlin Monastery guided tour (2 hours)
• Pudacuo National Park (3 hours)
• Private airport transfer