7 Days Kunming-Dali-Shangrila-Lijiang Group Tour

Day 1: Kunming Arrival

Our Chinese-speaking driver picks you up at Kunming airport. Transfer to hotel for overnight.

Hotel: Kunming

Meal: /

Day 2: Kunming-Dali (by train)

At 08:30 am, meet your tour guide at the hotel and drive to stroll around the Green Lake. Then, 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. The Stone Forest is in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120  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. In the late afternoon, take a bullet train to Dali. Meet your local guide and driver, then transfer to hotel for overnight.

Hotel: Dali

Meal: Breakfast

Day 3: Dali

After breakast, be transferred to Xizhou, join the Three-Course Tea Ceremony, it is most popular among Bai people which is served for distinguished guests. Continue to drive to Zhoucheng, various traditional customs are well preserved here. Visit a local Tie Dye Workshop, learn and make one by yourself. After lunch, drive to visit Erhai Lake along the ecological corridor. Explore Dali Old Town including the Foreigners’ Street, the Ancient City Wall of Dali and The Gate Tower. Then transfer back to hotel.

Hotel: Dali

Meal: Breakfast

Day 4: Dali-Shangrila

Today, we will drive to Shangrila. On the way, have a farview of the First Bend of Yangtze River.Then go on driving to vist maginificent Tiger Leaping Gorge. Tiger Leaping Gorge is located between the 5596 meters Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) to the south and 5396 meters Haba Snow Mountain (Haba Xueshan) to the north. Legend says that in order to escape from a hunter, a tiger jumped across the river at the narrowest point, hence named Tiger Leaping Gorge and the stone called Tiger Leaping Rock. Upon arrival Shangrila, stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town and walk up to the top of Guishan Hill to see the Grand Prayer Wheel and have a panoramic view of Shangri-La city.

Hotel: Shangrila

Meal: Breakfast

Day 5: Shangrila

Pick you up at the hotel. Then drive to visit Songzanlin Monastery which is the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. It has another alias - 'the little Potala Palace ', so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. Then, transfer to visit Napahai Lake and pay a visit to a local Tibetan family and experience the highly-praised hospitality of Tibetan people. Napahai (Napa Lake) means "the lake besides forest". Napahai is located in the northwest of Shangri-la County, 8 km away from the county, is a seasonal mountain lake, and also one of the few the thermal alpine swamp and swamp meadow in Yunnan province.

Hotel: Shangrila

Meal: Breakfast

Day 6: Shangrila-Lijiang

In the morning, drive about 3 hours to Lijiang. Upon arrival, visit Lijiang Old Town which 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. Later, head for Black Dragon Pool Park and take some pictures of the fascinating Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Then, explore the rich Naxi minority culture in Dongba Culture Musuem.

Hotel: Lijiang

Meal: Breakfast

Day 7: Lijiang

In the morning, pay a visit to Shuhe Old Town. Located about 4km north of Lijiang, Shuhe old town is home to the local Naxi people. The old town has a history of over a thousand years and was an important trading place on the old tea-horse route between Tibet and Yunnan. After that, you’ll start your memorable Lijiang tour from the ancient Baisha Mural Paintings at Baisha Village. Painted over 1000 years ago, the murals combine the cultures of Han, Tibetan and Naxi people displaying the life stories of the Tibet Buddhism, Confucian and Taoism. Afterwards, followed a trip to Yuhu Naxi Minority Village. When walk around this authentic Naxi Village, you’ll see unique stone house, naxi ladies dressing in traditional clothes, a wooden fish is hunging in the middle of the roof, the kids playing…Then you get to the Former Residence of Joseph Rock, who is an Austrian-American Botanist came in Lijiang and stayed in Yuhu Village for 27 years. Be transferred to Lijiang downtown. Tour ends.

Hotel: /

Meal: Breakfast