DEEP EXPLORATION OF YUNNAN
17 days | Kunming, Shilin, Yuanyang, Jianshui, Dali, Xizhou, Shaxi, Jianchuan, Lijiang, Tacheng, Cizhong, Meili Snow Mountain, and Shangri-La.
Tour Highlights:
- The most attractive places and the variety of scenery in Yunnan in one trip
- Meet Yunnan minority peoples
- Explore seldom-visited places
- Humanized, quiet and evocative hotels, away from the bustle of the city
- Varied and delicious food
DAY 1: FLIGHT TO KUNMING
- Flight to Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, located in southwestern China.
DAY 2: ARRIVAL IN KUNMING 1900 m alt.
- Upon arrival in Kunming, you’re met at the airport by your private guide and driver, and driven to your city hotel by private car.
- Explore the charming “Spring City” with your guide.
- You can take a stroll to Green Lake Park, which is close to your hotel. It is the most well-known garden with a history of 300 years.
- Visit the Yuantong Buddhist Temple.
- Kunming specialty: The Cross bridge rice noodles.
DAY 3: KUNMING – SHILIN – YUANYANG 1650 m alt.
- Depart and drive to Shilin(1h30/2hrs), and visit the Stone Forest, which is famous for its karst formations.
- Road trip to Yuanyang (5/6hrs). On the road, stopover at Lengdun for the fruit market.
- You will see the rice terraces along the mountainous road as soon as you arrive.
- Glowing sunset over the rice fields at the “Bada” viewpoint.
DAY 4: YUANYANG
- Impressive sunrise over the rice fields in the village of Duoyishu. The rice terraces reflect the light from the sun like thousands of mirrors.
- Explore a colorful ethnic market, with local people wearing their distinctive traditional dress. It’s a good opportunity to get a feel for their lifestyle.
- Discovery of several points of view on the rice fields: Malizhai, Quanfuzhuang, Bada, etc.
DAY 5: YUANYANG – JIANSHUI 1700 m alt.
- Departure by mountainous road to Jianshui (168 km/3h30).
- Visit a red pottery workshop in Wanyao village, the pottery making has been listed as one of the five major cultural sectors of Jianshui County.
- Visit China’s second-largest Confucian Temple.
- Visit Chaoyang Tower dating back to the Ming Dynasty. (Optional tour: To climb the tower is 20 yuan per person, to be paid on-site).
DAY 6: JIANSHUI – KUNMING
- Head to Tuanshan Village to see its traditional architecture that dates back to the Qing Dynasty.
- Take a short visit to the Double Dragon Bridge on the drive towards Tuanshan Village.
- Return to Kunming (3h30/4hrs) after your excursion.
- Arrive in Kunming, you will have the afternoon to explore the Flower and Bird Market, and in the evening, you will attend a wonderful performance called “Dynamic Yunnan” (20:00/21:30).
DAY 7: KUNMING, THE HIGH-SPEED TRAIN TO DALI 2000 m alt.
- Transfer by high-speed train to Dali, a distance of 400 km (2hrs).
- After arrival, stroll in the old town of Dali.
- Drive to Xizhou Village (30 minutes).
DAY 8: XIZHOU – SHAXI 2000 m alt.
- Visit the lively morning market.
- Then drive to Shaxi (1h). Explore the Shibaoshan Grottoes on foot.
- Walk down by a small path towards the Shadengqing Valley (1h30/2hrs) if possible or will continue the journey by vehicle.
- Stroll in the Shaxi Village at leisure, admiring its 14th-century Ming Dynasty buildings.
DAY 9: SHAXI – LIJIANG 2400 m alt.
- Drive to Jianchuan, you would discover the old town of Jianchuan, little known to by tourists, but praised as the wood carving paradise.
- Arrive in Lijiang, stroll at Baisha Village at leisure.
DAY 10: LIJIANG
- Stroll in the Lijiang Old Town.
- Visit the Zhongyi Market and the Residence of the Mu family.
- Visit the Black Dragon Pool Park. It is a model of Chinese gardens and gives you a superb view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
- Discovery of the Shuhe Village.
DAY 11: LIJIANG – TACHENG 2800 m alt.
- Mountainous road to Qiaotou (1h30/2hrs).
- Discovery of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. This gorge is one of the deepest canyons in the world.
- Drive to Tacheng along the Mekong River(3hrs/3h30).
- Walk around the village from your hotel.
DAY 12: TACHENG – CIZHONG – MEILI/MOUNT. KAWA KARPO
- Visit the Baima Nature Reserve (White Horse), freely observe the snub-nosed monkey of Yunnan.
- Road to Cizhong (4hrs), the discovery of Cizhong village and its Catholic church.
- Drive to Meili(1h30).
- On the road, visit the Tongle village of the Lisu group on the banks of the Mekong.
DAY 13: MEILI
- Watch the splendid sunrise over the snow-capped peaks of Mount Meili (Kawa Karpo).
- Road to the Mingyong Glacier Park (1h30).
- Climb on foot or by electric shuttle to the temple of Prince (Taizimiao).
- Return to Deqin by car (1h30) and discover the Feilaisi Monastery.
DAY 14: MEILI – SHANGRI-LA 3300 m alt.
- Drive to Shusong Village (2hrs).
- Visit the Dongzhulin Monastery built in 1667 under the order of the 5th Dalai Lama.
- Drive to Shangri-La(2hrs).
- On the road, a short stroll in Tibetan villages around Napa Lake.
- Meet with a Tibetan family.
DAY 15: SHANGRI-LA
- Visit the Tibetan local market.
- Stroll in the old town of Shangri-La and visit the Guishan Temple and its huge prayer wheel.
- Take lunch in a very good restaurant in the old town of Shangri-La.
- Discovery of the Songzanlin Monastery which is the most important lamasery in Yunnan.
DAY 16: SHANGRI-LA, RETURN FLIGHT VIA CHENGDU
- Free time until transfer to Shangri-La airport and take the return flight.
DAY 17: ARRIVAL AT HOME
- Arrive home with unforgettable memories in mind.
Source: https://www.cielyunnan.com/circuits-yunnan-deux-semaines-et-plus/le-yunnan-en-formule-confort-et-authenticite/
Decreasing price beyond 6 people.
| Price per person based on | With driver + An English-speaking guide |
| 2 persons | 4 625 $ |
| 4 persons | 3 352 $ |
| 6 persons | 2 976 $ |
Price includes
- Our selection of charming hotels or superior category (4/5 stars) with breakfast. (Depending on the location visited, we are committed to selecting the best accommodation available for you.)
- Advice to guide you to the best restaurants on your tour for meals not included in the tour.
- The lunches and dinners are mentioned in the program.
- Transfers by the private vehicle of the recent invoice of the minibus category which is mentioned in the program. Water and fruit at your disposal every day to enhance your journeys.
- A licensed driver selected from the best feedback from our customers.
- A quality and experienced English-speaking guide throughout the tour in Yunnan.
- Entrance tickets for the visits and activities mentioned in the program.
- Accommodation and meals for your guides and drivers.
- The high-speed train tickets: Kunming/Dali (first class).
- The Yunnan Dynamic Show (Class A).
- Smartphone with 4G and pre-established translator applications at your disposal.
The price does not include
- International and domestic flights.
- Tips for guides and drivers.
- Accident, repatriation, and health insurance.
- The visa fees.
- Optional tour: Spa in the Banyan Tree Hotel (360$ per person).
Warm Tips:
- You can also check out our organized small group tours here.
- To facilitate your stay, we suggest that you change your quotes on arrival and departure at the current exchange rate. The formalities to be completed in Chinese banks are particularly tedious.
Hotels offered
| DESTINATION | LUXURY HOTEL |
|---|---|
| Kunming | Moon and Chalice Boutique Hotel |
| Yuanyang | Xiangban Yuanshe Azheke Hotel |
| Jianshui | Tingziyun Resort |
| Dali | Sky Valley Boutique Hotel |
| Shaxi | Shaxi Wuliu Inn |
| Lijiang | Banyan Tree Hotel |
| Tacheng | Songtsam Tacheng Hotel |
| Meili | Songtsam Meili Hotel |
| Shangri-La | Songtsam Lvgu Hotel |
If you have more days for your trip, it’s possible to add/choose the extensions/excursions associated with this trip.
- Luoping, the sea of canola (+ 1~2 days): 228 kilometers east of Kunming, Luoping is located on the border of Yunnan and Guizhou. Luoping’s immense expanse of flowering rapeseed fields is arguably the most extraordinary artificial “sea” in the world. During the rapeseed flowering, which always takes place in February and March, the “sea of rapeseed flowers” in Luoping offers a superb panorama.
- The authentic Nuodeng Village in Yunlong (+ 1 day): Located 180 km from Dali, on the old tea and horse road leading to Tibet and Burma, Nuodeng is a small village perched on the hillside and accessible only on foot. On-site, you have the opportunity to visit one of the oldest salt wells in the region. The steep streets of this village lead to the imposing temple of Confucius and his monastery located at the top of the village, which enjoy a superb view of the valley.
- Wumu and Baoshan (+ 2~3 days): Built at the beginning of the Mongol Dynasty, Baoshan and Wumu are the two most beautiful villages in Yunnan. Perched on a natural promontory, these fortified Naxi villages overlook the Yangtze. The scenery on the river and the terraced fields are breathtakingly beautiful.
- Lugu Lake (+ 1~2 days): Located north of Lijiang on the border with Sichuan, Lugu Lake is the second deepest body of water in Yunnan with its average depth of 40 m. It stretches over an area of 48 km², and its crystal clear deep blue waters bordered by coniferous forests offer a sumptuous landscape. Travelers can take a horseback ride around the lake or take advantage of the canoes for a ride along the water providing access to the three islands of the lake.
When to go?
You can travel to Yunnan throughout the year. But the best seasons to do this tour are in spring (between April and early June) and autumn (between September and early November) when temperatures are mild. Summers are pleasant with moderate temperatures, but the monsoon brings its share of rain from July to early September and can always hold some surprises. However, this will not pose a problem for this cultural circuit.
It is cold in Shangri-La in winter between December and March. Temperatures rise to 10 degrees during the day, then drop to below zero at night. Warm clothes are therefore essential.
Yuanyang: The best season to visit the rice fields of Yuanyang is spring (between mid-February and April). At that time, the rice terraces of Yuanyang were waterlogged for rice cultivation and formed thousands of mirrors that reflected light from the sky.
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