8 Days Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-La Overland Tour
Tour Overview
For this 8 days Yunnan overland tour, you will visit the highlights of Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La. This is also a minority discovery tour, because you will find...
Code of Tour: YET0000000148
Length of Travel: 8 Day
Destinations of Tour: Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-La
Departure City: Kunming
Price of Tour: Request
Type of Tour:
Features of Tour: Nature Culture History
For this 8 days Yunnan overland tour, you will visit the highlights of Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La. This is also a minority discovery tour, because you will find minority diversity during your trip, the minorities such as Yis, Bais, Naxis and Tibetan. Moreover, the Tiger Leaping Gorge will be the most impressive part of your trip, you could be shocked by the ruggedness and magnificence of Tiger Leaping Gorge and the mountains around when you are there. This part can not be missed.
Highlights:
- Visit the highlights of Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La.
- Discover the ethnic culture of Yis, Bais, Naxis and Tibetan.
- Be shocked by the ruggedness and magnificence of Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Kunming Arrival
- Day 2: Kunming – Stone Forest – Kunming
- Day 3: Kunming – Dali
- Day 4: Dali – Lijiang
- Day 5: Lijiang
- Day 6: Lijiang – Shangri-La
- Day 7: Shangri-La
- Day 8: Shangri-La Departure
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Kunming Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:Kunming Arrival
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: None
Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China! Upon arrival at the Kunming airport/train station, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel. You’ll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming.
Day 2 Kunming – Stone Forest – Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: Stone Forest, Flowers and Birds Market
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
You will 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. After lunch drive back Kunming to visit the Flowers and Birds Market in the downtown.
Day 3 Kunming – Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Erhai Lake Cruise, Three Pagodas, Dali Old Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, take the high speed train to Dali (2hrs), a historically and culturally famous city of China, is renowned for her historical interest and Bai ethnic culture. Upon arrival, take the cruise in Erhai Lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island.In Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and theThree Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake. Take a exterior view of the Three Pagoda in Dali. At last, you will visit the Ancient Dali Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the relax time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.
Day 4 Dali -Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, Black Dragon Pond, Lijiang Ancient Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. Visit Zhoucheng Village and the Bai people’s Tie-dying cloth workshop where you can take some special souvenir with the Bai ethnic style.
After the tour, drive 2.5hrs to Lijiang (only driver accompany with this transfer).
Upon arrival, meet with your Lijiang tour guide, make the tour of Black Dragon Pond, which is Located at the foot of the Xiangshan Mountain (Elephant Hill) north of the city of Lijiang. As the water here is a lucid green color, it gained another name Jade Spring Park (Yuquan Park). There are many distinctive and ravishing sites in the park. Hiding in the lush trees or standing along the liquid pool are the antique and exquisite architectural pieces, which are in the style of Naxi. Then move to check in your hotel.
And explore Lijiang Ancient Town. Lijiang Ancient Town 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.
Day 5 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishuihe River, Yak Meadow, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, drive about 30KM to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), take the sightseeing bus for a short visiting through the Baishuihe River, take the chairlift up to visit Yak Meadow of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The cable-way will be arranged according to the condition of the mountain. You will hike around 1 hour in the original forest in Yak Meadow.
In the afternoon, you’ll stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan town. Visit the Baisha Murals about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
Day 6 Lijiang- Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities: First Bend of the Yangtze River, the Iron Chain Bridge, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
From Lijiang, you’ll drive about 60KM to the First Bend of the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery, visit the Iron Chain Bridge, the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument in the Shigu Old Town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks.
Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge(Shangri-La section), the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha in this area because you can find gold in the river.
Afternoon, you’ll head for Shangri-La, the former Zhongdian which is well-known as the paradise destination for every tourist. Upon arrival in Shangri-La, you will have entered the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields and yaks scattered in the valleys. Check in your hotel.
Day 7 Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities:Pudacuo National Park, Sogzanlin Monastery, Tibetan family Visit, Dukezong Old Town, the largest Prayer Wheel
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, move to visit the tranquil Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species. At noon, have a visit of the local Tibetan family.
And afterwards you’ll visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. Stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India. Walk up to the top of Guishan Hill or Tortoise Hill, you will see the largest Prayer Wheel of the world and have a panoramic view of shangrila county and Dukezong Ancient Town.
Day 8 Shangri-La Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:Shangri-La Departure
Accommodation:None
Meals: Breakfast
Free at leisure before be transferred to Shangri-La Airport for departure to next destination
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunming | Softel Hotel | Wenhui Hotel | Jinhua Hotel | T&T Story Hotel |
| Dali | Hilton Dali Resort & Spa | Shouyi Boutique Hotel | Dali Taihe Boutique Inn | Dali Fengxue Gucheng |
| Lijiang | Pullman Hotel | Wangfu Hotel | Liwang Hotel | Baisha Holiday Resort |
| Shangri-La | Shangri-La Hotel | Shangri-La Old Town Hotel | Moon City Hotel | Wu Fu South Yunnan Boutique Inn |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide and vehicle for transfers & sightseeing;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Free-bottled mineral water.
- High speed train tickets from Kunming to Dali (2nd class seats).
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff.
- Personal travel accident insurance;
- All optional programs.
