9 Days Yunnan Tour From Chengdu
Tour Overview
Yunnan classic tour is always related to Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangrila. You will visit Kunming Stone Forest, Dali Old Town, Lijiang Old Town, Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and...
Code of Tour: YET0000005616
Length of Travel: 9 Day
Destinations of Tour: Chengdu-Lijiang-Shangri-la-Dali-Kunming-Chengdu
Departure City: Chengdu
Price of Tour: Request
Type of Tour:
Features of Tour: Nature Minorities Landscape Photograph Mountains Ancient towns
Yunnan classic tour is always related to Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangrila. You will visit Kunming Stone Forest, Dali Old Town, Lijiang Old Town, Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and Shangri-La Songzanlin Monastery. You will also explore the Yi, Naxi, Bai, Lisu, Mosuo and Tibetan minorities. The Tiger Leaping Gorge and the First Bend of the Yangtze River will be the most impressive part of your trip in Yunnan Province.
Highlights:
- Have a Great tour in the “spring city” – Kunming and immerse yourselves in the stone wonderland.
- Step into the fantastic Lijiang Old Town and feel the mysterious Naxi culture.
- Walk and explore Dali Old Town between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.
- Explore the earthly paradise with Tibetan Lama monastery, primitive forest, crystal lakes, hospital people.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Chengdu-Lijiang
- Day 2: Lijiang
- Day 3: Lijiang-Shangri-la
- Day 4: Shangri-la
- Day 5: Shangri-la-Dali
- Day 6: Dali-Kunming
- Day 7: Kunming
- Day 8: Kunming
- Day 9: Kunming-Chengdu
Google Map
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Chengdu-Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Lijiang Old Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Lunch
When you arrive in Lijiang, you will stroll around Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old town with brilliant ethnic culture, which is a central town of Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province. Located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters above the sea level and embraced by the tree-covered Lion Mountain in the west, Elephant and Golden Row Mountains in the north, vast fertile fields in the southeast and crystal clear water running through, the old town looks like a big jade ink slab, therefore got the alias the Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen).
Day 2 Lijiang-Jade Dragon Snow Mountain-Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Yulong Snow Mountain, Yak Meadow, Baishui River, Baisha Village and Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
In the morning, drive about 30 km to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100 meters), you will take the sightseeing bus for a short visit through the Baishuihe River, then take the chairlift up to visit Yak Meadow(3700 meters) 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 of Yak Meadow(3200 meters).
After lunch, you’ll visit Yuhu Village and the Former Residence of Joseph Rock who was an Austria-American botanist and explorer, lived in Yuhu village and other places in that region from 1922 to 1949. He was also a naturalist and Photographer, and the first foreign scholar to introduce Lijiang ethnic culture to the western world.
Stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is a part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
Day 3 Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities: First Bend of the Yangtze River, the Iron Chain Bridge, the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Dukezong Old Town
Accommodation: Shangri-la
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
From Lijiang, drive about 60 km 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, 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. Walk 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 Shangri-la and Dukezong Ancient Town.
Day 4 Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities: Songzanlin Monastery, the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, Dabao Monastery, Tibetan family visit
Accommodation: Shangri-la
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere.
And afterwards you’ll visit the tranquil Bita Lake & Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. Although 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.
Visit Dabao Monastery on the way back from Pudacuo National Park. Drive around Napahai Lake and visit some Tibetan villages and families.
Day 5 Shangri-la-Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Dali Old Town, the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Temple, Erhai Lake Cruise, Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Take the morning flight to Dali which is a historically and culturally famous city of China. Dali is renowned for her historical interest and Bai ethnic culture. After landing, visit the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years. It is located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
After lunch, you’ll 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 the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake.
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 souvenirs with the Bai ethnic style.
In the late afternoon, you will visit the Dali Old Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.
Day 6 Dali-Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: the Green Lake
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
This morning, take the airplane to Kunming. Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel.
After a short rest, stroll in the most picturesque park in Kunming urban area – the Green Lake Park, a charming area of tea houses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. Here you can share the happiness of local people’s doing tai chi, performing local opera, and other vibrant activities. If you visit the park in November or December, you will see huge flocks of red-beaked seagulls that migrate there from Siberia.
Day 7 Kunming-Stone Forest-Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: Jiuxiang Cave, Stone Forest
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Today start your trip from visiting Jiuxiang Cave , which is located 90 km from Kunming. It is Known as the “museum of karst caves”. Jiuxiang boasts more than 100 karst caves and is the largest cave group system in China. The cave formations are varied and the rivers, waterfalls, and natural rock bridges are very enchanting.
After tour, you will continue to visit 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. Then transfer back to your hotel in Kunming city.
Day 8 Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities: West Hills and Dragon Gate, Yunnan Ethnic Villages
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
In the morning, drive to West Hills. You will take the chairlift to visit Dragon Gate. It is a group of grottoes, sculptures, corridors and pavilions that were hacked from the cliff between 1781 and 1835 by a poor Taoist monk Wu Laiqing and his friends with simple tools. A stone archway was built at the entrance with the inscription Long Men (Dragon Gate) at the top. Standing here you will have a chance to view the thrilling sight of the Dianchi Lake below.
Later visit Yunnan Ethnic Villages. It is a theme park that displays the various folklore, culture, and architecture of 26 ethnic groups in Yunnan Province.
After dinner, you will have an option to enjoy the large-scale dance drama “Dynamic Yunnan” which has been an outstanding innovation on the Chinese stage in recent years directed by Yang Liping. Primitive, unsophisticated folk dances and a fresh artistic concept converge in the program, giving audiences a unique “Yunnan Impression.” Sixty-two drums and 120 masks of strong ethnic characteristics are incorporated in the performance.
Day 9 Kunming-Chengdu
Sightseeing and Activities: Departure from Kunming
Accommodation: None
Meals: Breakfast
Take departure flight from Kunming to Chengdu. Service ends.
Recommended Hotels
| Destination | 5 Star | 4 Star | 3 Star | Hostels |
| Kunming | Sofitel Hotel | Jinjiang Hotel | Longteng Hotel | / |
| Lijiang | InterContinental Hotel | E-outfitting Hotel | Liwang Hotel | / |
| Shangri-la | Shangri-La Resort | E-outfitting Hotel | Bodhi Boutique Inn | / |
| Dali | Hilton Hotel | E-outfitting Hotel | Taiheju hotel | / |
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accommodation with breakfast;
- Private English-speaking tour guide and vehicle for transfers & sightseeing;
- All land transfer and transportation;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Free-bottled mineral water;
- Travel Agency’s Responsibility Insurance.
- Domestic air tickets.
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;
- Domestic air tickets fares with airport tax and fuel extra fee based on economy class mentioned in the program.
