7-Days tour from Kunming to Lijiang and overnight in Yuanyang Rice Terraces

Day 1: Kunming - Stone Forest - Yuanyang Bada Rice Terrace. O/N Yuanyang

1. Kunming
   10m
   Meet your English speaking guide at 8:00 am at your hotel. Long day drive to Yuanyang. On the way, discover the site of the Stone Forest. Free walk of about 2 hours inside the site, between rocky peaks and sometimes through narrow paths, away from the trails crossed by many Chinese tourists. Continue the road to Yuanyang area.
2. Yunnan Stone Forest Geological Park
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Kunming Stone Forest, Shilin in Chinese, is a spectacular set of limestone groups and the representative of south China’s karst landscape. Known since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as the 'First Wonder of the World', it is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan. An old local goes that if you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.
3. Yuanyang Rice Terraces
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Next, drive to Yuanyang,Bada Rice Terraces(5hrs driving, 300km). The Bada Rice Terraces, a part of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, was listed as World Heritage Site in 2013. The 950-hectare Bada Rice Terraces is like the ladders to the heaven with over 3700 levels, rising up from 800 meters to 2000 meters. Hence, the words “Vast”, “Magnificent”, “Beautiful Curved Lines” and “Stereoscopic” can be used to describe Bada Rice Terraces. There are some villages including Quanfuzhuang, Malizhai, Bada, Shangmadian surrounded by the rice terraces and travelers can have panoramic view of the beautiful villages when shooting the rice paddies.

Day 2: Sunrise in Duoyishu Rice Terrace - Local Market-Minority Village. O/N Yuanyang

1. Yuanyang Rice Terraces
   2h · Admission ticket included
   At 5:00am, your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby and takes you to the Duoyishu Rice Terraces which is the best site to watch sunrise over the rice fields. In the early morning, the sunglow appears splendidly over the mountains and just a few minutes later, the gentle sun begins to show up and rise slowly over the top of the mountains. When the sun rises up the 6000-mu Duoyishu Rice Terraces, the whole villages turns bright and the vast rice terraces look like a mirror, radiating the rays of golden light. What makes Duoyishu sunrise the most beautiful is not only the golden rice terraces, but also the mysterious sea of cloud and Hani people’s mushroom-like houses. No matter you are photographers or not, catch the best moment to keep the amazing Duoyishu Rice Terrace sunrise with your camera.
2. 1h
   After the Sunrise, you will back to the hotel to have a breakfast and take a short rest.
   Next, go to the local makert of Shengcun village which is located between the fabulous Bada and Duoyicun rice terraces, while the Shengcun Local Market is 25 minutes driving from Yuanyang.
   
   Alongside the main streets of Shengcun are filled with local merchandise. The Yi and Hani minorities come from the whole region no matter for sell, exchange or buy various kinds of fresh products, animals and trifles.
   
   Meanwhile, the Yi and Hani minority women always carry their traditional clothing. A Shengcun market day is therefore a true color festival! A visit of the Shengcun market is possible to combine itself in a half day tour with the visit of Bada and/or Duoyicun rice fields.
3. Hani Nationality Folk Village
   1h
   Afterwards, take the private car to Jingkou Village which is a quaint little Hani minority village set amid the rice terraces of Yuanyang, not far from Bada. It is known for its mushroom roof houses, you can take a nice picture of this village and rice fields around from a road further to Duoyishu. The village of Jingkou underwent in recent years a renovation to make it as a kind of village museum, so it has lost its authenticity. The village is home to an interesting system for distributing running water.
4. Yuanyang Rice Terraces
   10h
   After the lunch, you will transfer to the Yuanyang hotel and you can packged your luggage, due to tomorrow will go to overnight at Jianshui.

Day 3: Jianshui. O/N Jianshui.

1. Jianshui Ancient City
   10m · Admission ticket included
   At 8:30am, your tour guide wil meet you at the Yuanyang hotel then transfer to Jianshui Ancient city, need 3hrs driving, 120KM.
   When you arriving in Jianshui city, you first to check in the hotel then head to Tuanshan village.
2. 2h · Admission ticket included
   Jianshui Tuanshan Village is a typical mountain village where the Zhang’s Family lives in compact communities. Nowadays, there are 15 traditional houses, three village gates, three temples and one ancestral hall in well-preserved condition. It covers an area of 18,384.5 square metres and a building area of 16,158 square metres. As the typical dwelling in south Yunnan, it is usually composed a courtyard with three-side houses and a screen wall, a central courtyard with four small yards at each corner or a spacious central yard with three-side houses around winding corridor, which is covered by overhanging eaves and traditional white walls and black tiles in flexible layout and orderly structure.
3. Double Dragons Brige
   40m
   After the lunch, you will visit the Shuanglong(Double Dragon) Bridge which is 5 km far from Jianshui city,was first built in Qing dynasty,built onLujiang river and Tachonghe River,because two rivers like two dragons,so call the Double Dragon Bridge.it is 148 metres long,3-5metres wide,it is one of biggest old bridge in China.

Day 4: Jianshui - Kunming - Dali by train. O/N Dali.

1. Jianshui Ancient City
   10m · Admission ticket included
   Meet your English speaking guide at 9:00 am at your hotel and you should check out your hotel at Jianshui. Then, go to the Mr Zhu Family Garden.
2. Zhu's Family Garden (Zhu Jia Huayuan)
   1h · Admission ticket included
   The Zhu’s Family Garden( lies in the middle part of Jianxin Street of Jianshui, there is a grand complex -the private Garden of Zhu Family. It was build by Zhuchaoying and his brother in the late Qing Dynasty. The complex has a total area of 20, 000 square meters. With the well - arranged yards and well-furnished rooms and halls, the structure of the architecture can be described as ''streamlined'' it enjoys the fame ''the Daguan Garden at a Border Town''. Large and magnificent buildings like the private Garden of the Zhu family are now rarely seen in China).
3. Jianshui Confucius Temple
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Afterwards, take the private car to Jianshui Confucius Temple, it was originally constructed in 1285 and has renovated and extended for over 40 times, covering an area of 114mu. It is one of the well preserved Confucius Temples in large scale and high architectural level. With a history of more than 700 years and well preservation, it offers extremely precious materials for people to study the history of Confucianism and traditional architectural art. It is one of the national key cultural relics protection units.
4. Kunming
   10m
   After the lunch at Jianshui, you will transfer to Kunming train station then you can catch the train to Dali.
5. Dali
   10m
   Your local driver will meet you at the Dali train station and takes you to the Dali hotel.

Day 5: Dali - Shaxi. O/N Shaxi.

1. Dali Ancient
   1h
   After breakfast at your hotel, Your driver and tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 09:00am then transfer to Dali old city.
   Dali Ancient Town is one of the most famous ancient towns in China. As a major stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, or Southwest Silk Road, it is a town full of historic sites and traditional culture.Compared to the Old Town of Lijiang, Dali Ancient Town is smaller, but less crowded and more elegant.
   We can spend a few hours leisurely wandering the paved streets, admiring the traditional architecture of the Bai ethnic minority, trying their local food and snacks, and buying some souvenirs.
2. Xizhou Town
   1h
   Next, go to the Xizhou, aside from Dali, is another great place to observe the typical Bai Minority folk culture and architecture. A characteristic Bai courtyard residence consists of rooms on three sides and a decorative screen wall on the south direction. These residence generally have carved beams, turned up eaves, with the splendid of their green, gold, blue and white paint.
   
   Xizhou is a very quiet and still uncrowded town. It has the advantage of preserving itself from mass tourism and one can observe a real local life, especially around the main square where families meet, where children like to play until after dark. Sit in a restaurant or cafe around the square, enjoy some fresh local beer, and watch the life around you.
3. Chongsheng Three Pagodas
   40m · Admission ticket included
   Afterwards, take the private car to Three pagodas which is facing the Erhai Lake in the front, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple of Dali constitutes a situation of tripartite confrontation with a large pagoda and two small ones. As one of the oldest and most magnificent architectures standing gracefully and forcefully in South China, it is a famed place of interest, a symbol of ancient history and culture of Yunnan Province. Built amid previous Chongsheng Temple by Nanzhao Kingdom, a local regime of Tang Dynasty (618-907), the three pagodas was named after the temple. Though the temple was damaged in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the three pagodas were reserved after numerous natural disasters and manmade incidents. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple was designated as an important heritage site protected under the state in 1961 and inscribed as AAAAA grade scenic area in 2011.
4. Erhai Lake
   30m
   After the lunch, you will transfer to Erhai Lake and can enjoy the sunset or cycling around the lake.
   The Erhai Lake (Ear-shaped Sea), reputed as "Pearl of Plateau", is the second largest highland lake of Yunnan.
5. Yunnan Shaxi Ancient Town
   12h
   After the Dali day tour, you will take the private car to Shaxi ancient town and need 2.5 driving, 130km.

Day 6: Shaxi - Tiger Leaping Gorge - Lijiang. O/N Lijiang.

1. Yunnan Shaxi Ancient Town
   2h
   Today, you will spend 2hrs at Shaxi old town. You can walk around the Shaxi Old Town, Shaxi River, Xinjiao Temple, stage in the quare and some ancient coutyards with local people.
2. Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia)
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Next go to the Tiger Leaping Gorge and need 2.5hrs driving.
   You will set out for our hiking tour to the upper part of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Take a 15~20 minute walk along the plank road to the viewing platform on the valley floor. Strong currents of Jinsha River roar through the narrow valley, with waves slapping against the rocks. Please have your camera ready to capture this spectacular view. At the narrowest point, you will see a giant rock of 13 meters (43 feet) high seated in the middle of the river, abruptly cutting the torrents into two branches. Meanwhile, the surging waves crash against the rock with a tremendous roar. A special viewing platform was built there for visitors to fully appreciate this impressive scenery and take pictures.
   
   You will have 1.5~2 hours taking in the great scenery of the gorge. After that, reverse the trip back to the parking lot in your guide's company.
3. Old Town of Lijiang - China
   16h
   Afterwards, take the private car to Lijiang city center and check in the hotel at Lijiang and the rest of the time it's free for you.

Day 7: Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain . The tour end.

1. Old Town of Lijiang - China
   10m
   Your tour guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 09:00am and transfer to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and need 50 minutes driving, 25km.
2. Yulong (Jade Dragon) Mountain
   3h · Admission ticket included
   Today, you may visit the Snow Mountain with the cale car to Spruce Meado first or visit White Water River first, But it really depends of the Impression Lijiang Show, because the show time will depend on daily number of visitors from 11:00am--15:00pm and the show lasts for 60 minutes.
   The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is very easy to visit via a system of cable cars which take visitors to different parts of the mountain. The 13 peaks, home to several glaciers, are covered in snow all year round. Different altitudes give rise to changing landscapes with peaceful meadows giving way to snow-covered paths and glaciers. We choose to Spruce Meado with the cable car due to with the lower altitude(3300M) and less people than the way to Glacier Park and also with the nice view.
3. Lijiang Impressions Show
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Next, go to Lijiang Impression show. The show is outdoor performance, including traditional songs and dance by local ethnic people selected from the villages around Lijiang, is held at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, just out of the main building, at pre-determined times.
4. Blue Moon Valley
   40m
   Afterwards, take the private car to White Water River(Blue Moon Valley). The Blue Moon Valley actually is an extremely blue river meandering through a lush valley of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Seen from a distance, it resembles a blue crescent moon inlaid at the foot of the mountain. That's how the place got its beautiful name! However, blue is not the only colour of the river. If it rains, the white mud and limestone rubble at the riverbed will be swirled up, making the water as white as milk. Therefore, local Naxi people name it White Water River (Baishui River).
5. Lijiang
   10m
   After the lunch, you will transfer to Lijiang hotel airport/train station. End of your services.
   P.S: Today your flight need to be later than 17:00pm.

Pickup details

we pick up from Kunming hotel/airport/train station

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Wheelchair accessible
• The Sunset or Sunrise at Yuanyang terraces area, it dpendes of the season, normally, the Dec to May, will have a more chance to catch the sunrise and sunset.
• Can add more days if you want