7-Days tour from Kunming to Shangri-La and overnight in Tiger Leaping Gorge

Day 1: Kunming - Stone Forest Park - Dali by train. O/N Dali.

1. Kunming
   10m
   In the morning, your guide will meet you at 8:30am of your Kunming hotel lobby/airport/train station and you should check out this morning, due to this afternoon will directly head to the Kunming train station after the tour.
   Note: If meet you at the airport/train station, your flight/train should arrival before 13:00pm.
2. Yunnan Stone Forest Geological Park
   2h · Admission ticket included
   After 2hrs driving, you will reach the Yunnan Stone Forest Geological Park. You will spend 2hrs in the park.
   The 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. Kunming
   10m
   After the lunch, will head to the Kunming train station and catch the train to Dali.
4. Dali
   18h
   At Dali train station,our local driver will wait you by holding a welcome board with your name and transfer to hotel. The rest day is free for you.

Day 2: Dali - Shaxi. O/N Shaxi.

1. Dali
   10m
   In the morning, your guide will meet you at 8:30am of your Dali hotel lobby and you should check out this morning, due to this afternoon will directly head to the Shaxi old town after the tour.
2. Dali Ancient
   2h
   Firstly, you will visit the 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Erhai Lake
   30m
   After the lunch, you will transfer to Erhai Lake and can enjoy the lake view or cycling around the lake.
   The Erhai Lake (Ear-shaped Sea), reputed as "Pearl of Plateau", is the second largest highland lake of Yunnan.
6. Yunnan Shaxi Ancient Town
   18h
   After the 2.5-3hrs driving, you will reach the Shaxi old town and check in first then can walk around the Shaxi Old Town, Shaxi River, Xinjiao Temple, stage in the quare and some ancient coutyards with local people.

Day 3: Shaxi - Lijiang. O/N Lijiang.

1. Yunnan Shaxi Ancient Town
   10m
   In the morning, your guide will meet you at 10:30am of your Shaxi hotel then head to Ljiang old town, 3hrs driving, 110KM.
2. Shuhe Ancient Town
   1h
   First, you can visit the Shuhe ancient time and can have a leisure walk in Shuhe Ancient Town.
   Shuhe, or 'Shaowu' in Naxi language, means the village at the foot of the high mountain. In the past, behind the village there was a high moutain named Jubao, so people named the village. Shuhe Ancient Town is located 4km to the northwest of the Lijiang Ancient Town. Its central part covers an area of about 5 square kilometers with a population around 3,000. In 1997, Shuhe was ranked as an important part of Lijiang Ancient Town which was already the World Cultural Heritage named by UNESCO.
3. Lijiang Mural in Baisha Village
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Next, got to Baisha village, at this village, we can visit the Dongba pictograms, The mural paintings in Dabaoji Palace and 'ten thousand camellia blossoms' tree etc..
   Baisha literally means 'white sands'. The town was the first settlement of the Naxi people after they migrated south from the Tibetan plateau. It was once the political, commercial and cultural center of the the powerful, yet mysterious, Naxi Kingdom. The region became part of the Yuan Empire in late thirteenth century. The Mu family, which administrated Lijiang from the late fourteenth to the early eighteenth century, had its birthplace in Baisha. The area also played a large part in the strategic commercial network known as the Tea Horse Road.
4. Black Dragon Pond Park
   40m · Admission ticket included
   After the lunch, take the private car to Black Gragon Pond Park. At this park, you can take the panorama view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang Ancient Town.
   This park is the landmark of Lijiang. The pool is listed in the Collections of Famous Pools of China because of its exquisite beauty. Its surroundings are all green with grass and shaded by swaying willow trees. In its waters, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is reflected. At the far side of the pool, there are renovated buildings used for art exhibition such as the Moon-Embracing Pavilion with its own white marble bridge across the water, and the Five-Phoenix Temple built during the Ming Dynasty.
5. Old Town of Lijiang - China
   18h · Admission ticket included
   Afterwards, checking in your hotel at Lijiang and the rest of the day is free for you. You can walking around the Lijaing old town in the evening and shopping there.
   The old town of Lijiang is surely one of Yunnan’s most charming ancient cities. Although largely destroyed in 1996 following an earthquake, it quickly rebuilt, thanks in part to its UNESCO World Heritage designation. Lijiang is the center of the Naxi minority, with its very specific culture, including its religion and writing of more than 1,000 pictograms. The culture of Lijiang and its old town is a nice place to relax and hang out for a few days.

Day 4: Lijiang Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. O/N Lijiang.

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
   1h
   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).

Day 5: Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge. O/N Tiger Leaping Gorge.

1. Lijiang
   10m
   In the morning at 9am, your guide will meet you at the hotel lobby and transfer to the Tiger Leaping Gorge and need 2hrs driving, 80km.
2. Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia)
   18h · Admission ticket included
   Tiger Leaping gorge is considered one of China's best hikes. It isn't very strenuous except for the initial climb along a series of switchbacks near the entrance to the gorge at Tiger Leaping Gorge Town. If one walks the trail slowly, takes advantage of the accommodations and is in good shape, the trail isn't strenuous.
   Today, you will hike from Qiaotou to Halfway Guesthouse. The whole distance covered on the first day is about 17 kilometers, and you'll hike for about six hours in total. Halfway Guest House really is at the halfway point on the High Trail. First, hike for two hours to Naxi Family Guesthouse and have lunch. Then continue to hike another 2 hours up the steep switchback called 28-bends before the next break. The views are unforgettable. After a break, hike another one or two hours, and then you will arrive at Halfway Guesthouse which has a great view of Yulong Snow Mountain and overlooks the Jinsha (Golden Sands) River Valley.

Day 6: Tiger Leaping Gorge - Shangri-La(Diqing). O/N Shangri-la.

1. Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia)
   3h · Admission ticket included
   Today, you will Hike down to Tina's Guesthouse (about 2 hours) and pass through some pretty waterfalls and canyons on the way. the driver will pick up in Tina's house,then drive 2.5 hours(120km) back to Shangr-La.
2. Dukezong Ancient Town
   1h
   Firstly, you will visit the Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India. The Dukezong's authentic Tibetan dwellings, gilded prayer halls and pagodas, and lanterns of various shapes lighting the way along narrow, winding lanes are permeated with the grace and mystique of antiquity that enchants visitors the moment they set foot in it.
3. Guishan Park
   20m
   After the lunch, go to the park. When you climb up to the top of Guishan Hill or Tortoise Hill, you will see the largest prayer wheel in the world and have a panoramic view of Shangri-La county and Dukezong.
4. Shangri-La County
   18h
   Afterwards, take the private car to your hotel at Shangri-La and check in the hotel, the rest of time it's free for you.

Day 7: Shangri-la. The tour end.

1. Shangri-La County
   10m
   Today, your guide can meet you at 09:00am or even early or late, it depends of your flight/train depart time and you can discuss with your guide the day before.
2. Songzanlin Monastery
   1h · Admission ticket included
   You firstly will visit Ganden Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan province. It has another alias - 'the little Potala Palace.' Built in 1679, it is located in the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is the most important monastery in southwest China.
3. Napa Hai Nature Reserve
   20m
   Next, go to the Napa hai lake, The largest grassland in Shangri-la. 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.
4. Yila Grassland
   20m
   In fact, the Napahai Lake and Yila Grassland will be the same place. During Winter and spring seasons, Napa Lake surface is shrinking, becomes large swamp meadow—Yila Prairie, which is the largest spring pasture in Yunnan province.
5. Shangri-La County
   10m
   After the lunch, you will transfer to Shangri-la airport. End of your tour services.

Pickup details

We can pick up from Kunming hotel/airport/train sattion at the first day(Day one).

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Can add more days if you want