DAY 01 | ARRIVAL AT KUNMING

Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China!

Upon arrival at the Kunming airport, the local tour guide and driver will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

After some rest, you’ll start the tour to Western Hills also called “Sleeping Beauty Hills”. It looks like a beautiful young lady lying beside Dian Lake. It will be a perfectly lovely trip to walk in this long wedge of parkland and explore the famous temples (Huating Temple and Taihua Temple included).

Then, continue your trip to Yunnan Nationalities Museum, the largest minority museum in China.

DAY 02 | KUNMING

After breakfast, drive to the typical Karst landform – Stone Forest. Walk into the Greater Stone Forest, marvel at groups of gray-black stone peaks and climb up a pavilion to have a panoramic view of the intricate stone forest. Visit the Lesser Stone Forest and listen to the legendary story of “Ashima”.

Later, drive back to Kunming downtown area and pay a visit to the 1200-year-old Yuantong Buddhist Temple, the largest temple in Kunming City. Later, walk a few minutes to the most picturesque park in Kunming urban area – the Green Lake Park. Here you can share the happiness of local people’s doing tai chi, performing local opera, and other vibrant activities.

DAY 03 | KUNMING – DALI

On this day, reach train station in Kunming and take a morning high speed train to Dali (about 2 hours), a historical and cultural city for Bai ethnic group. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by the local tour guide and transferred to begin today’s sightseeing.

You’ll first visit Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Monastery, the landmark of Dali. Visit Three Pagodas, Chongsheng Monastery and Reflection Lake.

Later, take a relaxing boat trip on the vast Erhai Lake (Ear-shaped Sea) with crystal clear water and charming landscape. On Erhai Lake cruise, you’ll enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and Three Pagodas. Enjoy an excursion to one of the famous islands for an in-depth look at the peaceful Bai fishing village.

After the peaceful time, transfer to Dali Old Town . In the town, you’ll enjoy the City Wall, Gate-towers, elegant streets, small and exquisite courtyards, colorful flowers blooming in the sunshine. Climb up to Wuhua Tower and enjoy panoramic view of the whole old town.

DAY 04 | DALI – LIJIANG

In the morning, drive 18 km to Xizhou Ancient Town. Xizhou is the place which shows you the Bai minority cultural, the local people’s daily life and natural beauty.

Later, transfer to Lijiang with 2-hour driving. Upon arrival, you’ll enjoy a memorable tour to wander in Lijiang Ancient Town(Dayan Ancient Town). Pay a visit to Ming-dynasty style Mufu Palace, the “Forbidden City” of Lijiang to know Tusi’s ruling history and appreciate Naxi people’s brilliant culture and fine arts. If time permits, join the Naxi people and tourists to dance happily in a round.

DAY 05 | LIJIANG

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel. First, you’ll be transferred out of Lijiang Old Town to Yuhu Village which is located at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. When walking into this authentic Naxi Village, you’ll see unique stone houses, Naxi ladies dressing in traditional clothes, kids playing, a tranquil Yuhu Lake. Visit the Former Residence of Joseph Rock, who was an Austrian-American Botanist came to Lijiang and stayed in Yuhu Village for 27 years and made huge research work on Naxi minority.

Later, head to Baisha Village and appreciate the ancient Baisha Mural Paintings. Visit Dabaoji Palace and Liuli Temple to view murals painted over 1000 years ago which is a combination of Tibetan Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. Then, it is followed by a trip to Shuhe Ancient Town – one of the earliest settlements of Naxi people as well as the well-preserved stop of the Ancient Tea Horse Route.

After that, transfer to Dongba Culture Museum where more than 10,000 Dongba cultural relics show mysterious Dongba culture of the Naxi people. Take a gentle walk to Black Dragon Pool Park to enjoy gorgeous view and peaceful surroundings. If weather permits, get to the best spot to overlook the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and shoot some amazing pictures.

DAY 06 | LIJIANG – SHANGRI LA

From Lijiang, drive 60 km to the First Bend on the Yangtze River with gorgeous scenery, visit the Iron Chain Bridge, the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument in the Shigu Old Town.

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 welknown 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 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 shangrila county and Dukezong Ancient Town.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is on the Jinsha River of the upper reaches of the Yangtze, located 105 kilometers south of Shangrila County. The gorge is 17 kilometers long with a drop of 213 meters. Tiger Leaping Gorge is divided into three sections: Upper, Middle and Lower Hutiao. At the narrowest spot the river is only 30 meters wide. The mouth of the gorge is 1,800 meters above sea level. The river is flanked by Yulong and Haba snow mountains, with a height difference of 3,900 meters. It is one of the deepest gorges in the world.

DAY 07 | SHANGRI LA

In the morning, 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.

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. 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.

Visit Dabao Monastery on the way back from Pudacuo National Park. Drive around Napahai Lake and visit some Tibetan villages and families.

DAY 08 | SHANGRI LA – DEPARTURE

Enjoy a lavish buffet breakfast in at your Hotel; later complete your check-out formalities and embark on a journey to Airport to catch your flight to India. Board your flight from there and come back to your home with the cheerful memories of your wonderful trip.

***YOUR Kunming Dali Lijiang Shangri La Tour CONCLUDES***