11 Days Kunming Yuanyang Dali Lijiang Shangri-La Exploration

Welcome to Kunming, the beautiful capital city of Yunnan! Your local tour guide and experienced driver will meet you at the Kunming airport or train station to take you by private car to begin your exploration of this fascinating province with a trip to the Shilin Stone Forest. We will take you about 90 kilometers (65 miles) outside of the city of Kunming to see one of nature’s miracles, with these amazing natural karst stone formations that were formed over 270 million years ago by the erosion of limestone that left towers of stone rising up from the ground, thus creating the “stone forest”. We will take you to visit both the Greater Stone Forest – where you can climb up to a pavilion for a panoramic view of the fantastic landscape, and the Lesser Stone Forest, where you can learn about the Yi Minority legend of “Ashima” and what happened when she was forbidden from marrying her true love.

After plenty of time exploring the incredible Shilin Stone Forest, we will drive another 40 minutes or so to visit an ancient Yi minority town – Nuohei Village. With more than 600 years of history, this wonderful little village is built mostly of stone – stone houses, stone walls, stone roads, stone squares and stone mills – it’s a fun place to visit and become acquainted with the culture of the Yi people.

After visiting Nuohei Village, we will take you to your overnight accommodations in Shilin County.

Accommodation: Overnight in Kunming

This morning after a nice breakfast at your hotel, we will start the 6-hour drive to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces, which have been cultivated by the Hani minority people for thousands of years. Enroute we will stop at some of the more interesting ethnic minority villages so that you can get a good feel for the way the local people live. We should arrive at the rice terraces at the perfect time to watch the sunset over the Laohuzui Rice Terraces, an ideal time to see the rice terraces in their most beautiful state. Laohuzui is also known as “Tiger Mouth” Rice Terraces due to their shape, and they are the steepest and most grand of all of the rice terraces of Yuanyang. Laohuzui boasts a high viewing deck for a panoramic view of the entire rice terrace area as well as a lower viewing deck for closer up views, so it is a great spot for both photography and general viewing.

After plenty of time for photographs and taking in the view, we will check into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Yuanyang

Early this morning we will drive to Duoyishu Village for the sunrise over the Duoyishu Rice Terraces, with the sun appearing over the eastern horizon and constantly changing the colors over the water-filled rice terraces in a stunning display of the combination of nature and manmade beauty. Duoyishu is commonly known as the best of the rice terraces for viewing the sunrise, so it’s a perfect place to start the day today.

After the spectacular sunrise, we will visit the Ethnic Market and Bazaar in Yuanyang to see how the local Hani ethnic people do their daily shopping for fresh vegetables, fruit, meat and other daily necessities. From there we will go on to the Qingkou Hani Ethnic Village, a small village of around 800 ethnic Hani people that exemplifies how these people have lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years through sound ecological agricultural processes integrating the rice terraces, water resources, the forests and the people themselves. There is also a museum in the village that traces the history and culture of the friendly Hani people.

As the day ends we will be at the Bada Hani Rice Terraces for a magnificent sunset over the rice paddies built up over thousands of years. Just as Daoyishu is famous for the sunrises over its rice terraces, Bada Hani Rice Terraces are just as famous for sunset viewing. It’s the perfect ending to the perfect day as we watch the 3700 levels of rice paddies changing with all of the colors of the sunset.

Accommodation: Overnight in Yuanyang

This morning after a nice local breakfast we will leave the wonderful rice terraces behind for our next adventure in Jianshui County, about a three and half hour drive away through more fantastic Yunnan scenery. We will first explore the Jianshui Ancient Town, a well-preserved village with a history of about 1,200 years. The ancient city wall was built around 600 years ago during the Ming Dynasty, with Chaoyang Lou, the former east gate built in 1389, still standing more than four centuries later. From there we will move on to the Temple of Confucius, the third largest Confucian tempel in all of China. This temple has operated as a school of Confucian thought for more than 750 years. During the period when imperial examinations were held, Jianshui’s Temple of Confucius was responsible for more than half of all of the successful candidates in Yunnan Province.

After the Temple of Confucius, we will visit the Zhu Family Garden, a Qing Dynasty-era family residence that was built by Zhu Weiqin and his brother after they became successful in business. The ancestral residence grounds cover more than 20,000 square meters with more than 5,000 square meters of building space along with many ponds and traditional Chinese gardens.

After visiting the Zhu Family Gardens, we will check into our local accommodations for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Jianshui

This morning, after breakfast but before leaving Jianshui County, we will drive a few kilometers outside of Jianshui Ancient Town to see the striking Double Dragon Bridge. This impressive stone bridge, also known as the Seventeen Arch Bridge, was built during the Qing Dynasty, and the fact that it still stands today is a testament to the skill of its builders centuries ago.

From the Double Dragon Bridge, we will drive on to Tuanshan Village, which is a rare surviving example of a traditional walled Yunnan village. The village was originally founded as a mining center in the late fourteenth century but most of the well-preserved walls, residences, ancestral halls and temples date from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as the village really began to prosper due to the building of the Yunnan – Vietnam railroad. It makes for an interesting contrast to some of the other ancient villages that we have visited on our journey through Yunnan Province.

After visiting Tuanshan Village, we will drive back to Kunming, where we will help you check in to your hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Kunming

This morning we will take you to the Kunming train station for your high-speed train to Dali, with the trip through more of Yunnan’s amazing scenery taking only 2 hours. Upon arrival in Dali, your local tour guide will greet you and escort you to your private car to begin your exploration of northern Yunnan Province.

First up is a visit to the Three Pagodas of the Chongsheng Monastery, a Dali landmark for nearly two millennia. The pagodas themselves are made of brick and covered in white mud, making them highly visible from miles away. The main pagoda was built from 823 – 840 A.D. and stands nearly 70 meters tall (230 feet) as one of the tallest pagodas in China’s long history. The 2 smaller pagodas sit at angles to the main pagoda, creating a symmetric triangle, which is unique in Buddhist sites. According to the legends, there were originally breeding dragons living in the area, and these dragons were causing natural disasters to keep out human intruders. Dragons were said to revere pagodas, so the Three Pagodas were built to deter the dragons from causing any further natural disasters. There is also a small lake known as Reflection Pond directly behind the pagodas that reflects the pagodas as if in a mirror when the winds are calm.

From the Three Pagodas we will travel on to take a relaxing boat trip on the crystal clear waters of the massive Erhai Lake. This huge lake covers approximately 250 square kilometers (97 square miles), and its name, Erhai (literally “ear sea”) comes from its similarity to the shape of a human ear. We will be able to visit one of the islands in the lake to see a Bai minority fishing village and see how the Bai have fished for centuries – by using trained cormorants who dive into the lake, catch fish and return them to the fishermen.

After a visit to the peaceful Erhai Lake, we will transfer by private car to Dali Old Town, which first emerged as the capital of the Nazhao Kingdom around 1,300 years ago although the area was first settled around 3,000 years ago. The old town is still surrounded by its ancient city walls which have helped preserve much of its architecture over the centuries. Dali Old Town’s picturesque location and Bai minority influences make it a wonderful place to visit and explore.

After spending some time exploring the Old Town, we will take you on to your hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Dali

This morning after breakfast we will drive on about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Dali Old Town to reach the Xizhou Ancient Town. Xizhou was once an important outpost along the Ancient Tea Horse Caravan Road, and it also served as a landing strip and radio station for the Flying Tigers of World War II. The exact origins of the town are unclear but the fertile valley in which it lies has been inhabited for thousands of years. Its known history dates back to the Sui Dynasty (581 – 618 A.D.) Xizhou is famous now for its preserved and restored Bai minority architecture and their tradition of the Three Courses of Tea. We will also visit the morning market to see how the local people still barter for daily supplies such as fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and other daily necessities. As an option, if you would like, you can visit the home of a local Bai family and learn how to make the Yunnan cheese known as “Rushan”. Rushan is made from goat milk primarily by the Bai minority people in Dali. You can spend about 30 minutes learning how to make the cheese and then taste the results of your handiwork.

From Xizhou Ancient Town we will drive on another 2 hours to Lijiang Ancient Town, the oldest part of the city that has been preserved much as it has been throughout its 1,000 year history. We will stop at the Ming Dynasty-era Mufu Palace, sometimes called “The Forbidden City of Lijiang”, where you can learn about the ancient rulers of the city and the Naxi people’s lives in the past. We can stroll around the ancient alleyways over old bridges and see many shops and bars on our way to Sifang Street Square, an open square where people relax amidst a lively atmosphere. We may be able to join some of the local Naxi people in a nightly dancing ceremony as they dance to native music around a fire in the evening. You may also want to climb up Lion Hill to the top of the Wanggu Tower to enjoy a panoramic view over the entire Old Town with the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance.

After an enjoyable day exploring the ancient village, we will take you to your hotel to check in for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lijiang

After a nice local breakfast at your hotel, your tour guide and driver will meet you at your hotel to take you to the Yuhu Village, which is an authentic Naxi village where you can see ancient stone houses, Naxi women in their traditional dress and the peaceful Yuhu Lake. We will have time to leisurely explore the village and visit the home of Joseph Rock, an Austrian-American botanist who lived in the village for 27 years while researching the Naxi minority people.

After Yuhu Village we will travel on to Baisha Village to see and appreciate the ancient Baisha Mural Paintings. The Baishi Village is probably the most authentic ancient village in the area, with its Dabaoji Palace and the Liuli Temple containing murals that were painted more than a thousand years ago in the various styles of Tibetan Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. After a visit to Baisha, we will move on to Shuhe Ancient Town, another ancient and well preserved village about 4 kilometers (2 miles) outside of the Lijiang Old Town. Shuhe was one of the earliest of the Naxi people’s settlements, and it served as an important stop along the Ancient Tea Horse Caravan route.

Our exploration of the Lijiang area continues with a visit to the Dongba Culture Museum. This museum traces history of the ancient Dongba culture of the Naxi minority people with more than 10,000 cultural relics in its collection. After visiting the museum, we can walk over to the Black Dragon Pool for picturesque views in a calm and peaceful setting. During clear weather this is also a great place to see the beautiful Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance.

After we see the Black Dragon Pool, we will take you back to your hotel for the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lijiang

This morning we will check out of the hotel and drive around 45 kilometers (28 miles) for a fantastic panoramic view of the First Bend of the Yangtze River, a horseshoe-shaped section of river that bends around a small mountain. We’ll also stop in the town there, Shigu, to see the Iron Chain Bridge and the ancient “Stone Drum”, which is a stone monument with a stone plaque placed there around 500 years ago to commemorate a Naxi victory over Tibetans in battle.

Moving on from Shigu we will visit one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world at Tiger Leaping Gorge, which was carved by the Jinsha River, one of the major tributaries of the Yangtze River. The maximum depth from the river to the top of the canyon is 3790 meters (12,434 feet), creating some amazing views. Legend has it that a tiger jumped across the river using a rock that is still visible there in the middle of the river, thus the name Tiger Leaping Gorge.

From the magnificent Tiger Leaping Gorge we will travel on to what may be the real life Shangri-La, which is about a 2-hour drive through some beautiful scenery along the way, and then check into our hotel for the night. You will have the rest of the night free to rest and relax in your hotel room or explore the local area on your own.

Accommodation: Overnight in Lijiang

“Shangri-La” is a fictional place from James Hilton’s classic novel Lost Horizon, but there is evidence to suggest that this area of northern Yunnan Province was Hilton’s inspiration for the place. A National Geographic resident explorer, Joseph Rock (whose former residence we will have visited in Yuhu Village), published articles in the National Geographic magazine in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s that may have influenced Hilton’s book, which was first published in 1933.

To begin our exploration of the “real” Shangri-La, we will first visit the Songzanlin Monastery (Ganden Sumtseling Gompa), an ancient monastery of the “Yellow Hat” sect of Tibetan Buddhism situated at an elevation of 3,380 meters (11,090 feet) above sea level. First built in 1679, it is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province with around 700 resident monks at the present time. It is sometimes referred to as “The Little Potala Palace” due to the main monastery’s resemblance to the Potala Palace in Tibet. The main hall also houses an 8 meter (26 feet) tall gilded statue of the Shakyamuni Buddha along with paintings of events in his life and numerous ancient scriptures written on palm leaves. We can explore the three main lamasery buildings to see the various Buddhist treasures and the resident monks going about their daily lives, and if the weather permits, we can walk around the tranquil Lamuyangcuo Lake to enjoy the spectacular natural scenery there.

After our visit to the monastery, we will drive on to Pudacuo (also known as Potatso) National Park, the first national park in China to meet International Union for the Conservation of Nature standards and also a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas. This 1,300 square kilometer (500 square mile) national park reportedly contains more than 20% of China’s species of plants, around one-third of its mammal and bird species and nearly 100 endangered species. The main sections of the park are Shudu Lake, Militang Grasslands and Bita Lake. We will start our exploration of the park by walking along the wooden plank road to enjoy the scenery around Shudu Lake (3.3 km, 1 hour of hiking) and Bita Lake (4.2 km, 1.5 hours hiking) while enjoying the Militang Grasslands between the two lakes. As an option, you may want to consider taking a boat cruise on Shudu Lake or Bita Lake rather than walking the entire way.

After visiting the park, we will be welcomed into the home of a local Tibetan family for some special Tibetan snacks and yak butter tea. Fresh off of some authentic Tibetan hospitality, we will drive back to the hotel in Zhongdian to spend the night.

Accommodation: Overnight in Shangri-la

This morning we will wrap up our time in Shangri-La with a visit to the 1,300-year old Dukezong Old Town, where we can climb to the top of Guishan (Tortoise) Hill for a panoramic view over the old town and Shangri-La County. Although the town was mostly destroyed by a massive fire in 2014, the old town has been painstakingly restored to its former glory and it is well worth a visit.After exploring Dukezong Old Town, we will take you to the Shangri-La Zhongdian Airport for your flight on to your next destination.

Accommodation: None