Day 1 Kunming Arrival

After your flight lands at the airport, your tour guide will wait for you with a welcoming smile at the arrival hall. Transfer to your hotel by a private car and driver. The rest of the day we will visit Kunming city museum if we have time.

Day 2 Stone Forest

After a 1.5-hour drive, visit a fantastic natural phenomenon located 90 kilometers southeast of Kunming — the Stone Forest. The various shapes of limestone were formed due to millions of years' movement of the Earth. The Stone Forest area is the home of the Naxi people, and their folk customs have become a spectacular scene. The colorful embroidery and minority dances combined with the natural scenery will surely leave you with a lasting impression. Enjoy a local lunch in a quaint courtyard with the Stone Forest Park in the background.

Stay overnight in Stone Forest Yinruilin hotel.

Day 3 Stone Forest- Yuanyang

At 9:00 am, your tour guide picks you up in Stone Forest, from where you are driven to the Yuanyang Scenic Area (about 380 km, 6 hours), one of Yunnan’s famous UNESCO World Heritage sites. Enjoy a rich Chinese lunch on the way. Upon arrival, you first visit the Bada Rice Terraces, which offer a great view over the gigantic terraced valley. A visit to Qingkou Village follows – a typical local hamlet. Later in the evening, head to the rice terraces at Laohuzui where the colorful sunset can be enjoyed if the weather permits. A very recommended stop for photographers! Get dropped off at your hotel afterward. 

Overnight in Yuanyang Yun’ti Hotel in Sheng Village or similar

Day 4 Yuanyang- Jianshui

The Yuanyang Rice Terraces belongs to the Hani and Yi people and were listed as world heritage in 2013. Get up very early today to witness the sunrise over the terraces at Duoyishu Village and visit Sheng Village afterward. After the lunch break, we proceed to Jianshui (about 130 km, 3.5 hours). On the way, stop over at Tuanshan Village, which was listed as world monument of architectural heritage in 2006. Both Jianshui and Tuanshan attract a lot of visitors from China and abroad. Before getting dropped off at the hotel, pay a visit to Zhu Family Garden in Jianshui.

Day 5 Jianshui -Kunming -Dali

After breakfast, attend a local tofu workshop (about 30 minutes) as tofu is one of the most important foods of the area. Afterward, visit the Confucius Temple, which is the second largest of its kind in China!

After lunch, we proceed back to Kunming. Drop you off at Kunming Train Station to catch the speed train to Dali later,get picked up at Dali Train Station,transfer to Dali hotel.

Day 6 Dali

In the morning, drive to the Xizhou Morning Market to experience some traditional local life and have breakfast on the way. Visit Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste the typical fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore the Bai's distinctive culture.

Xizhou is 19 kilometers north of Dali Old town and lies between Erhai Lake and the Cangshan Mountain Range. It is famous for Bai culture with its old and well-preserved folk houses. It's not only a historically famous city but also a typical commercial center of Bai Ethnic Nationality. The Bai minority are very present at Xizhou. With a more mixed population and cosmopolitan background, it is considered a must for travelers nowadays. Here, you can enjoy lovely local clothes, decorative architectures, and wonderful handicrafts.

After Lunch, we will join a cruise on close Erhai Lake to Jinsuo Island – a local fishing village. Enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain Range and the Three Pagodas from far as well as lots of birds flying over the lake. Then go to Zhoucheng Village which called the “Hometown of Bai’s Tie- Dye Culture” and experiences the tie-dye culture in the Tie- Dye factory,then transfer back to your hotel.

Day 7 Dali-Lijiang

In the morning, we drive you from Dali to Lijiang. Upon arrived Lijiang, we will visit Zhongyi Morning Market, then visit the Black Dragon Pool and Dongba Museum to explore the rich Naxi minority culture.

Afterward, take a visit to close Jade Lake Village: from here, you can enjoy a fantastic view over the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. After the lunch break, get driven to Shuhe Ancient Town including a visit to a local market.

Day 8 Lijiang- Tiger Leaping Gorge- Shangrila

Today after breakfast, get driven about 60 km to the First Bend of the Yangtze River, which is close to the town of Shigu and can be marveled at before heading further north to the Tiger Leaping Gorge with an imposing gorge scenery (about 88 km, 1.5 hours). It's one of the deepest gorges in the world with 34 rapids. The gorge measures 16 km long and a steep 3900m from the waters of Jinsha River to the snow-capped mountaintops of Haba Snow Mountain to the north-west and Yulong (or Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain to the south-east. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is another top attraction of Yunnan!

After having lunch near Qiaotou Village, the tour proceeds to Shangri-La (100 km, 2.5 hours), the former Zhongdian which is well-known as the paradise destination for every traveler. Upon arrival in Shangri-La, you will have entered the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields with yaks scattered across the valleys.

Day 9 Shangrila

After breakfast, head for Ganden Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Visit a local family afterward to get close to the real life of Tibetans.

After lunch, visit Napa lake Natural Reserve, covers an area of 3,125,000 square metres, rising 3,266 metres above the sea level, while the lake covers 660,000 square metres. The natural reserve is flat, surrounded by mountains. In winter or summer, you will be shocked at the snow-cladded mountains, Naqu River, Naizi River and other ten meandering rivers flow into Napahai Lake through the grasslands.

Shangri-La County is administered by Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The average altitude is more than 3,000 meters (about 9,843 feet). In the past, it was called Zhongdian or Jiantang in Tibetan. In 2002, Zhongdian changed its name to Shangri-La. The region is inhabited by many different ethnic groups, with the Tibetans comprising the majority of the population. You will have an opportunity to experience Tibetan life and learn about their lifestyle, religion, and cuisine. The unique scenery, highlighted by plateaus, together with the fascinating ethnic culture makes the land very attractive and charming to visit.

Day 10 Shangrila-Departure

Our guide and driver will see you off at Shangrila airport.Service end.