10 days Yunnan Highlight tour, Kunming-Xishuangbanna-Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-La
Trip highlights: The Water-Splashing Festival, New Years Day by Dai calendar, will be celebrated in the Jinghong City Proper between April 12 and 18. It is better to visit Jinghong at this time for the festival tour and the wild elephant in tropical forest. Men and women indulge themselves in the spree of the Water Splashing Festival The three- to-four-day Water Splashing Festival is a traditional festival for the Dai people in Xishuangbanna and other places to send off the old and ring in the new, and to wish each other well. Water splashing is featured at this festival as entertainment.
Day 1 Arrive in Kunming (D)
Sightseeing: the Green Lake
You'll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming. Upon arrival at the Kunming International Airport, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.
You will take a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. If time permits, you will have a Kunming city tour. Enjoy welcoming dinner of Yunnan Flavouring food with crossing Bridge Rice Noodle and Steam Pot Chicken/Qiguoji.
After dinner, you will have an option to enjoy the large-scale dance drama "Dynamic Yunnan" which has been an outstanding innovation on the Chinese stage in recent years directed by Yang Liping. Primitive, unsophisticated folk dances and a fresh artistic concept converge in the programme, giving audiences a unique "Yunnan Impression." Sixty-two drums and 120 masks of strong ethnic characteristics are incorporated in the performance.
-- Kunming is the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world's most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city.
Day 2 Kunming-78KM-Stone Forest-XishuangBanna (B+L)
Sightseeing: the Stone Forest , Guandu Ancient Town, Jingang Pagoda
You will drive 86 km to the Stone Forest. An old local saying says that 'If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.' Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.
After lunch drive back Kunming to visit the Guandu Ancient Town which is a famous historical & cultural town in Kunming; it keeps the main architectural style of Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Take the night flight to Jinghong City in XishuangBanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture located in south Yunnan Province.
-- The Stone Forest is in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers from Kunming and requires only a three-hour drive. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers (96,000 acres) and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots. The Stone Forest has unique karst topography which is one of the best of its kind within China. There are six scenic spots in the Stone Forest: the Greater Stone Forest, the Lesser Stone Forest, the Naigu Stone Forest, the Zhiyun Cave, the Long Lake, the Da Dieshui Waterfall and the Qifeng Cave.
-- --Guandu Ancient town is of long history, it is the birth place of Dian Culture. As early as Nanzhao Dali period, it was a big town and hub of the east bank of Dian. It was inhabited 4000 years ago. It has a ferry in Song Dynasty, and many official boats stopped at the ferry, got out of the boat and rode a horse or sit in the litter to get into Kunming. So it got its name “Guandu” (Guan Means official, Du means Ferry). In Ming and Qing Dynasty, it became a developed business and handicraft center.
Day 3 Xishuangbanna - Menglun (B+L)
Sightseeing: Galanba Morning Bazaar, Dai ethnic Village, Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden
After breakfast, transfer to visit Galanba (Olive Dam) with an elevation of 530 meters above the sea level, a small town where you will see typical Dai bamboo cabins, Dai ethnic villages, Mangting Park, tropical plants and colorful fruits. Visit the Morning Ganlanba bazaar, here you will see some ethnic people decorated colorful costume in the market.
After lunch, step cross a suspension bridge to visit Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden, which has the riches plant diversity in China. Drive back to Jinghong City in the late afternoon.
----Monglun Tropical Botanic Garden is located in a island which is called Calabash Island. Its shape just likes a calabash with two ends big and middle narrow. The silver-belt-like Luosuo River( a tributary of Lancang(Mekong) River )surrounds the three sides of the island and only a narrow path connects it with the high Cuiping Peak. This is the home of Xishuangbanna Tropical Plants Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Science. The environment here is so beautiful with mountain and river around it. It is praised as "the Emerald on the Crown of the Kingdom of Plants".
Overnight at Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden Hotel
Day 4 Menglun - Jinghong (B+L)
Sightseeing: Wild Elephant Valley, the elephant show, the primitive raining forest, Jinuo Ethnic Village
After breakfast, drive to visit Wild Elephant Valley in Sanchahe Nature Reserve, enjoy the elephant show in the park, then take cable car to get through the primitive raining forest. After lunch,visit Dry Dai people Village on the way back as well as the Jinuo Ethnic village. In the late afternoon, come back to Jinghong City to try local tea in tea-house. Have Dai people' s barbecue as dinner at night.
--Wild Elephants Valley covers an area of 369 hectares by the Sancha River in Mengyang Town, and is situated 47 kilometers north of the city of Jinghong. With hills rolling gently at an altitude ranging between 747 and 1055 metres, the valley is covered by tropical rain forests, crisscrossed by rivers and streams, and teeming with such endangered species as Asian wild elephants, wild oxen, green peacocks and monkeys. In the Wild Elephants Valley, the first passenger cableway with 2,063 meters of length in the equatorial forest sends the tourists to the main scenic spot in which the wild elephants live.
Day 5 XishuangBanna-Dali(B+L)
Sightseeing: Erhai Lake Cruise, Dali Ancient Town, the Foreigner Street, City Wall
Take the morning flight to Dali which is a historically and culturally famous city of China, is renowned for her historical interest and Bai ethnic culture. After lunch, you’ll cruise in Erhai Lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island.In Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake.At last, you will visit the Ancient Dali Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the relax time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.
--Erhai Lake is the largest highland lake next to Dianchi and one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China. It means, 'sea shaped like an ear', in Chinese. Implying that the lake is ear shaped and as large as a sea, hence it was so named. The lake covers an area of 250 square kilometers and is located about two kilometers east of Dali. It is like a crescent lying between Cangshan and Dali city as seen from Cangshan Mount. In a sunny day, the crystal waters of Erhai Lake and the snow mantled Cangshan Mount radiate with each other. Thus the scene was commonly described as 'Silver Cangshan and Jade Erhai'.
Day 6 Dali-183KM- Lijiang by private car (B+L)
Sightseeing: the Three Pagodas, Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, Lijiang Ancient Town
In the morning, you visit the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
Before leaving for Lijiang, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. Visit Zhoucheng Village and the Bai people's Tie-dying cloth workshop where you can take some special souvenir with the Bai ethnic style.
Visit the Shaping Balaar happened every Monday in Shangguan Town. Drive about 180KM to Lijiang with the beautiful farmlands and ethnic villages on the way. In the late afternoon, explore Lijiang Old Town.Lijiang Ancient Town has a history more than 800 years; it was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people. (Optional:After dinner, you will have an option to attend the Naxi Orchestral Music in Naxi Concert in Lijiang Ancient Town.)
Day 7 Lijiang-30KM-Jade Dragon Snow Mountain-Lijiang(B+L)
Sightseeing: Yulong Snow Mountain,Spruce Meadow, Baisha Village and Murals,Baishui River and TerracesOptional Special Experience:Enjoy the Impression Lijiang Ethnic Show in Ganhaizi Meadow(3100m).
Enjoy the sunrise of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang Ancient Town in the morning, drive about 30KM to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), you will take the sightseeig bus for a short visiting through the Baishuihe River, take the chairlift up to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The cableway will be arranged according to the condition of the mountain. You will hike around1 hours in the original forest in Spruce Meadow (3200M).After lunch, you will enjoy the Impression Lijang Ethnic Show directed in Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M). A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou, Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, a cast of over 500 people, and a number of horses.In the afternoon, you'll stroll through Baisha Village, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
--Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The highest peak named Fan Peak (Shanzidou in Chinese) which is about 5596 meters above sea level. There are three cablecars in the mountain, the fist to the Glacier Park(4500M),the second to Spruce Meadow(3200M),the third to Yak Meadow(3700M).
Day 8 Lijiang-100KM-Tiger Leaping Gorge-100KM-Shangri La (B+L)
Sightseeing: Shigu Ancient Town, the Iron Chain Bridge, Stone Drum,Tiger Leaping GorgeOptional Special Experience:the floating tour at First Bend of the Yangtze River from Shigu Town to Longpan Town
From Lijiang, you'll drive about 60KM to the First Bend on the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery, visit the Iron Chain Bridge,the Red Army's Long March Memorial Monument in the Shigu town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks. You will have an optional experience of the floating from the First Bend of the Yangtze River to Longpan Town, after one hour floating, meet the driver and trasfer to Tiger Leaping Gorge.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 scattered in the valleys. Walk around Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India.
-- 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 9 Shangri La(B+L)
Sightseeing: Sogzanlin Monastery, the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, Dukezong Ancient Town, the largest Prayer WheelOptional Special Experience:Enjoy the bonfire party in the Tibetan family at night with butter oil tea and Tibetan snack.
Visit Dukezong Tibetan Ancient Town in the late afternoon, climb 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. Finally, you will visit a Tibetan's family to experience the local life in the bonfire party with Tibetan dance and music and you will try Tibetan home-made yak and cheese.
Day 10 Departure from Shangri-La(B)
Service ends.