Classic Northwest Yunnan Tour (8 nights/9 days)
Destination included: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La.
Attractions features: cultures of ethnic minority groups of Yi, Bai, Naxi and Tibetan; alpine scenery; cultural relics, etc.
Day 01: arrive in Kunming which is reputed as "Spring City" because of the pleasant climate all year round and big variety of flowers, city tour, visit the East and West Temple Pagodas which were built during the 9th century, Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Archways which are among the landmarks of Kunming city, Flower & Bird Market and Nanping Pedestrian Commercial Street. (O/N: Kunming)
Day 02: one day tour to Stone Forest (90 km, 1.5 hrs) which is a world natural heritage site and world geological park with amazing karst limestone landform, in the meantime, meet the local Yi ethnic minority people there. (O/N: Kunming)
Day 03: take early morning flight to Dali (30 minutes), on arrival, drive to Xizhou which is a typical Bai-populated town and it is 18 kilometers away from the old town of Dali, visit Shacun Village which has thousands of years of history of cormorant-fishing and take a boat ride (1 hour) on Erhai Lake which is 40 kilometers long with crystal clear waters and isles, meanwhile, watch cormorant-fishing show, then visit the Bai ethnic minority's traditional residences there, after lunch, drive back to the old town of Dali, on the way, visit Three-Pagoda Park which is made up of a large complex of Buddhist temples and it is famous for the 3 imposing pagodas, then visit the old town of Dali, feel the laidback atmosphere on the "Foreigners' Street" and relax for the rest of the day. (O/N: Dali)
Day 04: travel overland by car to Lijiang (3.5 hrs), on the way, visit the Bai-inhabited Xinhua Village of Heqing county where "every villager is a craftsman and every family has a workshop" and it is famous for silver handicrafts which date back to more than one thousand years ago, after arrival in Lijiang, visit Black Dragon Pool where you can pay a visit to the Dongba priest and get blessings from him, then take a walk in the old town of Lijiang which is a world cultural heritage site, experience the local Naxi ethnic minority people's life. (O/N: Lijiang)
Day 05: visit Spruce Meadow (3208 meters above sea level) which is located on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and it is an ideal place to enjoy a spectacular view of the mountain, the meadow is tucked away in a dense primeval forest of spruce, hence the name, take a 20-minute ride of chairlift and it brings you up to a wooden path that leads to Spruce Meadow, then walk along the path through the forest until the Meadow is in sight and it unfolds a grand view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain before your eyes, after that, visit the murals in the small town of Baisha, then drive back to Lijiang and it is free time on your own for the rest of the day. (O/N: Lijiang)
Day 06: travel overland by car to Shangri-La (4 hrs), a Tibetan-inhabited area which was described in the novel - "Lost Horizon" by James Hilton as "Shangri-La" and after studies by many experts, hence the former Zhongdian was renamed Shangri-La, en route, stop off at the First Bend of Yangtze River, then visit Tiger Leaping Gorge where a tiger was said to leap across the gorge with the help of a large rock in the middle of the rapid river, hence the name, the narrowest part of the gorge is only 30 meters and the deepest point is more than 3000 meters which is believed to be the world's deepest, after arrival in Shangri-La, visit the old town of Dukezong which boasts of the most well-preserved and the biggest cluster of traditional Tibetan residences in China. (O/N: Shangri-La)
Day 07: visit Pudacuo National Park which is China's first national park and it was officially established on June 25, 2007, the Park is located in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world where more than 20 percent of China's plant species, about one-third of mammal and bird species of China and almost 100 endangered species have been found and it is made up of Bita Lake Nature Reserve, Shudu Lake Eco-tourist Area and Xiaji Tibetan Cultural Tourist Village, then visit Songzanlin Temple which is the biggest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Yunnan, after that, you can pay a visit to a local Tibetan family, meanwhile, taste delicacies of Tibetan cuisine, experience Tibetan customs and watch Tibetan song & dance show. (O/N: Shangri-La)
Day 08: take early morning flight (50 minutes) back to Kunming, visit Western Hills which is a forest park and as the outline of the hills looks like a lady lying down and trailing her hair in Dianchi Lake, it is nicknamed "Sleeping Beauty", ascending the hills, you can pay pilgrimages to Taoist gods and Buddhas and enjoy a bird's eye view of Kunming city and the lake, then visit Golden Temple which is a Taoist temple and it is famous for a 250-ton bronze temple (the heaviest in China) and a 14-ton bronze bell (the third heaviest in China), on the bell tower there, you can also overlook Kunming city and see "Sleeping Beauty" clearly in the distance. (O/N: Kunming)
Day 09: depart
Quotations:
US$1,175 per person (on 2 persons and 3-star hotel basis)
US$1,270 per person (on 2 persons and 4-star hotel basis)
US$1,431 per person (on 2 persons and 5-star hotel basis)
Tour Inclusions:
1. Entrance fees to scenic spots
2. Twin room based on double occupancy in hotels
3. Buffet for breakfasts, Chinese food for involved lunches
4. Air-conditioned vehicles
5. Air tickets for flights inside Yunnan
6. English-speaking guides
Tour Exclusions:
1. Visa fees
2. Dinners
3. International or domestic air tickets for flights to and from Yunnan
4. Excess baggage charges
5. Tips and personal expenses
6. Single room supplement
7. Travel insurance