Day 01 Arrive in Kunming (D)
Sightseeing: the Green Lake, Kunming City Tour
Special Experience:Enjoy welcoming dinner of Yunnan Flavouring food with crossing Bridge Rice Noodle and Steam Pot Chicken/Qiguoji.
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.
-- 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 02 Kunming-86KM-Stone Forest-Kunming (B/L)
Sightseeing: the Stone Forest , Guandu Ancient Town, Jingang Pagoda
Optional Special Experience:Enjoy the large-scale dance drama "Dynamic Yunnan" in Kunming People's Hall (show time: from 20:00-21:30).
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.
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.
-- 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 03 Kunming-360KM-Dali by air (B/L)
Sightseeing: the Three-pagodas in Chongshen Temple, Erhai Lake Cruise,Dali Ancient Town, City Wall, the Foreigner Street
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 landing, 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.
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.
Day 04 Dali-126KM- Shaxi by private car (B/L)
Sightseeing: Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, Shaping Monday Bazaar, Little West Lake, Shaxi Ancient Town
Special Experience:Enjoy the Three Course Tea of Bai Minority with ethnic dance and music in Xizhou Town
In the morning, 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.
If you are lucky enough, you also visit the Shaping Bazaar happened every Monday in Shangguan Town. Shaping Market is only held on Monday,the Bai people from the surrounding villages of Lake Erhai, including Dali, come to buy and sell fruits, vegetables, poultry, animals, hardware, so-called "antiques" and whatever.
Drive to Shaxi Ancient Town, (Optional:on the way you will take a small boat to visit the Little West Lake) located at the foot of Fozhong Mountain, west of Yousuo Town in Eryuan County. Arrive in Shaxi in the afternoon, walk around Shaxi Ancient Town and explore the local ethnic life.
--Shaxi once played an important role as a bustling trade station on the Tea and Horse Caravan Road, an important branch of the Silk Road. Just over one thousand years ago, this ancient trade route connected Tibet with Eastern China. In exchange for teas from Yunnan, Tibetans traded their famous breed of horse to Song Dynasty officials in eastern China, who were busy defending their territory from invaders from the north. Thus the Tea and Horse Caravan was born. Shaxi became the main trade station along this route.
Overnight at Laomadian Lodge
Day 05 Shaxi-Shibaoshan Mountain-Lijiang (B/L)
Sightseeing: Shibaoshan Mountain, Shizhong Temple and Grottoes, Lijiang Ancient Town
Today you will drive about 10Km away from Shaxi Ancient Town to visit Shibaoshan Mountain. From Baoxiang Temple you can hike 3 hours to look around that area, in the mountains there are many small old temples. On the path, you can see very nice views of forest, fields with crops, villages in big valley. Visit Baoxiang Temple is a Chinese Buddhism Temple from Yuan Dynesty, about 3 hundred wild monkeys live with kulapatis around the Baoxiang temple.Visit the Shizhong temple in the mountain. There are eight grottoes of Shizhong temple for 800 years old.
After the mountain, you will drive to Jianchuan Town and visit Thousands of Lions(Qianshishan) Mountain. Thousand Lions Mountain is 1.5 km from Jianchuan. These stone-carved lions are from the Song (906-1279) to Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). You will find countless lions and endless steps. Stone Carving Jianchuan has a long history of stone carving.Influenced by the grotto of Shizhongshan Mountain,the crafts of stone carving is very skillful,especially in the area of Meiyuan and Yangcen around Jianyang Town.
In the late afternoon you will drive to Lijiang and enjoy the wonderful night view of Lijiang Ancient Town.
Day 06 Lijiang-30KM-Jade Dragon Snow Mountain-Lijiang (B/L)
Sightseeing: Yulong Snow Mountain,Yak Meadow, Baishui River and Terraces, Baisha Villages and Murals
Optional 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 07 Lijiang Cycling Tour (B/L)
Sightseeing: Black Dragon Pool, Dongba Culture Museum, Shuhe Ancient Town
Optional Special Experience:Naxi Orchestral Music of Naxi Concert in Lijiang Anciet Town
In the morning, you will enjoy the sunrise of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from Black Dragon Pool which is the water source of the Jade River in Lijiang Ancient Town. Here you can visit One cent Pavilion,Dongba Culture Museum, Deyue Pavilion,Jietuolin Temple, Five Phoenixes Tower, Dragon King Temple and Elephant Mountain. Among them, the most famous buildings are the Villa Jietuolin of the King Mu and the Five Phoenixes Tower combines the typical Lamaism plane pattern and exquisite wooden structure of the Naxi architecture. Both the frame and the technology are unprecedented. The buildings can rarely be found even in the world of Chinese architecture.
Have an easy cycling tour to Shuhe Ancient Town which is the town of the Ancient Tea-Horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India. Shuhe Ancient Town is located 4km to the northwest of the Lijiang Ancient Town. Its central part covers an area of about 5 square kilometers with a population around 3,000. In 1997, Shuhe was ranked as an important part of Lijiang Ancient Town which was already the World Cultural Heritage named by UNESCO.
In the afternoon, climb up to the top of the Lion Hill, you will have a panoramic view of Lijiang Ancient Town and Lijiang New City from Wangu Tower.
Day 08 Lijiang-100KM-Tiger Leaping Gorge-100KM-Shangri La (B/L)
Sightseeing: Shigu Ancient Town, Stone Drum,First Bend of Yangtze River, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Dukezong Ancient Town
Optional 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 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. You will be relax in Dukezong Ancient Town in the late afternoon and enjoy the dance with Tibetan people in Sifang Square around 7:00PM.
-- 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 09 Shangri La (B/L)
Sightseeing: Sogzanlin Monastery, the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, Dukezong Ancient Town, the largest Prayer Wheel
Optional Special Experience:Enjoy the bonfire party in the Tibetan family at night with butter oil tea and Tibetan snack.
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 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 have an option to 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.
--Shangri-La is the "Eden in dream". Since it first appeared in British novelistJames Hilton's Lost Horizon in the 1939, it has been associated withthe mystique of a place which could not possibly exist here on Earth. In Tibetan,Shangri-La means the "sun and moon in heart", an ideal home only found in heaven.There the lofty and continuous snowy mountains, endless grasslands, steep andgrand gorges, azure lakes and the bucolic villages always leave a deep impressionon visitors.
Day 10 Departure from Shangri-La (B)
Flight Information:MU5934 08:50/09:50
Take the flight to Kunming and change the flight for returning.
Service ends.
Dali
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