Yunnan is huge,compare to other popular yunnan destinations like lijiang, Dali in North Yunnan, western Yunnan is less known. But the wild nature landscape like Nu Valley and Gaoligong mountain is really worth to discover. Extending more than 300 miles along Yunnan's border with Myanmar, the narrow, jagged Gaoligong mountain range meets with the Salween River in a dramatic 500-mile-long gorge. The mountains form a divide between two major rivers in Asia, with the Salween, known to the Chinese as the Nu River to the east and the Irrawaddy to the west. Two more great rivers, the Yangtze and the upper Mekong, converge where the mountains meet the Nujiang River gorge. Remote and rugged, the Gaoligong Mountains are recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot and the epicenter of plant endemism in northwest Yunnan. Gaoligong Mountain area with the original nature wonders and much less commercialized from tourism.
After meeting your guide at Kunming airport,then transfer to the hotel in Kunming city.
Free at leisure the rest time of the day to stroll in the old town or have a good rest after long time flying.
Overnight at Kunming
After the breakfast ,firstly transfer to discover Stone Forest (1.5-2hrs) is most important attractions of Yunnan. The difference types of limestone of here is isolated, exquisite and beautiful, showing its unique charm. It became the member in the list of World Nature Heritage in June , 2007.)
After the tour, drive back to Kunming city, make a leisure stroll around Kunming center --Flower and Bird Market (which is located in the Yongdao street area of the city center. It is a popular daily market for trading difference flowers, plants, pets and antiques, Jade articles , jewelry , ink stones , potteries , stone carving , fan and handcrafts. Here is one of the most alluring attractions in Kunming)
In the evening, transfer Kunming railway station to high speed train to Dali (2hrs)
Arrive at Dali, be weclomed by the guide and transfer to check in hotel.
Overnight on Dali
In the monring, visit Xizhou Town It’s known as a historical town, a classic Bai ethnic town. Followed by a walking around in the old street of Xizhou and to witness the Bai traditional architectures most of which are designed in style. Then enjoy the “Three-Course Tea “ ceremony which is the traditional treating for Bai people to their honored guests.
Afterward, take a cruise tour in Erhai Lake by the small boat 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.
Finally discover the Dali Old Town. (It was set up in 1382 A.D during the Ming Dynasty as the capital of the Dali kingdom. There are well-preserved traditional houses of the Bai Ethnic Group people)
Overnight at Dali
In the morning, transfer to Jianchuan County, (2-2.5hrs). Take the tour of Shibaoshan Mountain. (Stone Treasure Mountain) which the famous writer Jinyong extolled as “The Treasure of South China” is located at Jianchuan County, Dali. The scenery is wonderful, and rather unique in being adorn with red rock geomorphology.
Later go ahead to check in your hotel in Shaxi Old Town.
Overnight at Shaxi
Today, transfer to Shaxi (2.5hrs ) for the tour of Shaxi Town, one of the world's 100 most endangered sites listed by the World Monuments Fund is a place where you can breathe in fresh air around-the-clock. Shaxi is also a village with a long history that can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period (770 BC-221BC).
After the tour , further driving to Yunlong town (4.5-5.5hrs-142km)
Upon arrival, check in your hotel.
Lunch and dinner at Chinese restaurant
Overnight at Yunlong
Morning, you will have a tour of Nuodeng Village 160 km away from Dali. Its name was determined in the Tang Dynasty and has kept the unchanged up to now. The natural landscape of Nuodeng forms an splendid view similar to the Taoist “Tai Chi.” Time seems to have frozen here as many of the buildings are from the Ming or Qing dynasties.
Continue drive to the west to Liuku Town ( 5-5.5hrs -185km ) of Nujiang Lisu Nationality Autonomous Prefecture borders Myanmar to the west.Ethnic minority groups inhabiting this prefecture include the Lisu, Nu and Dulong peoples.
On the way, enjoy the view of Nujiang River a famous river in southwest China. Nujiang deep inside the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, flows into Myanmar and changed name into Salween River, finally go into the Indian Ocean in the Andaman Sea. Stop to take picture of Nujiang River Bridge which is a railroad bridge part of the Dali–Ruili Railway in China's Yunnan province. It is 1,024 metres long.
Overnight at: Nujiang Jinmeng Hotel (3+*) ( the best available )
This morning, drive to Gongshan ( 6.5-7hrs 248km) It is an important town(though just a one-street-town) because it is the closest supply depot for hardware and other requirements to all the towns and villages north and east (to Drung territory) of here.
Along the road, enjoy the amazing landscape of the Nujiang Canyon outside the car window. The 316-kilometer-long Nujiang Canyon is flanked by two 4,000-meter-high mountains. The mountain peaks on the two sides have an average altitude of over 3,000 kilometers. You will stop to take view of Laohutiao which is a steep and narrow section of the canyon and Stone Moon Atop the Gaoligong Mountain is a big round cave that from afar looks like a full moon hanging in the sky among the verdant mountains. Through the cave, you can faintly see the entirely imaginary clouds.Arrive at Gongshan in the later afternoon and check in your hotel.
Overnight at: Bilu Mijin Dulongjaing Hotel (3*)
After breakfast , head to Bingzhongluo (42km --1hr)a place which represents the southernmost extent of Tibetan culture, and the northernmost extent of Han Chinese influence in the valley. The local population includes Nu and Lisu people, as well as some Dulong.
On your way , take a stop at a U-shaped bend on the surface surrounded by mountains. Make tour of some of the religious sights here, such as the Tibetan Puhua temple and the Zhongding Catholic Church, which was built by French missionaries. Then have a leisurely walks along the banks of the Nujiang where you can visit small and friendly villages on both sides of the river using the wooden bridges and overhead cables to get back and forth.
After the tour , you will back to Gongshan.
Overnight at Gongshan
After breakfast, departure to Fugong ( 3.5hrs -115km )
Upon arrival, check in your hotel in Fugong is a palace mainly populated by the Lisu tribe. There are rice terraces just outside the town centre on the slopes all along the river, easily accessible by walking. All along the trek up the slopes, the view extended to the Gaoligong Mountains with snow crowned peaks soaring over 4000m.
The make tour of a suspension bridge and taking a zip cord glide cable ride. Visit the nice Lisu villages
In the evening, you will be treated to a feast of Nu cuisine, and there will be much dancing and singing for entertainment
Overnight at Fugong
In the morning, drive back to Liuku (4hrs-135km ) and you will have time to enjoy and explore Nujiang Canyon.With picturesque lofty mountains, virgin forests, river rapids and snowscape in spring and winter, the canyon is one of the most breathtaking examples of natural splendor anywhere in the world.
After giving you enough time to experience the canyon, we’ll pay a visit to the village of Laomudeng. The village serves as home to 180 families. Laomudng is from the Nu ethnic language and means "a place people like to visit". The highlight of the village is the Lisu Ethnic Bathhouse. When spring comes every year, the Lisu ethnic people use this bathhouse to bath. This tradition has been kept for hundreds of years. People of all ages and both sexes will come here for a bath where the holy spring water is reputed to wash away all the unlucky things.
Overnight at Liuku
Today, you will head to Tengchong (4-5hrs -250km ) is a famous historical city bearing witness to the rise, prosperity and falling of the Tea-horse road trade route.
After arrival , you will discover the Heshun Old Town Heshun in Chinese means harmony and peace. This charming old town is surrounded by a river and built along the slope of a hill with an area of 3km horizontally.
Lunch en route , dinner on your own account.
Overnight at Tengchong
In the morning ,visit the Rehai Hot Spring Park is located in Liujiazhai Village, 12km away from Tengchong city. The water of the hot spring contains rich and variety of minerals and the sulphur in it benefits people’s skin and body very much. Nowadays, it has changed into the must to visit palace of Tengchong.
Later move to visit Volcanoes Geology Park Tengchong is a well known young volcanic and geothermal area in China. There is an old saying that "Nine out of ten mountains have no head." to describe the volcanoes there. It is a National Geology Park. And Tengchong Beihai Wetland ( located in the 12.5km northwest of Tengchong county which was list on the "China National Wetland Conservation List" in 1994 and is one of the 33 key conservation wetlands of China.)
After the tour , transfer back to your hotel.
Overnight at Tengchong
Today you will departure to Ruili. On the way, visit the Dai ethnic Village and Xuanfu Former Chieftain Office at Nandian. t is located at Zhedao Street of Zhedao town in Lianghe County, begun in the first year of emperor Xianfeng of Qing Dynasty in 1851. After continuous expansion in three generations of Chieftains, it was completed in the 24th year of the Republic of China (1935). After the tour, continue to the transfer to Ruili (3hrs). Take a visit of the Dai Villages and Ruili Economic Development Zone, which was founded in 1992 and was established to promote trade between China and Myanmar. The zone connects Ruili with Man-wing City. Take a nice stroll for the night market.
Lunch en route and dinner at local Chinese restaurant.
Overnight at Ruil
Morning transfer 110km drive to the city of Mangshi airport (1.5hrs ) for taking the flight to Kunming ( 1hr5m flying time )
Upon arrival at Kunming you OWN take the connection flight to your next destinations, ending your tour.
Categories
Classic Tours(12)Cross-border Tours(6)Golf Tours(4)Photography Tours(8)Short Stay Tours(13)Theme Tours(5)Trekking Tours(5)Hot Destinations in Tour
