Travel around the classical section of northwestern Yunnan within one week. To discover the wonderful Landscapes and know about not only the friendly local peoplebut also other travelers is a good choice for the solo travelers.
Morning pick up from your hotel in Kunming downtown,then transfer to discover Naigu Stone Forest (2hrs) The difference types of limestone of here is isolated, exquisite and beautiful, showing its unique charm. It is about 10km to the east of Large Stone Forest. Compared with the tourists crowed Stone Forest Park which is 10km far away. It is a good choice for travelers to explore the beautiful Karst Land form under a quiet atmosphere.
After that,drive back to Kunming city (1.5-2hrs )and drop off at railway station for taking the high speed train to Dali(2hrs 'running time).
Be picked up at exit,then drive to Dali Old Town to check in hotel.
Overnight at Dali
Today visit the morning market of 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.
Then enjoy the "Three-Course Tea"ceremony which is the traditional treating for Bai people to their honored guests, the Bai women will offering tea for three times including the first course of tea is called bitter tea, the second sweet tea and the third, aftertaste tea.
Later,have a cruise tour in Erhai Lake by the small boat. Erhai 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.It is like a crescent lying between Cangshan and Dali city as seen from Cangshan Mount.Finally stroll in the Dali Old Town. (It was set up in 1382 A.D as the capital of the Dali kingdom. At present, only the south and north gate towers remain standing. There are well-preserved traditional houses of the Bai Ethnic Group people )
Overnight at Dali
Morning further the trip to Lijiang (2.5hrs) with your Chinese speaking driver on the way.
Upon arrival, after meet with your local guide,then visit Black Dragon Pond (Located at the foot of the Xiangshan Mountain (Elephant Hill) north of the city of Lijiang. As the water here is a lucid green color, it gained another name Jade Spring Park (Yuquan Park)and the Dongba Museum nearby to know about the Naxi Dongba culture
Later stroll in Lijiang Dayan Old Town(a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture.The old town looks like a big jade ink slab, therefore got the alias the Town of Big Ink Slab. Lijiang was placed on the world cultural heritage list in 1997.).
Overnight at Lijiang
Today drive north to Shangri-La via Qiaotou along the Yunnan-Tibetan road. After around 2hrs’driving,take a stop on the way to make a bird view of The First Bend of the Yangtze River, a world-famous geological phenomenon and an extraordinary panoramic scene whose vistas you will long remember with great pleasure.
Later visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Gorge), which is believed to be the deepest gorge in the world. From the top of the gorge you look down the steeply angled (70-90 degrees) mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands (Jingsha) River with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 meters (about 700 feet) below.
After the tour, furtherdrive to Shangri-La(2-2.5hrs).Shangri-la formerly known as Zhongdian and sometimes called 'Gyalthang' in Tibetan, where is the Tibetan region of Yunnan.
After that, move to walk around at Dukezong Tibetan Old Town, Dukezong comes from Tibetan language which means the moonlight city, on the summit of the Guishan Hill in the old town, you will see the largest Pray Wheel in the world.You can try to push the huge pray wheel around with local people together to show your blessing to your family or friends.
Overnight at Shangri-La
After breakfast, visit Lake Napa Nature Reserve is 3270 meters above sea level and covers 660 square kilometers; it is approximately 8 kilometers to northwest of Zhongdian town. It’s a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides which are covered in snow during winter and spring time. The water melts from the surrounding mountains and another over 10 small rivers flow into the lake after zigzagging through grassland.)
And continue to visit the famous Tibetan Temple- Songzanglin Monastery
(Founded in the 17th century during the reign of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and nicknamed as Lesser Potala Palace by the locals, is one of the thirteen Tibetan monasteries in the Kangba Region, where Tibet, Yunnan and Sichuan join.).
After the tour,transfer back to Lijiang (4-4.5hrs) with the driver, and check your hotel after arrival.
Overnight at Lijiang
Today transfer to visit Lashihai Wetland. It is the best place for plants, fishes, shellfish and river snails. The grassy marshland and swamp provide a nice home for wetland animals and plants. And Zhiyun Temple situated by Lashihai Lake is regarded as one of the five temples in the city of Lijiang. It is a famous tourism spot of Tibetan Lamaism.
Later , stop to visitYuhu village,where a group of Naxi Minority has lived for hundreds of years.Take a stop at the former residence of Rock, where the old China home for Joseph Rock--the Austria-American botanist and anthropologist, is a less crowded but worth seeing place in Lijiang city.
Afterward, drop off at Lijiang railway station for the high speed train to Kunming reference train number D8794 (17:30-20:47)
Ends of the service
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