Day 02
Kunming - Stone Forest – Kunming
After breakfast, drive 90 KM to Lunan county to visit the Stone Forest. Back to Kunming in the afternoon. Visit the Golden Temple. (B+L)
Stone Forest: The most remarkable natural phenomena. It consists of innumerable bizarre shaped ancient limestone cliffs and peaks created by wind and water erosion some 270 million years ago.
Golden Temple: A Daoist temple, the main building of which is cast entirely in bronze weighing about 280 tons.
Day 03
Kunming – Lijiang
Take morning flight to Lijiang. Visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the Baisha Murals, the 600 year old Ten Thousand Blossom Camellia Tree at the Yufeng Lama Temple and villages of ethnic Naxi people. In the afternoon, visit the Black Dragon Pool and Lijiang Ancient Town. (B+L)
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: The much famed mountain is situated some 15 km. north of Lijiang County, with thirteen peaks resembling jade pillars holding the sky, it stands majestically on the east side of the Jinshajiang River. The main peak, Mount Fan (Shanzifeng), is 5,596 m. above sea level, and is annually snowcapped.
Baisha Murals: Lijiang's murals are works of the Ming Dynasty, chiefly created from the Hongwu to the Wanli eras. They were originally distributed among the Juexiansi Temple and twelve others, nine of which fell to ruins. The remaining four temples have altogether 55 murals, with a total area of 139.22 sq. m.
Ten Thousand Blossom Camellia Tree: The tree is as old as over 500 years. Around the day when spring begins, the flowers also begin to vie in beauty and around the day when summer begins, they fade away.
Naxi people: Naxi literature is rich in form and content. Besides works by Naxi scholars and writers, there is a repository of oral folk literature.
Black Dragon Pool: As the water is as green and lucid as jade, the pond is also entitled "Yuquan" or Jade Fountain. On the bank of the pond willows hang their withes like silk thread. One can see arbours and pavilions beside the pond, temples hidden in the trees and variegated flowers found everywhere.
Lijiang Ancient Town: The county town of Lijiang is also called Dayanzhen, famous for its scientific architectural layout. Crisscrossed by crystal-clear rivers and meandering cobbled streets, it has a high research value and is a treasure in the field of urban construction in China.
Day 04
Lijiang - Walnut Grove
Drive to Qiaotou town, hike on upper trails of Tiger-Leaping Gorge to Walnut Grove (4 Hours), enjoy the awesome gorge view with the Yangtze running down in the gorge. (B+L+D)
Tiger Leaping Gorge: One of the longest, deepest and narrowest gorges in the world.
Day 05
Walnut Grove - River shore
Continue to hike to Heika (3 Hours), a small Naxi village sites beside the Yangtze River. Trek down to the river shore (1 Hour). (B+L+D)
Day 06
River shore - Haba Village
Hike to Haba Village (5 Hours), this is a beautiful trek aroud the Haba Snow Mountain. Stay at Snow Sea Guesthouse where you will see the snow peak in the courtyard. Or you have another choice, driving to Haba in the morning, after having lunch, you can go to visit nearby Yi or Naxi ethnic village. (B+L+D)
Day 07
Haba Village - Sanba Village - Shangri-la
Drive to Sanba Village, visit Baishuitai (White Water Terrace) where the Naxi Culture originated. It is now the holy place for Naxi ceremonies. After lunch, drive to the Shangri-la (Zhongdian). (B+L+D)
In the Tibetan language, Shangri-La means a place of good fortune and luck. Located in the midst of three rivers; the torrential Jinsha, Langcang and Nujiang, Shangri-La is a sacred scenic region with distinguishing features.
Day 08
Shangri-la
Visit a Tibetan village, the Shudu Lake and the Songzangling Lamasary. (B+L+D)
Shudu Lake: A nature preserve with wonderful birdlife, the first thing that hits most visitors to Shudu Lake, is the sheer beauty of the spot. The lake is known for its clear water, and the peaceful environment of the area around here.
Songzangling Lamasary: A typical Lama monastery, the monastery was first built here in Ming Dynasty, 1679 and has been rebuilt many times.
Day 09
Shangri-la – Kunming
Take morning flight to Kunming. Visit the Dragon Gate in Western Hills, the Grand-view Park and Bird & Flower market. (B+L)
Western Hills: Located at the west bank of the Dianchi Lake, is set in mountains well covered by evergreen woods and filled with sweet songs by lovely birds, perfect for hiking. Dragon Gate consists of the Sanqing Temple Complex and the Dragon Gate Grotto Complex.
Grand-view Park: A beautiful lake-side park that was completed in 1690 during the Qing Dynasty, known for its longest antithetical couplet in China.
Day 10
Departure from Kunming
Transfer to the airport for your departure, end of service. (B)
The above private guided tour is tailored for you exclusively. No other people will be in your group. Others will not join in your tour and you will not take part into any tours of others our land services. The quotations above are applied for 2-5 people as a group, if you have a group of 6 or more, please email us for special prices!
Tour Inclusions:
1.) The economy-class airfare of China flights as specified in the itinerary.
2.) The hotel/cruise accommodation is based on two persons sharing one standard twin room/cabin with private facilities in all relevant locations. If a single client requests a twin room/cabin alone, the single room/cabin supplement will be charged.
3.) For the land tour in each city, daily American breakfast is served in the hotel, and Chinese lunch and/or dinner will be served with two cups of soft drink outside the hotel. All meal arrangements are served as the itinerary specifies.
4.) On the cruise daily American breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. The beverage arrangements are subject to policies of different cruise companies.
5.) The cruise shore excursion in groups and daily activities are subject to the arrangements made by the cruise company and subject to change without prior notice.
6.) Private transfers for you and the group between airports, hotels and all sightseeing spots. Separate arrivals and departures will incur extra charges.
7.) One private English-speaking guide and driver will accompany you on all normal sightseeing tours in each city.
8.) Admission fees applicable.
9.) The Tibet Travel Permit application fee applicable if your tour includes Tibet.
10.) Chinese government taxes and the city construction fees applicable to your travel are included.
11.) Travel Agencies' Liability Insurance with the tour inside China.
Tour Exclusions:
1.) The air charge of arrival in the first city of the tour and departure from the last city of the tour.
2.) Expenses of a personal nature such as laundry, drink, telex, telephone calls or excess baggage charges.