Arrival in the day at Kunming Airport. Welcome by your driver (with a sign to your name) at the exit of your flight, then transfer to the hotel Grand Park 5 * located in a pleasant area of the center of Kunming. Rest of the day free to recover from your long flight, and make some first visits quietly. You can walk from your hotel to the Emerald Lake, where locals enjoy walking, singing, dancing and playing music. Possibility to extend to the Buddhist temple Yuantong located 5 / 10min walk. Dinner at leisure.

Meet your guide at 8:00. Morning route to the old town of Dali, for a walk through its alleys, and lunch (free). Transfer then to the pleasant Bai village of Zhoucheng. Walk through its old streets to meet its inhabitants (learn more about the batik dyeing process, practiced here for generations) and its small old but charming temples. Then discover the small and quiet village of Xizhou. We suggest you spending the night in a beautiful traditional house of local style Bai, very comfortable. Then take a local ox-drawn cart to access your small boat for a cruise on the great Erhai Lake, and a traditional fishing trip with the cormorants. Return to the hotel. Free dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Visit the Xizhou Morning Market, walk from your hotel. Then drive to Shaxi. Free lunch on the road. In the afternoon, discover the Shibaoshan Mountains, a superb group of Buddhist sculptures carved into the rock and very Zen temples. After the visit, it is possible to walk down a small path leading to the old town of Shaxi, if not by car. Discovery of Shaxi, former big trading center on the caravan route of tea and horses. Accommodation in the heart of the old town at Laomadian Inn, a former caravanserai superbly refurbished with all the necessary comfort. Free dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Road to the Tibetan region of Shangri La. After the city of Jianchuan, discovery of different stages of pottery making in a rustic roadside workshop: the kneading of the earth by buffalo, shaping pottery, the loading of the front kilns cooking (visit possible if the artisans are at work). Second stop of the day at the site of the first curve of the Yangtze, and walk through the small village of Shigu. Continue to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, among the deepest in the world in which the Yangtze River flows, between the Haba Mountain (summit at 5400m) and the Jade Dragon Mountain (summit at 5600m). Short walk back 40 minutes to access the bottom of the Gorges (many Chinese tourists to this place, but not too much alternative to apprehend the site). Continue on a beautiful mountain road to Shangri La. Upon arrival, check into the beautiful Timeless Inn bed and breakfast located in the center of the old town. Rest of the day and free dinner.

Visit Shangri La, starting with the beautiful Tibetan Songzanlin Monastery. Walk to the local market, then walk through the old town, including the Bai Ji Si temple with beautiful views of the Shangri La and Shika Mountains. Free lunch. In the afternoon, discover on foot or by bike the Tibetan countryside (several possible routes, to discuss in the morning with your guide according to your desires and abilities). Random stop of the road and your meetings with a Tibetan family, always welcoming, to taste Yak butter tea, “Tsampa” and Yak butter cheese, local specialties and bases of their daily food. Attend and participate if you wish in spontaneous dances in the evening of locals in the Old Town Square. Dinner free. Overnight at Timeless Inn.

Morning road to Lijiang. Free lunch in the village of Baisha, where you will walk, and in the village of Yuhu, at the foot of the jade dragon mountain. Continue to Lijiang. Installation at the beautiful Zen Garden Lion Hill boutique hotel. Rest of the day free.

Day ride through the old town of Lijiang, and its narrow streets, today very tourist and shopping, then to the park of the black dragon pond. Discovery of the Dongba Museum. Rest of the day to stroll freely through the old city. Free dinner, then transfer to Lijiang train station for night train to Lijiang (VIP compartment for 2 people).

Welcome by your new driver. Breakfast, then transfer to the site of the Stone Forest. We offer you a walk of about 2 hours inside the site, between rocky peaks and sometimes through narrow path. Free lunch. Road in the afternoon to Jianshui (3h drive). Installation at the charming 3 * hotel which has been set up in the beautiful residence of the Zhu family, one of the best preserved in Yunnan, consisting of a set of courtyards, pavilions and gardens. Dinner free.

Breakfast at the hotel. Walk this morning through the old town of Jianshui, including the big Chaoyang Gate which houses a small bird market. Then to the temple of Confucius, which is the second largest in China after that of Qufu, the hometown of the master. The set consists of a large park with pond, several courtyards, beautiful porticos, temples and pavilions. Lunch with a family living in the heart of the Zhang family’s former home, located in the heart of Tuanshan Village. Discover the beautiful old bridge of the double dragon, before continuing the road to the Yuanyang area, to the small village of Duoyishu. Installation at the friendly Flowers Residence located in front of rice terraces. Dinner free.

After breakfast, stroll through the rice fields around Duoyishu. Continue to a small village where a show of songs and dances was set up by the villagers belonging to the Yi minority. Charming and touching … Note that all the proceeds from the show will go directly to families. A lunch will then be served to one of the families who participated in the show. In the afternoon, hike from 2 to 3 hours through beautiful landscapes of rice terraces, and small villages. Free dinner and night in the same inn as the old.

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of Niujiaozhai Market. Meeting with different minorities, including Yi, Hani and Dai. Then take the direction of Vietnam along the Red River to Hekou, a city on the border with Vietnam and the city of Lao Cai. Free lunch en route. Crossing the border. Arrival in the afternoon at Sapa. Free time and free dinner in town. Accommodation at Hmong Sapa 3 * hotel.

Today’s day is spent walking from Sapa via the black H’Mong village – Lao Chai to the Giays-Ta Van village. Great rice terraces to see all the way. Picnic lunch at noon. Take a shower after the hike, then transfer to Lao Cai for the night train to Hanoi (soft sleeper).

Early morning arrival in Hanoi. Before breakfast in the city, discover the Hanoi Flower Market, which starts early in the morning. Transfer then to Hai Phong. Crossing by hydrofoil for the island Cat Ba. Arrival at Cat Ba around 10:30 am, you visit Cat Ba fish market where we meet fishermen landing after a night’s work. You are walking on the island. Our journey starts at 12:15 at Ben Beo Harbor of Cat Ba Island where you will board your private junk. After a welcome drink, the junk crosses the first floating fishing village and then sneaks into Lan Ha Bay. If the weather is favorable, the junk goes towards the island Dau Be. After an hour of sailing, we arrive at the floating village Dau Be, we drop anchor, a lunch based on seafood is served. You descend on a floating house of sinners to discover their life, visit the pond below their house. Back on board, a small coffee or tea will be offered by the crew, followed by a moment of relaxation on the deck or in the lounge while the crew stops the engine and sets sail to navigate the Ong Cam Bay . Our junk walks away from tourist spots and we drop anchor for dinner and overnight aboard our 4-cabin CatBa Imperial junk.

After breakfast, a boat trip or kayak to the tunnel at Ca is offered. Once through the tunnel, you enter a lake surrounded by cliffs. Back on board and continue our cruise north-east to discover Halong Bay sailing under sail through thousands of “sugar loaves” emerging from the waves in the natural heritage areas of humanity but always away from tourist routes, you will feel like you’re in a world of fossilized animals millions of years ago. After lunch we disembark at Hon Gai Harbor around 12:00 to take the road back to Hanoi. Walk through the ancient streets of Hanoi, visit the Temple of Literature. Puppet show on the water in the evening. Having dinner. Accommodation in 3 * hotel (La Dolce Vita or Golden Lotus).

Free time before transfer to Hanoi airport for flight to your next destination. End of our services and circuit Yunnan and Vietnam.