Arrival in Kunming during the day. Welcome by your driver, then transfer to Grand Park Hotel 5*, well located in the center of Kunming. Rest of the day free without guide or car. You can easily stroll to the emerald lake, where locals enjoy walking, singing, dancing and playing music in the evening and the weekends. Possibility to extend on foot to Yuantong Temple not far from there. In the evening, watch the beautiful Yunnan minority dance and song show entitled ” Dynamic Yunnan ” (7.30pm-9:10pm / no shows on sundays), dinner at your expense.

Overnight at Grand Park 5*

Meet your English-speaking guide at 8am. Road to Shilin, to discover the site of the Stone Forest. We suggest you a walk of about 2 hours inside the site, between rocky peaks and through sometimes narrow paths, away from the trails walked by the many Chinese tourists. Lunch at your expense. One the way back to Kunming, visit the Golden Temple and its gardens. In the evening, stroll on the flowers and birds market and dinner at your expense in one of the numerous restaurants.

Overnight at Grand Park Hotel

Transfer to Kunming railway station for train C4302, departing at 08:30 and arriving at 11:05 (first-class seats). Meet your new English-speaking driver-guide and set out to explore Weibaoshan Mountain, located at an altitude of 2,500m. Part of one of the 13 sacred Taoist mountains of China, the site is quiet, exudes a certain serenity, and it is good to walk there to discover its small temples where Taoist monks reside. Transfer to your hotel, well located in Weishan. Still preserved from tourism, this city hosts a population quite charming, and smiling, for a very pleasant free walk in its small alleys. Dinner at your expense.

Overnight at Weishan Laoguan

After breakfast, drive towards the Dali region with a stop at the Hui (Muslim minority) village of Donglianhua to visit the small museum and the mosque. Continuation to Dali, quick visit of the city center, including its church built in the traditional Bai style. Dinner at your expense in the old city, then transfer to the great temple of the Three Pagodas and its many altars dedicated to the deities of Han Buddhism. Dinner at your expense. Before going up to Cangshan Mountain next to Wuwei Temple (Wuwei : Non action).

Overnight at Wuweishanju.

After breakfast, head to the tea fields next to the hotel to pick up some leaves that you can dry yourself and bring back with you. You can also drink some tea and discover the processes of making the different teas. Next, visit the Wuwei Temple located right next to the hotel. Afterwards, transfer to Xizhou. Once you have settled into your hotel, set out for a walk, a bike ride, or an electric scooter ride along the shores of Erhai Lake (bicycles are available at the hotel, and electric scooters can be rented for 50 RMB per scooter). Dinner at your expense.

Overnight at Linden Center.

Meet at 9h with your driver for the transfer by private vehicle to the great Shaxi Valley, with a stop on the way to a nice Bai mansion, to experiment the making of batik fabrik. Before arriving in Shaxi, discover the Shibaoshan Mountains, a superb set of Buddhist sculptures engraved in the rock and very zen temples. Continuation to Shaxi. Accommodation in the heart of the old town of Shaxi in an old traditional courtyard beautifully refurbished with all the necessary comforts, having once served to house traders using the great route of caravans of tea and horses of which Shaxi was one of the major commercial centers. The hotel has a good restaurant.

Overnight at the Aoding Courtyard.

Meeting at 9h with your driver for transfer by private vehicle to the Naxi region of Lijiang. Stop on the way to the village of Shigu (site of the first curve of the Yangtze) and to the Tiger Leap Gorge. You will make a short walk of about 40 minutes down the gorges and the famous rock of the Tiger jump on which the waters of the Yangtse burst in impressive sheaves. Great views of the gorges from the balcony road. Then drive to the Tibetan plateau and arrive in the afternoon at Shangri La. First walk in the streets of the old town. Meals at your expense.

Overnight at Khimtsang Hotel.

Start around 9am and go for a tour of Shangri La and its region, starting with the beautiful Tibetan monastery of Songzanlin. Walk to the local market, then walk through the Old Town, including Bai Ji Si Temple with beautiful views of the surroundings of Shangri La and Shika Mountains. Note that the central part of the Old Town was ravaged by fire on January 11, 2014, it is already nearly fully rebuilt. Lunch at your expense. In the afternoon, discover the Tibetan countryside in the Ringha Valley. Return to Shangrila at the end of the day. If you would like to, you can attend and participate to spontaneous dances on the evening of the locals in the Old Town Square. Dinner at your expense.

Overnight at Khimtsang Hotel.

Meet your guide at 9am and route to the Benzilan area. Stop at the village of Nixi, known for its potters using the black earth of the region which is known for its qualities. New stop at the village of Gonjo, where you can visit a craftsman making traditional lacquered wooden containers. Visit the Tibetan monastery of Dongzhulin, located in line with the Yangtze. It is a popular place for locals, known for hosting several “living Buddhas”. Discover a small local nunnery not very far from there. Return to Shangrila at the end of the day.

Overnight at Khimtsang Hotel.

Meet at 9am with your driver for transfer by private vehicle to Lijiang. Lunch at your expense. Arrive for around noon at Lijiang Old Town, which you can explore on foot throughout the afternoon, including Black Dragon Pond Park. Continuation to the small village of Shuhe, and installation at the amazing hotel the Bivou. Dinner at your expense.

Overnight at the Bivou.

This morning, discover the small village of Lunagu, still preserved from mass tourism and retaining its authenticity. Visit a traditional Naxi house to experience the local way of life, then continue with a visit to Zhiyun Temple and a walk along the shores of Lashihai Lake. (Alternatively, you can hike to the “ milk lake ” from Yuhu village, or alternatively a via ferrata followed by a visit to Yuhu village, or a day in a traditional Dongba house in Wenhai (rates on request, consult us). Meals at your expense.

Overnight at the Bivou hotel.

Free day in Shuhe, without a guide or driver, rent bicycles or electric scooters (about RMB 50 per scooter) to explore the area at your own pace. Transfer around 5pm to Lijiang Station to take the C88 train to Kunming, departure at 18:41 and arrival at 22:04 in Kunming (first class seats). Transfer to your hotel.

Overnight at Grand Park 5*

Free start of the day in Kunming to go for example to the flower and bird market, then transfer to Kunming airport for the flight to your next destination. End of our services, we wish you a pleasant return home, beautiful memories in mind!