You will have a whole day to enjoy Dali's highlights: Mt.Cangshan and Erhai Lake. Take Gantong Cable Car to the middle of Cangshan Mountain first, and then do some morning exercise to trek on Yudai Road for about 5 km to another cable car station where the cable way connect to Ximatan Pool. You can have a whole view of Dali on the view platform of 3,980 meters above the sea level. Take cable car to descend the mountain.

Have lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, leisurely ride a bicycle along Erhai Lake. Peaceful lake, clear water, Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake reflect each other. You will encounter unexpectedly beautiful scenery, just enjoy the visual feast!

In the evening you are free on own to explore the ancient city of Dali, a dreamland of wind, flower, snow and moon.

Dali Tour

Kunming - Stone Forest - Dali

In the morning, you will be picked up by the escorted tour guide and driver at hotel. Firstly transfer to the Stone Forest Scenic Spots in about 90 minutes. On arrival, enter the attraction and enjoy yourselves by sightseeing to different shapes of stones formed in a hundred million years ago, listening to the moving Ashima love story, or watching the local enthusiastic big three string dance...

At around noon time, come out of the attraction and then taste local Yunnan food, Crossing-the-bridge Rice Noodles. The combination of various characteristic ingredients, the boiling and salty freshness of the soup, and the smoothness of the rice noodles, all of which can make you feel the taste of Yunnan and the authentic life of local people.

After lunch,  be sent to Shilin Train Station for bullet train to Dali. It is about 3 hours to get there. On arrival in Dali train station, meet with your escorted tour guide, transfer to the hotel for a good rest.

Dali Sightseeing, Dali - Lijiang

After breakfast, pay a visit to Chongsheng Monastery and the three towers which is a landmark of Dali. And then be transferred to Lijiang. On the way you will firstly have a stop Xizhou Old Town, which is an important town where the Bai ethnic people live in compact communities. There are the best preserved Bai residential buildings. Visit Xizhou Market and Yan’s House, a typical Bai ethnic architecture.

Have lunch at a local restaurant.  Continue driving to Lijiang, later drive to Zhoucheng Village and then walk around in this ancient village. Learn dyeing in the Tie-dye workshop, you can take away you own masterpiece!

Later arrive in Lijiang in the afternoon. Check into hotel. Evening free on your own to explore Lijiang Ancient Town.

Lijiang - Shangri-la

In the morning, leave Lijiang for Shangri-la. En route, have a view of the First Bend of Yangtze River from afar. Later have a stop at Tiger Leaping Gorge that you cannot miss. Actually the Tiger Leaping Gorge is a canyon on the Yangtze River that is locally called Jinsha River (Golden Sands River). It is also part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site. Around 15 kilometers in length, the gorge is sited in-between two mountains like once there’s a sword to split Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. Local legend here says that in order to escape from a hunter, a tiger jumped across the river at the narrowest point (only 25 meters in width), hence the name of the gorge. You can also see the old tea horse road on the cliff. Continue driving north, pass Small Zhongdian which is a lovely town with beautiful pasture, grassland and flower blossom. Get off to take some photos.

Arrive in Shangri-la in the afternoon. Check into the hotel first. Then freely stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town. The ambiance of the town is distinctly Tibetan style with prayer flags fluttering, mountains known by holy names, lamaseries and rocks inscribed in Tibetan language with Buddhist sutras. Walk up to the top of Guishan Hill to see the Grand Prayer Wheel and have a panoramic view of Shangri-la city.

After breakfast, go for a pilgrimage to Songzanlin Monastery, which is called Ganden Sumtseling Monastery in Tibetan. Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province and is sometimes referred to as the Little Potala Palace. The traditional Tibetan architectural style of this monastery perfectly expressed Tibetan’s respect to their belief. After that, pay a visit to a local Tibetan village called Xiaojiezi Village close to the monastery. You can chat with local Tibetans when visiting their houses. Later transfer to Yila Grassland and drive to circle the Napa Lake. The interesting minority villages, lush forests and pasture views are what impressed most at first sight.

After sightseeing, you will be sent to Shangri-la Airport or your hotel in Shangri-la/Lijiang according to your arrangements. 

Shangri-la Departure or back to Lijiang