8 Days Classic Yunnan Tour: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang & Shangri | China Wonder Tours

Morning: Stone Forest — a UNESCO geopark of surreal limestone pinnacles formed 270 million years ago. Walk through 'Ashima' rock and 'Sword Peak Pond'. Afternoon: Green Lake Park — Kunming's living room with locals singing, dancing, and feeding black-headed gulls (winter). Flower and Bird Market. Evening: Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles, Yunnan's most famous dish.

Morning bullet train to Dali (2 hours). Explore Dali Ancient Town — cobblestone streets between the dramatic Cangshan Mountain (4,122m) and Erhai Lake. Visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, 1,200 years old. Afternoon: cycling along Erhai Lake's western shore through Bai minority fishing villages. Xizhou town for traditional Bai architecture and tie-dye workshops.

Drive to Lijiang (2 hours). Afternoon: Lijiang Old Town — UNESCO World Heritage, a 800-year-old maze of cobbled lanes, stone bridges, and willow-lined canals. Visit Mu Palace, the 'Forbidden City of the South'. Climb Lion Hill for panoramic views of the old town with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,596m) as backdrop. Evening: Naxi ancient music performance.

Full day trekking Tiger Leaping Gorge — one of the world's deepest canyons. The 15km high trail offers jaw-dropping views of the Jinsha River crashing 3,900m below between Jade Dragon and Haba Snow Mountains. Lunch at a cliff-side guesthouse. Visit the Tiger Leaping Rock where legend says a tiger once jumped across the gorge. Return to Lijiang.

Drive 4 hours to Shangri-La (Zhongdian). Visit the First Bend of the Yangtze River. Photo stop at the dramatic upper gorge. Arrive in Shangri-La (3,200m). Visit Dukezong Ancient Town and climb to the world's largest prayer wheel (21m, 60 tons). Evening: Tibetan hot pot dinner with yak meat and highland barley wine.

Morning: Songzanlin Monastery — the 'Little Potala Palace', the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, home to 700 monks. Incredible thangka paintings and butter sculptures. Afternoon: Pudacuo National Park — China's first national park with emerald lakes, alpine meadows, and virgin forests. Evening flight from Shangri-La.

Continue your private guided Yunnan experience with visits to additional attractions based on your guide's recommendations.

Continue your private guided Yunnan experience with visits to additional attractions based on your guide's recommendations.