Stone Forest, Kunming Photo by our clients Melinda & Edward Ruggiero with their feedback

Day 01 Arrival in Kunming

Our guide will pick you up outside the arrival hall at Kunming Airport and transfer you to the hotel in downtown area. The remainder of the day is on your own to explore the city.

Meals: No meals

Day 02 Kunming

Your tour will begin with a visit to the Qiongzhu Temple, which is located on wooded Yu’an Mountain and surrounded by verdant plants. The temple is famous for exhibiting five hundreds painted arhat sculptures. Then, you will travel to the Stone Forest, a typical model of China’s Karst landforms. Walking through the Stone Forest, you will be astonished by the extraordinary workmanship of nature. Stones in the figure of plants, animals and even humans can be found here, some elegant, some rugged.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Three Pagodas, Dali Photo by our clients Mr. Karl Dutton & Mr. Mark James De Garis with their feedback

Day 03 Kunming – Dali

Today, you will take an early morning flight to Dali. Our guide will pick you up at Dali airport and escort you to tour the Erhai Lake Park first, which is the best place to appreciate the beautiful Erhai Lake scenery. The lake is shaped like an ear, hence its name, which means ear shaped sea in Chinese. Afterwards, pay a visit to the Three Pagoda Temple that faces Erhai Lake. As its name implies, there are three ancient independent pagodas standing in a symmetrical triangle inside the temple. With a history of more than 1,800 years, Three Pagodas have been symbolic constructions of the ancient Dali City. The last stop of the day is the primitive and tranquil Dali Old Town, where you will see limpid streams passing through the town and local people wearing their ethnic costumes. A street that goes through the South City Gate to the North City Gate is now a prosperous market street, selling marble, tie-dyeing and other souvenirs.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Local market in Dali

Day 04 Dali – Lijiang

Today, escorted by our tour guide, you will travel from Dali to Lijiang, which is about three to four hours’ drive. On the way to Lijiang, you will pay a visit to the Bai Minority Traditional Houses in Xizhou. The layout of these houses is distinctive with the features of wood and stone carvings and painting on lime powdered walls. Xizhou is the place where the best and most of Bai Minority Traditional Houses are preserved. Then you will go to nearby Zhoucheng to visit the traditional hand-made Tie Dyeing in the local people’s home. Upon arrival at Lijiang, you will first check in at the hotel in the old town. After a short rest, our guide will take you to tour the Square Street of Lijiang Old Town. The street is paved by the local bluestones, with numerous souvenir shops, unique bars and delicate restaurants scattered around. The most charming part of the street is at night. When red lanterns along the street are all lit up, all people here including tourists will enjoy a relaxing but exciting night life.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Lijiang old town

Day 05 Lijiang

You will first explore the Baisha Village and visit a local Naxi family in the morning. Basha Village was once the political, economic and religious center of Lijiang. Nowadays, it is famous for the murals and the old town built about 600 years ago. A visit to a local Naxi family will help you know more about Naxi people’s living habits and customs. Then, continue the trip to visit Baisha Murals. These murals, combining the Han, Tibet and Naxi culture together, are a wonderful art form of minorities in west Yunnan, and vividly unfold the life of the minority people to us. Then, you will pay a visit to the Rock Joseph’s Former Residence in Yuhu Village. Rock is the earliest foreign scholar who has introduced Lijiang to the western world most comprehensively. His former residence is also the former base of Yunnan Expedition of the National Geographic Society. We remain the whole afternoon free for you to stroll along Lijiang old town. The small bridges, running streams, cobbled streets, traditional fashion shops and some hand-made artwork stores make this small town a paradise for people who want to escape from the bustling cities.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Minority group in Yunnan

Day 06 Lijiang – Shangri-La

Today, we will drive you from Lijiang to Shangri-La for about four to five hours. Along the way, you will visit one of China’s deepest and most beautiful gorges, Tiger Leaping Gorge. The gorge has a reputation of being dangerous: one is the dangerous mountain with high peaks, steep cliffs, jagged rocks and winded gigantic old creepers; the other is dangerous water with a high drop, fast water current, numerous rocks, dangerous shoals and cascading waterfalls. All these form a rare spectacle in the world. Then you will come to the First Bend of the Yangtze River. It is named so because a sudden V-shaped bend has been formed when the Yangtze River flowing by. The nearly 180-degree turn creates marvelous and astonishing views. The Stone Drum Town, the town where the First Bend of the Yangtze River located, is the last stop en route. There is a drum-shaped marble monument in this town, hence the name. The town has for long been an important town for Han and Tibetan people to do business transactions. Upon arrival at Shangri-La, you will check in at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Songzanlin Temple, Shangri-La Photo by our client Mr. Arne Dalfelt with his feedback

Day 07 Shangri-La

Today’s tour will begin with a visit to the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Yunnan, Songzanlin Temple. This temple collects the elite of Tibetan religious culture and presents splendid architecture. Because of its similar appearance and layout to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, it is also reputed as ’small Potala Palace’. Then, you will travel to the Bitahai Lake. Fed by small streams from the snow mountains encircled, the lake shapes just like a trumpet shell. In the color of azure with snowy mountains and trees reflecting in it, the gorgeous lake is a wonderland to appreciate the beauty of nature. There is also another lake of beauty and peacefulness, Shudu Lake. The plants around the lake are lush and the wild animals are various. After enjoying the beautiful natural scenery, you will visit a local Tibetan family to get involved into the Tibetan people’s lifestyle.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Yunnan Minority people

Day 08 Shangri-La – Kunming

You will take a morning flight to Kunming. Our guide will pick you up at Kunming airport and transfer you to the hotel that you have previously stayed. Visit the Golden Temple. Located on the Mingfeng Hill, the temple is a well-known Taoist temple of Yunnan. Then you will go to the Daguan Park, one of the ten most famous pavilions in China. Another highlight in this park is the ‘Longest Couplets in the world’, which consists of 180 Chinese characters. The last stop today is the Flowers and Birds Market, which is a comprehensive public spot for leisure. Strolling on this market street, you can find shops and stalls of all sorts; especially those specializing in flowers, birds and fish.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 09 Departure from Kunming

Your pleasant Yunnan minority tour will end here as we transfer you to the airport today. Wish you a nice journey home!

Meals: Breakfast

• ◆ 2011 Price          ◆ 2012 Price

Valid from Mar. 1st, 2011 to Feb. 29th, 2012

Grade	Luxury		Standard
	Year Round		Year Round
	Double	Single	Double	Single
2-5 persons	$1729	$2179	$1519	$1779
6-9 persons	$1369	$1829	$1159	$1419
10 & above	$1179	$1589	$989	$1209

Note: This tour does not apply to our Early Bird Promotion.

Tailor Made Departures

Price Includes:
1. Train fares between Shanghai and Huangshan.
2. Private transfers.
3. English speaking guide.
4. Meals as specified in the itinerary.
5. Hotel on Huangshan Mountain.
6. First admission fees of sightseeings.

Price Excludes:
1. Personal expenses.
2. China visa fees.
3. The international flight or train of entering and exiting China.
4. Any meals that are not specified.
5. Tips to guides and drivers.
6. Expenses in hotels such as laundry, tips, telephone and room service, etc.
7. Travel insurance
8. Other personal expenses

Tailor Made Departures

*Prices above are for per person, based on two travelers sharing one room.
* When there are 10 or more paying pax in your group, a national guide will travel with you from city to city, upon your arrival in China up to your departure.

Price Includes:

1. Soft-sleeper train from Beijing to Pingyao and Datong to Beijing.
2. 4-Star Hotel in Datong and local guesthouse in Pingyao;
3. All meals as itinerary specifies, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner;
4. Private guides and drivers;
5. Air-conditioned private vehicles;
6. Tourist sites permission fees;
7. Government taxes.

Price Excludes:

1. Travel insurance.
2. Expenses in hotels such as laundry, tips, telephone and room service, etc.
3. Gratuities for service provided by tour guides and drivers.
4. Other personal expenses.