The most southwesterly region of China, the Yunnan Province, has an ethnic diversity whose considerable range mirrors its great variance in topography. Long had people held that the Shangri-La mentioned in James Hilton's Lost Horizons is located in Yunnan -- so much so that they changed the name of the Zhongdian County to Shangri-La County, which speaks volumes about the natural beauty and profound mystique of the place. From the aesthetically striking padogas and the enchanting ancient streets of Dali and the famed majesty of the thirteen peaks of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, we are almost spoiled for choice when it comes to attraction and activity. Via Tiger Leaping Gorge and traditional villages with colourful markets, we ascend to into the heartland of the Shangri-La region in the Hengduan Mountains and visit monastery complexes perched high on the plateaux. We investigate temples and alleyways carved into the rockface and take some time to explore Guilin, a city that according to a saying boasts scenery that "bests all others in the world". A short cruise down the Li River and an exciting city tour of Shanghai, "The Paris of the East", complete our magical journey through one of China's most memorable regions.
Seasonality/Weather:
Yunnan has one of the best climate in China and Kunming is known throughout the country as "Spring City". The rainy season lasts from late May through August, but on most days there is sunshine between the showers. Spring and autumn are sublime. The high altitude causes some fluctuations of temperature, and nights are generally chilly.
Tour Highlights:
Mountain scenery, cultural diversity; Ancient stone towns; Colourful local markets; Li River day cruise; Glitzy Shanghai
Tour Itinerary:
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Day 1 Arrival in Kunming |
| Today we arrive in Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan. The city lies 1891m (6,200 ft) above sea level and is majestically crowned on three sides by the dramatic mountain ranges of the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau. Marco Polo made reference to this place as one of the most pleasant cities in China -- 'very great and noble' -- when he journeyed through it in the 13th century. Overnight in Kunming. Dinner if required. |
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Day 2 Kunming: Town Tour |
| Mongol and Chinese dynasties have left their mark here in the form of pagodas and the magnificent Yuantong temple, the largest Buddhist shrine in the area and a popular destination for pilgrims who come to marvel at the dragon sculptures and huge golden Maitreya (Future) Buddha statue. We visit the excellent Ethnic Museum near Kunming, before heading back to the city to wander the old wooden-alley district of old Jini Lu, a lively and colourful place with many shops, bars, and restaurants. Overnight in Kunming. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 3 Kunming - Dali |
| Today we travel by road (+/- 6 hours) across the plateau toward the stunning Cangshan Mountains that rise 4000m (13,200 ft) from the shores of tranquil Lake Erhai. Our destination is the quiet lakeside city of Dali. Dali's mountainous setting, it's proximity to the huge Lake Erhai, and traditional stone buildings that line the cobbled streets combine to give this historic city an enchanting ambience. We will take time to meander down Hugo Lu and other ancient streets, dawdling in stone built cafes and generally soaking up the atmosphere. We will have the opportunity to investigate the origins of the distinctive Bai race (Bai comprise nearly half of the Dali population) in the Dali Museum. These Tibeto-Burmese people have long established roots in the Erhai Lake region stretching back 3,000 years. Overnight in Dali. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 4 Dali: Erhai Lake |
| Down at Erhai Lake, the 7th largest in China, wooden junks peacefully ply the calm waters in search of the day's catch. Frustrated cormorants hungrily line the water's edge, eyeing the fisherman's bounty, unable to indulge themselves due to the restrictive rings that are placed around their necks. Sailing on this magnificent 250 square kilometre lake to the eastern shore, we pass Jinsuo Island to reach Haidong. As we wander through Longquan Temple, a feeling of a lost world is evoked by the overgrown and crumbling appearance of this forgotten jewel. In distinct contrast, white tiled Laotai Temple shimmers in pristine splendour. Both temples offer superb photographic opportunities in their lakeside mountain setting. We return to Dali with free time to explore the Old Stone Town and colourful markets. Overnight in Dali. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 5 Dali - Lijiang |
| We journey further (+/- 6 hours) into this undiscovered interior to the delightful alpine settlement of Lijiang (elevation 2400m / 7,900 ft). Dominating the entire Lijiang Valley is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The city grew up as a migration centre for Tibetan nomads; however, the matrilineal Naxi tribe were the most significant settlers in the area. Today the women can still be seen in their blue cotton trousers and sheepskin capes. Much of Naxi architecture remains preserved and the distinctive two storey wood framed Naxi houses with earthen sidewalls can readily be seen alongside the criss-crossed canals and red granite streets that dominate the old centre. Overnight in Lijiang. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 6 Lijiang: Jade Dragon Mountain & Black Dragon Pool |
| This morning we have an excursion to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with a chairlift ride to discover the much famed thirteen peaks. On the way we visit Baisha village, the ancient capital of the Naxi Kingdom. This afternoon visit the Black Dragon Pool and the Jade Spring Park. The place derives its name from waters that 'sparkle like jade'. The entire park is grassy and shaded by swaying willow trees. Under the Shuocui Bridge, a waterfall creates a constant roar as it cascades downstream. The park has some stunning photographic opportunities with the pond and Five Phoenix pavilion in the foreground and the the summit of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as a backdrop. We visit a museum containing many local artifacts from the Dongba culture that originated in the primary polytheistic Naxi religion that incorporates elements of Lamaism, Buddhism, and Daoism. The Dongba scriptures comprise a series of more than 20,000 books done in Naxi pictographs along with more than 2,000 hieroglyphs -- a form of writing invented by the Naxi people more than 1,000 years ago. The name itself, Dongba, is the name applied to the shamans of this culture -- wise men who combined the functions of witch doctor, scholar, craftsman, and artist. We return to Lijiang. Overnight in Lijiang. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 7 Lijiang: At Leisure |
| Today is free for independent exploration. Overnight in Lijiang. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 8 Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge - Zhongdian |
| Today we drive to the ethnic Tibetan town of Zhongdian (+/- 6.5 hours, with stops) via the first bend of the Yangtze and Tiger Leaping Gorge. At the village of the Stone Drum we will have a look at the first great bend of the Yangtze River. Here the river makes a 180 degree turn over 20 km, first flowing south, then north, running parallel to itself. Locals say if it were not for their village standing guard at the bend, China would lose the water of the Yangtze to southeast China, like the Mekong and Salween rivers. We also visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest in the world. During the millennia, the Yangtze has carved a gorge into the massifs of the Haba and Jade Dragon Snow Mountains, both over 5000m (16,400 ft) high with glacier peaks towering over rice terraces on the Yangtze banks. At 3300m (10,800 ft) above sea level lies Zhongdian (Gyalthang in Tibetan), "the Land of Limitless Bounty," and the capital of the Diqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. This is an idyllic town rumoured to be the model for the utopian "Shangri-la" described in James Hilton's 'The Lost Horizon.' Indeed the government has officially renamed Zhongdian "Shangri-la" in 2001 in order to enhance its tourism trade. Overnight in Zhongdian. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 9 Zhongdian Area: Songzanlin Monastery |
| Bordering Tibet and Sichuan Province, Zhongdian occupies a spectacular high plateau at the heart of the Hengduan Mountains. Today we visit the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, Songzanlin Monastery, also known as Guihua Monastery or the 'Little Potala', located near Shangri-La County at the foot of Foping Mountain. Since the 5th Dalai Lama chose the site through divination in 1679, the monastery has grown into the most important community of its kind in Yunnan. Naturally, throughout its history spanning 325 years there have been ups and downs--the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), for instance, saw the lamasery almost completely destroyed--but the strong faith of the people of Shangri-La has always prevailed and today Songzanlin once again houses more than 700 monks and lamas. Built in the style of Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the magnificent monastery complex resides on top of a hill and consists of the two Zhacang and Jikang lamaseries--which take on the form of five-story Tibetan watchtowers--five gates, numerous sub-lamaseries and hundreds of rooms for the monks. Walking up the 146 steps that lead to the main prayer hall is a tiring exercise at 3300 m (10,400 ft) above sea level, but it allows you to trace mentally the pilgrimage route that generations of devout Buddhists living on the plateau take on their knees and foreheads every year. We return to Zhongdian with leisure time to enjoy this charming town. Overnight in Zhongdian. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 10 Zhongdian - Kunming |
| Today we fly to Kunming. On arrival we travel to the Western Hills, site of a great system of temples and alleyways carved into the towering rocks by a Taoist monk. Weather permitting, we will have wonderful views over Dian Chi Lake and Kunming City and its environs. Overnight in Kunming. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 11 Kunming - Guilin |
| Today we fly to Guilin, a city of around half a million people situated in the Guangxi Province of southern China. The name Guilin means 'the cassia tree forest'; in autumn the sweet fragrance of the cassia flowers wafts through the town. The well-known highlight of the city is its surreal landscape of limestone pinnacles that rise hundreds of feet into the air like fingers pointing skywards. Overnight in Guilin. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 12 Guilin Area |
| The city of Guilin was founded in the Qin Dynasty in 314 BC as a small settlement on the Lijiang River. It became increasingly important following the construction of a canal joining the river with another further north, providing a transport link with the Yangtze. The imperial court could thus send food and provisions by water from the Yangtze plains to its armies in the far south. The town became the provincial capital in the Ming Dynasty and remained so until 1914 when the capital was moved to Nanning. According to a popular Chinese saying, "Guilin's scenery bests all others in the world." Its shapely-rising limestone towers and crystal-clear waters are often portrayed in Chinese artworks. This morning we will tour some of the most famous rock formations, such as Elephant Trunk Hill, the city's symbol, so named because of its resemblance to an elephant's sipping water from the Lijiang River with its trunk. We also visit Daxu Old Town. With a history of 1000 years, the small main street is lined with various ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Adding to its natural beauty are many fascinating caves. Later this afternoon we will visit Reed Flute Cave, named after the reeds growing around the cave mouth, with its fantastic stalactites and stalagmites. Overnight in Guilin. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 13 Guilin - Li River Cruise - Yangshuo |
| Today we enjoy a spectacular cruise down the meandering Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. The scenery is breathtaking as mist-covered jagged mountains loom before you and quaint villages dot the riverbanks. Pass humped limestone peaks, fishermen astride bamboo rafts and grazing water buffaloes. The boat passes through the Luogu Rapids where the sound of the rushing water is said to resemble gongs and drums. Further along looms Folded Brocade Hill, with its multicoloured vegetation, and Crescent Moon Hill, whose summit contains a cave shaped like a half moon. Legend tells us that every sailor drowned in the Li is transformed into a demon, clutching at the boats which navigate the rapids. As the launch floats past valleys, bamboo groves, and mist-shrouded crags, one has the sensation of being carried backward in time through a traditional Chinese painting. Local river craft are still physically towed upstream in convoys; a few are still towed by men and women in harness. Our journey ends at Yangshuo, located about 65 km (40 miles) from Guilin. This is a town of about 30,000 inhabitants, set dramatically amidst the limestone mountains for which the area is famous. It is a small town with a small town feel. Time permitting this afternoon we will visit the town and its lively market. Tonight we will attend the "Yin Xiang Liu San Jie," an exciting local minority show performed on the banks of the Li River. The Ying Xiang Liu San Jie is a spectacular light and dance performance directed by Zhang Yimou, a famous Chinese filmmaker. This is a breathtaking show, using the beautiful mountains and river as the backdrop for the performance. Overnight in Yangshuo. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 14 Yangshuo - Guilin - Shanghai |
| This morning we return to Guilin and fly to Shanghai, the "Paris of the East". Shanghai, among the two or three largest cities in the world, is China's most populous as well as its most "urban" city. Despite the profound changes in social and economic structure brought on since 1949, Shanghai retains the look and feel of a great Western metropolis, with a population that seems quite at home amidst the press of crowds and the throbbing energy and diversity of city life. In many ways, Shanghai's ambiance is more like that of New York or Rome than that of Beijing or Guangzhou. Shanghai is the center of China's trade and industry. Foremost among China's 14 Coastal Open Cities, it has been the pacesetter in China's modernization drive. Almost half of the country's entire internal and external commerce passes through the city, conveyed by ocean vessels, river craft, airplanes, and railroads. Situated on the Huangpu River, it lies 28 km (17 miles) upstream from the mighty Yangtze River. The Yangtze, in turn, links Shanghai to the Pacific Ocean on the east to the interior cities of Nanjing, Wuhan, and Chongqing. The city is also linked to the Grand Canal via the east-west Wusong River (also known as Suzhou Creek). Overnight in Shanghai. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 15 Shanghai: City Tour |
| We spend today exploring Shanghai, starting with the city's famous waterfront promenade, the Bund; and the tranquil Yuyuan Garden. This is possibly the most celebrated classical Chinese Garden in Shanghai. We will visit the Jade Buddha Temple, famous for its two rare statues of Buddha carved out of a single piece of white jade. One depicts Buddha at the moment of his enlightenment and the other as he is passing into Nirvana. The two statues were brought from Burma by a Chinese monk in 1890, eight years after the temple's construction. There are a number of other statues of Buddha, his disciples, angels, and celestial guardians to be seen in the various halls. Many worshippers still attend services here, although most are older people and overseas Chinese. We also visit the world-renown Shanghai Museum which houses sensational works of art from all Chinese periods, beautifully displayed on several floors. Out of a collection of 120,000 pieces, the museum is especially famous for its bronzes, jade, and ceramics. Included in your visit is use of a personal Audioguide which provides an informative commentary on the exhibits. Overnight in Shanghai. Breakfast and dinner. |
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Day 16 Departure |
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Departure from Shanghai. Breakfast. BON VOYAGE!
Price Inclusions:
Breakfast and dinner (at local restaurants and some hotels) are included daily. All transport, accommodation, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary. Gratuities for drivers, restaurant staff, porters, local guides. Airport transfers for land & air customers arriving / departing on tour dates.
Price Exclusions:
Tour Leader gratuities, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), domestic and international (if applicable) air taxes, visa fees, and any excursions referenced as 'optional'. Airport transfers for early / late arrivals / departures or Land Only customers. Optional trip cancellation insurance. Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on shopping, not included meals and visas.
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Transport and Travel Conditions:
Land transport throughout China will be by private air-conditioned bus. Domestic flights via scheduled Chinese carriers. The tour is not strenuous though it is busy and we visit locales above 10,000 ft.; you must be steady on your feet and be able to endure some heat and long days. We have numerous walking tours and visit several sites that are LARGE with steps and uneven surfaces. Porters are available at hotels but you must be able to manage with your baggage at airports.
Accommodation:
Hotels used on tour are modern, comfortable, well-located, air-conditioned, 3/4-star properties with en suite bath / toilet. Single rooms are limited and possibly smaller than twins. Porters are generally available .
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