Kunming - Dali - Shaxi - Lijiang - Shangri-La
From US$1,690
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Over 10 days, 10-Day Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La Tour links Green Lake Park in Kunming with Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La, taking in Stone Forest limestone formations near Kunming, Three Pagodas and temple architecture in Dali, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La along the way. Meet your driver at Kunming airport or railway station and transfer to your hotel. Kunming sits around 1,900 metres; Green Lake and the old city are compact walks, while the Stone Forest is a separate karst park where the main loop takes about 2–4 kilometres. Enjoy breakfast and a private transfer to Shangri-La airport or railway station. Warm up with Tibetan butter tea, yak yoghurt or a barley noodle dish, and leave a few minutes at the prayer wheels to learn the local custom before photographing the monastery roofs. The route is best suited to travelers who prefer a private guide, a named set of sights and time for a proper meal in each place, with the daily emphasis on a focused private journey with a balanced daily rhythm. Altitude, road access and mountain weather are reviewed locally, and a walk can be shortened when conditions change.
A northbound journey for travelers who want Yunnan’s classic towns with an extra night in Shaxi. Begin with Kunming’s karst scenery, follow the lakeside villages of Dali, then slow down among the courtyards of the old Tea Horse Road. Two nights in Lijiang and two in Shangri-La keep sightseeing separate from the longer transfer days. Compare this itinerary with our wider collection of Yunnan tours.
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Daily itinerary: Green Lake Park in Kunming → Stone Forest limestone formations near Kunming → Three Pagodas and temple architecture in Dali → Lakeside plants and mountain scenery at Erhai Lake → Traditional theater building beside Sideng Square in Shaxi → Tiled roofs of Lijiang Old Town → Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the → Tiger Leaping Gorge → Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La → Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La.
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Meet your driver at Kunming airport or railway station and transfer to your hotel. The emphasis on local heritage in Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La becomes clearer at the later Stone Forest limestone formations near Kunming stop. If you arrive early, take an easy walk around Green Lake; no timed attraction is attached to your arrival.
Drive to the Stone Forest for a guided walk through the limestone formations, choosing a shorter or longer path to suit your pace after Green Lake Park in Kunming; Three Pagodas and temple architecture in Dali follows on the next day. Return to Kunming in the afternoon. Dinner is flexible, with time to explore the old streets near your hotel. The transfer toward Stone Forest limestone formations near Kunming includes sensible comfort stops around the actual road or rail schedule. Keep water and valuables in hand luggage; on arrival, the guide prioritizes check-in and the named local visit before the next day's Three Pagodas and temple architecture in Dali instead of adding an unrelated detour.
Take a daytime train to Dali, with private transfers at both ends after Stone Forest limestone formations near Kunming; Lakeside plants and mountain scenery at Erhai Lake follows on the next day. After check-in, explore Dali Old Town and its quieter lanes. The afternoon is kept light so delays do not affect a major sightseeing reservation. Stay in Dali. With Lakeside plants and mountain scenery at Erhai Lake still ahead, the transfer toward Three Pagodas and temple architecture in Dali includes sensible comfort stops around the actual road or rail schedule.
Visit Xizhou for Bai courtyards, market lanes and local craft traditions. The emphasis on local heritage in Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La becomes clearer at the later Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the stop. A craft session can be arranged in advance; return to the same Dali hotel.
Travel by road to Shaxi and settle into a courtyard guesthouse. The emphasis on local heritage in Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La becomes clearer at the later Tiled roofs of Lijiang Old Town stop. Explore Sideng Square, the old theater frontage and the nearby river paths on foot.
Leave Shaxi after a relaxed breakfast and continue to Lijiang after Traditional theater building beside Sideng Square in Shaxi; Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the follows on the next day. Walk beside the canals of the old town with a guide who explains Naxi history and the town’s trading connections. Keep the evening free rather than adding a distant excursion. With Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the planned for the following day, the transfer toward Tiled roofs of Lijiang Old Town includes sensible comfort stops around the actual road or rail schedule.
Explore Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain after Tiled roofs of Lijiang Old Town; Tiger Leaping Gorge follows on the next day. Blue Moon Valley can be included when access allows. Any high cable-car excursion is an optional change requiring separate confirmation, rather than a fixed promise in the base route. For the Day 7 visit to Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the, the cableway zone rises above 3,000 metres, while Blue Moon Valley adds a gentler 2–3 kilometre riverside walk past pale terraces and turquoise pools.
Drive north with a stop at an accessible Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint. The Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La itinerary pairs this visit with Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the beforehand and Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La afterward. Continue to Shangri-La and rest after check-in; keep the evening walk in Dukezong short and optional.
Visit Songzanlin Monastery with time to understand the courtyards and local traditions. Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La develops its local heritage theme further at Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La, after this Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La visit. Add a gentle outing around Napa Lake or a nearby village according to seasonal conditions.
Enjoy breakfast and a private transfer to Shangri-La airport or railway station. Earlier in Yunnan Ancient Towns & Shangri-La, Baisha’s village lanes and the scenery at the formed a separate part of the journey before Dukezong Ancient Town in Shangri-La. If your onward journey starts in Lijiang or Kunming, ask for an additional transfer arrangement before fixing tickets.
Estimated starting prices in USD per adult for the full 10-day / 9-night itinerary, sharing twin or double rooms.
Headline price basis: Four adults traveling together, using two twin or double rooms. City stays use comfortable 4-star hotels; village and remote stays use selected local guesthouses or boutique accommodation. The Accommodation tab shows the overnight bases.
Transport included in the estimate: Kunming–Dali second-class rail; private road transfers through Shaxi, Lijiang and Shangri-La.
For this route: Stone Forest, Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint and Songzanlin admission are budgeted. High-altitude Jade Dragon cable cars and craft workshops are extra.
Single-room supplement: From USD 450 per person for the full itinerary, added to the applicable twin-sharing group price. Solo private tours, odd-numbered groups and children receive a separate quote.
Dates and confirmation: These are planning estimates for standard-season travel, excluding Chinese public holidays, peak summer dates and major local festivals. Hotel and transport availability, room upgrades and itinerary changes can affect the price. Your dated quotation confirms the final total and inclusions before booking.
Only places used by this itinerary are shown below. The final hotel list follows confirmed transport, season and room availability; upgrades and room preferences can be customized.
This route suits travelers interested in ancient towns & culture who want 10 days to explore Kunming, Dali, Shaxi, Lijiang, Shangri-La.
Hotel standard, walking pace and optional experiences are agreed before confirmation. Share your priorities so the final route remains practical for your group.
The extra time adds an overnight stay in Shaxi and separates the major town visits from the longer road transfers.
It includes a scenic gorge stop. The high trail is a separate hiking itinerary requiring extra time and suitable conditions.
The published 10-day route includes 9 overnight stays. The Accommodation tab lists the actual bases and night counts. Extra arrival or departure nights can be quoted separately.
The estimated starting price is USD 1,690 per person for four adults traveling together and sharing twin or double rooms in standard season. The Prices tab also shows estimates for two and six adults, the single-room supplement and route-specific inclusions. Send your dates for a confirmed quotation.
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