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TOUR OVERVIEW
A route that works on the ground
Over 6 days, 6-Day Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery links Arrival in Kunming with Yuanyang to Kunming, taking in Stone Forest, Kunming to Jianshui, Jianshui to Yuanyang and Sunset, Yuanyang Rice Terraces along the way. Meet your private guide at the airport or railway station, transfer to the hotel and take an optional orientation walk through Kunming Old Street. 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. Leave the terrace area after breakfast and return to Kunming by private vehicle with planned comfort and lunch stops. Water-filled terraces mirror sunrise in winter, while green rice and harvest colours take over later; a Hani red-rice meal in Azheke makes the landscape understandable, not just photogenic. 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. Light, cloud and seasonal water levels influence the best viewpoint, so the guide keeps the exact photo timing flexible.
Start
Kunming
Finish
Kunming
Travel rhythm
Overland discovery with clearly marked transfer days
Best time
March to May and September to November bring comfortable weather; winter is excellent for migratory gulls around Dianchi Lake.
Trip Highlights Code: YN-KUN06
Meet your private guide at the airport or railway station, transfer to the hotel and take an optional orientation walk through Kunming Old Street.
Travel privately to the UNESCO-listed Stone Forest and follow a scenic route among dramatic limestone pinnacles with your local guide.
Travel south to Jianshui to visit the Confucius Temple, Zhu Family Garden and lanes known for traditional tofu workshops.
Follow Kunming - Jianshui - Yuanyang - Kunming in a practical order, with private transfers and no forced shopping stops.
Book with Confidence: Free inquiry, only 10% deposit to confirm, full refund for cancellations up to 15 days prior.
DAY BY DAY
The 6-Day Journey
Daily itinerary: Arrival in Kunming → Stone Forest → Kunming to Jianshui → Jianshui to Yuanyang and Sunset → Yuanyang Rice Terraces → Yuanyang to Kunming.
INTERACTIVE ROUTE MAP
6-Day Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery
Drag to explore, use + / − to zoom, and select a numbered stop for details.
Meet your private guide at the airport or railway station, transfer to the hotel and take an optional orientation walk through Kunming Old Street. The Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery route moves on to Stone Forest, while Jianshui to Yuanyang & Sunset has its own later place in the plan. Later in Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery, Jianshui to Yuanyang & Sunset brings a different activity: See Double Dragon Bridge outside Jianshui, then continue by private vehicle into the Ailao Mountains.
Travel privately to the UNESCO-listed Stone Forest and follow a scenic route among dramatic limestone pinnacles with your local guide. Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery gives Stone Forest its own time before the planned move to Kunming to Jianshui. Later in Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery, Kunming to Jianshui brings a different activity: Travel south to Jianshui to visit the Confucius Temple, Zhu Family Garden and lanes known for traditional tofu workshops.
Travel south to Jianshui to visit the Confucius Temple, Zhu Family Garden and lanes known for traditional tofu workshops. The Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery itinerary pairs this visit with Stone Forest beforehand and Jianshui to Yuanyang & Sunset afterward. Later in Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery, Jianshui to Yuanyang & Sunset brings a different activity: See Double Dragon Bridge outside Jianshui, then continue by private vehicle into the Ailao Mountains.
See Double Dragon Bridge outside Jianshui, then continue by private vehicle into the Ailao Mountains after Kunming to Jianshui; Yuanyang Rice Terraces follows on the next day. Check in near the terraces before a weather-dependent sunset stop. Around Jianshui to Yuanyang and Sunset on Day 4, your guide times the Yuanyang Rice Terraces around the best available light and adds Hani village context beyond the main viewpoints. With Yuanyang Rice Terraces planned for the following day, Double Dragon Bridge crosses the confluence of the Lu and Tachong rivers on 17 stone arches, with three pavilions providing the strongest rural views.
Photograph Duoyishu, Bada and nearby Hani villages at the best available times for light, clouds and reflections. After Jianshui to Yuanyang & Sunset, Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery reaches Yuanyang Rice Terraces before continuing to Yuanyang to Kunming. Later in Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Discovery, Yuanyang to Kunming brings a different activity: Leave the terrace area after breakfast and return to Kunming by private vehicle with planned comfort and lunch stops.
Leave the terrace area after breakfast and return to Kunming by private vehicle with planned comfort and lunch stops after Yuanyang Rice Terraces. An extra Kunming night is recommended before an early onward flight. At Yuanyang to Kunming on Day 6, your guide times the Yuanyang Rice Terraces around the best available light and adds Hani village context beyond the main viewpoints. Once Yuanyang Rice Terraces is complete, the transfer toward Yuanyang to Kunming includes sensible comfort stops around the actual road or rail schedule.
Planning note for this route
Allow 2–3 days for Kunming and the Stone Forest, or 4–7 days when adding Dongchuan, Yuanyang or northern Yunnan. Final train or flight times should be confirmed before fixing the last day; when timings change, sightseeing is shortened instead of adding an unrealistic transfer.
2–3 US$1,259 / person4–5 US$1,139 / person6+ Contact Us
✓ Free inquiry✓ 10% deposit✓ Full refund up to 15 days prior
Typical Overnight Bases
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.
Kunming Selected 4-star city hotelJianshui Selected heritage-style hotelYuanyang Best available terrace-view hotel
✓ Price Includes
Domestic airfares and train fares listed in the itinerary
Private air-conditioned vehicle with licensed driver
Professional English-speaking local guide
Selected hotel accommodation with breakfast
Entrance fees for listed sights
⊘ Price Excludes
International airfares
China visa fee if applicable
Personal expenses and gratuities
Meals not specifically listed in the itinerary
Questions about this itinerary
Where does this tour start and finish?
The planned route starts around Kunming and finishes around Kunming. Exact airport, railway-station or hotel transfers are matched to your confirmed arrival and onward tickets.
Can the itinerary be changed?
Yes. The published day order is a workable starting point, not a fixed group schedule. We can change hotel level, walking time, special interests and selected stops while protecting the route logic.
How are weather or road changes handled?
Your local team checks current access before travel. Outdoor sections may move within the itinerary, and mountain or canyon routes can be shortened or replaced when conditions make the original plan unsafe.
