There are two places: one is called 'Other Places', and the other is called Yunnan
For friends planning their first trip to Yunnan, do you also have the same troubles as me, not knowing how to plan your itinerary? Hesitating between a tour group and independent travel? Not sure how many days are suitable? About how much money? Always wanting to ask friends who have been there if there are any cost-saving and fun itinerary recommendations?
My family just returned from Yunnan, having visited Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang. We enjoyed the beautiful natural scenery and even climbed Yulong Snow Mountain, the highest peak south of the Yangtze River. I have to say Yunnan is truly beautiful, and we had an especially great time! We arranged everything through a local Yunnan young man named A Qin, introduced by a friend. He knows the area very well. Before we went, he helped plan our itinerary, introduced Yunnan's attractions and activities in detail, and arranged our hotels, meals, and tickets at internal VIP prices (obtained by A Hai). Great service and cheap, we ate specialty meals, stayed in star-rated hotels—great value for money!
I'll share my itinerary for your reference. Yunnan is very large, with too many interesting places, and the distances between attractions are far. After looking at the Yunnan travel map, I knew it would be difficult to visit all of Yunnan in one trip. Plus, my family only had 10 days. After discussing with A Zhen, we finally settled on the itinerary: Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Lugu Lake → Shangri-La. We'll leave Tengchong and Xishuangbanna for next time. If you have enough time, you can also choose to visit one or two more places.
Day 1: Dedicated car pickup at airport + check into hotel + sign formal contract + feed seagulls at Dianchi Lake → stay in Kunming
Day 2: Explore 5A Stone Forest Scenic Area + taste wild mushroom hotpot with ethnic song and dance dinner → stay in Chuxiong
Day 3: Private yacht + Dali Ancient City + convertible jeep tour around Erhai Lake + Luoquan Peninsula + seaside DIY BBQ → stay in Dali
Day 4: Zhoucheng + Ancient Tea Horse Road + experience Bai tie-dye + Glacier Cable Car up Yulong Snow Mountain + watch large-scale song and dance 'Lishui Jinsha' + Lijiang Ancient City → stay in Lijiang
Day 5: Shuhe Ancient Town + Lashi Lake → stay in Lijiang
Day 6: 18 Bends of Mountain Road + panoramic view of Lugu Lake + Lover's Beach + Walking Marriage Bridge + Caohai + Mosuo Evening Party → stay at Lugu Lake
Day 7: Take pig trough boat on the lake + Liwu Island + Liwu Temple + Tusi Tomb → return to Lijiang
Day 8: Potatso National Park + Shudu Lake + Tusi family visit and Tibetan song and dance party → stay in Shangri-La
Day 9: Dukezong Ancient City + Guishan Park + spin the world's largest prayer wheel + Tiger Leaping Gorge → return to Kunming
Day 10: Fly back to warm home
A Qin recommended: 5-day Kunming Dali Lijiang tour: https://vacations.ctrip.com/tour/detail/p24090229.html
The above is the itinerary arranged by the Yunnan travel expert for us. The pace was not rushed, including accommodation, transportation, and tickets. The total cost per person was over 1800 yuan, saving a lot compared to traveling independently, especially on accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we stayed in star-rated and themed hotels. I calculated that if we booked ourselves, the room cost alone would be almost the total expense. My family all said they didn't expect to stay in such good hotels for over 1800 yuan.
DAY 1 Kunming: Dedicated car pickup at airport + check into hotel + sign formal contract + feed seagulls at Dianchi Lake. We flew to Kunming. The advantage of planning the itinerary in advance is that as soon as we got off the plane, there was a dedicated person to pick us up and take us to the hotel, no need to worry about taking a taxi or subway. We arrived in the Spring City relatively early, so we decided to go to Haigeng Dam in the afternoon to feed the seagulls. Thousands of seagulls were soaring over Dianchi Lake, very spectacular.
DAY 2 Chuxiong: After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we went to the world's first wonder, Stone Forest, to look for Ashima. The guide said every stone here has a story and you need to listen with your heart. With imagination, we walked through Jianfeng Pool, Wangfeng Pavilion, Shuangniao Dushi, Shilin Lake... as if traveling through a castle built of stones. After visiting Stone Forest, we had a rich Yi ethnic meal, then returned to Kunming to drink Pu'er tea to relieve fatigue, then went to Chuxiong to eat wild mushroom hotpot and experience ethnic song and dance dinner.
DAY 3 Dali: Private yacht + Dali Ancient City + convertible jeep tour around Erhai Lake + Luoquan Peninsula + seaside DIY BBQ. After breakfast with Chuxiong flavors at the hotel, we headed west to Dali. We chose to take a VIP private yacht to enjoy the scenery of Erhai Lake. The boat moved slowly, with a gentle breeze and the distant Cangshan Mountain like ink, very beautiful. On the boat, we watched the 'Bai Three-Course Tea Song and Dance Performance', where the tea—first bitter, second sweet, third回味—matched life's experience. We landed on Luoquan Peninsula, facing Cangshan and reaching into the lake. The guide said it is the largest and most typical peninsula in Erhai. From here, we had a panoramic view of the 19 peaks of Cangshan and the vast Erhai. Standing on the island, we captured Dali Ancient City and the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple with our cameras. After lunch with Bai ethnic specialties, we went to Dali Ancient City, the favorite of us literary youth. The streets are paved with stone slabs, flanked by ancient Bai folk houses, along with the city gate and Wuhua Tower in the center, giving a very peaceful and serene feeling. In the afternoon, we took a cool jeep ride around Erhai Lake, being cool girls. The convertible drove along the lakeside road, with magnificent sea views outside the window. Leaning casually against the jeep, a photographer with a DSLR took a set of cool seaside road photos for us. Along the way, we also took photos with many Instagram-worthy backgrounds like white tables, glass balls, and white frames. That afternoon, our hearts nearly burst with girlish joy. As a foodie, I gave a thumbs-up to today's seaside DIY BBQ at Taoran Tianshe. By the lakeside, with pastoral scenery, eating fragrant grilled meat skewers felt like flying in the sky.
DAY 4 Lijiang: After breakfast, we went to Zhoucheng, the largest Bai village in Dali. The guide said it is also an important town on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Zhoucheng is at the foot of Cangshan's Canglang Peak; in ancient times it was called Longquanyi, the imperial garden built by the Dali king. Zhoucheng is also famous for Bai tie-dye handicrafts. Under the guidance of skilled tie-dye artisans, we each made a beloved blue-dyed cloth. After a nice lunch in Dali, we took a bus to the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain, a 5A scenic area. We took the Glacier Cable Car, enjoying the distinct layers of meadows and forests as we ascended to the summit. The Yulong 13 Peaks stretching for dozens of miles, against the blue sky, looked like a silver dragon dancing eternally. After bidding farewell to the Naxi sacred mountain, the guide took us to Blue Moon Valley, the 'Little Jiuzhaigou' of Lijiang. The water was dazzlingly blue, the valley crescent-shaped, like a blue moon inlaid at the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain. Standing on the lakeshore, white clouds floated in the sky, reflected in the water, dreamlike. In the evening, we watched the large-scale song and dance show 'Lishui Jinsha', which uses dance, poetry, and painting to showcase the unique plateau ethnic culture nurtured by Lijiang's exotic mountains and waters. Through water, mountain, and emotion, it comprehensively displayed Lijiang's unique and extensive history. After the show, we had a delicious specialty meal at a Naxi farmhouse. After a full meal, with a light tune, we freely strolled through the World Heritage Lijiang Ancient City. The night in Lijiang Ancient City, adorned with brilliant lights, shed the daytime hustle and presented a quiet and elegant atmosphere. Flowing water played a cheerful melody as it trickled by our feet, giving a ethereal feeling.
DAY 5 Lijiang: Shuhe Ancient Town + Lashi Lake. After breakfast, we went to the quaint and beautiful ancient town of Shuhe on the Tea Horse Road. Old houses, deep alleys, simple folk customs, unique ethnic snacks, and various bars and inns allowed us to be travelers who only smell the flowers. After visiting Shuhe, the guide took us to Lashi Lake, the source of the Jiang culture. We chose to ride a horse, listening to wind chimes as we walked along the Ancient Tea Horse Road, feeling the long-lost tranquility. When tired, we rested at the 'Houniao Muyu' leisure club, sitting on artistic sofas, drinking coffee, quietly looking at the beautiful scenery outside the window—a rare enjoyment. There were various ethnic decorations and many interesting modern elements. For photography lovers, it was simply awesome.
DAY 6 Lugu Lake: 18 Bends of Mountain Road + panoramic view of Lugu Lake + Lover's Beach + Walking Marriage Bridge + Caohai + Mosuo Evening Party. After breakfast, we took a bus to Lugu Lake. On the way, we visited the 18 Bends of Mountain Road, the filming location of 'Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles', capturing the natural wonders. Then we enjoyed the奇、秀、险 scenery of the Jinsha River valley as we headed towards the 'Kingdom of Women'. At the Lugu Lake viewing platform, we saw the entire lake, taking in its vastness. The blue lake, blue sky, green tree-lined shores, and scenic Liwu Island formed a beautiful picture. At Lover's Beach, we couldn't tell if the blue before us was sky or lake. Waves lapped the shore; the water near shore was yellow, but in the distance it was deep blue. Beautiful flower petals floated on the water, swaying with the wind, full of a mysterious romance. Standing at the Lige viewing platform, looking down at the entire Lige Peninsula, the island was like a pearl hanging on Lugu Lake's surface, the whole peninsula like a girl's slender arm reaching into the lake. A Qin thoughtfully arranged a Mosuo walking marriage feast, helping us unveil the mystery of the Mosuo people through ethnic cuisine. After a full meal, we went to Caohai. The guide said that if you walk from one end of the Walking Marriage Bridge to the other, your love will be sweet and lasting. Whether true or not, we walked the entire bridge with a pious heart. In the evening, we participated in the Mosuo Guozhuang party. Men and women held hands in a circle, with a bonfire in the middle. Mosuo women wore ethnic costumes, black headwraps, singing and dancing. In the lively dance, they appeared graceful and radiant.
DAY 7 Lijiang: Take pig trough boat on the lake + Liwu Island + Liwu Temple + Tusi Tomb. To see the beautiful sunrise over Lugu Lake, we got up at 6:30 AM. With the first rays of sunlight, the entire lake was covered with a golden gauze. The clouds had their own colors, morning mist rose from the lake, instantly turning into a ethereal fairyland. After watching the sunrise, we had breakfast, took a pig trough boat, visited Liwu Island, Liwu Temple, and Tusi Tomb, experiencing the 'Mosuo Three Wonders': boat on the lake, people on the boat, and songs of the people.
A Qin recommended: 8-day Kunming Dali Lijiang Lugu Lake tour: https://vacations.ctrip.com/tour/detail/p24243650.html
DAY 8 Shangri-La: Potatso National Park + Tusi family visit and Tibetan song and dance party. After breakfast, we took a bus to Shangri-La, enjoying the plateau scenery along the way. Upon arrival, we had a sumptuous lunch. After lunch, we went to Potatso National Park, the first national park in mainland China. It includes snow mountains, wetlands, forests, lakes and other natural beauty, rated as a 5A tourist attraction. Stepping inside felt like entering a pollution-free fairy tale world: clear lakes, blue sky, forest sounds with water, birdsong with flowers—extraordinarily wonderful. In the evening, thoughtful A Zhen arranged for us to attend a Tusi family visit and Tibetan song and dance party, a traditional Tibetan banquet including yak hotpot, highland barley wine, butter tea, highland barley flour, cheese and other Tibetan foods. At the start of the banquet, Tibetan performers sang and danced, making the whole event lively.
DAY 9 Lijiang: Dukezong Ancient City + Guishan Park + spin the world's largest prayer wheel + Tiger Leaping Gorge. Today we slowed down, entered Dukezong Ancient City, admired the exquisite architecture, felt the ethnic culture, ascended Guishan Park, and with travel companions turned the world's largest prayer wheel, making our deepest wishes. After lunch, we went to the world-class gorge Tiger Leaping Gorge, known for its险、秀、奇、壮 (danger, beauty, wonder, grandeur). Inside the gorge, looking up, we could only see a patch of sky, surrounded by jagged rocks, deep and long. The river water, blocked by stones, leaped like a dragon, roared like a tiger. At that moment, we felt cliffs above, rapids below, heart-pounding. Viewing from the upper Tiger Leaping Gorge, it felt like walking on precipices, under waterfalls. Each section offered a different feeling—worth visiting.
A Qin recommended: 8-day Kunming Dali Lijiang Shangri-La tour: https://vacations.ctrip.com/tour/detail/p24243566.html
DAY 10 Kunming airport transfer to return to warm home. On this day, we flew home, ending the wonderful journey. See you, Yunnan. I think in the near future, I will meet you again. The above is the travel guide for my family's trip to Yunnan. Hope it helps those who want to visit Yunnan. See you next time!
