Classic 6-Day Kunming-Lijiang Tour for Just 1,000 Yuan per Person
Yunnan is a place of longing, filled with romance and freedom. Dali Erhai Lake, Dali and Lijiang – cities of romance, the mysterious and colorful world of Shangri-La, Lugu Lake – a place for couples to leave beautiful memories hand in hand.
Yunnan is undoubtedly one of China's most attractive tourist provinces, with magnificent mountain and river scenery, numerous historical sites, and diverse ethnic minorities, all of which are fascinating. Everyone preparing for a trip will have various expectations. Imagine: experiencing the charm of small bridges and flowing water in Lijiang Ancient Town, listening to the gentle breeze by Dali Erhai Lake, heading to Shangri-La, the place closest to heaven... This is destined to be a romantic journey of wind, flowers, snow, and moonlight.
I. Super Transit Hub: Exploring Kunming (1-2 Days) There are 14 airports in Yunnan, but the most cost-effective transit point is the provincial capital Kunming. 60% of tourists are willing to stay 1-2 days during transit to see this "Spring City." The essence of Yunnan is not in Kunming, so 1-2 days is enough. How to avoid pitfalls and have a good time? Two keywords: quick IP check-in + slow-paced wandering.
(A) Must-Visit: Stone Forest and Jiuxiang 1. Super IP Stone Forest The Stone Forest is Kunming's big name, with its images everywhere at the airport and train station (the classic old movie "Ashima" is set here). As a world natural wonder, it's hard to resist (karst landforms are found in many places? Don't worry, the Stone Forest is the international representative!). Getting to the Stone Forest is a bit troublesome (1-hour drive). The train requires a transfer to a bus, and the minibus goes to the station. The best way is to join a tour group (save money and get explanations). A compact half-day tour with a group can finish it. There is also a dedicated Stone Forest day trip, which is relatively relaxed.
2. Jiuxiang en route Since it's very close to the Stone Forest, the day trip usually includes Jiuxiang. Although it's also karst landform, one is above ground and the other underground. Jiuxiang looks like where monsters live in "Journey to the West," and the magical cave scenes from the movie "The Myth" were filmed here. It's worth a stop.
3. Dianchi Lake + Western Hills (Popularity: ☆☆☆☆☆) Kunming's largest lake. In winter, seagulls from Siberia fly here, and locals like to feed them on the dam. We don't recommend taking a boat (boring), but instead take the cable car to Western Hills on the opposite side of the lake. You can climb up to Longmen to overlook Dianchi Lake, or walk on Haigeng Dam to see the "Sleeping Beauty" (Western Hills) as locals call it. Dianchi Lake and Western Hills are in the south of Kunming. It takes about 40 minutes by taxi from the city center, or you can take a bus. At the foot of Western Hills, there is a snack street called "Chama Huajie" for tourists, offering some local snacks at reasonable prices. Tickets: Dianchi Dam is free; Western Hills cable car + ticket: 85 yuan. Recommended play time: half a day.
[Must-do around Kunming] 1. Overlook Dianchi Lake from Western Hills, then take the high-altitude cable car to Haigeng Park to feed red-billed gulls. Tickets: Free entry, scenic spots charge separately: Longmen 40 yuan, Huating Temple and Taihua Temple combo 20 yuan, Nie Er's Tomb 1 yuan, Longmen cable car one-way 25 yuan, round trip 50 yuan. Local transportation: (1) Near Yunnan Ethnic Village, take a high-altitude cable car directly to Western Hills Longmen, one-way ticket 35 yuan/person. (2) From the city center's Art Theater, take a tourist bus directly to Western Hills, every 30 minutes, daily 8:00-16:30. 2. At Jinma Biji Square, walk to Nanping Street and eat cross-bridge rice noodles at Qiaoxiangyuan. 3. Read about Ashima's hometown – the magnificent, strange, dangerous, and secluded karst scenery of the Stone Forest. Reference ticket: 130 yuan/person.
Dali, with its wind, flowers, snow, and moonlight, captivates countless people. Xiaoxiao and I agreed as early as last March to go west to Dali in September 2019 for a jeep photo tour. Indeed, both of us arrived as scheduled in mid-September and participated in Lemon Ji's Dali day trip photo tour. Not only did we ride the trendy jeep around Erhai Lake, but we also got beautiful photos from the photographer. The fellow travelers were also fun, and it was really worthwhile.
Highly recommend Lemon Ji's Dali open-top jeep 360° around Erhai Lake photo tour (unlimited photos, until you don't want to take any more).
Arriving at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, you will be awed by this sacred mountain in the hearts of the Naxi people. From the barren summit to the lush mountainside, how to explore Jade Dragon Snow Mountain? What is the difference between it and the Greater Jade Dragon Scenic Area? What are the transportation options to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain? What are the various fees that confuse people? Don't worry, this guide will answer all your questions.
Are Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Meili Snow Mountain the same place?
No, they are completely different scenic spots. Although both are in Yunnan Province, they are over 400 km apart. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is located in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City. It is the southernmost snow mountain in China and the entire northern hemisphere, with an altitude of 5,596 meters. Meili Snow Mountain is a massive north-south snow mountain range in Deqin County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, with an average altitude of over 6,000 meters. Don't confuse the two.
From Lijiang, which should you visit, Jade Dragon or Meili?
Locals say Meili Snow Mountain is for viewing – it is extremely spectacular and grand but not climbable; Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the only climbable snow mountain in China. Standing at the 4,680-meter summit, the view is breathtaking. Time-wise, Meili Snow Mountain is near Deqin's Feilai Temple. From Lijiang, you need to transfer through Shangri-La to Deqin, then to Feilai Temple, so visiting Meili requires at least 4 days. It's best to join a pure tour group recommended by Lijiang's Wang Sibao, costing 1,680 yuan/person. Check road conditions in advance; if poor, it's not recommended. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is in Lijiang City, close to Lijiang, and can be done in a day with convenient transport. So if time is limited, choose Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Blue Moon Valley is at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, famous for its majestic snowy peaks, sapphire-blue water, and beautiful gorge scenery. It gets its name from the blue lake and crescent-shaped valley. Legend says it is the prototype of the Blue Moon Valley in James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon." Blue Moon Valley is also known as "Little Jiuzhaigou," like a blue moon embedded at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, becoming a new internet-famous spot.
As an ethnic minority city, Lijiang Ancient Town integrates the essence of Han, Bai, Yi, and Tibetan cultures in its layout and architecture, while having its own unique Naxi style. With water as its core, the ancient town features a distinctive water alley layout.
There are no regular road networks or strict city walls. The layout uses three mountains as screens and one river as connection. The water from Black Dragon Pool flows through the north gate into the entire ancient town, with three rivers passing through, dense streets and bridges, and every house has running water and small bridges.
The large waterwheel at the ancient town entrance is a must-visit spot for Lijiang tourists.
Heading north from Lijiang Ancient Town along the east side of Zhongji Sea for about four kilometers, you'll see a dense village at the foot of the mountains on both sides – this is Shuhe Ancient Town, known as the "Spring of Clear Streams." Shuhe is at the core of Lijiang's scenic spots, a hub for visiting Lijiang Ancient Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Blue Moon Valley, the First Bend of the Yangtze River, and the Three Parallel Rivers.
Historically, the "Tea Horse Road" opened in the Tang Dynasty, extending from southern Yunnan through Lijiang to Lhasa, Tibet. Over the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, it promoted economic and cultural exchanges among ethnic groups along the route. Shuhe is a well-preserved post station on the Lijiang plain. Today, Shuhe continues its post station function for the Tea Horse Road, with numerous inns and hotels welcoming tourists from all over the country.
Lugu Lake, commonly called Zuosuo Lake, is located at the border of Yanyuan County, Sichuan, and Ninglang County, Lijiang, Yunnan, shared by the two provinces, 206 km from Lijiang. Lugu Lake is the highest altitude lake in Yunnan and the third deepest freshwater lake in China. The main ethnic groups around the lake are Mosuo, Yi, and Pumi, with about 13,000 people from seven ethnic groups including Mongolian. The most famous custom is the Mosuo "walking marriage" tradition, i.e., the "Women's Kingdom" matriarchal society from "Journey to the West."
Spring Festival Holiday Lijiang Travel Tips
[Tip 1]: Transportation
1. Spring Festival is peak season in Lijiang, with heavy tourist flow and increasing self-driving tourists, so traffic jams are inevitable.
2. No matter which scenic spot you plan to visit, book tickets in advance and check traffic and parking info – sometimes there are no parking spaces.
3. During Spring Festival, tickets for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain are very tight. On the morning of the first day of the lunar new year, tickets for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain were already sold out. Friends who want to go must book tickets in advance.
[Tip 2]: Accommodation
1. Based on past experience, during Spring Festival, hotel prices in Lijiang are 1.5-3 times the usual, and sometimes you can't find a room even with money. So remind everyone to book tickets and accommodation well in advance.
2. During Spring Festival, hotel prices inside the ancient town may be much higher than outside. If you want to save money, stay outside the ancient town. Of course, this doesn't apply to rich people.
[Tip 3]: Clothing
1. In February, Lijiang is not so cold anymore, but mornings and evenings still have a chill. Carry a down jacket to wear in the morning and evening.
[Tip 4]: Meals
1. During Spring Festival, most shops are closed, and a few that remain open are packed with tourists. But there is always food. There are many restaurants outside the ancient town; just keep looking.
