Ultimate Budget Travel Guide for Students to Yunnan During Summer Vacation
In this lifetime, you must visit Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang in Yunnan at least once!
Before going, I read many guides and travel notes, and discovered that Yunnan is really huge! Independent travel might be a bit difficult. Unlike other big cities where you can reach destinations by taxi, subway, or bus, in Yunnan, many places you want to visit are not accessible by public transport. The distances between attractions are too far, and taxis are not economical. Self-driving is also extremely inconvenient – Yunnan's tourist attractions are too scattered, and arranging routes by car is especially troublesome. Booking hotels, buying tickets for attractions – a lot of things to handle. Without a local to guide you and explain the sights, you simply won't experience the highlights, and you're very likely to take unnecessary detours or backtrack.
Speaking of which, I really have to thank Ashima for designing our travel itinerary and arranging everything, making my trip very enjoyable. On this Yunnan trip, we visited all the must-see attractions: Kunming/Dali/Erhai/Stone Forest/Lijiang Old Town/Shuhe Ancient Town/Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and more!
I've put our travel itinerary below, hoping it helps you!
D1: Arrive in Kunming – 24-hour airport pickup – Check into hotel
D2: Morning: 5A-level Stone Forest National Scenic Area + Chuxiong Yi Ancient Town – Afternoon: Taste wild mushroom hotpot – Evening: Bonfire party
D3: Dali Erhai Lake tour – Open-top jeep luxury private yacht + Fisherman's cormorant show + Luoquan Peninsula – Afternoon: Cangshan Mountain, Butterfly Spring – Evening: Local eight-bowl feast and Erhai clay pot fish
D4: Dali Old Town, Yangren Street, Lashihai – Afternoon: Overlook Lijiang Old Town from Mu Palace, enjoy the song and dance show "Lijiang Jin Sha" – Evening: Naxi wedding banquet
D5: Morning: Stroll through the quiet and quaint Shuhe Ancient Town – Afternoon: Ascend the 4680-meter Jade Dragon Snow Mountain + Glacier Cableway + Blue Moon Valley + Baishui River
D6: Asia's largest flower market – Airport or train station drop-off based on flight schedule, 24-hour service
The per-person cost for the 6-day trip was just over 1000 RMB. Personally, I think this arrangement was really good – the whole trip was very relaxed, with no mandatory or hidden consumption. All arrangements were made before arriving in Kunming.
Ashima is very responsible and meticulous. If you're planning a trip to Yunnan, feel free to add her on WeChat [Find me in the comments below for Ashima's WeChat].
She is quite well-known locally. If you're planning an in-depth tour of Yunnan, I highly recommend reaching out to her.
For our Yunnan trip, we found Yunnan custom travel planner Ashima. Let me summarize why we chose her among all the glowing online reviews:
1. No tricks – transparent pricing
2. More affordable than arranging on our own, and more trustworthy compared to others
3. Saves time – everything arranged properly
4. Avoids the risk of being cheated
5. Reliable, good reputation, and well-organized
6. Backed by a large legitimate company – safe and secure
If you go to Yunnan, you can really contact her [Find me in the comments below for Ashima's WeChat].
Personal travel experience sharing: Check in at Yunnan's Instagram-worthy spots, travel without confusion.
What to eat?
Kunming-Dali-Lijiang food recommendations:
Kunming: Crossing-the-bridge noodles; Dali: Zaiguishou cold chicken noodle, Yangji grilled milk fan; Lijiang: Preserved pork ribs, local chicken hotpot.
Accommodation options?
Hot spring hotels, Erhai lakeview rooms, local five-star hotels – multiple Yunnan accommodation experiences!
What can you do in Yunnan?
Dali and Lijiang for slow living, conquer Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, experience stunning water-and-sky scenery, and more.
Our itinerary~~~
6-day deep dive – classic and no-mistake.
