Poetry and Distant Lands: A 13-Day Independent Trip Through Yunnan and Sichuan

Departure: November 1–13. Best time to go: mid-October. Duration: 13 days. Cost: 3,000 yuan. With whom: traveling solo.

Packing tips: money, ID, sunscreen, clothes, phone (a DSLR or camera is recommended).

Route: Jingmen → Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-La → Daocheng → Xinduqiao → Chengdu → Jingmen.

Places visited: Cuihu Park, Jiangwutang, Yunnan University, Victory over Japan Memorial Hall, Dianchi Lake, Dali Old Town, Chongsheng Temple, Shuanglang, Xizhou Ancient Town, Haishe Park, Shaxi Ancient Town, Lugu Lake, Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe Ancient Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Baishuitai, Dukezong, Red Army Long March Victory Memorial Hall, Xinduqiao, Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli.

Travel principles: no self-torture, no luxury. Keeping it budget-friendly and free. Simple food and lodging – hostels, rice dishes, street snacks.

About this trip: It’s a funny coincidence. I’d dreamed of a Yunnan trip for ages but never had the time for a spontaneous getaway. This year my workplace shut down temporarily and gave us early annual leave, so I could finally chase that dream. Anyway, let’s not ramble on – here’s the lowdown.

This is mainly a practical guide. All photos were taken with a phone (12 megapixels), so they can’t fully capture the beauty of Yunnan and Sichuan. This is one of those places you have to see with your own eyes at least once in your life.

Day 1: Train K2285 from Jingmen to Kunming, 4:05 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. the next day, 26 hours total. Spending a full day on a train is a test for most people, but as the train stops and starts, people come and go – isn’t that a kind of scenery too?

Day 2: Cuihu Park, Jiangwutang, Yunnan University – Recommended: 3 stars. Admission: free.

Haigeng Park, Dianchi Lake – Recommended: 2 stars. Admission: free.

The train pulled into Kunming early in the morning. I stored my luggage at the station, bought an evening train ticket to Dali, then hopped on a bus to Cuihu Park. My first sight of Kunming felt inexplicably familiar – a gentle breeze, temperatures perfect for living, flowers blooming everywhere in the city. I thought I’d arrived too early to see red-billed gulls, but right at Cuihu Park I found flocks of them, living peacefully with local residents. Absolutely enchanting. Yunnan University is old and charming, with tree-shaded paths and a strong cultural vibe. Jiangwutang was just so-so.

In the afternoon I took a bus to the legendary Dianchi Lake and Haigeng Park, only to be hugely disappointed. The water quality was terrible – environmental protection needs serious attention. If you’re planning to visit Dianchi, I’d urge you to think twice. Back at Kunming Railway Station in the evening, I have to vent: the security guard’s attitude was awful. Security at the station is tight, but my train wasn’t until 10 p.m. and it was only around 7. The automatic gate wouldn’t let me into the waiting hall (saying it was too early), and the ticket hall had no seating. When I asked the guard for help, he was extremely rude and impatient. It’s not hard to see why that major incident happened in Kunming a few years ago. In the end I went to a manned ticket check and got through without trouble.

Day 3: Dali Old Town – Recommended: 3 stars, free.

Chongsheng Temple – Recommended: 4 stars, 95 yuan.

Arriving in Dali early, I planned to catch the No. 8 bus to Dali Old Town, but it was too crowded. Instead I took a bus to Chongsheng Temple, which isn’t far from the old town. My plan had been Cangshan in the morning, Chongsheng Temple in the afternoon, and the old town at night. But I ended up wandering the old town for two or three hours just to find my pre-booked hostel, so Cangshan was scrapped. Luck was on my side – Dali had its first snowfall of the year the night before, making everything breathtakingly beautiful. Chongsheng Temple is vast, tier after tier, with countless Buddhas I can’t say I fully understood, but it’s worth a visit. Also, don’t miss the ‘baorong tofu’ in the old town – it’s delicious!

Day 4: Xizhou Ancient Town, Shuanglang, Haishe Park.

Xizhou Ancient Town – Recommended: 4 stars, free.

Shuanglang – Recommended: 4 stars, free.

Haishe Park – Recommended: 3 stars, free.

I set off early for Xizhou. There are two roads from Dali Old Town – one from the north gate, one from the south. I recommend taking the north gate bus to Eryuan and getting off at Xizhou, as those buses are more frequent. As soon as I arrived in Xizhou I rented an e-bike to Shuanglang (80 yuan) – I got ripped off. 50 yuan would’ve been enough. E-bike rental places cluster on the west side of the ancient town, so shop around. Erhai Lake is stunning, and so is Shuanglang. I think the most beautiful stretch is near Shangguan – there’s no need to loop all of Erhai. Shuanglang was tricky to navigate because of roadworks, and I didn’t make it to Yuji Island – a small regret. Then back to Xizhou and Haishe Park, where the ‘Couple’s Tree’ stands. I spent the night in Xizhou Ancient Town. Let me say, Xizhou was the most worthwhile old town of my whole Yunnan trip. It’s decent-sized and feels truly alive, with families living as they have for generations, full of village charm. 4 stars.

Day 5: Shaxi Ancient Town – Recommended: 4 stars.

Shaxi is a bit special. Yunnan has plenty of old towns, but Shaxi’s relative inaccessibility gives it a distinct character. Nice! From Xizhou, I took a bus toward Shangri-La, got off at Jianchuan, then caught a dedicated minibus from Jianchuan bus station to Shaxi – doable as a day trip. In the evening I traveled to Shuhe Ancient Town in Lijiang and stayed there overnight.

Day 6–7: Lugu Lake – Recommended: 5 stars. Entry 100 yuan. Round-trip transport 130 yuan. Joining a tour package 130 yuan.

I’m not exaggerating: Lugu Lake is the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen. “After Lugu, no other lake compares” – that sums up my feeling. The lake is huge; you need at least two days to explore it properly. I’d suggest staying even longer. Also, a special shout-out to Lugu Lake’s apples – crisp, sweet, only 3 yuan a jin.

Day 8: Tiger Leaping Gorge, Baishuitai – Recommended: 4 stars. Tiger Leaping Gorge admission around 70 yuan, Baishuitai 30 yuan.

I took an early bus from Shuhe Ancient Town to Tiger Leaping Gorge Town (ticket about 20 yuan), winding along mountain roads and arriving around midday. Tiger Leaping Gorge lies between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain, with roaring water below and majestic cliffs on both sides. It’s divided into upper, middle, and lower sections; only the upper section is open to the public. The middle and lower sections are a trekker’s paradise. If you have time, go for it – expect to pay an extra local fee of around 20 yuan. Baishuitai in Sanba Township, Shangri-La, is equally gorgeous and worth the trip with a cheap entry fee. I stayed overnight at a farmhouse in Sanba, a full-on wooden house with loads of character.

Day 9: Shangri-La, Dukezong Ancient Town – Recommended: 3 stars.

I just wandered around Shangri-La this day. Dukezong Ancient Town is built entirely in wood; it was apparently ravaged by a fire not long ago and has been rebuilt. I tried the yogurt there. Shangri-La feels like real Tibetan territory, with prayer wheels and prayer flags everywhere. I passed Pudacuo National Park – the scenery inside looked beautiful, a pity I didn’t go in.

Day 10: Daocheng – a small county town at 3,900 meters elevation. On the bus I met a few fellow travelers. That evening the four of us had a hotpot buffet, drank plenty of booze, and talked non-stop. Back at the guesthouse, I crashed right away. I’d worried about altitude sickness but felt nothing at all. A bit crazy for a first time on the plateau.

Day 11: Xinduqiao. They say Xinduqiao is a photographer’s paradise. Regrettably, I was a little late; the poplar leaves had already fallen. The most beautiful part of Xinduqiao is along the road to Tagong Town – another thing I missed. Still, the rice soup near Xinduqiao Middle School was superb, I’d recommend it.

Day 12: Chengdu – Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, around 60 yuan, Recommended: 4 stars. Jinli – 3 stars, Kuanzhai Alley – 3 stars.

The panda base is a must-visit: loads of pandas and easy to reach. Jinli and Kuanzhai Alley were both crowded, each with their own flavor.

Day 13: Chengdu, then back to Jingmen. The end.