7-Day Self-Guided Tour of Yunnan: Lijiang – Shangri-La – Dali

Introduction to Yunnan: Yunnan, abbreviated as Yun (Dian), with its capital at Kunming, lies on the southwestern border of China, with the Tropic of Cancer crossing its southern part. It covers a total area of 394,000 square kilometers, accounting for 4.1% of the country's total area. To the east, it adjoins Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province; to the north, it is bounded by the Jinsha River and looks across to Sichuan Province; in the northwest corner, it connects to the Tibet Autonomous Region; to the west, it is closely linked with Myanmar; and to the south and southeast, it borders Laos and Vietnam respectively, with a total land boundary of 4,061 kilometers. It boasts famous tourist attractions such as Lijiang Ancient Town, Dali Ancient Town, Erhai Lake, the earthly paradise of Shangri-La, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and more, making it a popular travel route. Travel destinations: Lijiang, Shangri-La, and Dali in Yunnan.

Travel style: This trip was mainly a family parent-child self-guided tour.

Essential items to bring: sun-protective clothing and hats, sunscreen, lip balm, an umbrella, and a jacket suitable for late autumn (preferably a windbreaker, as temperatures in Shangri-La are low).

Travel route: Lijiang was chosen as the transit base for this trip because it lies at the center of these scenic spots, enjoys the best air quality and pleasant temperatures, and offers comfortable accommodation. At the same time, when visiting other scenic areas, you can leave unnecessary luggage at a guesthouse in Lijiang, making travel relatively light. The specific route: Hefei flying to Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Shangri-La – Lijiang – Dali – Lijiang – flying to Nanjing.

Cost: Excluding round-trip airfare, around 2,500 yuan per person.

Travel reflections: Travel – what a beloved word it is. It allows you to interrupt the cycle of everyday trivialities and offers a temporary escape from ordinary, mundane life. Sightseeing, taking in the mountains and waters, experiencing the local customs of every place – it not only cultivates the mind and broadens knowledge, but also nurtures inner peace and unravels confusion. It is exactly as the saying goes: 'A place three miles from home has a different countryside flavor.' Only by venturing out can you enjoy nature’s gifts, stretch your heart, and purify your soul! Rewards of parent-child travel: As common wisdom has it, 'Without climbing a mountain, you won't know its height; without fording a stream, you won't know its depth; without admiring extraordinary scenery, how can you grasp its wonder?' 'Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.' Only by experiencing it firsthand and being there in person can you truly understand. Gazing from a high vantage point, you will appreciate Du Fu’s sentiment 'When reaching the summit, all other mountains appear small.' Standing in the mountains, you might feel the mystery of Lu Xun’s line 'Retreat into a small building to become your own master, caring not for spring, summer, autumn, or winter.' Trekking across mountains and rivers, you can grasp Li Bai’s pursuit of 'Seeking immortals in the Five Great Mountains, not shirking the long journey; a good life loves visiting famed mountains.' Once nature’s distinct scenery occupies your vision and thoughts, you will realize that life is not always dull; everything is so perfect, filled everywhere with sunshine.

Now, let's begin this journey, come along with me…

Day 1, July 28: Took a flight from Hefei to Lijiang, and stayed overnight in Shuhe Ancient Town. We chose Shuhe Ancient Town as our relaxation spot because a friend told us it's relatively quiet there, you can sleep comfortably, the guesthouse environment is nice, and the town itself is full of character. If you want to visit Lijiang Ancient Town, it’s only about 6 kilometers away, a taxi costs 30 yuan (15 yuan in the off-season) and takes 15 minutes to reach the ancient town. We booked a room at Yiren Lanting Guesthouse online, and the environment was really good. There were plenty of dining options nearby, the owner was warm and considerate, and they specially came to pick us up at our drop-off point.

Hefei airport is well-built, though a bit remote.

Flying to Lijiang, we had a stopover at Kunming airport. Viewed from afar, Kunming airport looks like a plane spreading its wings, full of dynamism.

The peripheral scenery of Kunming International Airport.

Our guesthouse in Shuhe Ancient Town, Lijiang, recommended by a friend and booked online – the environment was quite nice.

The family suite looked very comfortable.

Day 2, July 29: Headed to Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La.

In the morning, we woke up naturally, then strolled around the ancient town near our place and grabbed something to eat. A special reminder: at the small local street breakfast stalls, prices for locals are lower but doubled for tourists. For example, a local flatbread (baba) costs 2.5 yuan for locals but 5 yuan for tourists. If you wonder how they distinguish locals from tourists, they can often tell at a glance, sometimes without even hearing you speak. Close to noon, we took a taxi to the bus station to catch a bus to Tiger Leaping Gorge. By the time we arrived, it was past 11 o'clock; the next scheduled bus was at 12:10, but we didn't leave until 12:40. The concept of punctuality here is quite lax – buses generally depart only when full, presumably due to cost considerations, which is understandable. After boarding, we met a couple from Sichuan heading to Shangri-La, and we decided to travel together. About 2.5 hours later, we reached Tiger Leaping Gorge Town. As soon as we got off, many drivers approached us asking if we wanted to go to the Tiger Leaping Gorge scenic area. The ticketed scenic area is still 7 kilometers from the town, so you need a vehicle to reach it, unless you're a hiker and choose to walk. After negotiating the fare, we paid 180 yuan for a round trip by car, averaging 40 yuan per person. At the entrance to the scenic area, someone stopped us to buy tickets – it seemed to be 60 yuan per person, but I didn't buy the tickets so I don't remember clearly. On the road to the scenic area, there was a lot of traffic and ticket checks, taking about 40 minutes to reach the site. Tiger Leaping Gorge is truly impressive, deserving its reputation as one of the world's most spectacular gorges, renowned for its 'precipitousness.' It includes Upper, Middle, and Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge, along with high hiking trails. We chose to visit the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge area, which is the narrowest section of the gorge, 9 kilometers from Tiger Leaping Gorge Town on the roadside. In midstream, a huge boulder sits surging like a nearly vertical cascade, splitting the rushing water into two, with waves thundering to the sky. Legend has it that a fierce tiger once used this boulder to leap from the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain side to Haba Snow Mountain, hence the rock’s name Tiger Leaping Rock. After about an hour, we had seen most of it. Because we needed to rush to Shangri-La, a journey of another 2.5 hours if there’s no traffic jam (if jammed, it takes longer, as the G214 road is a busy route to Tibet with many dangerous mountain passes), we set off early. On the way there, the driver had told us that if we wanted to go to Shangri-La, he could arrange for his friend’s car to take us, which would be both more convenient and cheaper at 30 yuan per person. We thought it was a fair deal, so we followed the car to Shangri-La. All along the route, beautiful scenery accompanied us; the driver stopped at every particularly nice view point for us to take photos, rest, and acclimatize to the high-altitude cold climate. By just past 7 pm, we arrived at the beautiful earthly paradise – Shangri-La. We asked the driver to drop us off in Dukezong Ancient Town. Dukezong is the best-preserved and largest Tibetan residential cluster in China and was a key hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. We checked into the guesthouse we had booked. The temperature here was very low; while our hometowns were sweltering under 40°C heat, the temperature here was only 12°C, dropping even lower at night. To avoid sparking envy, I didn’t even post on social media. To keep warm in the evening and sample local specialties, we chose a restaurant for yak hot pot, with a standard of about 100 yuan per person. The yak meat here is authentic, served in two bowls – one raw and one cooked, accompanied by local dipping sauces, vegetables, and mushrooms. The flavor was superb. After dinner, we strolled through the Moonlight Square in the ancient town, enjoyed the local Tibetan communal bonfire dance, and could also visit the nearby Red Army Memorial Hall and Guishan Temple, all well-known scenic spots. But the temperature was too cold to bear, so we bought a windbreaker from a nearby clothing shop to keep warm; at 150 yuan each, it was more cost-effective than renting one for 50 yuan a day. You could also buy various shawls for warmth. That night, the sky was clear and serene, with a distinct high-altitude chill. The ancient town, illuminated by various lights, looked especially beautiful, pure, and bustling. We spent an unforgettable night here.

A roadside scene in Shuhe Ancient Town.

On the way to Tiger Leaping Gorge: Lijiang and Shangri-La are separated by a river. Not long after leaving Lijiang, you cross a bridge and enter Shangri-La.

Soon we reached the vicinity of Tiger Leaping Gorge scenic area. This is at the entrance, waiting in line to get in.

Looking down at Tiger Leaping Gorge from above.

Layer upon layer of mountains, majestic and grand.

Waves billowed, a truly spectacular sight.

After about an hour of sightseeing, we left and took a car to Shangri-La. Scenery lined the entire route. A scene on the way to Shangri-La.

Without traffic jams, it took 2.5 hours to reach Shangri-La. This is Moonlight Square in Dukezong Ancient Town.

Local Tibetans on the street.

Outside our hotel.

Snack shop in the ancient town. Looks fine from outside, but let's not talk about the hygiene inside, heh.

Day 3, July 30: Visited China's first national park – Pudacuo National Park – and the scenic spots along the way.

In the morning, we took the guesthouse owner's commercial van at 30 yuan per person for a round trip, together with seven other companions, to the beautiful Pudacuo National Park. Located at the heart of the 'Three Parallel Rivers' World Natural Heritage site in northwestern Yunnan, Pudacuo comprises the Bita Lake Nature Reserve, an internationally important wetland, and the Shudu Lake scenic area within the Haba region of the 'Three Parallel Rivers' World Natural Heritage site. Its main components are Bita Lake, Shudu Lake, and the Xiagei Tibetan Culture Eco-village, making it one of Shangri-La’s prime attractions. Ranging from 3,500 to 4,159 meters in altitude, it is a provincial nature reserve and a significant part of the 'Three Parallel Rivers' scenic area. Pudacuo National Park features geological landforms, lakes and wetlands, forests and meadows, river valleys and streams, rare flora and fauna, with its pristine ecological environment well preserved. It is 22 kilometers from Shangri-La city proper, with a total area of about 1,313 square kilometers. Planned sightseeing time was 7 hours. The entrance ticket was 138 yuan, plus a 120 yuan eco-bus fee, totaling 258 yuan. Note: Those with altitude sickness or weaker constitutions should bring two canisters of oxygen, just in case.

Around 3 pm, the driver dropped us at the bus station, and we caught a bus back to the transit point, beautiful Lijiang. We continued staying in Shuhe Ancient Town.

On the way to Pudacuo Park.

The entrance gate of Pudacuo Park – truly worthy of being the first national park.

Still lake waters, indescribable in their tranquility and beauty.

Azure sky, fresh air, you truly want to take an extra deep breath.

Green meadows, distant cattle and sheep…

An earthly paradise, beautiful Shangri-La.

A scenic spot on the return trip, mainly for shopping – it was a free walk, whether to buy or not was entirely up to us.

Treat the journey itself as a time to admire beautiful scenery, and you won't find the bus ride boring.

Day 4, July 31: Planned to visit Lijiang Ancient Town. We’d been here for several days but hadn’t yet explored the ancient town, so today was the day. After breakfast, we planned to take bus No. 6 from just outside to save some money. However, we waited for two No. 6 buses in succession over about an hour, and neither driver would stop for us. When we asked a local why, the answer nearly made us laugh out of anger: since few locals get on here and they saw you as tourists, they’d rather have you take a taxi and spend more money. So we had no choice but to hail a taxi, which was hard to get, so we had to use mobile data to call a Didi express car. It came quickly, within 2 minutes, and we set off, setting the destination to the south gate of Lijiang Ancient Town (we heard that this gate has a section that doesn't require the ancient town maintenance fee, allowing free entry; we chose it to save the fee of 80 yuan per person. Not that we were stingy, but we felt the fee wasn't worth it; after 6 pm when staff leave, it's free anyway). The driver’s service was good, and he chatted with us. I kept my Gaode map open and soon noticed something fishy – the driver was taking a detour, circling around the outskirts, and the fare was about to exceed 20 yuan. I said, 'Why aren’t you taking the regular route?' He replied that it was congested and difficult. I said I'd been here several times and knew the route well. He was an old hand; realizing he was in the wrong but remained calm, insisting he was saving us time. By that time, the Didi fare had reached 30 yuan, which was about what you'd pay by hailing a cab with a fixed price. I told him he couldn't do that, and his expression instantly changed into something grim – these locals already have dark skin, and now he looked truly annoyed. When we finally saw the ancient town gate, we got out. So, I suggest not using Didi express cars in Lijiang Ancient Town unless you specify the exact route; otherwise, stick to fixed-price taxis. The ancient town is vast, truly worthy of being a nationally famous 5A tourist attraction. Lijiang Ancient Town, also known as Dayan Town, was founded in the late Song and early Yuan dynasties (late 13th century AD). Situated on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, it covers an area of 3.8 square kilometers. It is one of the second batch of approved Chinese Historical and Cultural Cities, and one of the only two ancient towns in China that have successfully applied for World Cultural Heritage status as an entire town. Lijiang Ancient Town features colorful local ethnic customs and recreational activities, including Naxi ancient music, Dongba rituals, divination culture, ancient town bars, and the Naxi Torch Festival, all uniquely distinctive. It fully embodies the achievements of ancient Chinese urban construction and is a representative type of Chinese vernacular architecture with distinct character and style. We entered from the south gate. For the first stretch, no one asked for the maintenance fee ticket, but after walking about 800 meters, guards were stationed at various entry points, requiring the ticket for entrance. Before coming, I had searched online and heard there was an entrance through the Gu Zhong Yi vegetable market – it worked perfectly. We slipped in through the market entrance and began our tour. As for the maintenance fee, it is only required for attractions like the Mu Mansion and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; elsewhere you can avoid it. In the evening, we took a taxi back to Shuhe Ancient Town for dinner and rest. To satisfy our craving for the yak hot pot we had in Shangri-La, we found a nice small restaurant in Shuhe Ancient Town and enjoyed equally authentic and delicious yak hot pot there.

Shuhe Ancient Town also has strong ethnic charm, just smaller in scale than Lijiang Ancient Town.

A central tourist map of Lijiang Ancient Town.

Lijiang Ancient Town – the filming location for the TV drama 'Mu Feng Yun' – with a majestic presence.

Zhongyi Archway outside Mu Mansion.

View of the entire ancient town from Lion Hill.

In the distance is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, though snow is already sparse.

Can you see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain ahead?

The statue square of Chairman Mao beside the ancient town.

Returning to Shuhe Ancient Town – we realized we were staying right at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

Day 5, August 1: This day was Army Day, which felt very commemorative. We planned to visit Dali, famous for its 'Xia Guan wind, Shang Guan flowers, Cang Mountain snow, and Erhai Lake moon' – the four scenes that form the romantic essence of 'wind, flowers, snow, and moon.' The Bai people have lived and thrived here for generations; historically, it was the seat of the Dali Kingdom and Nanzhao Kingdom, the fabled home of the Duan clan from Jin Yong’s novels, and the starting point of the Yunnan-Tibet route. Beautiful stories and a long history, however, cannot mask the chaotic tourism in Dali. We chose to take a train to experience a Yunnan rail journey. We took a taxi to the train station, about 17 kilometers from our accommodation in Shuhe Ancient Town; the cab cost 60 yuan. Lijiang Railway Station is as beautiful as the city itself. At noon we arrived at Dali. After getting off the train, we headed to Xizhou Ancient Town in Dali and had booked a sea-view room at a hotel on the shore of Erhai Lake – a king-bed room with a 2-meter bed, at 475 yuan per night including breakfast. After settling in, we enjoyed the Erhai lakeside view from the hotel’s backyard. In the evening, we rented an electric tricycle that could go 50 km, at 15 yuan per hour, and rode along the lakeside ring road to Xizhou and Haishe (Se Tongue) Park. In Xizhou Ancient Town, rows of residences imbued with ink-wash charm are neatly set along ancient cobbled lanes. Every courtyard layout strives for naturalness and appropriateness, exuding a refined elegance. There are over a hundred Bai-style residential buildings from the Ming, Qing, Republican, and contemporary periods, each with its own features. As we strolled, we tasted local delicacies: Xizhou pot-stewed baba, old granny’s homemade popsicles, and other famous snacks. After dinner at a distinctive Xizhou restaurant, we returned to the hotel by 9 pm along the way and rested.

Lijiang Station feels very much in tune with a tourist city.

A guesthouse in Xizhou Ancient Town.

The famous shop of the old granny’s handmade fresh-milk popsicles – the taste is really good.

Day 6, August 2: Continued exploring Erhai Lake and learning about local customs. At 7 a.m., I rented a bicycle and rode from Xizhou toward Shuanglang Town, planning for a half-day trip. However, halfway there, as the weather grew hotter and the sun more intense, coupled with tiredness from the previous days, I didn’t persist to Shuanglang Ancient Town. After riding 11 kilometers, I turned back, returning to Xizhou before 10 a.m. and visiting the nearby Peach Blossom Island Park. Considering that Dali is hotter than Lijiang, we discussed and decided to head back to Lijiang early to prepare for our return journey the next day. We changed our train ticket accordingly. After 5 p.m., we arrived back in Lijiang and checked into a hotel near the ancient town – a newly opened establishment, choosing a slightly more luxurious family room. That evening, we revisited the ancient town to enjoy its nightscape, sample local famous snacks, and buy some characteristic local gifts to share with colleagues and friends back home.

Sunrise over Erhai Lake in the morning.

Cycling toward Shuanglang Ancient Town.

One of the scenic views along the way.

Erhai Lake is truly beautiful.

Peach Blossom Island Park near Xizhou Town, just a 10-minute walk from our hotel, Jinque.

The front gate of Dali Ancient Town.

Street view opposite Dali Railway Station.

Yunnan produces fresh flowers; a rose costs only 0.4 yuan – cheap enough!

The trains between Dali and Lijiang are all old green-painted carriages. According to a crew member, resources are limited and they were sourced from other places, heh.

Arriving at Lijiang Station – public buses are hard to catch, with so many people.

Lijiang Station looks quite nice, with its own character.

A scene in Lijiang Ancient Town – a rainbow appeared! See it?

A double rainbow seen upon reaching Lijiang Ancient Town.

The hotel we stayed in, very clean and cozy.

The hotel environment was great, newly opened. This is a corner of the hotel lobby.

A bar street – the hotel is right across the road from the ancient town, again in the ancient town.

At night, the ancient town is thronged with tourists, brilliantly lit, a scene of bustling activity.

Day 7, August 3: We took it easy around the ancient town and prepared for departure. In the morning, we visited the Gu Zhong Yi vegetable market to see what local specialties were like. Since we were near the tourist area, many local products had dual pricing – one for locals, one for tourists. To avoid being ripped off, we basically didn’t buy anything. After lunch, we went to the airport bus stop (at the Lantian Hotel Civil Aviation Reception) and took the airport shuttle bus, 20 yuan per person, which took about 50 minutes to reach Lijiang Sanyi Airport. Then we flew home.

Outside the hotel restaurant, enjoying views of the ancient town.

Snapshots on the way to the airport; Lijiang Airport and Lijiang Railway Station are really well-built – trademarks of a tourist city.

Scenery outside from the bus.

At the airport, we walked along a side road to nearby eateries to grab a bite.

A corner of Sanyi Airport.

A corner of Lijiang Airport.

With such a blue sky, I couldn’t resist snapping a shot.