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Experience Type: Tour

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Discover Yunnan and Shangri-La

8 days from £859

Kunming (1 night), Dali (1 night), Lijiang (2 nights) Zhongdian & Shangri-La (2 nights), Kunming (1 night)

This tour explores one of China's most diverse provinces, full of mountain scenery, lush valleys, ancient towns and traditional culture. Additionally known as the ‘Land South of the Clouds’, Yunnan also boasts a varied climate and population, being home to a third of China's ethnic minorities. Well known names such as ‘Tiger Leaping Gorge’ and ‘Shangri-La’ add to the allure of the province and this comprehensive tour ensures you see it all, from the laid-back capital of Kunming to the original Shangri-La - the inspiration for James Milton's famous novel 'Lost Horizon'.

Highlights include:
• Private touring for maximum flexibility
• The capital and starting point of the tour - Kunming
• Explore the attractive old town of Dali
• Visit the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage site of Lijiang Old Town
• Trek along the awe-inspiring Tiger Leaping Gorge
• Taste delicious local delicacies - Yunnan food is famous for its variety
• Discover an ancient monastery high up in Zhongdian
• Explore the interesting Dandba Cultural Museum to learn more about this fascinating area

Departures:
Daily

Day 1: Arrive Kunming:
On arrival into Kunming you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day relaxing at leisure or exploring the city.
Accommodation: Harbour Plaza Hotel

Day 2: Kunming - Dali:
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your morning flight to Dali. Dali is one of China's most laid-back cities and home to the Bai people who settled here over 3000 years ago. After lunch at a local Bai-style restaurant, spend time visiting Three Minority Pagodas which are among the oldest free standing structures in southern China. Continue on to the atmospheric Old Town before a trip out to the old village of Xizhou, 18 kilometres north of Dali. Here you will find excellent examples of Bai architecture. As you enter the village, spacious coutyards and peaceful streets await. Bai houses are very distinctive, each has a unique front gate constructed to highlight the family's wealth and to honour their ancestors. Doors, windows and walls are beautifully designed and reveal the creative skills of the Bai people. Continue on to visit a lively local market before enjoying a scenic cruise on Erhai Lake. This ear-shaped lake is one of China's largest and is dotted with colourful villages around the perimeter. (B,L)
Accommodation: Asian Star Hotel

Day 3: Dali - Lijiang:
After breakfast, journey from Dali to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Lijiang (approximately 160 kilometres north). Set within a beautiful valley and home to the Naxi people, Lijiang is divided into the modern part and the delightful Old Town. Here a maze of narrow cobbled streets, canals, grey slated sloping roofs, ancient bridges and traditionally clad Naxi women await discovery. Your guide will accompany you on a tour of Black Dragon Pool on the northern edge of the town followed by the fascinating Dongba Cultural Museum. (B,L)
Accommodation: Jian Nan Chun Hotel

Day 4: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha Frescos and Jade Peak Monastery:
Enjoy a full day tour starting at Dragon Snow Mountain and the cable car ride which is a wonderful and irresistable photo opportunity. This region is also famous for its frescoes most of which were painted in the 15th-century and some of the best examples are found in the traditional village of Baisha. Baisha used to be the capital of the Naxi kingdom and today it is home to Dabaoji Palace and Liuli Temple which both boast excellent examples of traditional fresco paintings. Continue on to Jade Peak Monastery in the afternoon. (BL)

Day 5: Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge - Zhongdian:
We recommend a hearty breakfast before the drive to the first bend in the Yangtze River and on through spectacular mountain scenery to Tiger Leaping Gorge. The top of the gorge is a staggering 3km above the Yangtze River and legend has it that the gorge is so narrow in places that a tiger escaped capture by leaping across - hence the name. Enjoy a relaxing trek along the gorge, stopping for a picnic lunch. After your walk, continue on to the start of the Tibetan plateau at Zhongdian, otherwise known as Shangri-La. (B,L - picnic)
Accommodation: Gyalthang Dzong

Day 6: Songzanlin Monastery, Dabao Monastery, Shudu Lake & Old Town:
Today you will visit Songzanlin Monastery, a 300-year-old Tibetan monastery complex inhabited by several hundred monks and novices. Virtually destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, the monastery is the most important in southwest China and offers a fascinating insight into Lamaism, the Tibetan belief system. Continue on to the more remote Dabao Monastery, a small peaceful monastery enshrouded in an ancient cypress grove and located on a hill top. The last stop before returning to Zhongdian is the picturesque Shudu Lake surrounded with pastures and forest flowers. After a local lunch explore the Old Town and the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. (BL)

Day 7: Zhongdian - Kunming:
After breakfast transfer to the airport at Zhongdian to fly back to Kunming. Spend the afternoon exploring the Stone Forest. Walking through the forest you can marvel at the natural stone masterpieces and intricate formations. This magnificent, strange and steep landscape creates countless labyrinth vistas and is a typical example of the karst topography in and around this area. (B,L)
Accommodation: Harbour Plaza Hotel

Day 8: Depart Kunming:
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight. (B)

Prices Include:
• Accommodation and meals as specified (B = breakfast, L = lunch)
• Private tours and transfers with an English speaking guide
• Entrance fees
• Domestic flights as stated. International flights from the UK are not included.