Yunnan - China's Secret Paradise

Yunnan - China's Secret Paradise

Style: TravellerCultural discovery away from the crowds
Duration: 15 days
Type: GroupSmall group tours with a maximum of 12 travellers

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Kunming
Arrive in Kunming. The rest of the time is free for you to relax or explore the city. Overnight Mingdu Hotel or similar.

Day 2 – Kunming - Xishuangbanna
Free time to explore Kunming before we fly to Xishuangbanna, a verdant region of rainforests with numerous distinct ethnic groups which is very unlike the rest of China. Overnight Tiancheng Hotel or similar. (B)

Day 3 - Xishuangbanna
Today we take an excursion to Menghai, centre of the tea growing area of the famous Pu'er tea, and starting point of the original Tea Horse Trail, which saw merchants taking tea and other goods across the mountains to Tibet. Xishuangbanna is home to an astonishing diversity of ethnic minorities and we are likely to meet Dai, Aini and Jinuo people. Overnight Tiancheng Hotel or similar. (BL)

Day 4 – Dai Villages
An excursion to Dalanba and its lively Dai market. We spend time exploring the villages of the Dai minority group to learn about their customs, before visiting the Botanical Gardens at Menglun. Time permitting we may also be able to visit a village belonging to the Jinuo people. Overnight Tiancheng Hotel or similar. (BL)

Day 5 – Xishuangbanna - Kunming
After free time to explore the region further, we fly back to Kunming, where we board the sleeper train that will take us to Dali. (B)Day 6 – DaliArrive in Dali and transfer to the old town, home to the Bai people. Later we will take a cruise on Erhai Lake, with its vivid blue waters, and ascend the Cangshan Mountains by cable car for stunning views over the town and surrounds. Overnight Landscape Hotel or similar. (LD)

Day 7 – Dali
A free day to explore Dali and its sites. You may want to visit the ‘Three Pagodas’ – the oldest of these dates back to the 9th century and they have held important religious artefacts in years gone by. Alternatively soak up the highly atmospheric stone streets of the old town and mingle with Dali’s friendly Bai people. Overnight Landscape Hotel or similar. (B)

Day 8 – Tiger Leaping Gorge
Transfer to Qiaotou where we hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge, a stunning area that is home to one of the deepest gorges in the world. We end the day at a small minority guesthouse within the gorge. (BD)

Day 9 – Haba Village
Walk out of the gorge and transfer to pretty Haba village, inhabited by the Naxi people and overshadowed by the snowcapped Haba Mountains. Explore the village and meet the local people or take hikes in the surrounding area. Overnight local guesthouse. (BD)

Day 10 – Zhongdian
We continue north through stunning mountain scenery to Zhongdian, one of the claimants to the title ‘Shangri-La’. After arrival we visit the picturesque lake of Bita Hai, home to rare species including clouded leopards, as well as the Tibetan village of Xiajie. Overnight Huantai Hotel or similar. (BD)

Day 11 – Lijiang
Visit the working Tibetan monastery of Songzhangling, built as a smaller version of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. We then head to Lijiang to spend the night. Overnight P & T Hotel or similar. (B)

Day 12 – Lugu Lake
Drive to beautiful Lugu Lake, on the border with Sichuan province. This area is home to a number of different ethnic minority groups who live in villages by the shores of the lake, and is heavily forested. We stay in a local guesthouse in one of the villages and meet the inhabitants of this remote area. (BLD)

Day 13 – Lugu Lake – Lijiang
Visit villages around Lugu Lake to gain more of an insight into the lives of the different minorities that live here. Later we return to Lijiang for the night. Overnight P & T Hotel or similar. (BL)

Day 14 – Lijiang
A free day to explore Lijiang, with its delightful old town which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lijiang is a great place to wander around, intersected by streams and with charming narrow streets that take you back to a bygone era. Overnight P & T Hotel or similar. (B)

Day 15 – Lijiang
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)