China Essential Train Tour with Yunnan

Our guide will wait for you at the airport according to your flight schedule. Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel. You are free to arrange your time for the rest of the day, whether to have a good rest at the hotel, or to stroll around to get some impression of the city.

After breakfast, our tour guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel according to the appointed time.

First, you will visit Victoria Peak. Victoria Peak is located in the northwest of Hong Kong Island. At 554 meters above sea level, it is the highest point in Hong Kong, and you will have a panoramic view of Victoria Harbor from the top of Victoria Peak.

Taking the Peak Tram is the main transportation to Victoria Peak. It has become one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist attractions, welcoming more than 6 million patrons a year. With a history of more than 100 years, it was originally built to provide easy access to the hill for the governors and wealthy merchants of Hong Kong who lived on top of Victoria Peak, but now it can be enjoyed by everyone. The cable car ride from the bottom to the top of the Victoria Peak is 1.4 km, and it takes only 7 minutes to reach the summit. Taking the tram up to the top of the peak and enjoying the stunning views of Victoria Harbour along the way will be an unforgettable experience for you! At the "Bowen Stop", you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Wan Chai and the driver will stop the tram here for a short while.

In the afternoon, you will visit Repulse Bay. The Repulse Bay is located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, nestled between the mountains and the sea, with a crescent-shaped bay and a wide, clean, shallow beach. You can swim or take a walk in Repulse Bay. At last, you will be transferred to your hotel to have a good rest.

Victoria Peak

Repulse Bay

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from the hotel lobby. Today you will visit the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. The guide will not go to the park with you. Hong Kong Disneyland, located on a 126-mile stretch of land on Lantau Island in the New Territories, Hong Kong, officially opened on September 12, 2005. It is the 5th Disneyland in the world, the 2nd in Asia, and the 1st in China. Hong Kong Disneyland features some unique attractions, a variety of Disney-themed hotels, and numerous shopping, dining, and entertainment facilities. The park broadly consists of seven themed areas, namely: Main Street USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Manor.Have a great fun time and the guide will wait for you at the exit of the park at the appointed time. Then you will be transferred back to the hotel.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up from the hotel. Then you will be transferred to the train station and take the estimated train G408 12:05-19:48 to Kunming. Welcome to Kunming! Kunming  is the capital of Yunnan Province. With a long history and a splendid culture, Kunming is one of the first 24 national famous historical and cultural cities announced by the State Council. It is known as 'the City of Eternal Spring' for its pleasant climate and flowers that bloom all year long. With convenient transportation, Kunming also serves as a gateway city for those who visit Yunnan Province.

Our local guide will wait for you at Kunming train station. After picking you up, you will be transferred to your hotel and have a good rest.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Stone Forest for sightseeing. Stone Forest Scenic Area is 78 km from Kunming, and it takes about 1.5 hours to get there by car. It covers an area of 350 square kilometers.It preserves the smallest karst formations, and tall sword-shaped, pillar-shaped, mushroom-shaped, pagoda-shaped and other limestone pillars are the typical representatives of Stone Forest. Almost all the karst forms in the world are concentrated here, forming a panoramic picture of the karst geological landscape. Stone Forest is the "Home of Ashima". One of Shillin’s most famous attractions is the Ashima Stone. There is a legend that Ashima, who ran into the stone forest because she was forbidden to marry the man she loved, then Ashima transformed into a man-shaped stone in a dark, lightening and raining night to honor her pure true love. In memory of Ashima, every year on June 24 the local Sani people hold the Torch Festival at Stone  Forest, which features many “traditional performances such as wrestling, dragon-dancing, and lion-dancing.” Many lovers also take photos here to witness their undying love.

In the afternoon, you will be transferred back to downtown Kunming to visit Green Lake Park. It is about 89 kilometers from the Stone Forest and it takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to get there.The entire Green Lake Park is a green world, with willow trees swaying gently on the dikes, and the surface of the lake covered all over with lotus leaves. With its beautiful scenery and tranquil environment, the park is a popular place for local residents who come here for a few hours of leisure. If you visit Green Lake Park in winter and spring, you will have a chance to feed red-beaked gulls, and there are tens of thousands of them, which descend upon the lake.

Then you will go to see the Yuantong Temple, which is located on Yuantong Street in downtown Kunming. With a history of more than 1,200 years, Yuantong Temple is one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in Kunming. Founded in the Tang dynasty (618-907) and rebuilt in the Yuan dynasty (1276-1368), Yuantong Temple is built based on the traditional model of the Chinese Buddhist temples. In the courtyard of the temple, you can see there is a pavilion that shelters a golden statue of Guanyin with thousand arms, which is the protector of the local people. At last, you will be transferred back to your hotel to have a good rest.

Stone Forest

Yuantong Temple

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel. Then you will be transferred to visit the Kunming Bird and Flower Market. It was built in 1980 and originally was the site selling flowers, birds, pets, and insects to the locals. As time goes by, it has begun to attract more and more local and foreign visitors, and has gradually developed into an excellent shopping and sightseeing center with a true local flavor. Visiting the Bird and Flower Market, you will have a view of a multitude of shops and stores standing along this long and narrow street displaying a huge variety of flowers, various kinds of rare plants and different seeds and fertilizers. The main flowers are different kinds of orchids, camellia, rose, narcissus, and begonia. You can not only take beautiful pictures here, but also buy some flowers or flower seeds for your friends and families as a great gift. Then you will be transferred to the train station and take the estimated train D8784 14:10-17:08 to Lijiang.

Lijiang is a famous tourist city, with the World Heritage Site of Lijiang Ancient Town, the World Natural Heritage Site of The Three Parallel Rivers, and the World Memory Site of Naxi Dongba Ancient Literature. Lijiang is rich in tourism resources, with famous tourist attractions such as Lijiang Ancient Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shuhe Ancient Town.

Our guide will wait for you at Lijiang train station and transfer you to the hotel. You are free to arrange your time for the rest of the day.

Kunming Bird and Flower Market

Kunming Bird and Flower Market

In the morning, our guide will wait for you at the hotel lobby according to the appointed time. After picking you up, you will visit the Yuhu Village. Located at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, it is 21 kilometers from Lijiang and it takes about 38 minutes to get there by car.

Yuhu Village has a history of more than a thousand years and most of the villagers’ houses still follow the old style.Their houses were made of a unique stone called “monkey head”by Naxi people. The roofs are paved with blue-grey tiles and the doors and windows are made from wood. It is full of the local Naxi flavor.

There is a Jade Lake beside the Yuhu Village, and water in this lake comes from the melted snow in the Jade Dragon SnowMountain. The water is so clear and bright that it is almost like a large glorious emerald.

Next, you will visit the Former Residence of Joseph Rock in the Yuhu Village. Joseph Rock (1884-1962), as an American explorer, writer and photographer, has lived in Yuhu Village for 27 years andmade huge research work on the Naxi minority. From 1924, he had taken a large number of photos and written plenty of articles about Lijiang that were published in National Geography, an authoritative magazine in the U.S.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we will head to the Baisha Village and appreciate the Baisha Mural Paintings. Dabaoji Palace is the main place that houses the valuable mural paintings with 558 surviving murals in total. The stories and figures within the murals reflect the different religious cultures and artistic forms of Buddhism, Lamaism, Taoism and local Naxi Dongba religion. Its painting has lasted from the beginning of the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, with a history of more than 500 years. Baisha Mural Paintings is an integral part of Lijiang’s world cultural heritage.

Next,we will transfer to visit the Dongba Culture Museum. Dongba CultureMuseum collects more than 12,000 cultural relics, among which 2,500 are precious materials of traditional Naxi minority culture. You will see various pictures and text introductions about Naxi culture here, and you will also see physical materials such as scriptures, paintings, and sacrificial instruments.

At last,you will visit the Black Dragon Pool Park, which is also called Yuquan Park. It was built in the second year of the Qianlong period during the Qing dynasty (1737). It is said that a long time ago, ten dragons who often did evil in the world and Lü Dongbin conquered nine of them and only left a little black dragon to live here, thus it got the name of the Black Dragon Pool. Then you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Black Dragon Pool Park

Former Residence of Joseph Rock

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel. Then you will visit the Lijiang Ancient Town. It used to be the trading market of the Ancient Tea Horse Road, with a history of more than 800 years. There are plenty of unique shops selling special products from all over the world, including ethnic ornaments, tea, silverware, shawls and so on. Besides, there are many restaurants, whether it is local flavor or western pizza, everything can make you feast on.

You will first visit the Mufu Palace. Mufu Palace was once the mansion of Naxi's ruler, and is a beautiful and delicate palace on a small hill overlooking the old city of Lijiang and offers a tranquil place to stroll.The Mufu Palace covers an area of 46 acres.The entire building complex sits west and faces east, which fully reflects the building style of the Ming dynasty Chinese architecture.

Next, you will see Sifang Street Square. It is the central square in Lijiang Ancient Town.  The shape of the Square is much like a big square seal and Sifang means quadrate in Chinese. That is the reason why it was named Sifang Street by the local people. The buildings along the street are mostly of the Ming and Qing dynasty architectural styles, and the street is famous for its unique street shape, and was praised by Chinese and foreign architectural experts as the "Chinese Residence Museum". There are four streets extending from the square, including Guangyi Street, Qiyi Street, Wuyi Street, and Xinhua Street. After lunch, you will be transferred to the train station and take the estimated train: D8798 15:03-18:33 to Kunming. Then you will be transferred to the hotel in Kunming downtown to have a good rest.

Sifang Street Square

Mufu Palace

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel. Then you will be transferred to the airport and take an estimated flight CZ 3678 12:20-15:10 to Shanghai. Welcome to Shanghai! Shanghai is located on the estuary of Yangtze River, which serves as the most significant  economic, financial, and cultural center in East China and is one of the first Chinese ports to be opened to Western trade. Besides, Shanghai city is a popular travel destination for visitors to sense the vibrant development of the country. The popular tourist destinations include the Bund, Nanjing Road, Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, and Jinmao Tower, etc. Here you will experience the stunning contrasts of ancient tradition and modern fashion. Our local guide will wait for you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. You are free to arrange your time for the rest of the day.

In the morning, our guide will wait for you at the hotel lobby. After picking you up, you will be transferred to visit the Yu Garden. Yu Garden is a must-see scenic spot for visitors to Shanghai. It is a classical garden in the south of the Yangtze River. Yu Garden was built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644), with a history of more than 400 years. It was a private garden in the Ming dynasty, ownedby Pan Yunduan, who is a governor of Sichuan province at that time. He built the garden so that his parents could enjoy their tranquil old age in the garden.

Yu Garden opened to the public in 1961. For more than 30 years, the garden has been attracting visitors from all over the world.Dozens of heads of state and government from various countries around the world have visited Yu Garden.On 15 October 1986, Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by Jiang Zemin, who is the president of China, visited the Yu Garden.

Then you will visit Old Street near the Yu Garden. Shanghai Old Street, formerly known as Fangbang Middle Road, isin a total length of 825 meters. The Old Street district was originally an important venue for foreign trade and small commodity trade in Shanghai, witnessing the economic and social development of Shanghai. You will be amazed at the variety of small goods here, such as silk, folding fans, and porcelains. Here you can buy some local souvenirs for your family or friends, and you can also taste the local specialties - Soup Dumplings, which is a large, soup-filled type of steamed buns in Chinese cuisine. I am sure you will like the taste.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit the Bund. If you stroll around the Bund from south to north, you'll see the wide Zhongshan East Road on your left, with dozens of foreign buildings lined up in different styles, and the Huangpu River on your right, with giant ships shuttling across the river and skyscrapers like the Jinmao Tower and the World Financial Center standing on the other side.

After that, you will visit the Jinmao Tower.Located in the Lujiazui financial and trade district, Jinmao Tower is more than 420 meters tall, making it the third tallest building in Shanghai. The 88th-floor observation deck is one of the most famous skyscrapers in Shanghai, and the night view from here is particularly fascinating.Then you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Yu Garden

the Bund

In the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel. Then you will visit the Tianzifang. Also known as Taikang Road, Tianzifang is a small street in the Dapuqiao area. Before 1998, it was a road market and now, it has become a landmark of Shanghai and a creative work base for many artists. Since 28 December 1998, famous artists such as Chen Yifei, Er Dongqiang, Wang Jiajun and a number of craft shops have moved into Taikang Road, transforming the formerly obscure small street into a fashionable art district in Shanghai. You will be amazed at numerous bars, cafes, and interesting small stores with fun shopkeepers, which are dotted around different narrow alleys of this big maze, and you can have a free shopping time here. Lunch will be at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Shanghai Museum(closed each Monday). It is a large museum of ancient Chinese art, with 12 thematic galleries and a collection of more than 120,000 pieces. The Ancient Chinese Bronze Gallery in Shanghai Museum covers an area of 1,200 square meters, in which more than 400 exquisite bronze objects are displayed, from the Shang and Zhou dynasties of China, when bronze was an important symbol of civilization in ancient times. Besides, special exhibitions are often held in the museum, displaying various domestic and foreign cultural relics, artworks, paintings and calligraphy, etc.

Then you will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. Founded in 1882, Jade Buddha Temple covers an area of 8,000 square meters and is named after the seated and reclining statues of Shakyamuni, each of which is carved from jade. The seated statue is 1.9 meters high, carved from a single piece of white jade, weighing 1 ton, and is inlaid with beads and jewels, making it a dazzling sight. At last, you will be transferred back to your hotel to have a good rest.

Jade Buddha Temple

Tianzifang

Your wonderful China tour will come to an end today. Your professional local guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the airport.

Our service will end here.

Editor: Tina Jia