Classic China Yunnan Tour

Upon arrival at the Beijing airport, your excellent China tour will begin! Our professional guide will be holding your name sign and waiting for you at the arrival hall according to your flight schedule. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the hotel in downtown Beijing. 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 go to see the famous Tian'anmen Square, it is located in the center of Beijing, starts from Tian'anmen in the north, Zhengyangmen in the south, China National Museum in the East, and the Great Hall of the People in the West. It is the largest city square in the world and has been rated as one of the "16 sceneries of Beijing". Going through the Meridian Gate(Wumen), you will enter the Imperial Palace, known as the Forbidden City (closed on each Monday), it covers an area of 720,000 square meters, with a construction area of about 150,000 square meters. It is the largest existing palace-type building in the world and was selected into the list of "World Cultural Heritage" in 1987. In the afternoon, you will go to visit the Summer Palace, it is a royal garden of the Qing Dynasty in China and located in the western suburb of Beijing,15km away from the city. It covers an area of 290 hectares, adjacent to the Yuanmingyuan Garden. It is the most complete imperial garden, known as the "Royal Garden Museum", and also a national key tourist attraction. It is also known as the most beautiful imperial garden in existence in China.

In the morning, our local guide will pick you up at your hotel, and accompany you to the airport and you will take the estimated flight: MU 5704 14:00/17:35 to Kunming. Upon arrival, our local guide will wait for you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel in Kunming. You are free to arrange your free time for the rest of the day.

After breakfast, departure towards "Stone Forest" in Shilin (90 km). This petrified forest presents karst formations that stretch for 350 km. It covers an area of 350 square kilometers and has wonderful scenery and rich customs. Stone Forest is the hometown of “Ashima”. Formed 270 million years ago, it is the essence of karst landforms in the world. It is known as "the First Wonder in the World". After lunch at a local restaurant, we will return to the Kunming downtown in the afternoon and visit the Green Lake Park. Although small in size, it is very distinctive. It was originally a lake in Dianchi Lake, but later became a clear lake due to the drop in water level. Since the Ming Dynasty, successive Yunnan administrative officials have built pavilions and buildings here. It is famous for its "Cui Di Chun Xiao". It is called "an emerald inlaid in Kunming".

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the train station, then you will take the estimated high speed train: D8656 07:36/09:44 to Dali. Upon arrival, our guide will pick you up at the train station transfer you to begin the sightseeing. First you will have an excursion to Lake Erhai, it is one of the seven largest lakes in China. There are luxuriant trees at the foot of the mountain. Pavilions, platforms, buildings and pavilions echo with each other. Nowadays, Lake Erhai has become an important flower cultivation base in western Yunnan. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Monastery which is located 1.5 kilometers northwest of the ancient city of Dali. It is the largest ancient pagoda in Dali history. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Monastery are composed of Qianxun Pagoda and other two sibling pagodas. The Qianxun Pagoda is also known as the "Wenbi Pagoda", with a height of 69.13 meters and a base of 9.9 meters. The other two sibling pagodas are 42.17 meters high and are octagonal dense eaves-type hollow brick pagodas. The three pagodas form a symmetric triangle. The majestic and magnificent of the Three Pagoda show the outstanding achievements of the ancient people in architecture. On March 4, 1961, it was announced by the State Council as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. Afterwards, we will visit the Dali Ancient Town, also called Yucheng, is located at the foot of the beautiful Cangshan. It was one of the first 24 historical and cultural cities in China announced by the State Council on February 8, 1982.

In the morning, we will start to visit Xizhou Ancient Town, it is located in the north of Dali Ancient Town. The town has hundreds of Bai residential buildings of the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty. Looking from a distance, it looks like a simple and elegant city, more like a huge museum of residential architecture. Then transfer to Lijiang with about 2 hours’ driving. Upon arrival, you will start with visiting the Lijiang Ancient Town. Founded in the late Song Dynasty and the early Yuan Dynasty, it is also known as the Dayan Ancient City. Lijiang Ancient Town includes a total of three parts: Dayan Ancient City, Shuhe Ancient Town, and Baisha Ancient Town. And it is one of the two ancient cities in China that successfully applied for the World Cultural Heritage.

After breakfast, we will drive 20 km to visit the Yuhu Village, which is located at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. In Yuhu, the snow is clear and the grass is swaying. Yuhu was an artificial lake dug by the Mu family before the Ming Dynasty. Next, you will visit the Former Residence of Joseph Rock. American Austrian Joseph Rock (1884-1962), as an explorer, writer and photographer, who entered Yunnan Province of China has lived in the Yuhu Village for 27 years and has made huge research work on Naxi minority. Next, we will head to the Baisha Village and appreciate the Baisha Mural Paintings, which is the product of the great opening of Naxi society in Ming Dynasty. Its painting has lasted 300 years from the beginning of Ming Dynasty to the beginning of Qing Dynasty. At the end of Ming Dynasty and the beginning of Qing Dynasty, Lijiang murals flourished, with a history of almost 500 years. Baisha mural Painting is an integral part of Lijiang world cultural heritage. Next transfer to visit the Dongba Culture Museum. You will see various pictures and text introductions about Dongba culture here, as well as physical materials such as scriptures, paintings, sacrificial instruments, etc. According to the landform, the museum makes full use of the landscape environment, and has collected more than 12000 cultural relics. Then you will visit the Black Dragon Pool Park, which is also called Yuquan Park or Dragon King Temple. It includes the attractions such as the Dragon Shrine, Deyuelou, Suicui Bridge, etc.

After breakfast, we will drive about 2 hours to view the First Bend of Yangtze River. Jinsha River is the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. When it reaches Shasongbi Village in Shangri-La County, it suddenly made a sharp turn of more than 100 degrees and turned to the northeast, thus forming a rare "V" -shaped big bend. Later transfer to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, it is a canyon on the Yangtze River and is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site. Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest canyons in China. It is a national 4A-level tourist scenic spot. After that, you’ll have a 2 hours’ driving to Shangri-La. Admire the enchanting natural scenery along the way. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel and check in, you can enjoy the free time of having a good rest at hotel or strolling around to get some impression of the city.

After breakfast, you will first visit the Songzanlin Monastery, also known as Guihua Monastery, is 5 kilometers away from Shangri-La. It is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province. The monastery was built in 1679 and completed in 1681. The fifth Dalai Lama gave its name of "Songzanlin Monastery". It is known as the "Tibetan Art Museum" integrating the great achievements of Tibetan plastic arts. Then we will visit the Pudacuo National Park. It is 22 kilometers away from Shangri-La's urban area, with a total area of about 1313 square kilometers. Located in the center of the "three rivers co-current" World Natural Heritage in northwestern Yunnan, it is one of the main attractions of Shangri-La tourism. Pudacuo National Park has typical geological features, lakes and wetlands, forest meadows, rivers and streams, rare flora and fauna, etc., and its original ecological environment is well preserved.

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to the Lijiang Airport, about 4 hours. Then you will take the estimated flight JD 5665 16:30/19:50 to Shanghai. Upon arrival, our guide will be holding your name sign and waiting for you at the Shanghai airport, then transfer you to the hotel in Shanghai downtown.

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, and you will fly to your sweet home.