China Photography Tour with Yunnan

After arrival, your guide will pick you up from the airport, and then you will be transferred to your hotel. 

Option: A customized tour means that from your arrival in China, all the things can be tailor-made for you including the airport pick-up service. You can choose a VIP airport pick-up with a luxurious car and a driver with a suit. If you want a customized name sign, that is also no problem. We can print your photo on the name sign or design it as a fashion style instead of white paper and black letters.  

Hong Kong is a "food paradise" that gathers world cuisine. Tourists in Hong Kong can taste the most delicious food from all over the world. According to statistics, there are more than 10,000 Chinese and Western restaurants in Hong Kong. Therefore, some people exaggeratedly describe that you can see a restaurant every 10 steps you take in Hong Kong. Here you can sample the food of many countries such as Britain, France, Italy, Japan and so on. Hong Kong’s local cuisine is also very distinctive. Seafood, desserts, herbal tea, Cantonese roast meat, Dim Sum have become the must-try food in Hong Kong.

After breakfast, we will take you to visit Victoria Peak. The peak tram you will take is more than 100 years old. It was originally coal-driven but has now developed into an electric tram. After reaching the top of the mountain, you will get the best view of Hong Kong. At the same time, the Peak Tower on the top of the mountain is also a very distinctive building. It is bowl-shaped and you can watch the photo exhibition or do some shopping there. 

After lunch, we will take you to visit the Aberdeen Fishing Village. It was a fishing village more than 100 years ago. Many fishermen still live here on the sea. You will feel strong fishing culture here. Traditional small sampans, fishing boats, and luxury yachts are docked side by side next to the pier. You can take a small sampan around the port for about half an hour and take pictures of the beautiful scenery. You can also take a fishing boat to go fishing with the fishermen and experience the life of fishermen who make a living on the sea if it is available at that time. Besides, there is also the world's largest floating restaurant-Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. Enjoy the sea view while tasting delicious seafood is many tourist’s choices.

And then we will drive to visit Stanley Market. It is a must-go place for people to Hong Kong. The Stanley Market has a long history. The first boutique store opened here in 1973 and gradually it developed into a tourist hotspot. The market is full of various small shops, with a wide variety of goods, including jewelry, silk products, wool products, cotton clothing, antiques, Chinese crafts, watches, and so on. Also, there are small restaurants with authentic Hong Kong flavors and currency exchange places here. That attracts tourists from all over the world. If you want to buy something here, I suggest you bargain with the vendor. That will allow you to get the goods you like at half price or even lower prices. The Stanley Market is open from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm.

Option: You may have never been to Hong Kong before. But you must have heard about Bruce Lee, the world-famous Kung Fu movie star. Hong Kong is his hometown. So, you will see his statue here. The bronze statue of Bruce Lee was erected on the Avenue of Stars, not only to commend the international superstar's contribution to the film world but also because of Bruce Lee's everlasting charm. Until now, many tourists or his fans come from all over the world, come here to take photos with his statue. Besides, the Avenue of Star is a good place to enjoy A Symphony of Light Show. It is a performance combining music and lighting. It starts at 8 o'clock every night and lasts about 13 minutes. If it is a special festival, you will see fireworks displays here. 

Victoria Peak

Stanley Market

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the train station and take an estimated train G408 12:05/19:48 to Kunming. Your guide will meet you at the train station and then you will be transferred to your hotel.

Like all large cities, Kunming also has convenient urban traffic and numerous tall buildings. The difference is that there is more fascinating than in other cities. In Kunming, you can enjoy the warm sunshine all year round. Some flowers bloom in all seasons making this city just like a large urban garden. On April 22, 2020, Kunming beat St. Petersburg, Lucerne, and Guiyang, China, and won the double tops of the "2020 China Summer Cities List" and "2020 Global Summer Cities List" in one fell swoop! Come and explore this beautiful and comfortable city with us.

After breakfast, we will drive for 1.5 hours (83KM) to visit the Stone Forest. It is in the west of Kunming city. About 300 million years ago, Kunming's Stone Forest Scenic Area was an ocean. After a long period of geological evolution, extremely precious geological relics were finally formed. It covers many types of karst landforms on the earth. There are many independent stone forests. The tallest is more than 40 meters high. They present different shapes. Some are like a sword; some are like a screen and some are like soldiers. The most famous stone peak here is named Ashima. It is said that this stone peak was transformed by a girl named Ashima. This story has been handed down by local people through word of mouth for thousands of years. Legend has it that Ashima is a beautiful and kind girl. She is engaged to the man she loves. But the son of a rich man's family also likes Ashima and forces Ashima to marry him. Ashima refused him. However, the son of the rich man took away Ashima. Ashima's fiancé found out and rescued her. Although he rescued Ashima, when they crossed the river, the rich man released a flood and flooded Ashima and her fiancé. They died together with true love without regret. Later, the fairy on the mountain heard this thing and turned Ashima into a stone. This is the Ashima stone peak we see today. The local people use this story to express their spirit of not bowing to the bad guys and the expectation of true love.

And then we will drive about 2.5 hours (200 KM) to Jianshui. It is in the south of the Stone Forest Scenic Area. We will visit the Jianshui Old Town which has a history of 700 years. Jianshui Ancient City has preserved more than 50 ancient buildings so far, and is known as the "Museum of Ancient Architecture" and "Museum of Folk Houses." The most famous attraction there is Zhu’s Family House. It was the family residence and ancestral hall of the Zhu’s family in the Qing Dynasty. Its construction area is more than 5,000 square meters. The overall layout is reasonable, and the rooms are arranged in order. It shows people the life scenes of the wealthy family at that time. There is a water well here that is very unique. Not only does the water in the well never dry out, but the more interesting thing is that its water level is always higher than the ground, and people can reach the surface of the water with their hands. There is a small hole on the edge of the well. It is said that when the water level is higher than the edge, the well water will overflow from the small hole and flow into the yard. The Chinese regard water as a symbol of wealth. Therefore, the local people believe that the wealth of Zhu's family has a lot to do with this well.

Stone Forest

Jianshui Old Town

In the morning, we will drive for about 3 hours (122KM) to Yuanyang. It is in the south of Jianshui Ancient Town. We will visit the Yuanyang Rice Terrace. More than 1,300 years ago, the Hani people could not compete with the powerful nomads, so they had to abandon their territories with rich soil and migrated from Qinghai Lake to southern Yunnan and settled here ever since. To grow food, they assarted more than 1 million square meters of mountainous land into terraces for cultivation. These are the Yuanyang terraces we visited today. A magnificent landscape was carved out with the wisdom and hard work of generations. It is one of the three most beautiful rice terraces in the world. From November to April, is the irrigation period for Yuanyang Rice Terraces and it is also the peak travel season. The terraced fields filled with water are like bright mirrors, reflecting the sunlight, recording every sunrise and sunset. Many photographers will gather in Yuanyang at time. Some of them wait on the mountain at 3 am just to take pictures of the beautiful scenery of sunrise. 

After that, we will visit the Jingkou Hani folk customs village. Entering the village, it is a square for local people holding activities. To the east of the square is the Hani Culture Museum. Traveling along the stone road in the village, you can feel the essence of Hani terrace culture within a few hours. There is not only the scenery of terraced fields but also the mushroom-shaped houses of the Hani people and the characteristic national costumes. 

Option: Yuanyang red rice meal is a specialty here. The grains of red rice are small, about two-thirds of ordinary rice. Red rice has a good taste and high nutritional value. According to relevant research reports, the content of trace elements such as zinc, copper, and iron in red rice is 1 to 3 times higher than that of ordinary rice. Modern medicine has proved that red rice has the effects of inhibiting cancer cells, anti-tumor, and improving immunity; it is very helpful for calcium supplementation for the elderly and children's growth. If you are interested, you can taste some red rice meal here.

Jingkou Hani folk customs village

Yuanyang Rice Terrace

After breakfast, say goodbye to the beautiful town. We will drive about 4 hours back to Kunming which is in the north. We will drive to the train station and you will take an estimated train D8714 16:00/18:01 to Dali. Our guide will pick you up from Dali train station and then you will be transferred to the hotel. Have a good rest today. We will discover more beauty tomorrow. 

Dali is a city with a long history. It used to be the political, economic, and cultural center of ancient Yunnan for more than 500 years. Dali is a multi-ethnic city. 13 ethnic minorities live here. Among them, the Bai population accounts for 65% of the total population in Dali. In Dali, you will see most of the buildings here are white walls and blue tiles. This is a typical Bai nationality architecture, which looks simple and elegant. The clothing of the Bai people is mainly red and white. And women have gorgeous hats and headdresses with a strong ethnic style. In addition to distinctive buildings and costumes, the Bai people are also very good at dancing. When they dance, they will hold a bamboo pole decorated with coins in their hands. The collision of coins and bamboo pole will make a crisp sound, which can match with their dance.

In the morning, we will visit the famous Cangshan Mountains. It is composed of 19 peaks from north to south. These mountains are generally above 3,500 meters above sea level. There are seven mountains over 4,000 meters above sea level and the highest peak is 4,122 meters above sea level. The magnificent natural landscapes of Dali are inseparable from the snow-covered Cangshan Mountains. Legend has it that one year when the disease spreading at the foot of the Cangshan Mountains, two brothers and sisters used the spells they learned to drive the disease god to the top of the mountain and buried him in the snow to kill him. In order to prevent the disease god from resurrecting, the younger sister became the snow god of the mountain, making the snow in the Cangshan Mountains not melted all year round.

And then we will visit the Three Pagodas. They have a history of more than 1,000 years. The pagoda in the middle is called Qianxun Pagoda, 69 meters high. The pagodas on both sides are 42 meters high. They are typical brick pagodas. The pagoda bricks are covered with various Sanskrit and Chinese mantras of Tantric Buddhism. In addition, many Buddha statues and Buddhist scriptures were found in the pagodas. Among them, there is a Buddha statue made of pure gold, weighing 1135 grams. The overall craftsmanship is very delicate. There are two reasons for building the Three Pagodas. One is to promote Buddhism in Yunnan. The other is that Dali often flooded in ancient times. Ancient books say that only building pagodas can control floods. So, Three Pagodas were built. For sure this is superstitious, but that is all they can do at that time.

After lunch, we will visit the Dali Ancient Town. The Dali Ancient Town is the core sightseeing area in Dali. The ancient city was built in 1382 and covers an area of 3 square kilometers. Originally, the ancient city was surrounded by walls that are 8 meters high, but the walls were destroyed. The South Gate we see now was rebuilt in 1982.

Entering the city from the South Gate, you will see a Fuxing Road that leads directly to the North Gate. It has become a prosperous street market. Shops along the street are set up side by side, selling marble, tie-dye, ethnic handicrafts, as well as jewelry and jade. On both sides of the street, there are some old houses, which embody the characteristics of traditional Yunnan dwellings. The Huguo Road that runs east-west in the ancient city is called "Foreigner Street". There are many western restaurants, cafes, tea houses, and craft shops here. This international style is completely different from Fuxing Road.

Cangshan Mountains

Three Pagodas

After breakfast, we will drive for about 2.5 hours (176 KM) to Lijiang. Lijiang is in the north of Dali. And then we will visit the Black Dragon Pool. It is also known as Yuquan Park now. It has a history of more than 300 years. And the Dongba Culture Research Institute here is one of the most authoritative institutions for Dongba culture research in the world. Dongba culture is a culture created by the Naxi people in Yunnan. It has a history of more than 1,000 years. Dongba culture includes Dongba characters, Dongba scriptures, Dongba paintings, and Dongba dances, etc. Among them, Dongba characters, as a kind of hieroglyph, have become the only surviving hieroglyph in the world and it is called the "living fossil" of the word by experts. Dongba dance refers to the religious dance performed by priests according to different rituals during people's religious ceremonies. The book "Dongba Dance" records the origin, types, movements, and functions of this dance. It is the only ancient dance book written in hieroglyphs in the world. You will also see an exhibition hall for folklore photography here.

After that, we will visit Lijiang Ancient Town. It is an ancient town integrating history and ethnic minority culture. There is a big waterwheel at the entrance of the ancient town. This is a very hot photo spot. You can travel around after entering the ancient town. There will be performances by ethnic minorities from time to time in some small squares. If you encounter one, be sure to stop and take a look. There is also a place dedicated to displaying handicrafts. You can see Dongba pottery, papercutting, embroidery, and other handcrafts. You can also buy some special souvenirs in the small shop here. It is a good choice to take them home for friends.

Option: Most Naxi women in Lijiang are good at embroidery art and have superb skills. Some people can embroider exquisite patterns without drawing patterns on the cloth. The embroidery is mainly used on the plackets, collars, sleeves, skirts, trousers, and other parts of national costumes. Some people also embroider beautiful patterns on belts, hats, turbans, and other items. Naxi embroidery patterns pay attention to color matching, which has a strong ornamental and artistic value. If you also like local embroidery, you can buy one as a souvenir.

Black Dragon Pool

Lijiang Ancient Town

After breakfast, we will take you to discover the mysterious Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It is composed of 13 endless snow peaks. From a distance, it looked like a silver dragon. So it was named Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. There is also a story that Jade Dragon and Haba are brothers. Haba was killed by the demon, so his brother Jade Dragon held 13 sharp swords and guarded his body day and night. That is why there are 13 snow peaks. The highest point of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain can reach 4200 meters above sea level. If you have any uncomfortable symptoms, please inform your guide in time. 

After visiting the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, we will continue to visit the Yunshanping meadow and Yufeng Temple nearby.

You will take the cable car to Yunshanping Meadow. Each cable car can seat 8 people. Yunshanping is an alpine meadow. The grass underfoot stretches for thousands of miles. If you come here in spring and summer, you will see flowers everywhere. The edge of the grass is the forest. The forest forms a natural barrier between the snow mountains and meadows. If you look further out, it is the snow mountain. The towering snow-capped mountains surround this meadow just like a father hugging a child.

Yufeng Temple was built in 1700. There were nine courtyards in history. Currently, only the Great Hall and two courtyards have been well-preserved. The temple architecture has a clear architectural style of the Qing Dynasty. The pillars in the temple are embossed with dragons. Although Yufeng Temple is not big, the camellia tree here is indeed world-famous. This "king of camellia" has a history of more than 500 years. The height of the tree is only 2 meters, but the canopy area is 56 square meters. Camellia blooms every year after the beginning of spring. The flowering period lasts for more than 100 days, with a total of more than 20,000 flowers blooming.

Tips: 

1. Because Yunshanping is 3240 meters above sea level, it has a plateau climate. You may experience altitude sickness when you travel here, so be prepared for it and don't do strenuous exercise here.
2. There are often cattle and sheep in Yunshanping. Please do not get close to them to avoid accidental injury. 
3. Do not go to the forest. Just in case you may be injured by other animals in the forest.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Yufeng Temple

In the morning, we will drive 1.5 hours (84 KM) to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge which is in the north of Lijiang city. It is the deepest, narrowest, and most dangerous grand gorge in China and is the canyon with the largest river drop in the world. It is divided into three sections with a total length of about 20 kilometers. There is a huge boulder named Tiger Leaping Stone in the rapid current of Tiger Leaping Gorge. Legend has it that a tiger once stepped on this boulder and leaped across the gorge. Therefore, it is named Tiger Leaping Gorge. Although the Tiger Leap Gorge brings inconvenience to shipping, it contains a thrilling magnificence, which attracts the brave people to seek adventure here. Many photographers came here specifically to take pictures of Tiger Leaping Gorge. 

After lunch, we will drive about 3 hours (175 KM) to Shangri-la. It is northwest of Lijiang.

In the 1930s, the British writer James Hilton made up a fictional world, Shangri-La, in his novel "Disappearing Horizon". He said that Shangri-La is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, hidden between snow-capped mountains and canyons. With the popularity of the novel, the name "Shangri-La" has gradually become a unique yearning. It is a landscape composed of towering snow-capped mountains, deep tortuous canyons, and dense lush forests. It is also a paradise away from industrial civilization and the hustle and bustle of the city. Many people believe that the districts in China's southeastern Tibet, western Sichuan, and northwestern Yunnan are most similar to the Shangri-La described in the novel. So, in 2002, the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the northwestern part of Yunnan Province officially changed its capital name to "Shangri-La". And this fictional ideal world finally got a realistic foothold.

Shangri-La is located in a high-altitude and low-latitude zone and the temperature and plants change with the increase in altitude. The locals call this climate “a mountain with four seasons”. So, we recommend that you bring all kinds of clothes including light clothes and heavy coats when you travel to Shangri-La.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

Tiger Leaping Gorge

After breakfast, we will visit the Shangari-la Pudacuo National Park. Shangri-La means the sun and the moon in your heart. This is the place you must go to escape the noisy city life. Pudacuo National Park is about 1313 square kilometers. There are mirror-like lakes, beautiful grassy pastures, wetlands full of flowers, and primitive forests where birds and animals often haunt. 

Shudu Lake is an important part of the national park. It is one of the largest plateau lakes in Shangri-La. It is said that this lake is the place where gods drink water. You can walk on the bridge or take a cruise to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.

Bita Lake is another unmissable attraction here. It is the highest lake in Yunnan. According to legend, the fairy in the palace accidentally dropped the mirror to the ground while combing her hair. Broken mirrors formed many plateau lakes. The Bita Lake was turned into a fragment of a mirror inlaid with gems. Every year in June and July, there will be rhododendron blooming all over the mountains. What's more interesting is that the fish in Bita Lake fainted and floated to the surface of the water after eating the dropped petals of rhododendron. The locals call it “fish drunk with rhododendron”.

There is also a Tibetan Village. Walking into the Tibetan Cultural Village is like entering Tibet. Different from the natural scenery you have seen just now, this village will immerse you into the Tibetan culture. The revolving prayer wheels, mani piles, thangkas are the reflection of local religion. Mani piles are built up with stones. This is a form of blessing for the Tibetan people. In Tibetan Buddhism areas, people regard stones as living and spiritual things. The Tibetans carved Buddhist scriptures or Buddha statues on the stone and built them up. These stones do not have a uniform size or shape. Therefore, you will see various mani piles by the lake, on the roadside, or the mountain here.

Shudu Lake

Shangari-la Pudacuo National Park

After breakfast, we will take you to the airport and you will take an estimated flight MU5940 10:55/12:00 to Kunming. Your guide will wait for you at the airport. And then you will be transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day will be yours. You can have a good rest or walk around the city. 

Option: If you want to have a visit instead of relaxing in the hotel. I will recommend you visit the Yuantong Temple. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Kunming. It has a history of more than 1,200 years. Yuantong Temple is also the largest temple in Kunming. If you visit the great buddha’s hall, in addition to the exquisite Buddha statues, you will also see two pillars carved with dragons. In ancient China, the dragon was a symbol of the emperor. It generally appears in the emperor's palace rather than in the temple. What's the story of these two pillars? According to record, an emperor in Ming Dynasty fled to Yunnan after experiencing a coup. In order to avoid being tracked by others, he once lived in Yuantong Temple. The two pillars carved with dragons implicitly express this story. Besides, compared with ordinary temples, Yuantong Temple is more like a garden. Besides the main hall where Buddha statues are enshrined, there are also beautifully carved bridges and richly decorated pavilions.

Today you will take an estimated flight MU5805 11:00/13:45 to Shanghai. Our guide will meet you at the airport and then you will be transferred to your hotel. 

After a short break, you will go and visit Nanjing Road. It is the most famous shopping street in Shanghai. It combined with West Nanjing Road and East Nanjing Road. You can buy very economical goods on the East Nanjing Road. Many time-honored brand shops are located here. it is the best choice for tourists. On West Nanjing Road, there are lots of shops for luxury brands. It is the most upscale shopping place in Shanghai. You can buy LV bags, Chanel, Burberry and so on.

And then we will take you to visit the Bund. If you ask me where is the best place to take the photos of Shanghai, it will be the Bund. It is by the Huangpu River. And there are 52 buildings with different country’s styles. People call it the Nations Building Group. On the other side of the Huangpu River, it is the Lujiazui Financial District. The most famous Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and Shanghai World Financial Center are located there. 

Option: Do you want to experience the No. 1 night activity in Shanghai? It is the Huangpu River Night Cruise. The scenery on both sides of the Huangpu River can be said to be the most beautiful night view in Shanghai. And there is no better way to experience it than taking a cruise. Whether you want an ordinary cruise, a private cruise, or a Chinese-style dragon cruise, we can arrange it for you. If you come to Shanghai with a lot of friends and want to have a special cocktail party, we can also arrange for you on the cruise. Imagine that you are tasting a good wine while admiring the beautiful night view. It is destined to be an unforgettable night.

the Bund

Nanjing Road

In the morning, we will take you to visit the Yu Garden(It is closed each Monday). In the bustling city center of Shanghai, there is a classical building complex. This is the famous Shanghai Yu Garden. It has a history of more than 400 years. It is the epitome of Chinese classical gardens and a cultural card of Shanghai. Although Yu Garden is not large, the stone, wood carving, lake, and pavilion of the Chinese classical garden essence are all included. 

And then we will visit the Jade Buddha Temple. The jade Buddha statues hereare from Burma. In fact, when the Jade Buddha was transported to China from Myanmar, the destination was not Shanghai. Shanghai is just a city on the way. But at that time, two officials in Shanghai asked the master who escorted the Buddha statue whether he could leave the Jade Buddha statue in Shanghai. In this way, the people in Shanghai can also be blessed by the Buddha. The master agreed. So, he left a sitting Buddha and a reclining Buddha. However, there was no suitable temple for enshrining Buddha statues at that time. In 1918, a local wealthy businessman in Shanghai funded the construction of the Jade Buddha Temple. Since then, two jade Buddhas have been enshrined here. And now it is the most famous sightseeing point in the temple. 

After that, we will take you to visit the Shanghai Tower. It is the highest building in China. Shanghai is a coastal city and often encounters typhoons. Therefore, to build a skyscraper in such a place, the most important factor is safety. In order to slow down the impact of the typhoon on the Shanghai Tower, the appearance of the Shanghai Tower was designed to resemble a guitar pick. As the height rises, each layer is twisted by nearly 1 degree. This design enables the Shanghai Tower to withstand the test of typhoons. Standing in the exhibition hall there, you will get the best overview of Shanghai city. In addition to the function of sightseeing, as a comprehensive building, there are office areas, hotels, commercial areas, and exhibition areas in Shanghai Tower.

Option: Shanghai Dough Sculpture is the most traditional handicraft treasure in Shanghai. The traditional Chinese dough sculpture technique has a history of thousands of years. The craftsmanship of dough sculpture in Shanghai is very complicated. The dough is made of high-quality glutinous rice flour with colorful pigments, and then hand-kneaded into various images. The characters are very lifelike and the colors are very bright and rich. It is very convenient to carry and store. Many people will find a skilled dough sculpture master to made a dough sculpture like their own. If you arrive in Shanghai, you can buy a dough sculpture for your friends, or as a souvenir.

Jade Buddha Temple

Shanghai Tower

Say goodbye to China. You will be transferred to the airport according to your flight schedule. We are looking forward to serving you again.

Editor: Besty He