5 Days Yunnan Tour of Lijiang and Shangri-La

Yunnan Meili Snow Mountain

Tour Overview

What is the best tour in Yunnan? The picturesque Lijiang and splendid Shangri-La have been the dreaming places for most tourists to Yunnan Province. This 5 days Yunnan tour departing from Lijiang, will bring you an in-depth exploration of leisure ancient towns, sacred snow mountains, holy Tibetan monasteries as well as breathtaking natural landscapes. You will feel the warm weather in Pudacuo National Park and experience the minority ethnic customs in mysterious ancient towns like Baisha Ancient town and Lijiang Old Town. We also provide tailor-made Yunnan tour according to your needs, interests and budget, please contact us if you have more ideas about your Yunnan holiday.

Highlights of this tour:

*Experience the fascinating Naxi culture and history in ancient towns listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997- Baisha Ancient Town and Lijiang Ancient Town.
*Immerse yourself in the breathtaking natural landscapes such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley.
*Visit the deepest gorge in China-Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is well-known for its grotesque.
*Visit Lama’s private dormitory and get yourself some enlightenment in Songzanlin Monastery, to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism.
*Experience the Tibetan culture and lifestyle by visiting their house or chatting with local people in Shangri-La, also known as “Paradise on Earth”.
*With private driver and English guide, as well as our 10+ years experience, you will love your tour and completely feel the magic of this wonderland.

Day-by-day Itinerary

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  1. Upon your arrival at Lijiang airport, the local English speaking tour guide and driver will pick you up from the exit gate by holding a welcome board with your name. After short rest, your exploration begins with Black Dragon Pool Park which was originally built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty. It’s a great place to admire plenty of ancient buildings and have a pleasant walk. You also have a chance to see the reflection of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the pool. Later, move on to Dongba Cultural Museum. Lijiang is the heart of the ancient Naxi Kingdom, and Dongba Cultural Museum houses about 12,000 pieces of precious cultural relics which offer a wonderful panorama of fascinating Naxi culture and history. Next, you will come to the amazing Lijiang Old Town, one of China's famous historical and cultural cities. It’s a charming place where multiple ethnic groups live. There are lots of quaint alleys to get lost and nice stores for local handicrafts. After the relaxing sightseeing, you will check into the local hotel.

    Accommodation: Overnight in Lijiang

    Yunnan Lijiang Ancient Town
    Lijiang Ancient Town

  2. Today you will head to the exciting Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It is a sacred mountain for Naxi people, also a must see when you come to Lijiang. Taking cable car is available and included. The amazing views will definitely take your breath away. Yunshanping, 3240 meters above sea level, is a vast expanse of grassland hidden among a primeval spruce forest. Here you can enjoy different scenery in four seasons, hear romantic and sad love stories of Naxi people, and watch girls dancing in their traditional costumes. Blue Moon Valley is famous for its crystal blue water and crescent moon-like valley. It’s like a blue moon set at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. You will find the place is really photogenic and relaxing. Impressions of Lijiang is a wonderful performance created by one of China’s most influential director Zhang Yimou. With the backdrop of the snow mountain, over 500 local farmers put on a visual feast about Naxi people’s life. After the show, you will head to Baisha Ancient Town, one of the important cradles of Naxi culture. You can stroll around to explore the town and learn about local customs from your tour guide. And when you look up, you can see the majestic snow mountain. Moreover, there are 55 pieces of murals kept in Baisha Ancient Town. Most of the murals were painted over 500 years ago. Although the murals have faded with time, they still give you an insight into Naxi culture. At end of the visit, drive back to your hotel.

    Accommodation: Overnight in Lijiang

    Yunnan Jada Dragon Snow Mountain
    Jada Dragon Snow Mountain

  3. Today you will head to the splendid Shangrila. Firstly, drive around 1 hour from Lijiang to the First Bend of the Yangtze River with breath-taking gorge scenery. Walk through the Iron Chain Bridge on the river, which is a thrilling experience. And then visit the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument at the Shigu Old Town to learn the suffering but great history of new China. Shigu means stone drum in Chinese. There is a large, cylindrical and marble tablet shaped like a drum in the town, hence the name. Later, drive around 1.5 hours to the Tiger Leaping Gorge which is the deepest gorge in the world, famous for “steep and dangerous”. Jinsha River flows softly from Qinghai Plateau but starts to run rapidly like a roaring tiger when meeting the narrow and deep gorge, thus it gets the name of Tiger Leaping Gorge. Last, drive around 2.5 hours to Shangrila for overnight.

    Accommodation: Overnight in Shangrila

    Lijiang The First Bend of Yangtze River Yunnan
    The First Bend of Yangtze River

  4. Shangri-La has a different appearance of the past places where you will start to meet Tibetan element. The first site will be Songzanlin Monastery which is the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan area and famed as “Small Potala Palace”. It was built along hillside, looking like an old castle, showing the brilliant construction technology of Tibetan. In the afternoon, you will head to Pudacuo National Park, a main highlight of Shangri-La. The park is a priceless gift from nature: with altitude between 3,500 meter and 4,159 meters, it does collect rich natural resources including geology and landform, lake wetland, meadow, river and valley, rare plants and animals. The amazing scenery here will make you can’t stop the camera in your hands and marvel at this wonderland. Last, move to Dukezong Ancient Town. It’s the largest and best-preserved Tibetan population in China and also a very important station along the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Besides, walking up to the top of Guishan Hill to appreciate the typical Tibetan style view---Prayer Wheel. From there, you will have a bird-view of Shangri-La county and Duzekong Ancient Town. Get to your Shangri-La hotel to check in.

    Accommodation: Overnight in Shangrila

    Yunnan Songzanlin Monastery
    Songzanlin Monastery

  5. The 5 days Lijiang and Shangri-La tour will end by today. At the confirmed time (according to your departure flight), the driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and see you off at Shangrila airport.

    Accommodation: N/A

Price includes

  • 4 nights’ accommodation in standard 4 star hotels with daily breakfasts
  • 4 Chinese style lunch
  • Entrance tickets as listed in itinerary
  • Excellent English-speaking tour guide
  • Private land transportation in air-conditioned vehicle with licensed driver
  • Travel Agency Liability Insurance during the tour
  • Government taxes

Price excludes

  • China Visas /flights
  • Any dinner
  • Any optional activity/battery car/shuttle bus/boat cruise etc. inside the attractions
  • Our package does not include travel insurance. Please purchase commercial travel insurance before your trip for any unforeseen circumstance.
  • Any item beyond “Price Includes”
  • Gratuities to guide and driver (recommended if you are satisfied with their services)
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