Lijiang + Dali + Shangri-La 6-Day 5-Night Trip

Yunnan is a province in the southwestern part of China, known for its unique geographical location, diverse ethnic cultures, rich natural landscapes, and pleasant climate, making it a desirable travel destination for tourists.

Natural Scenery: Yunnan boasts magnificent natural landscapes such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Meili Snow Mountain, Lugu Lake, Erhai Lake, etc., offering a wealth of options for visitors who love natural scenery.
Biodiversity: Known as the “Kingdom of Plants” and the “Kingdom of Animals,” Yunnan has the world’s most diverse plant species and a variety of wild animals, making it an ideal place for nature enthusiasts and eco-tourism.
Ethnic Cultures: Yunnan is a region inhabited by multiple ethnic groups, with 25 ethnic minorities, each having their own unique culture and traditions, such as the Dongba culture of the Naxi people and the Torch Festival of the Yi people.
Historical Relics: With a long history, Yunnan has many historical relics and cultural monuments, such as Dali Ancient Town, Lijiang Ancient Town, Stone Forest, etc., providing a place for history enthusiasts to explore.
Pleasant Climate: Yunnan has a low-latitude plateau mountain monsoon climate with small annual temperature differences and a spring-like climate all year round, making it an ideal place to escape the cold and heat.
Cuisine: Yunnan’s cuisine is famous for its unique flavors and diverse ingredients, such as Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles, Yunnan small-bean coffee, Pu’er tea, etc., attracting food lovers.
Festivals and Activities: Yunnan’s ethnic groups have a variety of colorful festivals and activities, such as the Water-Splashing Festival of the Dai people and the March Street of the Bai people, providing tourists with opportunities to experience different ethnic cultures.
Tea Horse Ancient Road: Yunnan is an important part of the ancient Tea Horse Road, a historically significant trade route connecting China with South Asian countries, with important historical and cultural value.
Adventure Tourism: Yunnan’s diverse terrain and landforms are suitable for adventure activities such as hiking, mountaineering, and rafting.

Note:

Yunnan is a gathering place for ethnic minorities, and it is essential to respect the local customs and cultures during your travels.
The itinerary includes areas with high altitudes.

Day 1 :

Departure Place - Lijiang: Full day of free activities, gather to acclimate to the high-altitude environment (it is recommended to visit the Lijiang Ancient Town and the internet-famous Yichi Lane, Lijiang Ancient Town Bar Street, or climb up Lion Hill and Qianxue Tower to see the panoramic view of the ancient town).

Dayan (Chinese: 大研), commonly called the Old Town of Lijiang (simplified Chinese: 丽江古城; traditional Chinese: 麗江古城) is the historical center of Lijiang City, in Yunnan, China. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Nakhi people learned Chinese classical music from the visitors from Nanjing during the Ming Dynasty and continue to play that music even to this day, long after the art died out in other parts of China. The old musicians have been organized for regular performances in Dayan Old Town and less regular performances in the outlying villages.

Circle dancing in costume is also a custom of the Tibetan people to the north of Lijiang and of the Bai people to the south. Previously there were substantial Tibetan and Bai settlements in Dayan Old Town but most of these people have been resettled to districts away from the tourist areas. Tibetan circle dancing can be seen occasionally in Dayan Old Town and more regularly in private gardens and Nongjiale (农家乐) gatherings of local Tibetans. Both Nakhi and Tibetan circle dancing are practiced outside of the town’s Tibetan temples Wenfeng Si (文峰寺) on Wenbifeng (文笔峰) Mountain, Zhiyun Si (指云寺) near Lashi Hai Lake (拉市海), and Fuguo Si (富国寺) on Jade Dragon Mountain (玉龙雪山), especially on temple festival days.

Greater Lijiang (including Dayan, and two villages to the north, called Baisha (白沙) and Shuhe (束河) respectively) was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List on December 4, 1997. Since then, the local government has taken more responsibility for the development and protection of the old city. Lijiang’s tourism increased over the past twenty years, and travelers from around the world visit, though most tourists are still Han Chinese from other parts of China;

Day 2 :

5A Scenic Area Yulong Snow Mountain (Glacier Park Cable Car) — Blue Moon Valley (Baishui River) — Impression Lijiang Performance.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (simplified Chinese: 玉龙雪山; traditional Chinese: 玉龍雪山; pinyin: Yùlóng Xuěshān; Naxi: Jingv’lv or Ngv’lv bbei jjuq) is a mountain massif or small mountain range in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang, in Yunnan province, China. Its highest peak is named Shanzidou or Shan-Tzu-tou (扇子陡) and it is 5,596 m (18,360 ft) above sea level.

The Chinese name, Yùlóng Xuěshān, translates directly as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; it is sometimes translated as Mount Yulong or Yulong Snow Mountain. The mountain’s Naxi name is Mount Satseto.

Day 3 :

The charm of Cang'er is at Shuanglang Ancient Town — Haishe Ecological Park for an in-depth experience of "coastal cycling—seaside travel photography—280° sea view afternoon tea" — China's "Santorini" Li Xiang Bang.

Dali City (in Bai language: Dallit sil) is a county-level city in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China, and also the capital of the Dali Prefecture. It is located in the western part of Yunnan Province, on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, and on the shores of Erhai Lake. The city covers an area of 1,739 square kilometers, with a total population of 771,100 in 2020, and the People’s Government is located in Haidong Town.

Dali City is a national historical and cultural city, an excellent tourist city in China, a national garden city, and a national all-for-one tourism demonstration zone. In ancient times, it was the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom and the Dali Kingdom, and it is one of the earlier developed regions in Yunnan Province, having served as the political, economic, and cultural center of the Yunnan region for more than five hundred years.

Day 4 :

The ancient capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom and the Dali Kingdom [Dali Ancient Town] — Highly praised by National Geographic] the [Hutiao Gorge] — Enjoy a high-standard Tibetan meal with the [Zangwang Tusi Song and Dance Feast].

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Chinese: 虎跳峡; pinyin: Hǔ tiào xiá) is a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River, a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River. It is located 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China. It is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site.

Legend says the name comes from a hunted tiger escaping by jumping across the river at the narrowest point (still 25 metres (82 ft) wide), using the rock in the middle.

At a maximum depth of approximately 3,790 meters (12,430 feet) from river to mountain peak, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world. The inhabitants of the gorge are primarily the indigenous Nakhi people, who live in a handful of small hamlets. Their primary subsistence comes from grain production and nowadays hiking tourism.

Day 5 :

Explore the Shangri-La": Moonlight City [Duokuzong Ancient Town] — Experience the national intangible cultural heritage of [Thangka] painting — Visit the 5A scenic area [Pudacuo National Park] — Seasonal flower appreciation at [Xiao Zhongdian] — Return to Lijiang.

Shangri-La is a fictional place in Tibet’s Kunlun Mountains, described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by English author James Hilton. Hilton portrays Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains. Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise, particularly a mythical Himalayan utopia – an enduringly happy land, isolated from the world. In the novel, the people who live in Shangri-La are almost immortal, living hundreds of years beyond the normal lifespan and only very slowly aging in appearance.

Ancient Tibetan scriptures mention the existence of seven such places as Nghe-Beyul Khembalung. Khembalung is one of several Utopia beyuls (hidden lands similar to Shangri-La) which Tibetan Buddhists believe that Padmasambhava established in the 9th century CE as idyllic, sacred places of refuge for Buddhists during times of strife.

Day 6 :

Heilongtan Park - Lashihai Fishing Village - Return Trip

Lashihai (also known as Lashanghai, transliterated from the Naxi language, originally meaning “Tiger Sea”) is the core part of the Lashihai Plateau Wetland Provincial Nature Reserve in Lijiang, Yunnan. It is located in the central part of Lashi Basin, 8 kilometers west of Lijiang City, on the southeast slope of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. “Lashi” is an ancient Naxi transliteration, where “La” means a barren plain and “Shi” means new, signifying a new barren plain. Lashihai is a famous gathering place for migratory birds, with about 20,000 migratory birds spending the winter here each year.

Lijiang + Dali + Shangri-La 6-Day 5-Night Trip

Overview

Itinerary

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