Lijiang + Dali + Shangri-La · 6 days

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;

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. Planning note: The Glacier Park cableway reaches high altitude. Make the outing optional, confirm the exact ticket and weather operation, and do not ascend merely to complete the itinerary if you feel unwell. Blue Moon Valley and the performance need separate timing checks.^[8]

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.

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. Planning note: This is also the move from Lijiang toward Dali. Choose one part of Erhai rather than promise the entire lakeside list; “sea” in the original description refers to a lake, not the coast.

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.

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. Planning note: Dali to Tiger Leaping Gorge and onward toward Shangri-La is a long northbound journey. Add a travel night or reduce stops. The gorge viewpoint is not the same as completing the multi-day hiking trail; no banquet is included.

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.

The name Shangri-La comes from 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. Planning note: Dukezong, a painting activity, Pudacuo and the return to Lijiang are too many substantial activities for an unhurried day. Choose the old town or park and add an overnight stay if necessary. Flowers and workshops depend on season and availability. The itinerary’s destination is the real city of Shangri-La in Diqing, Yunnan, not a location in the novel.

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.

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.

A: Due to the high altitude and cold weather, bring warm clothing such as jackets, sweaters, and gloves. Also, consider bringing sunglasses and sunscreen as the sunlight can be strong.