10 DAYS, OUTERMOST YUNNAN

Itinerary

ITINERARY IN DETAILS:

DAY 1 KUNMING - ARRIVAL (D)
Upon arrival, meet your guide and transfer to your hotel. If time permits, enjoy a walk around the Green Lake park and take a first glimpse at the local way of life before dinner at hotel. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 2 KUNMING - LIJIANG (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel. Early morning transfer to airport and take a flight to Lijiang. The city is the center of the Naxi people, a relatively small minority group with a rich culture. The Old Town is an intimate mountain town made of stone and tiles, laced with swift canals. In 1997, it was enlisted on the UNESCO World Heritage list. On arrival, set off to the Yak Meadow of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with a chair lift ride to the Yak Meadow and have a closer look at the mountain range. On the way, visit Baisha village, once the capital of the Naxi Kingdom, famous for its Buddhist frescoes, and the village of Longquan, still traditional and well preserved. Lunch en route in a local restaurant. At the end of the afternoon, take a walk to the Black Dragon Pond to have a look at the renowned Moon Embracing Pavilion and the Dongba Museum, sanctuary of the culture of Naxi ancient culture. Dinner at local restaurant, followed by a Naxi music concert. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 3  LIJIANG - LUGU LAKE (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel, drive on a new road to Lugu Lake which overlaps the Yunnan Sichuan border and is a center for Tibetans, Yi and Mosuo villages. Located in the beautiful Xiaoliangshan Mountains, Lugu Lake is famous in China for being the place of the "female kingdom", one of the last matriarchal societies to exist: men and women are not united by wedlock and are respectively living at their mother's home, yet keeping a casual cohabitation relationship. Upon arrival, visit some Mosuo families and cruise on the Lugu Lake with the local one-tree-boat. Lunch en route and dinner at local restaurant or with local people. In the evening, you may join the bonfire by the people in the village. Overnight at Mosuo Garden on the lakeshore.

DAY 4 LUGU LAKE - YONGNING - LUGU LAKE (B,L,D)
Breakfast at Mosuo Garden. In the morning, drive to Yongning, an important trade center for minorities in between Yunnan and Sichuan. Enjoy its colorful market in the morning and continue your discovery of the villages in the surroundings. Visit the Zha Mei monastery, entirely built in wood and with a building dating back to the 17th century. Lunch en route and dinner at local restaurant or with local people. Overnight at Mosuo Garden.

DAY 5 LUGU LAKE - LIJIANG (B,L,D)
Breakfast.  In the morning, drive back to Lijiang. After lunch, take a closer look at Old town Lijiang and discover more about the Naxi people and their very ancient culture, the Dongba culture. Lunch en route and dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 6 LIJIANG - DALI (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel. Early morning drive to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is one of the deepest canyons of the world. Wedged tightly between titanic cliffs, the Yangtze River is so narrow here, so legend tells us, that a hunted tiger made his escape to the other side of the river in a single bound. Lunch en route or at local restaurant. In the afternoon, drive to Dali through beautiful countryside. Dinner en route. Arrival late in the evening in Dali. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 7 DALI (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel. Cross the Erhai Lake to the opposite shore on which you will stroll on at the market of a fishermen's village (depending on days of occurrence) in the morning. After lunch, discover the Bai minority villages of Xizhou, famous for the architecture of its residences and Zhoucheng where you will visit its local temple and a family tie-dye processing workshop. Drive back to Dali old town for a free walk along the old lanes. Lunch and Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 8 DALI - JINGHONG (XISHUANGBANNA) - MENGLUN (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel. Early morning transfer to airport for flight to Jinghong, upon arrival, drive to Galanba and visit its colorful minority market. Discover the villages in the surroundings before heading to Menglun to visit the Tropical Botanical Garden hosting one of the richest collections of tropical species in the world. Lunch en route and dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at Tropical Botanical Garden Guesthouse**. 

DAY 9 JINGHONG (B,L,D)
Breakfast. In the morning, drive through the valley of the Flowing Sand River to Menghai. This is one of the greatest tea regions producing the beloved Tuocha and the Pu'er tea. Visit the Octagonal Pavilion, one of the most appreciated architectural sites in the area. Then, visit of Hani villages that you will meet in their naturalness and material simplicity. Lunch en route and Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at Tai Garden Hotel****.

     
DAY 10 JINGHONG - KUNMING DEPARTURE (B,L)  
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning, take a flight to Kunming. Upon arrival, drive to the Western Hills followed by a 10-minute chair-lift ride up the hill. From the top a path winds down the famous "Dragon Gate". At the foot of the Hill, stop at the Huating Buddhist temple. After lunch at local restaurant, visit of the Flower and Bird market before transfer to airport for departure flight.