7 Days Yunnan Ancient Towns Tour to Dali, Shaxi, Lijiang and Shangri-la

Transfer via: TBA flight - on your own arrangement

Meet you at the Dali Airport (DLG) and transfer you to your downtown hotel for check-in. After a short break, enjoy yourself with the charming Dali Ancient Town.

Dali Ancient Town is a magical fascinating place with an international flair. It attracts lots of tourists from all over the world annual. Far-reaching Dali history, it's known as "literature of the state" good reputation. Due to its long history, there are lots of cultural relics.

This morning, we will have an Erhai Lake cruise and visit the Three Pagodas .

Erhai Lake , Chinese meaning is ‘ear-shaped sea', is situated at 1,972 m above sea level. In size, the North-South length of the lake is 40 km and the East-West width is roughly 7-8 km. Its area is 250 km², making it the second largest highland lake of China, after Dianchi Lake. When you arrive at there, you can have an Erhai Lake cruise to explore the beautiful scenery.

Three Pagodas are one kilometer away from north of Dali. The styles of the three pagodas are similar. The main pagoda is "Qianxun Pagoda". It is a square pagoda and it is 69.13 meters high. Its molding and style were imitated the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian and the Song Yue Monastery Pagoda in Henan Province.

Then drive to Xizhou Village to visit the Bai people's dwellings, taste the fragrant Three-Course Tea. After lunch and a short rest, transfer along the wonderful farmland to Shaxi, experience the old Horse and Tea Trade Route in Shaxi ancient town.

Xizhou Bai Minority Village is located 18 kilometres north of Dali. The green mountains, winding creeks and fertile land make for a lyrical and carefree life. The old houses and streets are well preserved. Visitors may still find traces of past glory.

Shaxi was a bustling trade station on the Tea and Horse Caravan that linked Yunnan and Tibet with Southeast Asia for tea and horse trading. The World Monuments Fund has listed Shaxi as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world because of its historical importance as the only surviving example of a Tea & Horse Caravan trade center.

This morning, drive to Shibaoshan Mountain to visit the Haiyunju Temple, Baoxiang Temple, Wild Monkeys, Shizhongsi Temple and the Ancient Grottoes. Mt. Shibaoshan is famous for its picturesque landscape, elegant temples and Shizhongshan Grottoes, a collection the largest caves in Yunnan.

Drive to Lijiang in the late afternoon.

Have a full day trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Yufeng Lamasery , Baisha Mural Paintings,and Yushuizhai. Enjoy the ancient town in the evening.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. It stretches a length of 35 kilometers and a width of 20 kilometers. Looking from Lijiang Ancient Town in the south, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon laying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. And then you also can pay a visit to Yak Meadow (Maoniuping), where Part of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, where the Yi and Zang Minority Ethnic Tribes live.

Baisha Mural Paintings Located in Baisha Township, 8km north of Lijiang, Baisha Mural Paintings have 53 groups of mural paintings in different temples with fine and smooth lines, bright colors, vivid patterns and harmonious composition. Baisha Mural Paintings is the combination of Naxi, Tibetan, Bai and Han artistic designs. Most of the murals vividly describe the religious stories of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Yufeng Lamasery:It is known in English as Jade Peak Lamasery. The Lamasery shows distinctive architectural style of Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism and the local Naxi Dongba Religion as a result of the cultural fusion between different minoritiesin the Qing Dynasty.

This morning we'll drive you to Shangri-La and visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge and the First Bend of the Yangtze River on the halfway. Upon arrival Shangri-La, transfer to hotel for check-in. Tonight enjoy the beauty of Dukezong Tibetan Ancient Town.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is 60km away from Lijiang city, overall length is 16km, which is eastward Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and westward Baha Snow Mountain in a series of rapids under steep 2000 meter cliffs. It’s one of the deepest gorges in the world.

Full day to explore the wonderful place-Shangri-La. After breakfast, we will visit the famous Pudacuo National Park which well-known as its plants, lakes, unique animals and birds. And then go to visit Songzanlin Monastery which called "little Potala Palace". In the evening, you will have your free time to explore the ancient town of Shangri-La.

Pudacuo National Park , established in June, 2007 as the first in a planned series of parks designed to meet the meet the exacting standards set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It contains endemic species of fish found nowhere else in the world, rare and beautiful orchids, black-necked cranes, and taxus yunnanensis, a yew whose extracts are indispensable to the creation of many cancer-treating drugs.

Songzanlin Monastery Located 4 km north of Zhongdian County, Songzanlin Monastery is a large, sprawling and well-preserved lamasery built in the 1700s by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Rom its outward appearance, the structure style is faithful the imitation of the Potala Palace in Lhasa.

Transfer via: TBA flight-on your own arrangement.

This morning, transfer to the Shangri-la Airport for catching your flights.