How to book a tour
Shangrila Trekking Tour
Tour code: YN024
Duration: 11 days
Route: Kunming, Zhongdian, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang, Dali
Attractions: Stone Forest, Xizhou Morning Market, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Mu Prince Mansion, Lashi Lake, Shigu, old town of Lijiang
Itinerary:
Day 1 ( D )
Arrive / Kunming
Upon arrival, be met & transferred to your hotel in Stone Forest, about 90 km from Downtown Kunming, enjoy the beautiful surroundings while the crowd of visitors do not disturb you. The night of Stone forest is so unique, which you can not find in other place of the world.
Stone Forest is located in Shilin County, 89 kilometers from Kunming. The area, covering 350 square kilometers, is the highest karst terrain in the world and a national scenic area in China.
Day 2 (B, L, )
Kunming / Zhongdian
Take a morning flight from Kunming to Zhongdian (Shangri-la), meet at airport and transfer to your hotel in downtown area, then go to visit the Songzanlin Monastery which was built 300 years ago under the instruction of the 5th Dalai Lama, now there are still 800 monks and 3 living buddhas inside.
Later today, you will visit a local Tibean Family.
Day 3 (B, L, )
Zhongdian / Luoji / Hongxing
After breakfast, drive to the east for 4 hours to Luoji, a big Tibetan village, after lunch, start the trekking tour with horses. Today, you will trek about 10 km from Luoji to Hongxing, another Tibetan village, following the Niru river valley path. The trekking will take about 5 hours.
Day 4 (B, L )
Hongxing / Niru
Continue trekking from Hongxing to Niru, another Tibetan village, following the Niru river valley path. The trekking distance is 9 km and it will take about 4 hours. Have a late lunch in Niru upon arriving. In the afternoon, visit the Niru village elementary school, after dinner, have a bon-fire party with the Tibetan villagers and the students. Stay in local villager's house or camping.
Day 5 (B, L)
Niru / Shudu Lake
Trekking about 12 km from Niru to Shudu Lake, it will take about 6 hours, have picnic lunch on the way. Set up Camp by the lake. Enjoy a bon-fire party at night. Camping.
Bita Lake, Zhongdian(click to see details)Shudu lake, at an altitude of 3,266 meters above sea level, is located 8 kilometers northwest of the county seat of Zhongdian. It has the largest grassland in Zhongdian, surrounded by mountains on three sides.
Day 6 (B, L,D )
Shudu Lake / Baishui Terrace
Zhongdian / Tiger Leaping Gorge / Middle Gorge
Drive from Shudu Lake to the Natural Bridge Hot Spring to have a good bath, drive 3 hours to Drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge, stops at Baishui Terrace.
Baishui Terrace: At the foot of the Haba Snow Mountain is the mysterious White Field, also called Baishuitai, birthplace of the Naxi ethnic minority Dongba Culture.
Day 7 (B, L, )
Tiger Leaping Gorge / Lijiang
The toal hiking journey today is 18 km.
In the early morning, 1 hour walking down the steep cliff to the bank of Jinsha River, worship the dangerours shoal of "Starriness", it is the most narrow part of the gorge, where a tiger can easily jump over the Jinsha River.
1 more hour to climb up the gorge, have a tea break after the exciting voyage. Continue your trekking through trails for 2 km (about 1 hour) to a small ferry, cross the river by boat, climb up the cliff and see the beautiful Daju Town. Enjoy a local lunch in the village, and drive to Lijiang.
Day 8 (B, L, )
Lijiang
Visit the old town of Lijiang, escorted tour to Square Street, Mu Prince Mansion in the morning. Drive to Lashi Lake to visit Naxi Village in the afternoon, take a canoe ride on the lake.
The Lijiang ancient town of Dayan: The town was built in the late song dynasty and the early Yuan dynasty and was listed by the UNESCO on the list of the world's major cultural heritages in 1997. .
Day 9 (B, L, D )
Lijiang / Dali
Drive to Dali, visit Xizhou Market & the typical living house of Bai Minority. enjoy the tea ceremony of Bai Ethnic, take as more pictures of the colorful costumes of Bai Ethics, listening to their stories... Visit the famous Three Buddhism Pagodas. Have dinnier at an old traditional restaurant called "Plum Well". Free time for the first evening at old town of Dali.
Xizhou House: live Bai minority people. You will see the their typical traditions, dresses there.
Three Pagodas:are located northwest of Dali at the foot Cangshan Mountains. With Qianxun Pagoda, completed in 876 during the Tang dynasty (618-907AD).
Day 10 (B, L, )
Dali / Kunming
Morning visit of a small Catholic church in old town of Dali, take as more pictures as you can in local vegetable and food market. At leisure till you will be transferred to airport for Kunming.
Day 11 (B, )
Kunming / Depart
Free time till transfer to ariport for return flight to next destination.
Notice: The raining season in Zhongdian, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lujiang and Lijiang is from late May to early September, roads might be block by mountain slide and falling rocks. The best traveling time for our trekking tour is from October to April.
In case of bad weather condition or road difficulties, the original itinerary which has been confirmed by us might has to be changed accordingly by our local tour guide, or even the whole trip could be cancelled eventually. Please trust the judgement of our expienced tour guide, they are the expert and have escored trekking trips for years.