Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01 Arrive Jinghong (D)
Take the flight to Jinghong, or you can take the Tianda Speed Boat from Chiang Saen to Jinghong.
Meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel.
--Jinghong City is about 710 km from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, 110 km from Chiang Rai, 190 km from Myanmar and 680 km from PDR Lao. Jinghong is the capital city of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. It is a small city on the Lancang River with lush tropical and subtropical scenery and unique folk cluture.
Jinghong is also home to 13 ethnic groups including the Dai, the Hani, the Jinuo, the Bulang, etc. and people of minority nationalities accounts for about 65% of the total population. They live together with the forests and colorful cultures. Among all the minorities, the Dai people take the lead. They are mild and very versatile. The Dai people believe in the Buddhism and the Buddhism temples are scattering over every village.
Day 02 Jinghong (B+L+D)
Start the trip from Jinghong.
Go along the Mekong to Ganlanba, a major residential area of Dai People, see a lively daily market where local people sell or buy food and other native products.
Drive to Yiwu, a small town once boomed due to tea trade in the history, see the old part of town and the stele erected in Qing Dynasty that recorded the trade situation at that time, pay visit to local families that are still producing Pu’er Tea the traditional way. Back to Menglun, visit the biggest tropical botanical garden of China, enjoy the nice view and quietness in garden. Stay at hotel in the botanical garden.
Day 03 Jinghong-Puer (B+L+D)
Enjoy morning freshness in the botanical garden, have a relaxing walk in rainforest zone for a short experience, leave botanical garden for Jinuo Mountain Area, visit Jinuo People uniquely belonging to this region, the last nationality classified by Chinese Government in 1979. See the ancient tea plantations around Jinuo village, which used to be part of cradles of famous Pu’er Tea, try Wrap- charcoaled Tea and Salad Tea Jinuo people prepare in their traditional way. Move to Simao, stop en route to get view of vast tea plantation near Dadugan.
See the ancient tea caravan way that still winds its way on ridges of mountains, of which the paving stones are still telling people the former prosperity of tea trade on this way, pay visit to local family that used to run hostel specially for tea transporting caravans in the past. Further to Pu’er, a town that once was the tea distribution center of South Yunnan, after which Pu’er Tea was named by tea businessmen who gathered here. Stay in Pu’er.
Day 04 Puer-Jingdong (B+L+D)
Pay visit to Cha An Village and Mohe Town, former stops on the Ancient Tea Caravan Way, chat with local people to learn about their predecessors’ life with tea transporting caravans. Drive to Zhenyuan, then further to Jingdong Yi Autonomous County under the jurisdiction of Pu'er City.
Stay in Jingdong.
Day 05 Jingdong-Weishan-Dali (B+L+D)
See Confucian Temple of Jingdong, drive to Weishan via Nanjian, tour around on Mount Weibao near Weishan to see Taoism temples built in Ming and Qing Dynasty, to experience the influence over local ethnic people’s life inflicted by Taoism from inland China.
Visit ancient town of Weishan, which used to be the capital of early Nanzhao Kingdom 1300 years ago, current old town was constructed during Ming Dynasty 600 years ago, layout of whole place still remains in the shape of Chinese chess board as originally planned, lots of buildings aged hundreds of years are in use all the same, feel atmosphere of primitive simplicity by walking along streets.
Leave Weishan for Dali. Stay in the ancient town of Dali.
Day 06 Dali (B+L+D)
Dali is a town reputed with long history and profound cultural background, it became the capital of Nan Zhao Kingdom 1200 years ago, and was also the capital of later Dali Kingdom, till Yuan Dynasty, for over 500 years Dali had always been the political, cultural and economic center of Western Yunna.
Tour around Dali, visit Xizhou, a town featured with traditional Bai dwelling houses and their original life style, take boat in Er Hai Lake for a short experience, visit the land mark of Dali --- Three Pagodas, have a stroll in ancient Dali Town for assorted handicrafts, etc. Stay in Dali.
Day 07 Dali-Shaxi-Lijiang (B+L+D)
Early starting off for Jianchuan via Eryuan, visit Dian Nan Village on the way, a place famous for their traditional wood carving products. Drive to Shaxi, a famous countryside town that boomed because of busy tea trade and salt trade between Yunnan and Tibet in the past, reputed as the Only Living Market on Ancient Tea Caravan Way, buildings remain in original look, people are living traditional way, folk custom is well maintained.
Leave for Mount Shi Bao, see the the most famous grotto in Yunnan, of which elaborate Buddhism sculptures demonstrated the art level of Bai people 1100 year ago. Drive to Lijiang, a beautiful World Heritage City. Stay in Lijiang.
Day 08 Lijiang-Jade Dragon Snow Mountain-Baoshan Stone Town (B+L+D)
Tour around Lijiang. Visit Shuhe Village out of town, a traditional Naxi Nationality Village famous for leather craft, used to be an important leather market on former Ancient Tea Caravan Way, to feel the relaxing atmosphere given by stone bridges, rivers crossing village and local people’s idyllic rural life.
See the symbol of Lijiang, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, holy mountain in local Naxi people’s hearts. Further drive along countryside road to Bao Shan Stone Town, a village located by the upriver Yangtze, built on top of a protruding rocky hill. Stay at local guesthouse in village.
Day 09 Baoshan Stone Town- Lijiang (B+L+D)
Have a walk in Stone Town, wander in narrow lanes to observe the authentic life of local Naxi people, to explore how they could built houses on craggy and rocky mountain to keep their homes from invasion in bygone days. Back to Lijiang, pay visit to Yu Feng Lamaism Monastery and Bai Sha Naxi Village.
See Black Dragon Pond (Known as Jade Spring Park also), which is famous for assorted pavilions of Naxi style and its crystal water, in good weather, pavilions, arch bridge, willows growing on the bank, Jade Snow Mountain behind, together with their reflections in the water will compose a very beautiful view. Enjoy relaxing time in Old Lijiang Town. Stay in Lijiang.
Day 10 Lijiang-Shigu-Weixi (B+L+D)
Drive to Shigu, a small town where Yangtze flows by and makes her first bend to change direction into east from south. Shigu is an old town on the former route of tea caravans, street paved with rocks is still kept well and in use, rubdown of stones from repeated treads through centuries seem to be telling stories that happened in the past. Drive to Judian, a former ferry on the Yangtze, tea caravans used to part here, some turned into northeast to Shangrila, most remained in north heading for Tibet.
Further to Weixi, a small county with more Tibetan Nationality people. Stay in Weixi.
Day 11 Weixi-Deqen (B+L+D)
Full day on the way from Weixi to Deqin. Most of today’s journey would be along the upriver Mekong, compared with Yangtze, which is like a clement mother, Mekong is more like a wayward kid, naughty and changeable, but her ferity keeps the trip from being a boring one, there is always exciting scenery on the way. Enjoy nice view up the river, visit Tibetan villages randomly on the way and near Cizhong drop in a Catholic church left by French missionaries a hundred years ago. Arrive at Deqin, the northernmost county of Yunnan, as well the last county before entering Tibet from Yunnan, where Tibetan is local majority. Stay in Deqin.
Day 12 Deqen-Yanjing in Tibet (B+L+D)
Continue trip along the Mekong up in north, drive on unpaved road to Yanjing, the first town after entering Tibetan abuttal. Yanjing was quite important stop on former tea caravans’ way to Lasha, capital of Tibet, for its rich output of salt, in the ancient China, salt had always been a kind of goods under government’s firm control, it’s something more strategic than commercial, sometimes even caused war. By the river of Mekong, local Tibetan people and Naxi people have been producing salt in very original way though thousands of years, and are still performing this old production, pay visit to them, and see their spectacular salt extracting fields. Stay at local Hot Spring Guesthouse in Yanjing.
Day 13 Yanjing-Deqen (B+L+D)
Back to Deqin from Yanjing, Yanjing is the northernmost point of our trip, from here, get on the home journey in the south. Visit Liutongjiang Village en route, this is a Tibetan village situated on the cliff by the Mekong, in the past, whole village was engaged in making cables and baskets with canes for caravans to lift their goods and horses across the river, during long trip of tea transportation into Tibet, big mountains, big rivers and canyons had always been obstacles caravans needed to overcome, they made it, but inevitably, accidents happened often, no pain no gain, those explorers knew it better than others. Drop in Flying Lamaism Temple before arrival in Deqin. Stay in Deqin.
Day 14 Deqen-Zhongdian (B+L+D)
Full day transfer from Deqin to Zhongdian, a town known as Shangrila because of description in the Lost Horizon. Visit Lamaism temple near Shusong, this is a different Lamaism temple, who stay here are all nuns, their ages range from more than eighty to younger than twenty, with strong belief, some nuns have been living celibately for almost their whole life in monastery, and others will, too.
Keep heading for Shangrila, see Dongzhulin Lamaism Temple on the way, visit family workshop where traditional Tibetan wood bowls are made near Benzilan, before arriving in Zhongdian, drop in Tangdui Village around Nixi, where villagers are good at making traditional Tibetan pottery wares. Stay in Zhongdian.
Day 15 Zhongdian(Shangri-La) (B+L+D)
One day tour around Zhongdian. Visit daily market in town to explore local people’s life, worship Song Zan Lin Lamaism Temple, which is the biggest one in Yunnan, its construction started in 1679 and finished in 1681, in designing imitated the Potala Palace of Lasha, Tibet. Drive to Shudu Lake, a beautiful high lake for refreshing view of Yunnan Tableland. Back to Zhongdian, see traditional dwelling buildings of Tibetan people in old part of town. Stay in Zhongdian.
Day 16 Zhongdian-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Lijiang (B+L+D)
Drive back to Lijiang. Visit Tiger-leaping Gorge en route. When Yangtze arrives at Hutiaoxia Town, great mountains on both sides suddenly narrow the width of river, currents become so testy, at the narrowest place, river is only 30 meters wide, and a big rock in the middle of river even turns Yangtze more raging, big sound and heavy vapor from currents’ strong impact on rock offered tourists a grand view. Enjoy relaxing time in Lijiang Old Town for rest of day.
Visit Shuhe Old Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea Horse Trade Caravan.
Stay in Lijiang.
Day 17 Lijiang-Departure (B)
Send you to Lijiang International Airport for returning.
Service ends.
| Destinations |
Superior Class |
Deluxe Class |
Tourist Class |
| Jinghong |
Golden Zone Hotel,Xishuangbanna |
Tai Garden Hotel,Xishuangbanna |
Golden Banna Hotel |
| Ganlanba |
Tropical Botanical Garden Hotel Xishuangbanna |
Tropical Botanical Garden Hotel Xishuangbanna |
Tropical Botanical Garden Hotel Xishuangbanna |
| Puer |
Green Capital Hotel,Puer |
Green Capital Hotel,Puer |
Green Capital Hotel,Puer |
| Jingdong |
Jingdong Hotel |
Jingdong Hotel |
Jingdong Hotel |
| Dali |
Dali Regent Hotel |
Asia Star Hotel Dali |
Dali Land Scape Hotel |
| Lijiang |
Lijiang Château LAct Hotel |
Liwang Hotel,Lijiang |
Lijiang Sanhe Hotel |
| Baoshan |
Honglong Guesthouse Baoshan |
Honglong Guesthouse Baoshan |
Honglong Guesthouse Baoshan |
| Weixi |
Asia Pacific Century Hotel,Weixi |
Asia Pacific Century Hotel,Weixi |
Asia Pacific Century Hotel,Weixi |
| Deqen |
Kawagebo Hotel, Deqen |
Holy Mountain Hotel,Deqen |
Holy Mountain Hotel,Deqen |
| Yanjing |
Yanjing Hotel |
Yanjing Hotel |
Yanjing Hotel |
| Shangri-La |
Shangri-La Paradise Hotel |
Songtsam Hotel,Shangri La |
Lefu Hotel,Shangri La |
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| Price(USD/Person) |
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| 2-5 pax |
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| 6-9 pax |
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| 10 & above |
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| Remark |
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- Accommodation with daily breakfast as indicated in the hotel list as below;
- Chinese lunches and dinners as listed in the itinerary;
- All land transfers & transportation with private air-conditioned coach;
- All transfers and sightseeing with skilled English-speaking tour guide;
- All entrance fees as mentioned in the itinerary;
- Domestic air tickets fares with airport tax and fuel extra fee based on
economy class mentioned in the program
- Service charge and all government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airport and hotels;
- Travel Agency’s Responsibility Insurance coverage.
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Any meals which are not specified in the tour itinerary.
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff.
- Personal travel accident insurance.
- All optional programs;
- The economy-class airfare of China flights as specified in the itinerary.
- The hotel/cruise accommodation is based on two persons sharing one standard twin room/cabin with private facilities in all relevant locations. If a single client requests a twin room/cabin alone, the single room/cabin supplement will be charged.
- For the land tour in each city, daily American breakfast is served in the hotel, and Chinese lunch and/or dinner will be served with two cups of soft drink outside the hotel. All meal arrangements are served as the itinerary specifies.
- On the cruise daily American breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. The beverage arrangements are subject to policies of
