14 Days Off the Beaten Path Yunnan Culture Tour from $1796

Yuantong Temple Kunming, Green Lake Park (Cuihu Park), Kunming Dianchi Lake, The Dragon Gate on Xishan (West Hill with round way cable car), Mongolian Village of Xingmen, Zhang‘s Family and Tuanshan Village, Twin Dragons Bridge, Yuanyang Terraced Fields, Stone Forest, Dali Erhai Lake, Erhai Boat Tour, Three Pagodas , , Zhou City, Shaping Monday Market, Climbing Ancient City Gate Tower, Shaxi Ancient Town, , Black Dragon Pool Park, Dongba Museum, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha Murals, Tiger Leaping Gorge Upper Section Suitable For Seniors(Eco-Friendly Car included), First Bend of Yangtze River, Stone Drum Town, Bitahai and Shudu Lake(Eco-Friendly Car), Songzanlin Temple…

Tour Code: YNT-C Commencement Date: At your discretion Tour Type: Private & Customizable

• Day 1 Arrive at Kunming Flight:TBA On Your Own

  Today’s Tour: Airport/train Station To Hotel Transfer Accommodation: The Kai Wah Plaza International Hotel

  Detailed Description

  The Kai Wah Plaza International Hotel:

  The Kai Wah Plaza International Hotel is centrally located in the most urbanized area of Kunming, the Spring City of China. The property offers spectacular views of both the metropolitan scenery and surrounding mountains. Located only 15 minutes away from Kunming International Airport, the hotel is professionally designed for appealling to conventions, exhibitions and business visits. The 525 cozy and elegantly furnished guest rooms, the newly renovated Executive Lounge can assume the maximum convenience for business guests. The meeting facilities are the best and most extensive in the city, which would perfectly meet your requirement for holding conference, banquet and various ceremonies. ADD:157# Beijing road,Kunming Ctiy,Yunnan,P.R.Chin

  Airport/train Station To Hotel Transfer:

  You will be met by your English-speaking guide and escorted to your hotel. Have a welcome dinner and get to know your guide and the city, check your itinerary with the guide, and begin your wonderful journey!

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• Day 2 Kunming (B)

  Today’s Tour: Yuantong Temple Kunming, Green Lake Park (Cuihu Park), Kunming Dianchi Lake, The Dragon Gate on Xishan (West Hill with round way cable car) Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

  Detailed Description

  Yuantong Temple Kunming:

  This old Temple is famous for its unusual structure, which is high at the front and low at the back. From the front archway named "Yuantong Shengjing" (Wonderland), one has a view of the entire garden. Behind a haze of smoke created by all the incense that worshippers leave burning, a majestic octagonal temple pavilion.

  Green Lake Park (Cuihu Park):

  People in Kunming say that the Green Lake Park brings them the message of early spring. The Chinese contemporary writer Yangshuo said in "The Laud of Camellia": The spring in Yunnan is diligent, so it comes here early. Due to the Green Lake Park, people here can receive the news of early spring. The Green Lake goes back to the late Yuan Dynasty (1277 ~ 1367A.D.). At that time it was only a big marsh outside the Kunming City. It was commonly called "Vegetable Lake" because many places nearby were vegetable gardens, rice fields and lotus ponds.(You will have chance to see lots of Black-headed Gulls from Siberia from December to March every year.)

  Kunming Dianchi Lake:

  The Dianchi Lake, also known as Kunming Lake, is praised as "the Pearl of the Plateau". It is the sixth largest fresh water lake in China and lies at the foot of Western Hills. The lake covers some 300 square kilometers and extends some 40 kilometers from north to south. The rising waves and the fishing boats, and the reflection on the water of the surrounding mountains combine to produce an intoxicating landscape. Various scenic spots look like grains of pearls inlaid on the 150 kilometer-long periphery of the lake, earning it the prestige as a "Crystal Pearl" in the plateau.(You will have chance to see lots of Black-headed Gulls from Siberia from December to March every year.)

  The Dragon Gate on Xishan (West Hill with round way cable car):

  West Hill is very beautiful with lush vegetation, blooming flowers, green grass and tranquil surroundings. West Hill has enjoyed great fame for its beautiful and unique natural scenery since ancient time and was renowned as " the most beautiful place in Yunnan". Looked from afar, the mountain looks like a sleeping beauty lying on the Dianchi Lake. The girl looks so fascinating with her dark long hair flowing on the water face and you can even distinguish her head, breast, belly and two slim long legs.

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• Day 3 Kunming - jianshui (B)

  Today’s Tour: Mongolian Village of Xingmen Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Jiangshui Tsu Family Garden

  Detailed Description

  Jiangshui Tsu Family Garden:

  A very traditional ethnic style garden hotel.

  Mongolian Village of Xingmen:

  Ximeng is only place in Yunnan where people Mongolian nationality reside. The people who reside here are the descendants of Mongolian soldiers who came on expedition at the beginning of Yuan Dynasty, approximately 750 year ago, when China was under reign of Genghis khan and his cavalries. We’ll walk around the village and visit with some local villagers, learning about how their life is getting on after getting off horseback!

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• Day 4 jianshui - Yuanyang (B)

  Today’s Tour: Zhang's Family and Tuanshan Village, Twin Dragons Bridge Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Yuanyang Yunti Hotel

  Detailed Description

  Yuanyang Yunti Hotel:

  Local best

  Zhang's Family and Tuanshan Village:

  Located at Xizhuang Township, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani & Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southern Yunnan Province, Tuanshan Village is the only intact famous cultural village of the Qing Dynasty existed currently which was ever the habitation of the Yi ethnic minority in history.

  Twin Dragons Bridge:

  Situated three km. west of the town proper, Shuanglong Bridge arches across the confluence of the Lujiang River and the Tachong River. The first three arches were built in the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, and the remaining 14 in the Daoguange era later.

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• Day 5 Yuanyang (B)

  Today’s Tour: Yuanyang Terraced Fields Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

  Detailed Description

  Yuanyang Terraced Fields:

  The best place to view the terraced fields is in the south of Yuanyang County, where the mountains are covered with terraces extending 2,000 meters, from the mountain top down to the valley.

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• Day 6 Yuanyang - Shilin (B)

  Today’s Tour: Stone Forest Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Stone Forest Hotel

  Detailed Description

  Stone Forest Hotel:

  The Stone Forest Hotel is a fully funded subsidiary of the Yunnan Tourist Company (Group) Limited. It includes two luxury suites in quintessential minority nationality style, 120 well equipped standard rooms distributed through seven buildings, dining halls (16- hour service daily) in different tastes for 450 customers and a large conference hall with state-of-the-art facilities for 140 people. On the wall of the conference hall is an inscription wrote by He Zhiqiang, the Governor of Yunnan, which means "the hall for collecting friendship". It is the first choice for provincial leaders meeting with foreign guests in the Stone Forest. In addition the hotel has been installed with satellite TV receiver, IDD, DDD and facsimile service, as well as computer service and 24- hour hot water.

  Stone Forest:

  The Stone Forest(90 km from the city and about 1.5 hours drive) is known as "One of Earth's Natural Wonders". All visitors to Kunming from home and abroad never hesitate to come here to admire the unique scenes formed by the stones. The Stone Forest is located in Shilin County, 85 kilometres southeast of Kunming. Covering a few hundred square kilometres, stone peaks rise abruptly from the ground in numerous layers like bamboo shoots, forests and pagodas. If you climb to the top of one of the peaks, you can behold thousands of peaks and valleys just like a marvelous vast black forest.

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• Day 7 Shilin - Kunming - Dali (B) Flight:Kunming to Dali

  Today’s Tour: Dali Erhai Lake, Erhai Boat Tour, Three Pagodas Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Dali Gurong Hotel

  Detailed Description

  Dali Gurong Hotel:

  Located between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, Dali is famous for its natural beauty and the ethnic culture of the Bai people. It is a miniature, old city within a pastoral setting and is attractive for its natural beauty and its peaceful atmosphere. Welcome to Dali, we are experts for dali hotels reservation and dali tours booking, save your time, save your money.

  Dali Erhai Lake:

  Erhai Boat Tour:

  Three Pagodas :

  Standing like three legs of a tripod, the tallest of the three, Qianxun Pagoda was exquisitely constructed, with multiple tiers of eaves. Between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, the Three Pagodas stand like the legs of a huge tripod. In the time of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, Chongshengsi Monastery was the largest monastery in this area and the Three Pagodas were only a part of it.

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• Day 8 Dali (B)

  Today’s Tour: , Zhou City, Shaping Monday Market, Climbing Ancient City Gate Tower Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

  Detailed Description

  Zhou City:

  Zhoucheng (Featured for Bai Ethnic culture). Zhoucheng Village is the largest and the farthest northern village of Dali City. The village has 7,571 inhabitants of 1,470 families. The entire village is in a square shape with row upon row of houses.

  Shaping Monday Market:

  Shaping Monday Market, is about 30 kms north of Dali is Shaping town which offers a lively weekly market with plenty of local color. The market starts early. It is a great chance to see local farmers out in force and literally watch plenty of horse trading.

  Climbing Ancient City Gate Tower:

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• Day 9 Dali - Shaxi (B)

  Today’s Tour: Shaxi Ancient Town Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Shaxi Laomadian Lodge

  Detailed Description

  Shaxi Laomadian Lodge:

  Laomadian signifies ‘Inn for old horses’ and it used to lodge caravan owners traveling on the Tea-Horse Caravan Road, from Xishuangbanna to Tibet and further, transporting and trading mainly tea, but also other merchandises like salt, silver, copper etc. Situated midway between Dali and Lijiang, Shaxi was one of the important trading centers on the Tea-Horse Caravan Road since several hundred years. Winter 2006, after 4 years of restoration work by Swiss architects with the help of Jianchuan government and several Swiss and International fundings, Shaxi has regained its beauty and starts to attract visitors from afar to admire this one of the last well-conserved market centers on the famous Tea-Horse Caravan Road.

  Shaxi Ancient Town:

  Shaxi once played an important role as a bustling trade station on the Tea and Horse Caravan Road, an important branch of the Silk Road. Just over one thousand years ago, this ancient trade route connected Tibet with Eastern China. In exchange for teas from Yunnan, Tibetans traded their famous breed of horse to Song Dynasty officials in eastern China, who were busy defending their territory from invaders from the north.

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• Day 10 Shaxi - Lijiang (B)

  Today’s Tour: , Black Dragon Pool Park, Dongba Museum Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Treasure Harbour International Hotel

  Detailed Description

  Treasure Harbour International Hotel:

  Lijiang Treasure Harbor International Hotel is designed and constructed according to platinum five star standard. The hotel is located in Lijiang city area with favonian Xiangshan Mountain and limpid Qingxi Reservoir in the east and grand supernatural Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and ancient Shuhe town in the north. In the west direction, the hotel faces city main street --- Shangri-La Road. Looking into the south distance from the hotel, Dayan ancient town, which is called " World Cultural Heritage", is unfolded in the city area. The hotel is close to all of these famous beautiful sceneries.

  Black Dragon Pool Park:

  The Black Dragon Pool is a famous pond in the scenic Jade Spring Park (Yu Quan Gong Yuan) located at the foot of Elephant Hill, a short walk north of the Old Town of Lijiang in Yunnan province, China. he pool was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty and offers a spectacular view on the region's tallest mountain, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, over its white marble bridge.

  Dongba Museum:

  Dongba Museum in Lijiang, which was designed to display the splendid Dongba culture, is located nearby Yuquan Garden, covering an area of 7 acres. The major infrastructure of the museum is archaized Naxi modest Siheyuan. It is built rationally according to the site topography and landforms, forming the ancient architectural complex with the colonial courtyard as the major building area.

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• Day 11 Lijiang (B)

  Today’s Tour: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain(Large Cable Car up/down and echo-friendly Car), Baisha Murals Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

  Detailed Description

  Jade Dragon Snow Mountain(Large Cable Car up/down and echo-friendly Car):

  The much famed mountain is situated some 15 km. north of Lijiang County, with thirteen peaks resembling jade pillars holding the sky, it stands majestically on the east side of the Jinshajiang River. The main peak, Mount Fan (Shanzifeng), is 5,596 m. above sea level, and is annually snowcapped.

  Baisha Murals:

  This rich fusion had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black, silver, dark green, gold and red colours, the murals in the back hall,overlaid with centuries of brown soot, are doomladen and bizarre, the scenes and figures, some still vivid in detail, are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life, judges of the underworld, the damned, titans and gods, Buddhas and bodhisattvas. There are trigrams, lotus flowers and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling. The deliberate damage done to the paintings is apparent and terrible, but the loss of the irreplaceable wooden statuary that filled the temple, of which there is no trace, is even more tragic.

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• Day 12 Lijiang - Zhongdian (B)

  Today’s Tour: Tiger Leaping Gorge Upper Section Suitable For Seniors(Eco-Friendly Car included), First Bend of Yangtze River, Stone Drum Town Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel Accommodation: Zhongdian Songtsam Hotel

  Detailed Description

  Zhongdian Songtsam Hotel:

  Songtsam Shangri-la (3,290m) is situated right next to the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan province. The lodge is housed in a traditional Tibetan dwelling within this typical, self-sufficient Tibetan farming village where the founder of Songtsam, Baima Dorjie, spent his childhood. One complimentary ticket for Songzanlin Monastery is provided for each guest at Songtsam Shangri-la.

  Tiger Leaping Gorge Upper Section Suitable For Seniors(Eco-Friendly Car included):

  The Tiger-Leaping Gorge is situated at the gap through which the Golden Sand River rushes between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and HaBa Snow Mountain. This spectacular site is about 55km north of Lijiang City. It is locate at both the border of Zhongdian and Lijiang and therefore comes under the control of the both prefecture. The name "Tiger-leaping Gorge" is originated from a legendary story of a hunter who was chasing a tiger. This tiger escaped to Golden Sand River by leaping through the gorge with the help of a large stone in the middle of raging river. The gorge is divided into upper, middle and lower Tiger-leaping Gorge. The whole length of is about 30km.

  First Bend of Yangtze River:

  When the Yangtze River approaches the town known as "Stone Drum Town", it takes almost a 180-degree turn from the south to the north, forming a bent- like structure. This bent is considered very significant because it keeps the Yangtze River (called Golden Sand River in Yunnan Province) flowing through the mid eastern part of China.

  Stone Drum Town:

  This ancient town is named after a drum-shaped marble plaque. Built during the Jiaqing era (1548-1561) of the Ming Dynasty, the stone drum is a monument commemorating the victory of Lijiang's Naxi ruler over an invading Tibetan army. It is one point five meters (five feet) in diameter and zero point five meters (two feet) in thickness. The stone drum has an obvious vestige of what appears to be a "rip" in it. It is said that the stone drum would rupture prior to any war and then fold when peace returned.

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• Day 13 Zhongdian (B)

  Today’s Tour: Bitahai and Shudu Lake(Eco-Friendly Car), Songzanlin Temple Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

  Detailed Description

  Bitahai and Shudu Lake(Eco-Friendly Car):

  In the reserve itself, century-old pines and cypresses grow around Bitahai Lake, in which the water is crystal clear. In the lake there is an islet covered by cedars and azaleas. In spring, when the withered azalea flowers fall to the lake and are eaten by fish, the fish seem to be unconscious and almost drunk. They float on the surface with their abdomen facing the sky. Around the lake are virgin forests-the ideal habitat for rare animals including red-footed pheasant, silver pheasant, wild bull, leopard and lynx.

  Songzanlin Temple:

  Built in 1679, Songzanlin Temple is the oldest and largest Tibetan Buddhism temple in Yunnan province. Built along the mountains with a magnificent facade, the present monastery is a faithful imitation of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. The five-story Tibetan watchtower structure is covered with exquisite wooden carvings and gold-plated copper tiles. It is said that the fifth Dalai Lama chose the site of the monastery through divination. Currently, there are 800 monks and three living Buddhas in the temple.

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• Day 14 Departure Zhongdian - Kunming (B) Flight: Zhongdian to Kunming

  Today’s Tour: Hotel to Airport/Train Station Transfer Today’s Meals: Breakfast at your hotel

  Detailed Description

  Hotel to Airport/Train Station Transfer:

  You will be escorted to the airport/train station for your flight/train to your next destination. Please double check your luggage, stuffs, visa and passport.

Your Group Size	Half Twin Price ( Low Seson)	Half Twin Price ( High Season)	Inquiry/Customize
1 Person	$ 3002	$ 3002	Customize Now
2 - 5 Persons	$ 1796	$ 1796	Customize Now
6 - 9 Persons	$ 1249	$ 1249	Customize Now
10 Up Persons	$ 1025	$ 1025	Customize Now
Note: Price is per person based on double occupancy. Single Traveler Room Supplement is $419. This is a private, independant and personalized tour and guaranteed to operate with a minimum of 1 passenger. Please note that B, L, D denotes Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. High Sesaon is from March to November, Low Season is from December to February. Discount can be applied. Domestic Air included: Economy ( can be upgraded to first or business class upon your reqeust with extra charge) International airfare excludes in the price shown. We recommend www.expedia.com to book your international air tickets. Travel insurance excludes in the price shown. We recommend www.travelguard.com to cover your travel insurance. China visa required: not included in the package. Passport must be valid at least 6 months from date of trip return.

Destinations	Travel Accommodations
Kunming	The Kai Wah Plaza International Hotel Luxury International Brand Standard Room
Lijiang	Treasure Harbour International Hotel Luxury International Brand Standard Room
Zhongdian	Zhongdian Songtsam Hotel Luxury International Brand Standard Room
jianshui	Jiangshui Tsu Family Garden Affordable Quality Standard Room
Yuanyang	Yuanyang Yunti Hotel Affordable Quality Sight View Room
Shilin	Stone Forest Hotel Affordable Quality Standard Room
Dali	Dali Gurong Hotel Affordable Quality Standard Room
Shaxi	Shaxi Laomadian Lodge Affordable Quality Standard Room
Note: All the hotels we recommend are centrally located and famousf or their high quality service. Our hotels includes Luxury International hotels, Luxury boutique hotels(Local style), Family apartment or Affordable quality hotels. If the hotels listed are not your favorite, please tell us, we will fit them in your package.