Best Yunnan Tours: Diverse Ethnic Culture, Flowers, Snow Mt., Shangri La & Tea and Horse Road

Safety is not a problem while traveling in Yunnan. However, keep your personal belongings safe while traveling, avoid empty alleys at night, don't trust strangers' temptations, not to go alone to remote or dangerous places, such as forests, canyons, snow-capped mountains, etc.and so on.

Here are the top tourist destinations in Yunnan, China in short:

• 1. Lijiang Old Town - A UNESCO World Heritage site known for its ancient architecture and ethnic minority culture.
• 2. Shangri-La - A scenic Tibetan town with stunning mountain views and traditional Tibetan culture.
• 3. Dali Old Town - A charming town famous for its Bai ethnic minority culture and beautiful scenery.
• 4. Yuanyang Rice Terraces - A spectacular scenic area with stunning rice terraces that change color with the seasons.
• 5. Tiger Leaping Gorge - One of the world's deepest and most scenic gorges, popular for hiking and outdoor activities.
• 6. Jianshui Old Town - A well-preserved ancient town with unique architecture and cultural heritage.
• 7. Xishuangbanna - A tropical rainforest region with diverse flora and fauna and unique ethnic minority cultures.
• 8. Kunming - The capital city of Yunnan known for its pleasant climate, colorful culture, and historical landmarks such as the Stone Forest.

In short, the best time to travel to Yunnan is generally from March to May and from September to November.

During these months, the weather is mild and comfortable, with less rainfall and pleasant temperatures, making it a great time to explore Yunnan's stunning natural scenery and cultural attractions.

Avoid going to Yunnan during July and August, as these two months are the rainy season. It's also best to avoid hiking in Tiger Leaping Gorge during the rainy season.

It is about 2835KM between Beijing and Kunming in Yunnan. The high-speed train from Beijing to Kunming takes about 10 and a half hours, the bullet train takes about 14 hours, the train starting with the letter Z takes 35 hours, while taking a plane takes about 4 hours.

It is about 2320KM between Shanghai and Kunming in Yunnan. The high-speed train from Shanghai to Kunming takes about 11-12 hours, the train with the letter "K" takes about 36-40 hours, and the flight takes about 3 hours.

A trip to Yunnan including Kunming, Dali, Shaxi Ancient Town, Lijiang and Shangri-la realistically takes at least 1 week. However, if you want in-depth exploration, I encourage you to spend 12 days or longer.

Kunming (2-3 days): visit the Stone Forest, Green Lake Park, and the Dragon Gate

Jianshui (1-2 days): explore the ancient town, visit the Zhu Family Garden, and the Confucius Temple

Yuanyang Rice Terraces (2-3 days): see the sunrise/sunset at Duoyishu Village, visit Laohuzui Rice Terraces, and the Azheke Village

Shangri-La (2-3 days): visit the Songzanlin Monastery, Pudacuo National Park, and Napa Lake

Meili Snow Mountain (3-4 Days): Songzanlin Monastery and Nixi Pottery Village, Mekong River valley, Mingyong Glacier, Yubeng Village and hike to the Holy Waterfall or the Ice Lake

Xishuangbanna:

• Jinghong City (1-2 days): explore the city center, visit the Mekong River and Manting Park
• Dai Minority Villages (1-2 days): visit local villages like Ganlanba, Manjinglan, and Jinuo Mountain to experience the local Dai minority culture, customs, and lifestyle
• Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (1 day): visit the largest botanical garden in China and learn about the region's rich plant diversity, including many rare and endangered species
• Visit the Menglun Tropical Rainforest Scenic Area (1 day): explore the scenic area, see the Dai ethnic garden and experience the tropical rainforest ecology