Yunnan
Yunnan: Lijiang, Lugu Lake & Dali
Kunming · Lijiang · Lugu Lake · Dali
Next: March 2027Max 20Flights incl.
From, per person
NZ$2,890
Classic Yunnan: Kunming to Shangri-La
Kunming · Lijiang · Shangri-La · Dali
From, per person
NZ$2,990
Duration10 days
Group sizeMax 20
FlightsIncluded from AKL
GuideEnglish-speaking
Activity levelModerate
Overview
Old towns, Tibetan monasteries and lakeside villages in 10 days
A journey from the spring-like city of Kunming up onto the Tibetan plateau. Explore the UNESCO-listed old town of Lijiang, stand above Tiger Leaping Gorge, visit Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La and spend two days among the Bai villages of Dali and Erhai Lake.
High-speed rail from Kunming to Lijiang
Lijiang Old Town and the Golden Sand show
Tiger Leaping Gorge and Songzanlin Monastery
Pudacuo National Park on the Tibetan plateau
Two days around Dali and Erhai Lake
Itinerary
Day by day
- DAY1
Check in at Auckland International Airport and board your flight to China, connecting to your first destination. Our team will be in touch before departure with your flight details and pre-departure information.
Meals: Not includedOvernight: On board - DAY2
Arrive in Kunming, the City of Eternal Spring, and visit the Yunnan Ethnic Villages, where the architecture, music and crafts of Yunnan's many ethnic groups are on show. The evening is free.
Meals: Not includedOvernight: Kunming, 4-star hotel - DAY3
Take the high-speed train to Lijiang. Explore the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of canals, stone bridges and Naxi wooden houses, and visit the Mu Mansion, the former palace of the local Naxi rulers. In the evening, watch Lijiang Golden Sand, a performance of Naxi music and legend.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Lijiang, 4-star hotel - DAY4
Stop at Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world, where the Jinsha River forces its way between two snow-capped ranges. Continue up onto the Tibetan plateau to Shangri-La and visit Songzanlin, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, followed by the old town of Dukezong.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Shangri-La, 4-star hotel - DAY5
Walk the boardwalks of Pudacuo National Park among alpine lakes and old-growth forest, then stop at the grasslands of Napa Lake. Return to Lijiang via Yuhu, a stone-built Naxi village at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Lijiang, 4-star hotel - DAY6
Visit Lashi Lake, a wetland where Naxi villages and grazing horses sit beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Drive to Dali and visit the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, symbol of the ancient Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Dali, 4-star hotel - DAY7
A day on the shores of Erhai Lake, with the Cangshan range rising behind. Visit the waterside town of Shuanglang and the whitewashed lakeside village known as Dali's Santorini. An optional lake cruise includes the Bai three-course tea ceremony.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerOvernight: Dali, 4-star hotel - DAY8
Visit Xizhou, a Bai village with more than a hundred historic courtyard houses, and ride through the surrounding rice fields. After lunch, explore Dali Old Town before the train back to Kunming.
Meals: Breakfast, LunchOvernight: Kunming, 4-star hotel - DAY9
Enjoy a final breakfast before a private transfer to the airport for your flight home to Auckland.
Meals: BreakfastOvernight: On board - DAY10
Arrive back in Auckland, with plenty of stories to tell.
Meals: Not included
What's included
- Return economy flights from Auckland, including taxes
- All domestic flights and high-speed trains shown in the itinerary
- 4-star hotels, twin share (5-star where stated)
- Daily breakfast and the meals listed in the itinerary
- English-speaking local guides throughout
- Private coach and airport transfers
- Entrance fees for all sightseeing listed
- Small group of no more than 20 travellers
Not included
- Chinese visa (New Zealand passport holders currently travel visa-free for up to 30 days)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Single supplement
- Optional activities and meals not listed
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses
Dates & prices
Per person, twin share. Includes return flights from Auckland.
- 20 Mar 2027Returns 29 Mar 2027GuaranteedNZ$2,990Select
- 24 Apr 2027Returns 3 May 2027AvailableNZ$2,990Select
- 22 May 2027Returns 31 May 2027AvailableNZ$2,990Select
- 18 Sep 2027Returns 27 Sep 2027AvailableNZ$3,190Select
- 23 Oct 2027Returns 1 Nov 2027AvailableNZ$3,190Select
- 13 Nov 2027Returns 22 Nov 2027GuaranteedNZ$3,190Select
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