•  7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners
•  5 nights 3 star hotels
• 1 night sleeper train (hard sleeper cabin) Kunming - Dali
• 1 night sleeper train(soft sleeper cabin)Lijiang - Kunming
• Lijiang - Naxi Music show
• Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (chairlift ride)
• Airport arrival and departure transfer day 1 & day 8
• Excursions and touring of Kunming, Dali and Lijiang
•  English speaking specialist guides at local sights
• All relevant transfers and transportation
• Entrance fees to all included sites

Kunming  -  Welcome  to  Yunnan  Province and  the  start  of  your  holiday!  Enjoy  an arrival  transfer  to  our  hotel.  With  it’s  remote southern  location,  frontiers  that  rub  shoulders with  neighbouring  Tibet,  Burma,  Laos  and Vietnam  and  shielded  from  the  rest  of  China by  the  jagged  mountainous  provinces  of Sichuan  and  Guizhou,  Yunnan  Province  has always  sat  at  arms  length  from  the  rest  of the  motherland.  Within  this  single  province, unmatched anywhere else in China for its scope of  history,  landscape  and  peoples,  there  is  an awesome  diversity  of  geography,  climate  and nationalities,  making  it  one  of  the  country’s most colourful provinces. In Yunnan, there are 28  recognized  ethnic  groups,  more  than  any other  province  in  China.  Comprising  25%  of the  population,  the  indigenous  list  includes the  Naxi,  Wa,  Dai  and  Bai,  Jingpo,  Nu  and other  ethnic  groups,  in  addition  to  a  host  of ethnic  groups  shared  with  other  provinces  or adjoining  foreign  neighbours.  For  a  different side to China, you can’t go wrong with Yunnan Province,  where  you’ll  see  and  experience  a different  side  to  that  of  the  country’s  far  east, west or north. The attractive provincial capital, Kunming, earned the province it’s name, thanks to  it’s  mild  climate.  Yunnan  literally  means ‘South of the Clouds’. Situated  at  an  elevation  of  2000m  above  sea level  on  the  fertile  Yunnan  plateau,  making a  reference  to  it’s  mild  climate,  Kunming  is known as the City of Eternal Spring.Subtropical Kunming  is  skirted  by  mountain  ranges  to  the north,  east,  and  west,  whilst  to  the  south  lies a  large  lake  called  Dianchi.  Whilst  Kunming’s climate  is  usually  very  mild,  thus  allowing  the city to live up to its name, there are sometimes cold  winds  in  winter,  chilly  days  in  spring  and heavy rains in summer. Kunming  has  a  history  spanning  more  than 3,000  years.  It  is  known  to  have  been  a  small settlement  as  early  as  109  B.C.,  trading  in  salt, silver, gold, silk and lumber. Through the eighth to  the  13th  centuries,  it  was  the  secondary capital of a small kingdom in the region, before falling to the Mongols in 1374. A small group of Mongols still exists at Tonghai, about 75 miles south of Kunming. In the early 20th century it became an important rail  hub  when  the  French  constructed  the  rail link  between  Vietnam  and  China,  and  during WW  II  it  was  one  end  of  the  Burma  Road built  by  the  Allies  as  a  supply  route  for  it’s forces.  Some  16km  from  Kunming  are  the Western Hills (which rise to 2,500m) and Dragon Gate,  a  series  of  winding  steps,  tunnels  and statue-filled  grottoes  leading  up  to  a  lookout point,  which  is  also  served  by  a  chair-lift.  The views  from  the  top  extend  over  Lake  Dian, which  provides  for  Kunming’s  well-irrigated surrounding  lands.  Dianchi,  also  known  as Kunming  Lake,  covers  130  square  miles  and was formed by a geological fault in the centralYunnan Plateau. It has long been famous for its fish. Indeed, Marco Polo praised the variety and bounty  of  catches  in  his  13th  century  account of his travels in theregion. Enjoy an excursion to the Western Hills and Dragon Gate. Overnight –Kunming

Kunming  -  Stone  Forest  -  Kunming  -  Dali.Yunnan  Province’s  premier  natural  attraction has  to  be  Shilin,  the  Stone  Forest,  an  exposed bed  of  limestone  karst  spires  weathered  and split  into  amazing  clusters  that  take  on  the appearance  of  a  petrified  forest.  At  least  270 million years old, the dramatic scenery created compels  one  to  explore  and  take  a  closer look. The sharp angles and delineations create  a  strong  contrast  of  shadows  just  right  for photography.  Scattered  through  this  strange landscape  are  natural  and  artificial  ponds, tiny  bridges  and  classical  pavilions.  The  tallest stone  pillar  towers  close  to  100  feet.  The most  interesting  natural  sights  are  the  Sword Peak  Pond,  Lotus  Blossom  Peak,  Jade  Lake  in the  Stone  Forest  and  the  Peak  View  Pavilion. Enjoy some time exploring at Shilin, before the journey  continues  to  Qi  Cai  Yunnan  en  route back to Kunming. Overnight - Sleeper Train

Dali. All meals. Hello Dali! Picturesquely situated on  Lake  Erhai  with  a  backdrop  formed  by the  peaks  of  the  50km  long  Cang  Shang range,  Dali  is  a  great  place  for  some  gentle paced  exploration  and  a  little  relaxation.  With it’s  proximity  to  the  legendary  Silk  Road, Dali’s  fortunes  kickstarted  when  an  aspiring 8th  century  prince  named  Piluage  invited some  rivals  to  dinner.  Casting  alight  the  tent they  were  in,  he  then  set  to  establishing the  Nanzhao  Kingdom  here,  a  realm  that was  later  expanded  to  include  large  tracts  of modern Burma, Thailand and Vietnam. Various overthrows occured and a smaller kingdom was set up by the Bai people, until Kublai Khan and his  Mongolian  henchmen  descended  on  the region in 1252, and imposed Chinese rule. This persisted  until  1856  when  there  was  a  Muslim uprising  and  the  town  capital  was  declared an  independent  state.  In  1873,  a  wholesale massacre of the Muslim population occured and Dali was decimated, never to recover its former political position. Muslims and Han Chinese remain today, though the  majority  of  the  regional  population  are Bai.  Covering  only  about  4  sq  km,  much  of Dali  is  contained  by  the  remains  of  its  Ming dynasty  walls.  An  earthquake  did  more  or less  flatten  the  town  in  1925,  though  it  was rebuilt in its former style.Sightseeing in Dali and surrounds includes a cruise on Lake Erhai, some orientation stops at some ancient temples and villages,  a  visit  to  Butterfly  Spring  -  a  popular spot  surrounded  by  a  marble  ballustrade  and overhung  by  an  ancient  tree  that  produces butterfly-like  flowers  and  the  famous  Three Pagodas.  Built  when  the  region  was  a  major Buddhist centre, Dali’s distinctively tall pagodas remain upright, despite wars and earthquakes. The largest of them - Qianxun tower dates back to 824 AD, some hundred years older than the two smaller octagonal pagodas behind, is 64m high,  and  is  embellished  with  Buddhas  made from  local  richly veined  marble  on  each  of  its 16  levels.  Whilst  sealed  (preventing  entrance inside),  in  any  case  the  pagodas  are  best  seen from a distance to take in their sheer size. Back in  Dali,enjoy  some  free  time  exploring  the  old section of the town. Most places of interest areon Fuxing Lu, though the narrow stone streets are  good  for  a  wander.  The  Dali  Museum  is worth a look, Yu’er Park is a nice peaceful spot for  relaxation  amongst  the  camellias  and  fruit trees,  and  if  you  feel  like  a  spot  of  souvenir       shopping, head to Huguo Lu.  Overnight - Dali

Dali  -  Lijiang.  Leaving  Dali,  you’ll  travel  north by  coach/bus  to  Lijiang.  The  seat  of  the  Naxi minority  peoples,  Lijiang  lies  at  2,500  m  in a  fantasic  mountain  setting  bordered  to  the north-west by Tibet. The Naxi are a matriarchal society  descended  from  a  race  of  Tibetan nomads  who  settled  the  region  before  the 10th  century  who  bought  with  them  what are  considered  the  sturdiest  horses  in  all  of China  and  a  shamanistic  religion  known  as Dongba  (there  are  still  a  handful  of  shamans in Lijiang). With a history spanning 1,300 years, Lijiang  possesses  rich  architecture  in  what is  coined  it’s  ‘Old  Town’.  An  earthquake  in 1996 caused considerable damage, but despite this  concerted  efforts  have  been  made  to painstakingly rebuilt it in the old style. The Old Town  is  now  a  UNESCO  World  Heritage  Site. It  possesses  a  network  of  ancient  and  narrow streets lined with small restaurants and eating houses in unique architectural styles, which are intersected  by  canals  and  a  lively  marketplace at Sifang, where one can buy locally produced handicrafts including embroidery, hand-beaten copper pots and wood carvings. Enjoy free timehandicrafts including embroidery, hand-beaten copper pots and wood carvings. Enjoy free time exploring Lijiang’s Old Town, and this evening enjoy a performance of Naxi ancient music. Dy  -  5  Lijiang  -  Tiger  Leaping  Gorge  -  Lijiang. About  100km  north  of  Lijiang  is  where  theYangtze River’s upper reaches, the Jingsha Jiang channel with force through Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia). Some 16km long and up to 3000m deep, it is the world's deepest canyon. The gorge is so narrow at various points that legend has it a tiger once escaped pursuit by leaping across. Visiting the gorge, you’ll have a chance to hike along a section of the stunning gorge and take in the dramatic, yet stark scenery.  Overnight -Lijiang

Lijiang - Dali - Kunming.  Excursion  to  the stunning  Jade  Dragon  Snow  Mountain;  its landscape  includes  one  of  the  southernmost glaciers  in  the  modern  world.  Shanzidou,  the main peak of the mountain at 18,000 feet above sea  level,  looks  like  a  gigantic  dragon  clad in  white  snow  all  year  round.  Access  to  the mountain is provided by a cable lift to Dragon Spruce  Meadow,  halfway  to  the  glacier  peak. Visit also Yufengsi Monastery perched on a slope overlooking  a  plain.  We  travel  overnight  from Lijang to Kunming.  Overnight - Sleeper Trai

Kunming  Excursion to Flower and Bird market. Rest of  day  free  to  enjoy  Kunming  your  way. Perhaps  pick  up  some  locally  hand-crafted souvenirs. Overnight - Kunming

Kunming. Hotel check-out and included onward transfer to airport.

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