Signature TT

Description

9 Days Lijiang – Dali – Kunming Tour

9 Days Lijiang – Dali – Kunming Tour

• 
  Sightseeing
• 
  Hotel
• 
  Transfer
• 
  8N/9D

• Tour Code: YUNNAN9
• Operator: Signature TT
• Duration: 8 Nights/ 9 Days

Itinerary

• Day : 1 Los Angeles – Lijinag

  Aboard the flight across the Pacific Ocean to Lijiang City of Yunan Province of P.R.China

• Day : 2 Arrival at Lijiang airport

  Pick up and transfer to the hotel after check-in rest well after the long flight.
  The Old Town of Lijiang, which is perfectly adapted to the uneven topography of this key commercial and strategic site, has retained a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. Its architecture is noteworthy for the blending of elements from several cultures that have come together over many centuries. Lijiang also possesses an ancient water supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still functions effectively today.

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
  
  Meals Included: , Dinner

• Day : 3 Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Lijinag

  Lijiang Old Town: The old town is centered on the busy and touristy Old Market Square, with the Waterwheel defining the northern edge and the lively Zhongyi Market marking the southern limit (which is a good stop for a slice of old Lijiang's trading traditions or just some afternoon street food), Several wells and pools are still in use around town (but hard to find), including White Horse Dragon Pool. Where there are three pools, these were designated pools for drinking, washing clothes, and washing vegetables. Much of the joy of the old town is to be had in wandering small twisting lanes that open into small courtyards, hidden teahouses, or tiny temples like Puxian Temple. Don't stress too much about seeing it all – but do make sure to climb the flanks of Lion Hill at some point for sweeping views of the old town and mountains.
  
  Tiger Leaping Gorge: Gingerly stepping along a trail swept with screen to allow an old fellow with a donkey to pass; resting atop a rock, exhausted, looking up to see the snow-shrouded peaks, then down to see the lingering rays dancing on the rippling waters a thousand meters below. That pretty much sums up Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the great treks of southwest China. Add in modern development, power lines, and water pipes that follow the high trail, and a few stretches of road walking: this is no longer wild nature, but the views are still grand and it's still worth the trip.

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
  
  Meals Included: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

• Day : 4 Lijiang day tour

  Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain soars to some 5596m, and the massif's thirteen peaks dominate the skyline of the surrounding regions. Undeniably beautiful, the national park is also undeniably overcrowded – a classic case of over-tourism, compounded by a lack of any nature trails or hiking areas whatsoever, visit Dry Sea Meadow, Yak Meadow, Spruce Meadow, Blue Moon Valley and White Water River, and enjoy the Impression Lijiang Show.
  
  Black Dragon Pool Park: On the northern edge of town is Black Dragon Pool Park; the view from here of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is an obligatory photo stop in southwestern China. The Dongba Cultural Institute is part of a renovated complex on the hillside inside, an interesting stop for Naxi cultural artifacts and scrolls featuring the unique Naxi pictograph script.
  
  Mu Family Mansion: The home of a Naxi chieftain, the Mu Family Mansion was heavily renovated (more like built from scratch) after the devastating earthquake that struck Lijiang in 1996. Limited captions do very little to introduce the Mu family's history, but for many the beautiful grounds are reason enough to visit.

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort
  
  Meals Included: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

• Day : 5 Lijiang – Dali

  Dali Old Town: Dali Old Town is a historic town with rich culture located between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake with profound Bai culture. Wander in the old town to have a leisurely exploration of city gates, old towers, old streets, temples, churches, museums, shops, and bars
  
  Dali Confucian Temple: Dali's attractive Confucian Temple is a 2014 reconstruction on the site of the original Qing dynasty structure, but the grounds are peaceful and there are small museum exhibits inside that are worth a look

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: Hotel Indigo Dali Erhai
  
  Meals Included: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

• Day : 6 Dali tour

  Three Pagodas: Absolutely the symbol of the town and region, these pagodas, a 2km walk north of the north gate, are among the oldest standing structures in southwestern China. The tallest of the three, Qianxun Pagoda, has 16 tiers that reach a height of 70m. It was originally erected in the mid-9th century by engineers from Xi'an. It is flanked by two smaller 10-tiered pagodas, each of which is 42m high.
  
  Dali Municipal Museum: The museum houses a small collection of archaeological pieces relating to Bai history, including some fine figurines. English descriptions are lacking, but the ambiance is nice.

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: Hotel Indigo Dali Erhai
  
  Meals Included: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

• Day : 7 Dali – Kunming (High Speed Train)

  Take the high-speed train from Dali to Kunming around 2.5hrs
  
  Kunming: has long been known as one of China’s most liveable cities. Known as the 'Spring City' for its equable climate, it remains a very pleasant place to kick back for a few days. For visitors who haven't succumbed to the laid-back attitude of the place, there are plenty of temples and national parks nearby to keep you busy during the day and a fair few craft breweries and cool bars to hold your attention at night.
  
  Green Lake Park: Come here to people-watch, practise taichi or just hang with the locals and stroll through winding lines that meander through the 22 hectares of ponds and pavilions. The roads surrounding the park are lined with wannabe trendy cafes, teahouses, and shops. In November, everyone in the city awaits the return of the local favorites: red-beaked seagulls. It’s a treat watching people, er, ‘flock’ to the park when the first one shows up.

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: InterContinental Kunming
  
  Meals Included: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

• Day : 8 Stone Forest Scenic Area – Jiuxiang Cave

  Stone Forest Scenic Area: Listed as Word Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007, Stone Forest is located in the hinterland of Yunnan Plateau - Shilin Yi Autonomous County, and is 78km from Kunming. It’s the only karst landform scenic spot located in subtropical plateau area. The Stone Forest has the most unique karst landform in the world due to its long history, large scale, and rich categories. It’s reputed as “First Wonder under the Heaven” and enjoys a high reputation in world geography circles. Stone Forest started the formation from about 270 million years ago, and after a long period of geological evolution and complex paleogeography and environment evolution, the precious geological relics had finally been formed. The whole scenic area is very large, about 1,100 square kilometers, including various scenes: stone forests, karst caves, waterfalls, underground rivers, etc. Besides the natural scenery, Stone Forest also attracts numerous tourists for its featured Yi ethnic culture, and the most famous one is the legend of Ashima, which represents the image of Stone Forest.
  
  Jiuxiang Cave is a karst cave system in the Jiuxiang Scenic Area of Yunnan Province, China. The area is known as the "Museum of karst caves" and is China's largest cave group system, with more than 100 caves, though only 60 have been explored. The caves are often called the Underground Stone Forest and are part of a 3D karst landscape that includes the Stone Forest on the ground and the Jiuxiang caves underground

  Hotel As Per Itinerary: InterContinental Kunming
  
  Meals Included: Breakfast , Lunch , Dinner

• Day : 9 Departure Kunming

  After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the return flight.

  Meals Included: Breakfast