Yunnan (8D7N)
Explore our 8D7N Yunnan itinerary covering Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La and Kunming. From ancient towns and mountain scenery to Tibetan culture, lakes, local food and practical travel tips, this guide brings together the places we visited and what you need to know to plan your own Yunnan trip.
Day 1: Dali: Longkan Wharf, Erhai Lake & Dali Ancient City
Start the trip in Dali with a visit to Longkan Wharf (龙龛码头) by Erhai Lake, then spend the day enjoying the lakeside scenery before heading into Dali Ancient City for food, shops and an evening walk.
Day 2: Xizhou Ancient Town, Majiuyi Village & Bonfire Night
Visit Xizhou Ancient Town (喜洲古镇) before heading to Majiuyi Village (马久邑村), a quieter place to see the seagulls with fewer crowds. End the day with a lively local bonfire experience.
Day 3: Shaxi Ancient Town to Lijiang
Stop at Shaxi Ancient Town (沙溪古镇) for around 4–5 hours before continuing to Lijiang Ancient City. We stayed at one of the highest points in Lijiang, with our room overlooking Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Day 4: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain & Blue Moon Valley
Spend the entire day exploring Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山), where we reached the 4,680m summit, then visit the stunning Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷). Back in Lijiang Ancient City, we also tried traditional Miao ethnic clothing.
Day 5: Baisha Ancient Town & Yunti'an
Visit Baisha Ancient Town (白沙古镇), the ancient town closest to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It was raining when we went, but nearby Yunti'an (云梯田/云梯安 — depending on the exact place name) is also a great spot to catch 日照金山, when the sunrise lights up the snow mountain in gold.
Day 6: Shangri-La: Songzanlin Temple & Thangka Experience
Start early at Songzanlin Temple (松赞林寺) before heading to 香巴拉大 道, where there are three major prayer-flag spots. We chose 五彩哈达, which we thought was the best one, with just ¥8 entry. Because heavy rain flooded Napa Lake, we changed plans and joined a free Thangka experience, where we learned a lot about Thangka painting and Tibetan culture — one of our favourite unexpected experiences of the trip.
Day 7: Back to Kunming: Indoor Shopping Day
Return to Kunming, where the rain followed us again. Instead of forcing outdoor sightseeing, we spent the day exploring some of Kunming’s popular shopping malls. Getting around was surprisingly easy because the metro connects directly into many malls, so we barely had to step outside in the rain.
Day 8: Kunming Old Streets, Cuihu Lake & Final City Walk
Luckily, the rain finally stopped before our midnight flight, giving us almost a full day to explore Kunming on foot. We visited the old streets, walked around Cuihu Lake (翠湖) to see the seagulls, stopped by the yellow buildings around Huang Gong Dong Jie (黄公东街), and ended the trip at a famous circular residential building that has become a popular photo spot in Kunming.
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