CHINA: LIJIANG – SHANGRI-LA: LITTLE TIBET

Guests have breakfast and check out of the hotel. The tour guide meets the group and travels to Lijiang on the new Kunming – Lijiang high-speed railway (about 4 hours).
Expected train: Kunming – Lijiang 08:21 – 12:29 (second-class seat)
Arrive in Lijiang – a beautiful city on the Yunnan plateau, blessed with poetic and romantic landscapes, once the former capital of the Naxi kingdom. Guests visit:
Black Dragon Pool Park – located at the foot of Jade Dragon Mountain, with a peaceful, calm atmosphere, known as the "painting in the heart of Lijiang". The vast grounds with lakes, stone bridges and pavilions all carry the style of ancient Chinese architecture against the backdrop of Jade Dragon Mountain in the distance, creating an exceptionally romantic scene.

Lijiang Old Town – built more than 800 years ago, it has become one of the best-preserved old towns and is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. With its unique architecture and diverse culture, and its captivating scenery, you will have the chance to admire houses that are centuries old, buildings constructed in the Ming dynasty, cobblestone streets, 350-year-old trees, and especially the canals winding through every corner of the old town, which is why it is also called the "Venice of the East".

Sifang Street – located in the heart of the old town, once the most important road on the ancient Tea Horse Road beneath the snow-capped Jade Dragon Mountain.

Guests have lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
The bus returns the group to the hotel to check in and rest.
In the evening, guests are free to explore Lijiang's colours at night, or watch the art performance directed by Zhang Yimou called “Romance of Lijiang”. (At guests' own expense)

The group checks out and has breakfast at the hotel.
The bus takes the group to visit:
Yulong Snow Mountain (Jade Dragon) – called "Oulu" in the Naxi language, meaning "silver mountain". The peak is 5,596 m high and snow-capped all year round; the permanent ice reflects a jade-like green.

Guests experience the cable car up to Bingchuan Station at an altitude of 4,506 m above sea level, feeling the majestic nature here.
Enjoy the show “Impressions Lijiang” featuring 500 performers, all local people selected from 10 ethnic groups living in 16 towns and villages in the Lijiang region. The performers wear traditional costumes and ride horses, perform ethnic dances, present traditional rituals, and sing, sometimes in deep, powerful tones and sometimes soaring high and clear across the sky.
Lazy Moon Lake – known as the "Blue Moon Valley", one of the outstanding natural wonders of Lijiang, located beneath the snow-capped Yulong Mountain. The area is famous for its crystal-clear blue waters all year round, creating an incredibly impressive scene.

The bus then sets off for Shangri-La – known as an immortal valley through the novel Lost Horizon by writer James Hilton. Shangri-La means "place of destiny and good fortune" in the Tibetan language.
Napa Lake is described as "the peaceful love song in the heart of Shangri-La". Nestled in the vast Tibetan grasslands, the lake reflects the sky like a crystal-clear mirror. The untouched, quiet beauty here leaves every visitor feeling their soul settle.

Dukezong (Dukezong Ancient Town) is a Tibetan old town more than 1,300 years old, preserving a mysterious beauty with its stone-paved alleys, brilliant lanterns and giant prayer wheels. The place reflects a profound Buddhist spirit, blending traditional architecture with a peaceful rhythm of life amid majestic mountains.

Guests have lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, guests check out. The tour guide takes the group to visit:
Songzanlin Monastery – known as a miniature version of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet – the largest Tibetan Esoteric Buddhist monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin reflects the characteristic culture of the Tibetan people, and is home to more than 700 monks. The monastery lies 5 km north of Dêqên, backed against towering cliffs on a high hill, belonging to the lineage of the Lamas.

Tiger Leaping Gorge – the most treacherous mountain gorge in the world and one of the deepest in China. The place is famous for its danger, attracting adventurous travellers with its sheer cliffs and breathtaking scenery of emerald-blue clouds, with a deep abyss below where water churns into white foam. (Lift fee at own expense)

The tour guide takes the group on to Dali – home to several ethnic minority groups in Yunnan, located between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.
Xizhou Ancient Town is the cradle of Bai culture, with a mixture of Han and Hui people as well. Located on the ancient Tea Horse Road, it was once a bustling trading post, and now it has a rare, peaceful and antique atmosphere. After more than a thousand years, Xizhou still preserves its wooden houses with yin-yang roof tiles, cobblestone paths and moss-covered walls marked by time.

Guests have lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel.

Guests have breakfast at the hotel. Then they check out and set off for sightseeing:
Ancient Dali City Wall: Once the splendid capital of the Dali Kingdom, the ancient city wall sits in a favourable location, backed by Cangshan Mountain and facing Erhai Lake, near the Three Pagodas of Dali – a famous Buddhist architectural work. Today, the ancient city still preserves many valuable historical relics such as old temples and shrines, with romantic scenery of "wind – flowers – snow – moon". This is also the hometown of Prince Duan Yu in Jin Yong's novel "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".

Erhai Lake is often described as a green jewel in the heart of Dali. With its separate paths for walking and cycling, it is an ideal space for visitors to relax and enjoy the peaceful beauty of Dali. (cycling not included)

The tour guide takes the group back to Kunming by high-speed train. Expected: D8744 17:10 – 19:16
Guests have lunch and dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight at the hotel.

Guests have breakfast and check out of the hotel.
Then the bus takes the group sightseeing:
Dounan Flower Market – known as the largest fresh flower market in Asia, supplying fresh flowers to the provinces and cities of China and more than 50 other countries and regions around the world. Guests can visit and shop, and experience the bustle of this market, known as Kunming's "City of Eternal Spring" and "Sea of Flowers".

For groups travelling from late October to December, Dounan Flower Market is replaced with the following sightseeing spot:
Dianchi Lake to admire one of the most beautiful winter wonders of Yunnan. Guests will be dazzled by the dance of tens of thousands of Siberian black-headed gulls migrating across the sky. Here, guests can feed the birds by hand, listen to the sound of the waves, and capture peaceful, romantic moments in the "City of Eternal Spring", Kunming.

At the scheduled time, the tour guide takes the group to the airport for the flight back to Ho Chi Minh City.
Expected flight:    MU9633 KMG SGN  16:10 – 18:10 / 14:20 – 15:55 
On arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport, the Gateway group leader says goodbye and looks forward to welcoming you on future journeys.
(The order of the programme may change depending on actual conditions, but all sightseeing spots in the itinerary will be fully covered)
Note: Yellow/red leaf conditions depend heavily on the weather at the time of sightseeing and are a force majeure matter. We appreciate your understanding.