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YunNan – Wind, Flowers, Snow & Moon – 9-Day Cultural Immersion

0
  • 9 days
  • Guests : 4-12
  • Wifi Available
  • the whole year

Detail

If travel is a way of reading the world, then this itinerary is an encyclopedia of Yunnan. It sets aside rushed box‑ticking and instead adopts an immersive, live‑like‑a‑local rhythm. We depart from Kunming, the Spring City, thread between the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake in Dali, explore Shaxi—a still‑surviving market town on the Ancient Tea Horse Road—raise our gaze to the sacred clarity of Shangri‑La, and finally yield to the spell of Lugu Lake, home to the Mosuo people’s famed “Kingdom of Women.” This is a consummate pilgrimage through landscapes, history, and diverse cultures.

Price Includes

  • All scheduled Transportation
  • 8 Night Ctrip-rated 4/3 Diamond hotel
  • All activity and experience tickets mentioned
  • lunch on DAY 4 & farewell dinner on DAY 8
  • Travel insurance
  • Driver&Guide Service Fee

Price Excludes

  • Flights/trains to Kunming (start) & from Lijiang (end)
  • Most lunches/dinners not specified (except included ones)
  • Personal expenses

What to Expect

An 9 – day journey that weaves through Yunnan’s diverse landscapes and cultures, transitioning from Kunming’s “eternal spring” to Dali’s poetic charm, Shaxi’s ancient caravan legacy, Shangri – La’s sacred highlands, Lugu Lake’s matriarchal allure, and Lijiang’s cultural depth. It’s a blend of relaxation, adventure, and cultural immersion, creating a narrative where physical exploration meets inner discovery.

  • Diverse Cultural Immersion: Experience multiple ethnic cultures—Bai in Dali (tie - dye), Mosuo in Lugu Lake (matrilineal traditions), Naxi in Lijiang (Dongba script), and Tibetan in Shangri - La (monastery rituals).
  • Active Exploration Mix: Combine cycling (Erhai Lakeside), hiking (Tea - Horse Trail, Mosuo sacred sites), and leisurely strolls (ancient towns like Dali, Baisha) for varied physical engagement.
  • Scenic Transitions: Traverse from Kunming's mild climate to Dali's lakeside beauty, Shaxi's historic trails, Shangri - La's high - altitude wetlands, Lugu Lake's serene waters, and Lijiang's mountain - framed towns—each day offering new natural backdrops.
  • Culinary Discoveries: Sample local specialties like “caravan - style” meals, plus a farewell dinner to cap the journey.
  • Accommodation Variety: 7 Night Ctrip - rated 4 Diamond hotels and a Shaxi boutique guesthouse, balancing comfort with authentic local stays.

Itinerary

DAY 1 Nationwide → Kunming (Spring City Meet-up – The Beginning)

  • All day: Guests arrive from different cities/countries and gather in Kunming, famed for its mild “eternal spring” climate. No fixed activities today. Settle in, rest, or explore cafés and local snacks.
  • Evening: A relaxed trip briefing depending on arrival times—introducing the upcoming highlights and practical notes.
Service Details:
  • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 4 Diamond hotel
  • Meals: Not included (explore local options).

DAY 2 Kunming → Dali (Wind, Flower, Snow, Moon – Erhai Lakeside Cycling)

  • Morning: High-speed train to Dali, a poetic “escape” in many people’s imagination.
  • Afternoon (Weather Contingency: If moderate rain or heavier, cycling segment will be replaced with a safer alternative):
    • walk through lesser-known local streets:
      1. Yincang Road: Quiet, lifestyle-focused, lined with distinctive indie shops—captures Dali’s slow rhythm (top pick).
      2. Dali Bed Sheet Art Market (creative bazaar): Handicrafts and artistic knick-knacks.(second,If time is insufficient, the visit to this market will be canceled.)
    • Erhai Lakeside Cycling (selected scenic stretch): Later-day timing avoids harsh sun; gentle breeze, soft light, fir forest,Cang Mountain and Erhai unfolding like a moving scroll beneath your wheels.We will make a stopover to rest, where you can feed the seagulls and take photos.
  • Evening: Free time in Dali Ancient Town. Suggested: Late-night (after ~11 pm) informal stall culture on People’s Road—“almost anything can be a stall”.
  • Service Details:
    • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 4 Diamond hotel
    • Meals: Breakfast included.
    • Travel Time: ~2.5 hrs rail + local transfers (approx. 350 km).
    • Altitude: ~2,000 m.
    • Activity Level: 🔥🔥 (Cycling + walking.)

       

DAY 3 Dali → Shaxi (Centuries-old Market & White-Clan Craft)

  • Morning: Immerse in local life at the historic morning market in Xizhou—sample Xizhou Baba (local flatbread), chickpea jelly (jidou liangfen), and observe authentic rural trade. Stroll Xizhou Old Town, visit sites linked to writer Lao She’s depictions, and appreciate delicate Bai ethnic courtyard architecture (e.g. Jilin Courtyard / heritage clusters).
  • Afternoon: Hands-on Bai traditional tie-dye workshop—create a unique keepsake under artisan guidance.
  • Late Afternoon: Drive to Shaxi, a preserved Tea-Horse Road caravan town.
Service Details:
  • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 3 Diamond standard.
  • Meals: Breakfast included.
  • Travel Time: ~2 hrs (≈112 km).
  • Altitude: ~2,100 m.
  • Activity Level: 🔥 (Light walking + craft session.)

DAY 4 Shaxi Full Day (Caravan Echoes on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road)

  • All Day: Transform into a “caravan runner” under a local horse caravan leader. Rewalk a segment of the old Tea-Horse Trail—learn how caravans moved goods across mountains, hear valley echoes, and overlook Shaxi’s timeworn rooftops.
  • Lunch: Hearty “caravan-style” meal—rustic meats and staples symbolising endurance and ambition.
  • Afternoon: Visit descendants of former caravan families; listen to ancestral adventure stories; handle weathered objects carrying history.
Service Details:
  • Accommodation: Shaxi boutique guesthouse (e.g. Yun Guichu, Guilaitang or similar, twin share).
  • Meals: Hotel breakfast & lunch included.
  • Hiking: Includes a mountain path segment (stable pace, non-technical).
  • Altitude: ~2,100 m.
  • Activity Level: 🔥🔥🔥 (Extended walk + mild altitude.)

    

DAY 5 Shaxi → Shangri-La (Sacred Highlands & Faith)

  • Morning: Depart Shaxi for Shangri-La—“the sun and moon of the heart”.
  • Afternoon: Take a panoramic tour of Napahai (a seasonal wetland meadow landscape), breathe deeply in the fresh air, and revel in the open wilderness. Later, visit Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery (known as ‘Little Potala’), to immerse yourself in Tibetan Buddhist architecture, ritual ambiance, and the devotion of local pilgrims.
  • Evening: Enjoy free time, with a recommended night stroll through Dukezong Ancient Town, where you can rotate the giant prayer wheel
Service Details:
  • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 4 Diamond standard.
  • Meals: Breakfast included.
  • Travel Time: ~4.5 hrs (≈210 km).
  • Altitude: ~3,300 m.
  • Activity Level: 🔥🔥 (Walking + altitude acclimatisation.)

 

DAY 6 Shangri-La → Lugu Lake (Gorges to the “Kingdom of Women”)

  • All Day: Today’s scenery unfolded along the journey. We stopped at the Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint to witness the Jinsha River raging between snow-capped mountains. After a long mountain drive, we caught our first glimpse of Lugu Lake before sunset: gentle ripples, soft breezes, swaying reeds, and the serene twilight.
  • Service Details:
    • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 4 Diamond standard.
    • Meals: Breakfast included.
    • Travel Time: ~7.5 hrs (≈419 km).
    • Altitude: ~2,690 m.
    • Activity Level: 🔥 (Long vehicle day; light walking.)

 

DAY 7 Lugu Lake Full Day (Drift, Walk & Discover Mosuo Culture)

  • All Day Unhurried Immersion:
    • Morning:Guided Hike to a little-known Mosuo sacred blessing site via forest, streams, wooden bridges, lakeshore segments—listen to stories of land and belief.
    • Mosuo Museum: Guided visit to learn about matrilineal traditions, household structures, and symbolic customs.
    • Midday: Free time (rest, café, lakeside photography).
    • Evening: As the sun softens, we arrive at Goddess Bay (女神湾) to board a Mosuo pig-trough boat (猪槽船). Gliding across the mirror-like lake waters amidst gradient hues of twilight, we might even chase the sunset if weather permits—as if stepping into a living painting.
Service Details:
  • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 4 Diamond standard.
  • Meals: Breakfast included.
  • Travel: Around-lake transfers ~2 hrs total.
  • Altitude: ~2,690 m.
  • Activity Level: 🔥 (Leisurely hike + boating.)

 

DAY 8 Lugu Lake → Lijiang (Origins & Script – Artistic Evening)

  • Morning: Drive back toward Lijiang, witnessing the dramatic “18 Bends” (mountain road curves).
  • Afternoon: Explore quieter Baisha Old Town. In a Naxi traditional courtyard, meet a local cultural practitioner; learn about Dongba pictographic script and try writing characters. Remaining time: Free exploration of Baisha’s lanes, murals, handicrafts.
  • Farewell Dinner: Shared closing meal—guests can write reflections, messages to fellow travellers, or suggestions/expectations for the organiser (Mydetra).
  • Evening: Optional free wander through Lijiang Ancient Town for a personalised artistic night.
Service Details:
  • Accommodation: Ctrip-rated 4 Diamond standard.
  • Meals: Hotel breakfast & Farewell dinner included (plus breakfast if hotel provides; other meals own arrangement).
  • Travel Time: ~5 hrs (≈220 km).
  • Altitude: ~2,400 m.
  • Activity Level: 🔥 (Light walking.)

DAY 9 Lijiang → Departure (Till We Meet Again)

  • All Day: No scheduled activities. Depart according to your flight/train timing—carry home stories, or extend your stay in Yunnan.
Service Details:
  • Meals: Hotel breakfast included
Map

FAQ

Can I get the refund?

You may refer to our refund policy.

When you cancel (before Day 1) Travel Fee retained Refund to you
16 days or more 0% 100%
15–10 days 20% 80%
9–7 days 40% 60%
6–4 days 60% 40%
3–1 days 80% 20%
After start / during trip / no‑show 100% 0%

Can I change the travel date?

Yes—please tell us at least 16 days before Day 1 of your trip. There are two situations:

  1. Join‑in Group (shared departure)
  • You can move to another scheduled departure date. If the new date is cheaper, we refund the difference; if it is more expensive, you pay the difference.
  • You can also upgrade to a Private Tour (choose any date). A higher fee applies; you pay only the difference.
  1. Private Tour (exclusive)
  • You can shift to any new date (subject to availability). Because of high / low season rates, there may be a price difference—we refund or you top up accordingly.

Important: “Pay the difference / refund the difference” means we adjust to the new date’s published price.

Please contact us early—availability is always better the sooner you decide.

Do I need to apply visa?

Most travelers still need a visa, but many nationalities now enjoy short visa‑free entry or transit exemptions. Check if:

  1. Your passport is on the current visa‑free list;
  2. You qualify for a 72/144‑hour transit exemption; or
  3. You are joining an approved Hainan or cruise program.
    If none apply, you must apply for an L (tourist) visa before arrival. Always verify with the nearest Chinese embassy/visa center because policies change.

Do you have insurance covered?

Yes, our travel fee includes travel insurance.

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