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Day
1
Arrive in Kunming
Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement
Upon your arrival in Kunming, your local guide will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. For the rest of the day you will enjoy some leisure time to relax or have a first look at the new surrounding.
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Day
2
Kunming / Lijiang (B, L)
Sightseeing: Stone Forest, Golden Horse and Phoenix Archway, Green Lake, Flower and Bird Market
Today we will go on a full day trip to Stone forest. Due to a process of weathering and erosion, nature has created an art gallery of stone sculpture here. This typical karst physiognomy seems like a forest of stone pillars and boulders. You will see fascination natural creations like Lion Arbor, Sword Peak Pond, Lotus Peak, Moon Lake, Jade Lake, and Dadie Waterfall.
After lunch, drive back to Kunming to visit the Golden Horse and Phoenix Archway - the landmark of Kunming located at the corner of Sanshi Road and Jinbi Road. Then, have a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, which is a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. Our last stop today will be the Kunming Flower and Bird Market in the downtown.
Take the night flight to Lijiang and enjoy the alive night view of ancient Lijiang.
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Day
3
Lijiang / Shigu / Judian / Shangjiang / Tacheng (B, L, D)
Sightseeing: Jinsha (Gold Sand) River rafting, Shangjiang Village, Jigong Stone Peak
Drive for about 4 hours (140 km) from Lijiang to Tacheng along the Jinsha River (Golden Sand River), which is the westernmost of the major headwater streams of the Yangtze River, southwestern China. On the way, drive via Shigu Town, Zhongxing Town, Judian Town,Shangjiang Town and some Naxi ethnic villages. Have lunch at Juxian Restaurant (a clean restaurant serving best food) with local flavour in Judian Town. If we arrive there on the right days, we will have a chance to visit the local market happened every 5th and 10th of eevry month in traditional Chinese calendar.
After lunch, continue to drive to Tacheng Town. Unload the floating equipment including tent, sleeping bag, water-proof bag, fridge, paddles, LPG container, gass cooker, life jacket and so on. The most beautiful section of the rafting today is the Jigong(Rooster) Stone Islet located in the middle of Jinsha River in Shangjiang Town. The sharp peak which looks like a flying rooster from afar, hence it is named Rooster Stone Islet. The Jinsha River is divided two parts by the Rooster Stone Islet through the middle. It is the most exciting rafting section of this trip because of the rapids, whirlpools and waves at the foot of the Rooster Stone Islet. After 4 hours' rafting, build the camp and overnight at the beach island near the Judian Town.
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Day
4
Shangjiang / Judian / Zhongxing (B, L, D)
Sightseeing: Jinsha (Gold Sand) River rafting, Hengduan Mountain Ranges, Miao Ethnic Village
Get up early in the morning and enjoy the sunrise by the Jinsha River with green mountain ranges. After breakfast, continue rafting to Zhongxing Town. Today we will have a special refting through some islands amidst Jinsha River with some green willows and cows in the islands as well some farmers fishing in small canoes on the river.
Have a simple lunch at Judian Town and then build the camp in the willows forest island in the late afternoon. Have a bonfire party in the evening.
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Day
5
Zhonggezi / Shigu / Qiaotou / Zhongnuoyu Village (B, L, D)
Sightseeing: Stone Gate Pass, First Bend of the Yangtze River, Shigu Town, Zhongnuoyu Village
Enjoy the sunrise of the Jinsha River in the morning. After breakfast, continue rafting to Shigu Old Town. Thday we will raft through a big "S" turn in Stone Gate Pass, an millitary importance in history. Raft to the First Bend of the Yangtze River and Shigu Town, witnessing the wonder of the First Bend of the Yangtze River with a big turn from the southward to the east. You will finish the rafting in Shigu Port. Have a nice lunch in Jiangnan Restaurant in Shigu Town.
After lunch, meet your driver and drive to Qiaotou Town, then start the trekking of Tiger Leaping Gorge. After 2 hours' trekking, arrive at Naxi Family Guesthouse in Zhongnuoyu Village of Changsheng. Have a nice night in Naxi Family with a beautiful garden and typical Naxi style architecture. Prepare for the hard trekking to the 28 turns on next day. If possible, you will have a bonfire party with local Naxi ethnic people in the courtyard.
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Day
6
Zhongnuoyu Village / Halfway Guesthouse / Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge (B, L)
Sightseeing: the 28 Turns, Bendiwan Village, Guanyin Waterfalls, Bamboo Forest, Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge
The hiking today will start from the Naxi family with 28 zigzag turns, which is about 20 km and will take 6-8 hours. Reach a place at an altitude above 3000m, you will have a gorgeous full view of the gorge.
Have lunch in Tea Horse Guesthouse, after lunch, continue the trekking to Halfway Guesthouse in Bendiwan Village which is at an altitude of 2500m, you get a magnificent view over the Yangtze River below and the Yulong Mountain right in front of you. For shutterbugs this is a great opportunity to capture nature's best moments.
Trek about 2 hours from Bendiwan Village to Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. You will visit some nice valleys, Guanyin Waterfalls, Guanyin Temple, Bamboo Forests with some sheep and cows. You will arrive at Tina's Guesthouse to finish today's trekking. Have a good dinner in Tina's Guesthouse with a grand view of the Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain and Jinsha River.
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Day
7
Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge / Daju Town (B, L)
Sightseeing: Middle Rapids, Walnut Grove Garden (Hetaoyuan), Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge, Daju Ferry
After early breakfast at Tina’s Guesthouse, walk down to visit the Middle Rapids of the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge. Trek from the Middle Rapids along the Jinsha River to Hetaoyuan for your lunch. After lunch, continue the walking along the easy road to Heika Village, which is a traditional Naxi village face to Daju Town.
Have a short rest in Halong Men Inn which is a garden guesthouse with a nice view of Jinsha River in Heika Village. After Heike Village, you will walk down to the Old Ferry of Daju. Take the small boat to cross the Jinsha River and arrive in Daju Town. Explore Daju Town by yourself in the late afternoon.
Overnight at Daju Inn.
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Day
8
Daju / Jade Dragon Snow Mountain / Lijiang(B, L)
Sightseeing: Yake Meadow Chairlift, Baishuihe River and Terraces, Baisha Village and Murals, Lijiang Old Town, Black Dragon Pool and Dongba Museum
Special Experience: Enjoy Impression Lijiang Ethnic Show in Ganhaizi Meadow (3100m)
Today you will visit Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui(White Water) River; take the chairlift to visit the Yak Meadow(3700M) in the Yulong Snow Mountain.
--Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). It is the southernmost marine glacier in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. Altogether there are 13 peaks along the range, stretching for over 35km from south to north. The summit, Shanzidou, is 5596 meters above sea level. Viewed from afar, the snow-capped range resembles a silver dragon with snow curling up its middle. Rich forest, herb and animal resources thrive on the mountain.
Have a simple lunch in Dongbala Restaurant in Ganhaizi Meadow, and then enjoy Impression Lijiang Ethnic Show directed by Zhang Yimou in the outdoors theater with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as the background. In the afternoon, stroll through Baisha Village, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village; head for the scenic Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Museum to explore the rich Naxi minority culture.
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Day
9
Lijiang (B, L)
Sightseeing: Shuhe Ancient Town, Lion Hill and Wangu Pagoda, Mu Chieftain’s Palace, Lijiang Ancient Town
Optional Special Experience: the Naxi Orchestral Music in Naxi Concert
Shuhe Old Town is a charming town where there is a traditional Naxi village where you can enjoy the drinking and food at the bank of the river in the farmland. You can rent a bike in Lijiang Old Town and ride to Shu about 5KM away from the Lijiang Old Town.
In the afternoon, you can visit the Wangu Pagoda on the top of the Lion Hill behind Lijiang Old Town; here you will have a wonderful panoramic view of Lijiang Old Town. You will walk down from the Lion Hill to Mu Chieftain’s Palace which is the local chieftain’s former residence.
The Old Town of Lijiang, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, is a central town of the Lijiang Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province. Located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) above the sea level and embraced by the tree-covered Lion Mountain in the west, Elephant and Golden Row Mountains in the north, vast fertile fields in the southeast and crystal clear water running through, the old town looks like a big jade ink slab, therefore got the alias the Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen). It was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997 because of the exotic Naxi ethnic culture.
After dinner, you will have an option to attend the Naxi Orchestral Music in Naxi Concert at night.
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Day
10
Lijiang Departure (B)
Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement
Today will be free for your own purposes, until our guide will escort you to the airport for your next destination.