10 Days Cycling & Hiking Tour with Best Highlights in Yunnan
Destination:Dali, Diqing(Shangri-La), Kunming, Lijiang
Tour Code: CHTT03
Tour Duration: 10 Days
- Tour overview:
- Located in the Southwest of China, Yunnan Province is a place where 25 Chinese ethnic groups live together, which provides it with good condition to form and maintain colorful and mysterious ethnic culture; on the other hand, endowed with pleasant climate and special landform, Yunnan has become a paradise of tourism...Spending your time with hiking among the nice landscapes and thick local minority atmosphere in Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Diqing (Shangri-La), you will get captivated and expect for a second time to them!
Tour Summary
Day by Day Itinerary
Reviews
B=Breakfast,L=Lunch,D=Dinner
Tour Dates | Destinations | Services Provided | Meals Included | ||||||||||||||
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Day 1 |
Kunming
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Upon arriving at Kunming airport you will be met & transferred to your hotel.
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Day 2 |
Kunming
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This morning, drive to visit the Stone Forest .
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Day 3 |
Kunming/Dali
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Take morning train to Dali. Upon arrival, you will be met & transferred to your hotel for check in. Then start cycling from The Ancient City of Dali to Xizhou and visit the The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple . Then continue a ride of 20km to Xizhou. Visit House of Bai People in Xizhou and try Three Cups of Bai Tea. Carry on biking 8 km to Zhoucheng, where Bai minority people live.Afternoon ride back to Dali.
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Day 4 |
Dali/Lijiang
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In the morning, we take a cable car to the top of Mt. Cangshan (The Cangshan Mountain) for a bird's eye view of Erhai valley, then have a cruise on Erhai Lake . Take flight to Lijiang. Arrive at Lijiang, be met and transferred to hotel. Visit Lijiang Ancient Town . |
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Day 5 |
Lijiang
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After breakfast, we will first cycle 8km from Lijiang Ancient Town to Baisha Old Town . Then we will continue on another 3km to Shuhe Naxi Village. Visit the Visit the Museum of Naxi Culture (or Dongba Culture).This evening, we will enjoy Naxi Ancient Music .
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Day 6 |
Lijiang
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Today we will visit the Black Dragon Lake , Yulong Snow Mountain and the Yufengsi Lamasery.
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Day 7 |
Lijiang/Tiger Leaping Gorge
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Drive 1.5 hours to Qiaotou Town, start hike to Half way. |
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Day 8 |
Diqing(Shangri-La)
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From Half way hostel, we start our one hour of descending to Tina's guest house which is located by the road along the gorge. Then we continue ascending down into the middle gorge.
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Day 9 |
Diqing(Shangri-La)
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Today we will drive to the see the Songzanlin Monastery and Shuoduhai Lake
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Day 10 |
Diqing(Shangri-La)/Kunming
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Take morning flight back to Kunming and then a connecting flight to next destination. |
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-NOTE:
1. Normally hotels allow a maximum of 3 adults per room with an extra bed, at extra charge. Some hotels will allow three adults and a small child.
2. Tour price is indicative only, please enquire for a detailed quotation.
3. More people more discounts. Please enquire for more details.
Price Includes
A. Entrance fees:To scenic spots as listed above in the itinerary.B. Meals: All meals as specified in the itinerary.
C. Private Transfers: Among airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing in the above cities by the private air conditioned vehicle.
D. Guide and Driver: As outlined in the itinerary, a well selected English-speaking guide and driver will accompany you throughout the entire tour in that city. They do not fly with you from one city to another.
E. Hotels: Hotel Based on two persons sharing one room with twin beds. All hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily western or Chinese breakfast. All rooms are air-conditioned with private facilities unless specified.
F. Luggage Transfers: Between airports and hotels.
G. Service Charge & Government Taxes.
H. Travel insurance in mainland China during the above travel period.
I. Arrangements: The tour cost includes planning, handling, operational and communication charges.
B=Breakfast,L=Lunch,D=Dinner
Day 1
Kunming Arrival
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
Day 2
Kunming (B, L)
Sightseeing: Stone Forest
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.
Following, we will drive for three hours to Jianshui. Jianshui, is a culturally significant city south of Kunming, historically it has served as the home of many important officials.
Day 3
Kunming to Dali (B, L)
Transfer via: Bullet train on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Dali Ancient City, Three Pagodas, Xizhou
After breakfast, you will be transferred to railway station to take bullet train to Dali. Upon arrival in Dali, you will be met & transferred to your hotel for check in. The Ancient City of Dali, which is a magnificent ancient city with a perimeter of 6 kilometers. Its former city walll is 7.5 meters high and 6 meters thick. There used to be four city gates, each on one side. On the gates were the gate towers. While Xiaguan, the capital of the Autonomous Region of Dali, depicts you an scene of prosperity and bloom, the Ancient City of Dali will give you a simple, unsophisticated and quiet impression.
Then start today's cycling from Dali Ancient City to Xizhou. First biking 3km from ancient city to Three Pagodas, have a visit in there. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. It is a symbol of the history of Dali City, and a record of the development of Buddhism in the area. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. This is unique in China.
Then we will continue the ride of 20km to Xizhou. Visit Houses of Bai People in Xizhou and try Three Cups of Bai Tea. Carry on biking 8 km to Zhoucheng, where Bai minority people live and are famous for their elaborate batik crafts.
Afternoon ride back to Dali.
Day 4
Dali to Lijiang (B, L)
Transfer via: private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Cangshan, Erhai Lake, Lijiang Ancient Town
In the morning, we take a cable car to the top of Mt.Cangshan for a bird's eye view of the Erhai valley.
Then take cable car down the moutain and have a cruise on Erhai Lake. Erhai Lake is the largest highland lake next to Dianchi and one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China. It means, 'sea shaped like an ear' in Chinese. Implying that the lake is ear shaped and as large as a sea, hence it was named so. The lake covers an area of 250 square kilometers and is located about two kilometers east of Dali.
In the afternoon, we will drive to Lijiang. Arrive in Lijiang; we will have a visit to Lijiang Ancient Town after check in hotel.
Day 5
Lijiang (B, L)
Sightseeing: Baisha village, the Museum of Naxi Culture
After breakfast, we will first cycle 8km from Lijiang Ancient City to Baisha village. Baisha Old Town is one of the oldest towns in Lijiang. It is the earliest settlement of the Naxi people and is the birthplace of "Tusi".
Then we continue on another 3km to Shuhe Naxi Village. Visit the Museum of Naxi Culture (or Dongba Culture). Four kilometers (2 miles) to the northwest of the Old Town of Lijiang, at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, lies a compact village hidden in the forest, the Old Town of Shuhe. UNESCO has listed it as an important component of Lijiang as it is a well-preserved example of a town along the ancient tea route and one of the earliest settlements of the ancestors of Naxi people. It is called 'the hometown of springs'.
This evening, we will enjoy Naxi Ancient Music.
Day 6
Lijiang (B, L)
Sightseeing: Black Dragon Pool Park, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yufengsi Lamasery.
This morning, we visit the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain along with a bridge and a peaceful lake. 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.
Also, we will have a visit to the Black Dargon Pool Park. At the foot of Longquan Hill, about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of the center of Kunming, there is a beautiful place called Black Dragon Pool (Heilongtan), also known for the Dragon Fountain Temple(Longquanguan).
Day 7
Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge (B, L)
Transfer via: private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Tiger Leaping Gorge,
In the morning, we will drive around 1.5 hours to Qiaotou town, then start hike to Halfway. Right from Qiaotou, we ascend up to the Haba Mountain which forms the Tiger Leaping Gorge with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain facing it. The trail uphill is very steep, particularly on the 28 benches, followed which we can take a glimpse of the River at the bottom of the gorge like a thin line.
Then, we continue hike to Halfway, a hostel nestles on a small piece of land on the mountain slope.
Day 8
Halfway to Zhongdian (B, L)
Transfer via: Private vehicle on our arrangement
Sightseeing: Baishui Terrace
From Half way hostel, we start our one hour of descending to Tina's guest house which is located by the road along the gorge. Then we continue ascending down into the middle gorge.
Then, we start ascending on a slowly going up trail to the road and walk another 2 hours to Xincun village where we meet our vehicle and drive to 3 hours to Zhongdian via Baishuitai. the Baishui Terrace is one of the most important scenic spots of the Zhongdian county, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Snugly situated on a mountain slope 2,380 meters (about 7,806 feet) above sea level, Baishui Terrace, 140 meters (about 459 feet) in length and 160 meters (about 525 feet) in width, is one of the biggest such terraces in China. The spring water runs down from the top row by row to the bottom, like a white terraced field.
Day 9
Zhongdian (B, L)
Sightseeing: Song Zanling Monastery, Shudu Lake
This morning, we drive to the Songzanling Monastery to photograph the tranquil morning scenery before visiting the monastery. Songzanlin Monastery, which is a typical Lama monastery. Located at the foot of Mt. Foping, four kilometers north of Zhongdian County, a monastery was first built here in 1679 and has been rebuilt many times. The architectural style of the building is a faithful imitation of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
In the afternoon, we drive to the picturesque Shudu Lake. As one of the largest plateau lakes in Shangri-la, Shudu Lake is renowned for its limpid water and unique fish in it. The lake is surrounded by green hills with lush virgin forests, which is the home to a variety of rare birds and animals. The lakeside is a famous pasture, where the water and grass are abundant.
Day 10
Zhongdian to Kunming / Departure
Transfer via: Flight on your own arrangement
In the morning, you will be met and transferred to airport to take a flight back to Kunming and then a connecting flight to next destination.
Dear Nora,Thank you again for such excellent arrangement under the rushed condition. I enjoyed the tour with excellent English guide. Whenever I visit historical cities, I usually join guided tour. In the guided tour especially in European countries, the guider usually prepares a presentation with picture files or using notepad for audience' better understanding. Sometime oral explanation is not sufficient. Anyway i have not seen such presentations from other tour groups around today. Again, my guider today was excellent to give me overall and essential points in the history. Driving was also gentle. All the best for your business. Ki Seob
- Booking Code:VOC-20230717
- Tour Starting Date:Monday, 17 July 2023
- Client's information:Ki Seob Sim, Canadian
Dear Nora Thank you so much for having arranged great tour for us! The visits were well arranged and we wish if we had more time then we can visit more attractions.All guides are super! Knowledgeable and have good commands of English, good sense of humor. We like them all!Transportations were ok but can not give them max points due to their ages! Drivers were all nice. Hotels in Beijing, Xi’an and Nanjing are great! Great location, well equipped, nice room and good breakfast. Hotel in Luoyang is an old style, simple breakfast, but we understand that they are in the same situation as the city. Near the Peony Hotel, I saw a new small hotel near by but I did not come in to check. I am thinking it may be better to use new small hotel than big old ones.In Shanghai, we are very disappointed about hotel. Room small, dirty, poor facilities. Breakfast is poor. Location is so so, not so convenience. I think you should find another option for your future bookings in Shanghai. Meals: the guide helped us to choose dishes and we really enjoyed. Except in Beijing, because of timing inconvenience due to traffic, we ask the guide to arrange the near by restaurants for quick food, all others were great. In General, we are all happy with your services. Hope will have the chance to come back with you for more tours in China and surely, I will recommend you and your company for my tour company friends! Nora, once again, thank you for your great work! My best regards Bich Ha
- Booking Code:VOC-20230702
- Tour Starting Date:Sunday, 2 July 2023
- Client's information:Bich Ha, Vietnam
Dear Nora, My apologies! All went very well today and I’m delighted. Can I please say how very impressed by the service I received from you, the guide, and the driver. It was absolutely superb in every respect. If it would be helpful, I would be very glad to write to your manager to say how I pleased I was, and that I will use and recommend Visit Our China in the future. Best wishes, Cameron
- Booking Code:VOC-20230520
- Tour Starting Date:Saturday, 20 May 2023
- Client's information:Dr Cameron Pyke, UK

I hope this letter finds you well. We finally arrived home from our trip last Thursday the 17th. As promised I am writing to you about our experience in China and we thank you very much for your organizing. On the whole we had a wonderful time and were very well looked after by both guides and drivers we would especially like to thank Linda and Cynthia which we would highly recommend. They both gave really excellent service in every way including punctuality, information and restaurants that were chosen for lunches, the food was delicious. The cruise on the Huangpu River was cancelled because of bad weather which couldn't be helped so the guide offered us an Acrobatic Show which we enjoyed very much. We had a lovely time on day 3 to Tongli water town. Our stay in China was wonderful. Best regards, Kathleen Pam
- Booking Code:VOC-20190905-S
- Tour Starting Date:Thursday, 5 September 2019
- Client's information:Kathleen & Pam, Australia
Dear Molly, Hope you have been well. We will be returning to Singapore in a couple of hours. Would like to commend on the tour guides, drivers and accommodation that VOC has arranged for us. The guides and drivers are very professional,very helpful, thoughtful, caring and experienced. They practised good ethics as well. We definitely have a wonderful touring experience and I will definitely recommend your company to my friends. Regards, Mrs Wee
- Booking Code:VOC-20190605-M
- Tour Starting Date:Wednesday, 5 June 2019
- Client's information:Chew Huay Huay, Singapore

Hi Sandy, Thank you for a great first tour together. I appreciate that it was a big commitment for you to be away from your office family for such a long time. I know you would have missed your young son a lot. I am also very grateful for your huge personal effort that you put into the detailed planning. The local guides were all great - Sally, Amanda Benny. Regarding the itinerary, I think we have an excellent itinerary for the beginning and the end, but the middle of the tour needs to be changed. Thank you again for all your excellent work. I look forward to visiting you in your home town for our first Tibet tour in August 2020. Jo I might travel up one day ahead of the group to meet you and have dinner with you. Best regards, Brod
- Booking Code:VOC-20190528-S
- Tour Starting Date:Tuesday, 28 May 2019
- Client's information:Brod, Australia
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