Kunming, Stone Forest, Dali & Lijiang

Our team meets you at Kunming Changshui International Airport or Kunming South Railway Station and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in.

Kunming's favourite park, in the heart of the city at the foot of Wuhua Hill. Locals come here to dance, sing and practise tai chi; in winter thousands of black-headed gulls from Siberia gather on the lake. Next to the park is the historic Yunnan Military Academy.

The Golden Horse and Jade Rooster archways, built in the Ming dynasty, are the symbol of Kunming. The pedestrian streets around them are full of Yunnan snacks – a good place for a first evening walk.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and national 5A scenic area: a maze of grey limestone pillars, formed over 270 million years. With an experienced guide the rocks come alive – animals, warriors, the four pilgrims from Journey to the West, and the legendary Ashima of the Yi people.

A Bai fishing village on the eastern shore of Erhai Lake, with the Cangshan mountains across the water. Locals say: the best views of Dali are at Erhai, and the best views of Erhai are at Shuanglang.

A short ferry ride takes you to Jinsuo (Golden Shuttle) Island, once the summer retreat of the Nanzhao kings. On the island, a boat glides through the Dragon Palace, a water cave full of stalactites reflected in the still water.

The best-preserved Bai village around Erhai Lake, with grand merchant houses, white walls and blue-tiled roofs set among rice and wheat fields. Try a freshly baked Xizhou baba, the local flatbread.

A walled city with 1,200 years of history, going back to the Nanzhao kingdom. Walk along the city gates, the Wuhua Tower and the old lanes, with the Cangshan mountains as a backdrop. Huguo Road is known as "Foreigners' Street".

Explore the shores of Erhai Lake by car or by bike. The east shore is quieter, with wide views and photo spots. The west shore is more traditional, with Bai villages and a car-free lakeside path that is perfect for cycling.

Halfway between Dali and Lijiang lies Shaxi, the best-preserved market town on the ancient Tea Horse Road. Caravans traded salt, tea and horses here for centuries. Today it is a peaceful place with a Ming-dynasty square, an old theatre stage and a stone bridge over the river.

The snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,596 m) towers over Lijiang. A cable car takes you up through primeval forest towards the glacier. Afterwards, visit Blue Moon Valley, where glacier meltwater forms turquoise pools in a crescent-shaped valley, and see the open-air show Impression Lijiang.

A smaller, quieter old town just north of Lijiang, once a stop on the Tea Horse Road. Clear streams run past the houses around a small square, and the Jiuding Dragon Pool at the top of the town is the source of its water.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and the heart of Naxi culture. Canals, little stone bridges and wooden houses make it feel like a mountain version of Venice. Wander the lanes in the evening and try the local snacks.

In the village of Baisha, Ming-dynasty frescoes combine Han, Tibetan and Naxi art, with Taoist, Buddhist and Dongba stories painted side by side – a unique picture of how cultures met in this valley.

Take the bullet train back to Kunming (about 3.5 hours). Our driver meets you at the station and takes you to your hotel.

Free time until your transfer. Our team takes you to the airport or railway station in time for your onward journey.