Day 1: Dali Arrival
Attractions & Activities: Arrival Transfer, Free Activity
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: none
Upon your arrival at Dali Airport or Dali Railway Station, your private vehicle will be ready to take you comfortably to your hotel. As the first glimpses of Dali unfold outside the window, the atmosphere gradually changes into the relaxed rhythm of Yunnan, with distant mountains, soft sunshine, and the tranquil beauty of Erhai Lake creating a gentle welcome to your journey.
After checking in, the rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You may wander through the surroundings of Dali, discover a quiet café or local street, or simply relax at the hotel and let the peaceful atmosphere of the ancient city settle in. It is a leisurely beginning to your Dali Lijiang Shangri-La Lugu Lake Tour, leaving you refreshed and ready for the landscapes and cultural discoveries ahead.
Day 2: Dali
Attractions & Activities: Dali Old Town, Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, Shuanglang Ancient Town, Dali Santorini
Accommodation: Dali Old Town
Meals: hotel breakfast
After breakfast, step into the historic heart of Dali Old Town, once an important capital of the ancient Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms. Stroll beneath its imposing city gates and along streets lined with traditional houses, stone pathways, small courtyards, cafés, and local shops. The old town retains an atmosphere of another era, where the surrounding Cangshan Mountains and distant Erhai Lake add a magnificent natural backdrop to its enduring historical charm.
Continue to the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, one of Dali's most recognizable landmarks and a remarkable testament to the region's architectural and Buddhist heritage. Rising elegantly against the mountains, the three ancient pagodas create a striking composition of stone, sky, and greenery. Take time to appreciate their graceful proportions and the centuries of history embodied in this extraordinary cultural site.
In the afternoon, travel toward the shores of Erhai Lake and discover Shuanglang Ancient Town, a picturesque lakeside settlement celebrated for its peaceful scenery and relaxed atmosphere. The journey concludes at Dali Santorini, where bright white buildings, terraces, and dramatic views create a romantic Mediterranean-inspired setting. Enjoy an afternoon tea while looking across the landscape, allowing the day to end with the soft, unhurried beauty for which Dali is so beloved.
Day 3: Dali - Lijiang (by HSR)
Attractions & Activities: Fengyangyi Village, Xizhou Ancient Town, Zhoucheng Village (Tie-Dye Experience), Tinghua Valley, Lijiang Old Town
Accommodation: Lijiang Old Town
Meals: hotel breakfast
Begin the day in Fengyangyi Village, a peaceful settlement near Dali Old Town situated along the historic Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Its traditional houses, quiet lanes, and pastoral surroundings offer a glimpse into the slower rhythm of rural Yunnan. The village also gained wider recognition as a filming location for the 2023 series Meet Yourself, adding a cinematic quality to its tranquil landscapes.
Continue to Xizhou Ancient Town, where the architectural heritage of the Bai people remains beautifully preserved. Many of its traditional residences are more than a century old, featuring elegant courtyards, decorative façades, and distinctive Bai cultural details. At nearby Zhoucheng Village, known as the “Hometown of Bai Tie-Dye”, experience this traditional craft firsthand and discover how simple blue-and-white patterns have become an enduring expression of Bai culture, symbolizing hope, simplicity, sincerity, and good fortune. A visit to Tinghua Valley adds another peaceful touch, with flowers and landscaped scenery creating a delightful transition from the villages to the journey ahead.
Later, board the high-speed train bound for Lijiang, watching the scenery of Yunnan gradually change along the way. Upon arrival, enter the enchanting world of Lijiang Old Town, a historic settlement with more than 800 years of history and deep connections to the Silk Road and Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Wander among stone-paved lanes, old wooden houses, arched bridges, and flowing waterways while discovering the cultural heritage of the Naxi people. As evening falls, the illuminated streets take on an especially romantic atmosphere, making Lijiang a beautiful place to begin the next chapter of your journey.
Day 4: Lijiang
Attractions & Activities: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Glacier Park Cableway, Blue Moon Valley, Impression Lijiang Show, Baisha Ancient Town & Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang Old Town
Meals: hotel breakfast
This day brings one of the most spectacular natural experiences of the journey as you travel into the realm of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Ride the Glacier Park Cableway upward toward the high-altitude landscape, where snow-covered peaks, vast mountain slopes, and immense alpine scenery unfold around you. As the elevation rises, Lijiang seems to retreat far below, while the majestic mountain commands the horizon with its extraordinary scale and beauty.
Descend toward Blue Moon Valley, where clear turquoise waters form a series of luminous pools beneath the snow-capped mountain. On sunny days, the water takes on an intense blue-green color, while the graceful shape of the valley resembles a brilliant crescent moon resting at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Continue with the spectacular Impression Lijiang – Snow Mountain Chapter, an open-air performance that brings together music, dance, local traditions, and the dramatic mountain landscape. If the performance schedule changes, it will be replaced by Lijiang Eternal Love.
In the afternoon, travel to Baisha Ancient Town, regarded as the birthplace and one of the earliest cultural centers of the Naxi people. Its quieter streets preserve a more authentic atmosphere, while the Baisha Murals reveal the region's remarkable artistic heritage and multicultural history. With their centuries-old imagery and distinctive artistic character, the murals provide a fascinating cultural counterpoint to the grandeur of the snow mountain, bringing the day's exploration to a memorable close.
Day 5: Lijiang - Lugu Lake
Attractions & Activities: Eighteen Bends, Lugu Lake Viewing Platform, Lake Tour, Mosuo Bonfire Party
Accommodation: Lugu Lake
Meals: hotel breakfast
Leave Lijiang behind and follow the winding mountain roads toward the mysterious beauty of Lugu Lake. Along the way, stop at the famous Eighteen Bends, where the road twists dramatically across the mountainsides. With a vertical drop of more than a thousand meters, the route offers magnificent opportunities to admire the changing landscape of deep valleys, rugged mountains, and distant horizons.
Continue toward Lugu Lake and pause at the viewing platform for your first sweeping encounter with this highland jewel. From above, the lake stretches across the landscape like a vast piece of blue glass, surrounded by forested mountains and quiet settlements. Then travel around the lake by vehicle, discovering changing perspectives of its shores before settling into your lakeside accommodation and embracing the peaceful rhythm of this remote region.
As night falls, experience the distinctive culture of the Mosuo people at a traditional bonfire party. Music, dance, stories, and firelight create an atmosphere filled with warmth and vitality, offering a memorable introduction to one of Yunnan's most fascinating ethnic cultures. The Mosuo's matrilineal traditions, passed down through generations, add a unique cultural dimension to the natural beauty of Lugu Lake.
Day 6: Lugu Lake - Shangri-La
Attractions & Activities: Lakeside Sunrise, Zhucao Boat Ride to Liwubi Island
Accommodation: Shangri-La
Meals: hotel breakfast
Rise early to witness sunrise beside Lugu Lake, when the first rays of light slowly illuminate the mountains and turn the calm water into a shimmering mirror. The highland morning is wonderfully quiet, with cool air, soft light, and distant peaks creating a moment of extraordinary serenity. It is a peaceful way to experience the lake before the day's journey begins.
Continue with a ride on a traditional Zhucao Boat, also known as a Pig Trough Boat, a distinctive form of water transportation associated with the Mosuo people. Glide across the clear waters toward Liwubi Island, surrounded by the lake's broad expanse and mountain scenery. The gentle movement of the boat provides a rare opportunity to experience Lugu Lake at its most tranquil.
On Liwubi Island, walk beneath the shade of the virgin forest and immerse yourself in an atmosphere where nature and local legend intertwine. Listen to stories associated with Auyun Mountain and the surrounding region before continuing onward toward Shangri-La. As the landscape rises into the Tibetan-influenced highlands, the journey takes on a new character, leading you toward another of Yunnan's most evocative destinations.
Day 7: Shangri-La - Dali
Attractions & Activities: Dukezong Ancient Town, Songzanlin Monastery, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: hotel breakfast
Begin the day in Dukezong Ancient Town, one of the historic centers of the Tea-Horse Road in the Tibetan-influenced highlands. Wander through its atmospheric streets and visit Guishan Park, where the enormous prayer wheel rises above the town. Join in turning the great prayer wheel and make a traditional wish for peace and happiness for your family, creating a meaningful moment amid the ancient surroundings.
Continue to Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan and an impressive complex rising against the mountain landscape. Its layered golden roofs, white walls, and imposing architecture create the appearance of a Tibetan fortress overlooking the surrounding valley. Often described as a “Museum of Tibetan Art”, the monastery offers an opportunity to appreciate the distinctive Buddhist architecture, artistic traditions, and spiritual atmosphere of the region.
The return journey brings you through another succession of dramatic landscapes. Pause at the First Bend of the Yangtze River to admire the remarkable turn of the mighty waterway before continuing along the historic Yunnan-Tibet Road toward Tiger Leaping Gorge. Towering cliffs rise on either side as the Jinsha River surges through the narrow canyon below, creating one of Yunnan's most powerful natural spectacles. After experiencing the grandeur of the gorge, continue toward Dali for a relaxing final evening.
Day 8: Dali Departure
Attractions & Activities: Departure Transfer
Accommodation: none
Meals: hotel breakfast
Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel and take a quiet moment to appreciate the peaceful atmosphere of Dali before your departure. Whether you spend your remaining time taking one last stroll through the surrounding streets or simply relaxing at the hotel, the morning offers a gentle pause to reflect on the landscapes and cultural encounters experienced throughout the journey.
At the appropriate time, your vehicle will transfer you to Dali Airport or Railway Station for your onward journey. As you leave Yunnan behind, the memories of Erhai Lake, ancient Bai villages, Lijiang's timeless streets, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the tranquil waters of Lugu Lake, the highlands of Shangri-La, and the mighty Tiger Leaping Gorge remain as vivid chapters of an unforgettable Dali Lijiang Shangri-La Lugu Lake Tour.
