Lijiang WenHai

Have you think of camping in the most spectacular scenery of Lijiang and Shangrila country side. Ebenezer will plan and prepare the necessary gears and route for your need. 2 days trip to start with or more days as you wish. I will bring you to most prettiest location, to meet local minorities, enjoy the beauty of the country, relax with a hot drink and see the galaxy at night. We will bring all gears with us in my Cherokee 4WD to our camping location. You just enjoy an easy day hike to see the surrounding. Return to camp site to setup the tent and enjoy the meal. Sleep in warm sleeping bag. Wake up by birds in fresh air. Have a cup of hot coffee. You may find sheep and cows eating grass next to you. Write to me for more information. 3 days or more can be arranged on request. Looking forward to seeing you. Ebenezer What is included: guide, transportation, camping tent, sleeping bag, food, travel insurance

Destinations: Beijing, Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, Mt.Emei, Leshan, Lijiang, Dali, Kunming, Guiling, Longji, Yangshuo
Day 1 Beijing

Arrive in Beijing and accomodate at your hotel.The rest of the day is you can visit the world's largest urban center square,  Tiananmen Square, which is a site where many major historical and celebratory events happened. Walk through the square to the Golden Water Bridge, you'll enter the largest as well as best-preserved imperial palace complex, Forbidden City. Once the palace of twenty-four emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties, it not only exhibits the incomparable architecture arts and precious cultural relics, but also shows how the China ancient emperors administered the country and lived their lives 600 years ago.

Day 2  Beijing
Morning：Visit the majestic Great Wall (Badaling section). Then go to the Ding Tomb of Ming Imperial Tombs and the Sacred road——"the way leading to Heaven"，which is guarded on both sides with 12 stone statues.
Afternoon:In the afternoon, tour the Temple of Heaven, which is the largest ancient imperial worship architecture group in the world.If you have time, you can take a visit to the Summer Palace,the largest and most beautiful Chinese imperial garden.
Evening:Go to the Red Theatre to watch a lively Chinese Kung Fu Show.

Day 3 Chendu
In the morning, fly to Chengdu, upon arrive transfer to visit Chengdu Jinsha Ruins Museum, It exhibits the splendid culture of the ancient Shu Kingdom 3,000 years ago, modifying previous assumptions about the origins of the Chinese civilization. Over 6,000 pieces of cultural relics with sophisticated craftsmanship, like carved jade, gold, bronze, stone, and ivory artifacts, have been unearthed at the Jinsha Ruins. Historians believe they are the remains of the ancient Shu Kingdom mentioned in stories of the Qin and Han dynasties.
Then, visit the Kuanxiangzi (wide lane) and Zhaixiangzi (narrow lane), it used to be home to officials in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and are among the city's cultural heritage sites still intact today. Originally, single-story houses and courtyards featured the specialty of the area. To relive the taste of local life years ago, teahouses and folk arts are readily found in the area while displays of the lifestyle, dialects, food and customs of Chengdu in the past will be reinstated in museums.
As an option in the evening(200RMB extra), enjoy a wonderful variety show of Face changing and Flame Spitting - Out of Sichuan Opera.

Day 4 Chengdu
Visit Chengdu Panda Base. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is located in the northern suburb of Chengdu on Futou Hill. Giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base live in large naturalistic habitats, which help the visitor to understand how these animals live in the wild . The Research Base is one of the important centers in China for the captive conservation of giant pandas. Take flight (45 minutes) from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou in later afternoon.  

Day 5  Jiuzhaigou
After breakfast, head to the Jiuzhaigou National Park.Visit the Shuzheng and Zezawa Valleys; Pearl Sands and Shuzheng Waterfall; the Tibetan village of Shuzheng, and numerous picturesque lakes including Panda Lake, Long Lake, Rainbow Lake, Tiger Lake and Rhinoceros Lake. Then summon your energy for a Tibetan folk customs show at night, consisting of singing, dancing and other programs. (The entrance fee is180 RMB).

Day 6  Huanglong, Chengdu,Mt.Emei
Drive to visit Huanglong National Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, with beautiful mountains, lush woods, colourful flowers, and crystal clear waters.
Then take flight back to Chengdu, drive to Mt.Emei, enjoying countryside views of the Chuanxi Plain.on the way (two and half hour along expressway).
 
Day 7  Mt. Emei
Set off at 7:00am by tour bus to the cable car station, where you will begin your ride to the the highest summit of Mt. Emei, the Golden summit. Have a look around the Golden summit including Huazang temple.
After lunch,take the cable car down and take the bus to Wanniansi parking lot which is located halfway up Mt. Emei. Take another cable car to visit Wanniansi temple. Hiking down to sightsee Qingying pavilion, the Strip Skyline and Monkey Mountain. Then take the local bus down to the gate.
 
Day 8  Mt.Emei,Leshan Grand Buddha, Lijiang
Drive half an hour to Leshan, board a tour boat have a panoramic view of the biggest carved Buddha statue in the world. The boats hover for five to ten minutes in front of the Buddha, engines whirling madly against the current. Boats leave from north of the ferry dock approximately every 30 minutes from 7 am to 5 pm. What`s more, a huge natural lying Buddha can be easily figured out while you are standing on the deck and viewing the outline of Mt Lingyun from afar.
Then continue drive about 1.5 hours from Leshan toHuanglongxi old town in the morning. It is 1700 years history and around 30 miles away from Chengdu. For most of local people, Huanglongxi old town could be a place where it will bring them back to their childhood. The aged old trees, old temples and native custom all together can be an amazing to you.
At Huanglongxi, despites the latest renovation, some of the old architectures were built in the late of Qing Dynasty, which was the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history.

Drive to Chengdu airport fly to Lijiang. Lijiang is an ancient town at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in northwestern Yunnan. It was put on the World Cultural Heritage List in 1997. The ancient Dayan Town of Lijiang was located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters 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.

Day 9  Lijiang
Visit Ganhaizi Meadow, Baishui River and the Yak Meadow in the Yulong Snow Mountain, it’s situated some 15km north of Lijiang County.The summit's semblance to a crystalline jade dragon gives the mountain its name. Access to the top of the mountain is provided by a cableway from the foot of the mountain to the Yak Meadow.
In the afternoon, go to Yuhu Village and visit the former residence of Joseph Rock, famous botanist and expert on Naxi culture. And then,stroll through Baisha Village, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village.
At last, drive back to Lijiang to visit the Black Dragon Pond and Dongba Museum of Naxi people. Night walk around in the old town. (Optional:Night enjoy Naxi Orchestral and Dance in the Old Town.140RMB/each)

Day 10  Lijiang, Shigu Old Town, the First Bend of Yangtze River
Early morning drive about 100KM to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge,which is the deepest gorge in the world,about 3900M deep,here you will see the wonderful mountains bank of Yangtze River.If you have more days in Lijiang ,you can go to trek along the gorge ,it is the most wonderful trekking in the world.Lunch at the bank of Yangtze River.
After luch drive 60KM back,and visit the Shigu(Stone Drum) Old Town and witness the beauty of the First Bend of Yangtze River.Then drive back to Lijiang .Dinner in the local family in Huangshan Village about 5 km away from Lijiang Old Town.

Day 11 Dali
After breakfast, travel (200 km - 4 hrs) south on the old road to the ancient city of Dali. Dali, a historically and culturally famous city of China, is renowned for her historical interest. If this day happens to fall on a Monday you will call in at Shaping for a visit to the colorful Bai market.
In Dali visit the Three-pagoda in Chongshen Temple, which is a typical historical symbol of Yunnan. It is also one of the oldest sublime architecture in South China. At last, walk around the Old Dali Town, which is located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain.
 
Day 12  Dali
Special Experience: Taste the Bai Three Cyourse Tea with ethnic dance and music.
In the morning, travel in the Erhai Lake by boat and visit Jinsuo Island. After landing, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style architecture, taste their fragrant three-course tea and explore their distinctive culture.
At last, visit Zhoucheng Town, and Bai people's Tie-Dyed Cloth Work Shop.
--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 so named. The lake covers an area of 250 square kilometers and is located about two kilometers east of Dali. It is like a crescent lying between Cangshan and Dali city as seen from Cangshan Mount.

Day 13  Kunming
Take the early morning flight to Kunming, then drive about 90KM from Kunming to the Stone Forest, which is well-known as the most beautiful Carst Landform in the world. Here you will see a lot of girls and boys from Sani peple which is a brance of Yi minority in China.
After the Stone Forest ,drive back to Kunming,the Capital of Yunnan.then visit the local Bird market. Dinner taste Yunnan Bridge Crossing Noodles.

Day 14  Guilin
Take fliht to Guilin visit Lijiang River's most famous sights, Elephant Trunk Hill and Seven star park(You can see pandas, camel hill etc.) Walking along the San and Rong lakes enjoying the peaceful view of Guilin City . After that ,Visit Reed Flute Cave.

Day 15 Guilin,Longji
After breakfast，transfer to LongJi，(about 2. 5 hours)，climb up to the top of hill to visit theDragon's Backbone Rice Terraces . Transfer back to Guilin.
 
Day 16: Guilin,Yangshuo
One day Li River Cruise to Yangshuo with lunch aboard. Relax in the old town after the cruise. Li River Cruise for a 4 hours wonderful cruise. You will enjoy the picturesque mountains, peaceful green fields ect. After arrive Yangshuo, visit Big banyan Tree, Visit the Moon Hill with 890 steps, climbing to have a bird's eye view on the town of Yangshuo. Stay over night at Yangshuo, relax in the West Street small town atmosphere and culture.
Option: At night,you can choose to enjoy the spectacular show "Impressions San Jie Liu" with over 600 performers, live animals, and spectacular lighting effects all performed on the Li River with the majestic limestone mountains as the back drop. Price: 220RMB/p.p, 320RMB/p.p for VIP SEAT. 

Day 17 Guilin Departure
Transfer from Yangshuo to Guilin airport or railway station,leave Guilin for your next destination.

Day 1: Dali- Cangshan Mountain (L, D)

Visit one of the local markets (if market day). Then drive out to Cangshan Mountain. Ride the cable car up to Zhonghe Temple and have a late lunch at the Higherland Inn. Then spend the afternoon walking along the Cloud Pass enjoying incredible views over Erhai Lake and Dali city. Come down the mountain in the late afternoon. Overnight in Dali.

Day 2: Erhai Lake- local Bai villages (L, D)
Visit the Bai villages around Erhai Lake including Zhoucheng and Xizhou where you will sample the Bai people’s famous “3 course” tea. Then after lunch take a 2 hour boat cruise on Erhai Lake visiting Golden Shuttle Island, a summer resort for the royal family of the Nanzhao kingdom. Overnight in Dali.

Day 3: Dali-Lijiang (L)
Travel from Dali to Lijiang. After settling into your guesthouse in the old town, take a bike ride out to Shuhe or Baisha Naxi Villages, both recognised as World Cultural Heritage sights for their 1000 year long histories. These villages were the first settlements of the Naxi ancestors when they crossed over the Jinsha River and came down Jade Dragon Snow Mountain into the Lijiang Basin.  Soak up the old world charm of their streets, alleyways and market squares. That night, enjoy dinner by the canals of Lijiang Old Town.

Day 4: Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Haba Village (L, D)
Drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge (2 hours) via the First Bend of Yangtze River. Take a short hike through the Gorge, being dwarfed by the peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on one side and Haba Snow Mountain on the other. Drive on to Haba Village for overnight stay.

Day 5: Haba-White Water Terraces-  Zhongdian (B, L, D)
Visit the Yi and Muslim villages near Haba. Then drive to the White Water Terraces, a series of spectacular terraced pools formed from minerals deposited by spring water. Have an hour’s walk around the pools, then continue drivingto Zhongdian (3.5 hours) or “Shangri-la” as it was officially named by the Chinese government in 2001. Have a walk around Zhongdian old town, and see the gigantic prayer wheel on the hill. That night see the local Tibetans kick up their heels in the town square. Overnight in Zhongdian.

Day 6: Songzanlin Monastery- Shangbala Nature Reserve (L, D)
Enjoy a dawn visit to the Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhism monastery in Yunnan province. It was built over 320 years ago on a site chosen by divination by the 5th Dalai Lama, and is now home to over 700 monks and lamas. Have a late breakfast, then journey out to Shangbala Nature Reserve where you will spend the rest of the day enjoying the Tibetan countryside- having lunch with a local family and hiking/horseriding through Tibetan grasslands and yak pastures.

Day 7: Zhongdian- Lijiang (L)
In the morning visit the Zhongdian market to see the Khampa Tibetans in their traditional ethnic dress buying and selling their local wares: everything from yak cheese to noodle soup to black clay cookware. Then visit the newly opened Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Museum, which explains the history and culture of the region’s Tibetan minorities. Drive back to Lijiang (4 hours). 

Day 1. Kunming to Dali

pick up from Kunming airport or kunming hotel ,drive 5 hours to Dali,  upon the arrival,   we will check in Dali hotel,  visit 3 pagoda park.  & Dali old town, & foreiner 's street . Climb up to the tower to have a bird's view of  Dali old town.

Day 2.  Dali to Shaxi

Leave Dali at in the morning,   we will firstly visit xizhou old town,  where we will visit a local morning market. You will see the real daily life of minorities in this area.  after lunch explore shibaoshan and buddhism grotto in the mountain.    then drive to  shaxi ,  check in the hotel, visit the beautiful and quiet shaxi village. you will enjoy your free time in the evening.

Day 3. shaxi to lijiang

We will explore villages in shaxi area by bicycle in the morning,  visit the old house of Bai people. then drive to lijiang, walk around in lijiang old town,  square market.

Day 4.  Lijiang Tour

Today, we will visit Wenhai village,  where you can see many different wild flowers, such are prirose,  Azaleas, etc.   Drive to baisha village,Baisha village was the former capital of Naxi kingdom,   Visit local Naxi family . If you like to drink coffee, you will find a nice coffee shop Near the main street of baisha.   then enjoy Naxi ochestra at night.

Day 5. Lijiang-Liming tortoise' mountain

Meet you from lijiang hotel lobby and drive to shigu--it is called stone drum in english  . visit the first bend of Yangtze river, then visit the mounument of red army and the village. visit the Iron chain bridge,   Drive to liming, then we will limb to the top of mountain, on the top ,we can see tortoise's back- like  sandy rock.  there are thousands of them.  it's the most famous dangxia landform in south china.  If the weather is good , you can see stunning sunset in the valley.

Day 6.  liming to Shangrila

After breakfast, we will have relaxing walk in liming valley, visit Lusu village,  You can see lisu ethnic group go to church on Sunday dressing the traditional clothing  visitting the local church. lisu people were converted into christian by french missionary in 19 century,even nowadays, christianity is still a popular religion in the village.

Then drive to tiger leaping gorge, on the way to tiger leaping gorge, you can see snow-capped peak of jade dragon snow mountain. Tiger leaping gorge is 3900m deep, just between jade dragon snow mountain and Haba snow mountain.  it’s one of the deepest gorge in the world . a perfect place for a leisure walk . Then we drive  to Shangrila.

Day 7. Shangrila Tour

After breakfast ,we will visit songzanling monastery,  then drive to Napa lake,  Hiking at Napa Hai lake . visit Dukezong old town and the the Turtle’s hill where you can see the biggest Tibetan prayer wheel in the world. 

If you like a long hiking,  There is another long hiking trail though the mountain & Tibetan villages for 4 hours.

Day 8. Finish the tour in Yunnan

Drive to Deqing airport, finish the tour in beautiful Yunnan province , fly to your next destination.

 Quotation include:
1. All of transfer service by private Car/Van mentioned above
2. All of tourist attractions entrance tickets mentioned above
3. All of activities and sightseeing mentioned above
4. English speaking tour guide service

Quotation exclude:
1.Arrive and Depart flight tickets
2.All of meals and Accommodation
3.Insurance fee
4.Personal spend
5.Other activities and terms not mentioned above

I will meet you outside the baggage claim area at Lijiang Airport and transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to explore the city.
No meal
Van
Day 1
Lijiang
★★★

After breakfast goes to visit the Dragon Snow Mountain, is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. Consisting of 13 peaks, among which Shanzidou is the highest one with an altitude of 5,600 meters (18,360 feet), Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (9 miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Take the cable car to the Spruce Meadow, the best place to see Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. In the afternoon visit Black Dragon Pool, somewhat idiosyncratically known as Black Dragon Pool, the Jade Spring Park to the north of Lijiang derives its name from the waters which sparkle like jade and are as clear as spring water. Then entire park is green with grass and shaded by swaying willow trees. Under the Shuocui Bridge, a waterfall creates a constant roar as it cascades downstream. Then visit Lijiang Old Town, which belongs to the World Culture Heritage of UNESCO.

Van
  Day2
Lijiang
★★★

Today go to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge on the way, which is believed to be one of the deepest gorges in the world. From the top of the gorge you look down the steeply angled ( 70-90 degrees ) mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands River ( up reach of Yangtze River ) with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 meters ( about 700 feet ) below. Then drive back to Lijiang, evening take flight from Lijiang to Jinghong. Meet the local guide and check in the hotel.

Flight/
Van
Day3
Jinghong
(Xishuangbanna)
★★★

Today go to visit Ganlanba morning market, Water Dai Village, Burmese temple, rubber garden, Botanic Garden (the biggest one in China). In the evening you can enjoy the Dai BBQ as dinner.

Van
Day4
Jinghong
★★★

Take a visit Wild Elephant Valley; take cable car to get through the primitive raining forest. In the afternoon visit Dry Dai people village on the way back. In the late afternoon take flight from Jinghong to Kunming, check in the hotel.

Van/Flight
Day5
Kunming
★★★

After breakfast visit the Stone Forest. A typical Karst formation, the Stone Forest covers an area of more than three hundred square kilometers. Scientific research has shown that what is now the Stone Forest was 270 million years ago an immense expanse of water with a vast stretch of limestone sediment formed obey the years on the seafloor. As a result of the crustal of movement, the seabed rose gradually and a large piece of land thus came into being. Exposed to rains and winds, eroded by the elements, the strange-looking limestone ranges were shaped by time. About 200 million years ago numerous stone peaks, pillars, and stalagmites rose abruptly from the ground and towered into the sky, extending now as far as the eye can see, looking like a vast forest of stone, hence the name " the Stone Forest ".

Van
Day6
Kunming
★★★

Free easy in the morning, transfer to airport to departure. KM-CITS wish you have a good trip.

Van
Day7
End of the tour

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