2 Days to Yuanmou Man Site

► Route: Kunming → Wuding → Yuanmou

Yuanmou County is located in the north of Yunnan Province. The historical and natural sites in the county are becoming more and more popular. You can easily travel from Kunming to Yuanmou via Wuding County of Chuxiong.

In the morning, take a coach from Kunming Northwest Coach Station to Wuding County.

► Bus Hours: 7:30-19:10
► Frequency: every 10 to 30 minutes
► Distance: 65 km (40 mi)
► Duration: 1 hour
► Fare: CNY 20 to 28

Upon arrival in Wuding, take a short visit to the Lion Mountain, which lies in the south of the county. The mountain gets its name as it resembles a lion in prone position. On the mountain, there are ancient temples, steep cliffs and heavily-wooded hills.

► How to get there: Take a taxi from Wuding Coach Station to the mountain, which takes 20 minutes and costs CNY 25 to 30.
► Top Attractions: Zhengxu Temple, Hanging Cliff, Sunrise Viewing Pavilion, Peony Garden…
► Opening Hours: 8:00 – 18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 100

After lunch, take a coach from Wuding Coach Station to Yuanmou.

► Bus Hours: 8:00-17:00
► Frequency: every 2 hours
► Distance: 100 km (62 mi)
► Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
► Fare: CNY 32

Check in at a local hotel for a short rest, and then proceed to the Yuanmou Man Museum.

► Features: The museum houses a great number of Yuanmou Man fossils and artifacts excavated from the county. It is said that Yuanmou Man was the earliest human being that has been found in China and indeed, all of Asia, up to now.
► How to get there: Take a taxi from Yuanmou Central Coach Station to the museum, taking 8 munities and costing CNY 10.
► Opening Hours: 9:00 – 17:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 2 hours
► Ticket Price: Free

●  If you have extra time and interest, you can also pay a visit to the Yuanmou Ape Man Site. A taxi there takes 20 minutes and costs CNY 20 to 25. It is the original discovery site of Yuanmou Man fossils, located on the hillside 500 meters (1,640 feet) north of Shangnabing Village. The site is free of charge, but very desolate, owning only a red monument and a few stone tablets.

There are 13 earth forests in Yuanmou, among which the Wumao (also Hutiaotan), Langbapu (Xinhua) and Banguo rank as the top three for their spectacular and colorful landscapes.

Wumao Earth Forest is the best one among the three, and recommended for you to visit in the morning.

► How to get there: Take a minibus from Yuanmou to Wumao first. The bus runs at 9:20, 10:40, 15:30, and 16:30, taking 40 minutes for a single way and costing CNY 9 per person. Upon arrival, hire a minivan (CNY 20) or a tricycle or a wagon (CNY 5) to get to the earth forest. To save time, you can also take a taxi directly from Yuanmou County to the Wumao Earth Forest in 35 minutes at a cost of CNY 80 to 100.
► Opening Hours: 7:00 – 19:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 80 for Wumao Earth Forest; CNY 100 for a combo ticket including Wumao Earth Forest and Langbapu Earth Forest.

You can hike or ride a horse to explore the earth forest. For photography lovers, you are advised to visit the earth forest in the early morning or at twilight. The earth forest is like a young girl when the bright sunlight falls on it in the morning; at sunset, the rosy glow turns it to a shy and charming bride. If time permits, we suggest that you stay overnight near the attraction to enjoy the sunrise the next morning, and then take a taxi to visit the Langbapu Earth Forest or the Banguo Earth Forest which is the largest one among all the earth forests.

Return to Yuanmou Central Coach Station in the early afternoon so as to take the coach back to Kunming.

► Bus Schedule: 7:30, 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 14:00, 16:20
► Distance: 180 km (112 mi)
► Duration: 3 to 3.5 hours
► Fare: CNY 40