6 Days of Dali - Binchuan - Mt. Jizu - Binchuan - Xiangyun - Chuxiong - Yuanmou - Dinosaur Valley - Kunming

Mt. Jizushan, Dali

On your first day, start your excursion to Jizushan Mountain. Jizushan Mountain is located at Binchuan County 90 kilometers (60 miles) away from Dali City. Take a minibus to Binchuan County at Xiaohuayuan (little garden) passenger station at Xiaguan in Dali. It charges you CNY12.5 and you need to spend 1.5 hours on the bus. Upon arrival in Binchuan County, take another minibus to Jizushan Mountain at a price of CNY20. It takes you 1.5-2 hours on the way. Upon arrival at the gate of the scenic spot, you need to pay CNY60 as the admission fee. Zhusheng Temple is situated about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the entrance gate. You may walk there for 2-2.5 hours. You can also take a minibus. Go on hiking to reach Huideng Nunnery. It is also an interesting experience to ride a horse from Zhusheng Temple to Huideng Nunnery. The trip from Huideng Nunnery to Golden Temple will be tough comparatively. A cable car could be one of your options. One-way fare is CNY27, but surely it would be less fun. Stay overnight at Golden Temple. The condition at those hostels is not very good and the price is CNY10-20 per person. Please keep in your mind that it is rather cold at the peak of the mountain. Food and drink are also expensive, so it is necessary to prepare in advance.

On the second day, get up early to appreciate the sunrise. In the undulating mountain and with clouds and wind around, you can see the imposing vision. If you are lucky enough, you may have a chance to see the Foguang (the shine that Buddha brings). Travel down the mountain on foot. Pass by Kassapa Hall and Huashou Gate. Walk through the primeval forest and go down along the bluestone path. Take a minibus back to Binchuan County. Change to another minibus to Xiangyun County at a price of 14. It will take you about 1 hour on the way. Stay overnight in Xiangyun.

Huideng Nunnery of Mt. Jizushan

Start your trip in Xiangyun on your third day. Take a minibus at the square of the railway station to Yunnan Post House Old Town, where the name of this province came from. It will spend you about half an hour on the bus and cost you CNY3-5. This post house is the vital military hub since ancient times. An ancient post road with a length of 1,720 meters, as well as the traditional residential community, continues to this day. In Qing Dynasty (1644-1911A.D.), Yunnan Post House became the most bustling center on Yunnan Tea-horse Ancient Road. The entrance ticket charges you CNY40, including Yunnan Horse Caravan Cultural Museum, the Memorial Museum of War Zone among China, India and Burma in the World War Two, White Horse Temple and the ancient block of the town. Take a bus to Chuxiong City in the afternoon. Stay overnight here.

Commence your exploration around Chuxiong on fourth day. Take a bus at the West Passenger Depot to Yuanmou to enjoy the sight of soil forest. It may cost you CNY36. After 3.5-4 hours' driving, you will arrive at Yuanmou County. Have your lunch here. There are through cars to the Soil Forest Scenic Area at the Passenger Station everyday. Pay CNY20 for the entrance ticket. The whole scenic area is divided into eastern and western part. The narrow winding maze is paved with layers of sand and it will be a little tiring to step on it. Since your feet tend to sink when you move, you had better wear a pair of ankle boots. If you prefer an easier journey, you can rent an horse at the entrance gate at a price of CNY10-20. Riding a horse to excurse the whole scenic area will take you about 2 hours. After visiting, you may accommodate yourself at Yuanmou County.

Yunnan Tea-horse Ancient Road

On the morning of the fifth day, take a visit at Pithecanthrope Exhibition. The entrance ticket charges you CNY2. Transfer back to Chuxiong City. Walk to the Ancient Tombs on the Qinglong River at Wanjiaba 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) south of Chuxiong City. Stay overnight in Chuxiong City.

Take a bus at the East Passenger Station to Dinosaur Valley. The earliest one sets off at 9:00 and the bus departs every one hour. You are kindly advised to book the entrance ticket at a price of CNY120 in advance. After 35 minutes' driving, you will arrive at your destination and start your adventure. In the afternoon, take a bus to Kunming and your tour ends.