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Day 01: Arrival in Lijiang
Arrive in Lijiang and get prepared. Stay overnight at the local hotel. Spend the afternoon exploring the Black Dragon Pool Park, wander through the Old Town's narrow streets, and attend a Naxi Traditional Music Demonstration.


Day 02: Lijiang
Begin your hiking today from the Baisha Village on the outskirts of the city and go up along trails to Yufeng Temple and the green meadows of the Yulong Snow Mountain. Stop by small villages and hamlets for short breaks. Return to the town by late afternoon.


Day 03: Lijiang - Tiger Leaping Gorge
Today you travel to the town of Shigu located at the south bank of the Yangtze River. From Shigu you hike up to the mountain peak to get a dramatic view of the First Bend of the Yangtze, a sharp 180 degree turn of the river. You will also trek down to small villages along the river bank. Travel by road to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Here the Yangtze River cuts deep through the Hengduan Mountains and creates one of the most spectacular natural wonders on earth. Follow the trails and hike along the gorge for some breathtaking views.


Day 04: Tiger Leaping Gorge - Zhongdian
Enjoy the fresh air in the morning and hike to Qiaotou where you board the vehicle and continue the journey to the town of Zhongdian, where the legend of Shangri-la was thought to be originated. Make a brief stop at Xiao Zhongdian.


Day 05: Zhongdian
Visit the Songzanlin Monastery, a charming Tibetan temple located in a village outside Zhongdian. You then head for the enchanting Bita Lake Nature Reserve, about 25 kilometers east of Zhongdian. Hike for about 7 kilometers through meadows and flowers to reach the lakeside. The 840 square kilometers surrounding the lake is the Preserve. Various kinds of fish swim in the water of the lake, including the precious "Bita Double-Lip Fish", a species left from the fourth glacier age. In early summer, rhododendrons and other flowers of all colors bloom all over the mountain slopes.


Day 06: Zhongdian - Deqin
Travel to Deqin by vehicle. On the way, you will stop by Napa Lake for a short hike and picture taking. The journey to Deqin takes more than half a day, but what you will see along the way is very rewarding. Visit a couple of small villages and meet the local residents. Arrive in Deqin by late afternoon.


Day 07: Deqin
The main attraction in Deqin area is definitely the Meili Snow Mountain (also called Kawaboge), 30 kilometers to the west of the town. The local Tibetan people regard the Meili as a holy mountain. Each fall, Tibetans come from afar to celebrate and to worship the sacred mountain. Today you cross the Lancang River (the Mekong) and hike towards the peaks. Some parts of the hiking trails are quite rough on the mountain slopes and you must prepare warm clothes and good shoes for today's hike. This will be the most challenging hike on this trip.


Day 08: Deqin - Kunming
Only 80 kilometers from Tibet by road, Deqin has traditionally been one of Yunnan's remotest corners, and it is a Tibetan town in the Lancang River valley with a couple of monasteries and even a Catholic church. It is decidedly a town with its own characters. Spend a couple of hours exploring the markets and streets in this Tibetan stronghold. Between the Yangtze River and the Lancang River is the Baimang Snow Mountain Nature Reserve with perennial snow-capped peaks (the highest peak Zhalaqueni at 5,640 meters above sea level), primeval forests, and large amount of species of animals and plants. Your hike through Baimang forests will reveal many forms of life nurtured by plenty of rainfall and warm winds from the Indian Ocean. Then return to Kunming.


Day 09: Departure from Kunming
Leave Kunming according to your schedule.