3 Days Kunming Private Tour

In the morning, your guide and the driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and offer you a 1.5-hour private car ride to the Stone Forest, a spectacular karst landscape formed 270 million years ago. According to the local lore, the Creator Deity planned to build farmlands and lakes in this area, but he accidentally dropped a bag of stones here, which transformed into this remarkable stone forest. Upon entering the park, you’ll encounter a lake, where the mirror-like surface reflects the limestone pillars encircling its shores, creating breathtaking photographic opportunities. Venture deeper, and you’ll discover intertwined limestone pillars resembling an elderly couple leaning against each other, formations topped with what appear to be perched turtles or crouching toads, and others bearing a striking resemblance to grazing elephants. The most celebrated formation remains Ashima, a slender rock silhouette evoking a young girl carrying a basket on her back. Local tradition reveres this natural sculpture as the embodiment of a beloved goddess who continues to watch over this land, bringing peace and prosperity to all who live in her shadow.

We’ll then return to the city center and make a pilgrimage to Yuantong Temple, one of China’s oldest temples dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy. Its halls are built beside a large pond, reflecting the belief that the goddess resides over the Southern Sea, making this “monastery on the water” a fitting home for her. In addition to traditional Chinese architecture, you’ll find a striking Thai-style pavilion that may make you feel as though you’ve traveled to Southeast Asia. 

We’ll end the day by soaking up the local atmosphere at Kunming Old Street, where food stalls and restaurants offer specialties like flower cakes, fragrant pineapple rice, and sizzling fried potatoes. Afterward, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast

Your guide and the driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and accompany you to start today’s sightseeing at the Zhuanxin Farmers’ Market, Kunming’s largest and most popular local market. The air fills with the lively sounds of vendors calling out in the Kunming dialect and customers bargaining, offering a genuine glimpse into everyday life. As you explore the stalls, you may try seasonal specialty fruits like sweetsops and Chinese gooseberries at your own expense. 

Then, we’ll drive to the Western Hills Scenic Area. According to legend, a heartbroken princess once wept here after being separated from her beloved; her tears formed Dianchi Lake, and her reclining figure turned into the Western Hills. From a distance, you can clearly make out the silhouette of her face, chest, legs, and hair flowing into the water. We’ll climb up to the Dragon Gate, the most impressive section, featuring murals carved directly into the cliff in 1522 AD. Be sure to touch the carved carp on the gate, which is said to bring good luck in career and wealth. Finally, your guide and the driver will offer an airport or train station transfer for your onward journey. Since we’ll finish today’s sightseeing around noon, it is advised to book your flight or high-speed train departing after 5:00 PM. 

Finally, your guide and the driver will offer an airport or train station transfer for your onward journey. Located near China’s southwestern border, Kunming serves as a gateway to Southeast Asian destinations like Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. If you want to extend your journey to these countries, we are glad to tailor the itinerary for you. Or should you extend your Kunming city tour package to Lijiang, Dali, and Shangri-La, please feel free to contact us for more information. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast