In-depth Lijiang and Shangri-La Tour

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby and first accompany you on a one-hour ride to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Its 13 snow-cloaked peaks stretch endlessly, similar to a huge dragon soaring through the blue sky dotted with white clouds, hence its name. For a more relaxing journey, we specially arrange a cable car up to the hillside Spruce Plateau. It boasts a vast expanse of verdant highland meadows, like a delicately-carved emerald nestled between the snow mountain and a dense sea of towering spruce trees. Nearby, small flocks of cattle and horses graze on the green grass, flicking their tails leisurely. After a downward cableway, we will take an electric car to the Blue Moon Valley, hidden at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The meltwater of the mountain forms four adjoining lakes, with their mineral-rich waters in hues of jelly blue and mint green under the sunshine. 

★ Delve into Baisha Village to Embrace Naxi Culture

Leaving the snow mountain, we’ll explore the over-1,000-year-old Baisha Village, the earliest settlement of the Naxi ethnic group in Lijiang. Compared to the Lijiang Old Town, it is far less commercialized and much more tranquil, allowing you to experience the authentic local life more easily. Here, your guide will lead you to a local Naxi family, where you can commune with the millennia-old legacy of Dongba civilization. You’ll be greeted with homemade fruit preserves or traditional large mooncakes, and have a chance to chat with respected Dongba elders to hear their family histories. The highlight is trying to write Dongba hieroglyphs - the only living pictographic script in the world. Each character is a stick picture: “wind”, for example, is three parallel wavy lines.

Afterwards, we’ll enjoy the Baisha Murals, both a great artwork and a testament to ancient Lijiang as a multicultural crossroads. Upon entering the Great Treasury Palace with the largest collection of murals, once your eyes adapt to the dim light, you’ll be amazed by the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Taoist immortals, Tibetan guardian deities, and even Naxi natural gods, all coexisting harmoniously on the same mural. Stare at the mural “Buddhas’ Gathering”: Sakyamuni Buddha’s cassock is decorated with patterns similar to those of an ancient caravan - perhaps a travel outfit prepared by the local Naxi people. In a legendary trading hub like Lijiang, even Buddha had to dress for business! At the end of the day, you will enjoy an escorted drive back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Duofu Resort, Lijiang

This morning, your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel, and then head to the First Bend of the Yangtze River on a half-an-hour drive. Hailed as “the Worldwide Wonder”, the river makes a 180-degree turn like the Greek letter “Ω”. From the observation deck, crystal-clear waters are flanked by green willows with lofty mountains rising in the distance, unfolding a picturesque landscape. Let’s then explore the nearby unspoiled Stone Drum Town. Wandering through its lively market, you’ll be drawn by streetside stalls covered with fresh vegetables, straw handicrafts, and dry products.

Later, we’ll proceed straight north to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, a secluded wonderland carved by the Golden Sands River, the upper Yangtze River, between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain. At its narrowest part, the river spans merely 20 meters (66 feet) or so, with a 13-meter-tall (43-foot) rock in the middle. So goes the legend: a tiger leapt across the river with this rock to escape a hunter, leading to the name “Tiger Leaping Gorge”. Along the boardwalk, you’ll see the torrents crash against the rocks, forming huge waves with thunderous sounds like a roaring tiger. Further ahead, the riverbed is laden with jagged reefs, where the flows rampage wildly. Finally, your guide and driver will accompany you to your hotel in Shangri-La.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Shangri-La

After a morning pickup from your hotel, you will enjoy a comfortable 3.5-hour drive to Qudengge Temple, regarded as the first stop to the sacred Kawagebo Peak of the Meili Snow Mountain. This place, literally meaning ‘natural crystal stupa’, is where the local Tibetan people obtain the “key” to embark on their mountain pilgrimage through traditional rituals. Here, you’ll observe pious believers burning grains and cypress branches in front of censers as a way to pray for a bumper grain harvest. Then, holding prayer beads, they walk clockwise around the stupa while occasionally bowing to pour lime water on its walls, thus forming its unique pure white exterior. There are only the low-pitched sound of chanting sutras and the gentle creaking of prayer wheels. In this serene atmosphere, your mind and body will fully unwind. 

Finally, your guide and driver will escort you to your hotel on the mountain. Rest well to prepare for tomorrow’s hike!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guanjing Tiantang Hotel, Deqin

Early in the morning, your guide and diver will meet you at your hotel and set off for the nearby observation deck to catch the sunrise over the Kawagebo Peak. Before dawn, the snow mountain sleeps deeply in the indigo-hued mist. Through an eager wait, the first ray of sunlight kisses its Pyramid-shaped summit, and the whole mountain instantly flames. The golden radiance cascades down like molten lava, dyeing the sea of clouds in shades of rose and amber. All these offer the awesome spectacle “Sunshine on the Golden Mountain”, which is said to bring good luck for the year to those who behold it.

Later, a one-hour transfer will lead you to the Mingyong Village at the foot of Kawagebo Peak, where the distant Mingyong Glacier - world’s rare low-altitude modern glaciers of the tropical monsoon maritime type - glows with an enchanting blue light in the sunshine. Take an electric shuttle to the hillside to start our 4-hour glacier hike. When you walk along the plank path, what comes into sight is the Prince Temple, where devout believers sit facing the glacier and recite sutras. Further up, milk-white streams fed by glacial meltwater gurgle beside you. Breathing in the fresh, brisk air, you’ll cross the thick forest and finally reach the observation deck to unveil the glacier’s mystery: a large ice sheet like a frozen celestial river is draped from the middle of Kawagebo Peak with its surface covered in crevasses and ice pillars. At the moment, nature uses its most primitive language to tug at your heartstrings.

Finally, we’ll return to Deqin to visit the Feilai Temple, one of the perfect spots to appreciate the faraway Meili Snow Mountain. Particularly as the sun sinks, its golden rays pour over the mountain peaks. The white stupas here gaze at this awe-inspiring scenery with quiet humility, while the five-colored prayer flags flutter in the wind, like endless chanting between heaven and earth. Wait till the whole mountain fades from dazzling gold into a chilly crimson, ultimately leaving a sharp, lonely silhouette against the dark blue sky. At last, your guide and driver will whisk you to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guanjing Tiantang Hotel, Deqin

In the morning, your guide and driver will accompany you on a 3-hour road trip south to Benzilan Town, during which you’ll behold the White Horse Snow Mountain, where the snow cover on the peaks remains year-round, glistening in the sun like a layer of frosting from afar. Feel free to tell your guide and driver to pull over for photos at any time.

Then, we’ll head southeast to the foot of the mountain, where a hidden gem lies: the over-three-centuries-old East Bamboo Forest Temple, aka Dongzhulin Temple. The central hall with its gold-plated roofs is encircled by white monastic houses spreading along the mountain slopes. Inside the hall, a three-story Buddhist statue mercifully watches over all living beings, and nearly a thousand butter lamps light the brightly-colored murals around the walls. If you’re lucky to witness a monastic assembly, the chanting hums like clear springs to wash away your anxieties. As the day ends, your guide and driver will escort you to check into your hotel in Benzilan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: LUX Tea Horse Road Benzilan Hotel

On the seventh day of your Lijiang and Shangri-La tour, your guide will accompany you on a 3-to-4-hour hike through the Niding Forest. This 9-km (5.6-mi) moderate trail will gradually draw you into a tranquil fairyland. The paths, trees and stones are carpeted with a thick layer of bright green mosses, while ancient pines are draped in long usneas swaying gently in the mountain breeze. Venturing deeper, you can hear the murmur of the streams, and spot small white and red mushrooms dotting the fallen trees. Wild flowers such as mauve azaleas, yellow peonies and purple irises are fully blooming everywhere. Around noon, we’ll take a break for a simple packed lunch.
► Tips:
1. This forest is roughly 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) above sea level. Though most people do not suffer from severe altitude sickness, it’s still advisable to avoid strenuous activities.
2. Wear sunblock, sunglasses, and water-proof hiking boots.

★ Special Experience: DIY a Tibetan Lacquer Bowl

Benzilan Town boasts the lacquer bowl culture passed down for hundreds of years. Follow your guide to visit a local workshop and observe the bowl-making process: a skilled craftsman, stepping on the pedal, attentively shapes a rotating wooden base with his sharp tool into a round bowl. Under his guidance, you’ll be welcome to finish the bowl in colored lacquer to create your one-of-a-kind keepsake. The day will then end with a private transfer back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: LUX Tea Horse Road Benzilan Hotel

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and start with a visit to the Nixi Earthenware Village, a living museum of Tibet’s traditional black pottery craft tracing back to more than 2,000 years ago. Sourced from a mixture of local red clay and white sand, the pottery goes through hand-hammering, pebble-smoothing and open-air firing, naturally exuding a jet-black luster. Thanks to black pottery pots studded with tiny invisible pores absorbing fats and impurities, the natural flavors of ingredients is better preserved. Thus, locals prefer using them for stewing chicken, making it a famous local delicacy.

Next, we will admire the breathtaking landscapes at the Napa Lake, known as ‘the lake behind the forest’ in Tibetan. It features unique seasonal transition vistas between the prairie and the lake: in summer during June through August, abundant rainfall and snowmelt water converge into an expansive shallow lake with the reflections of blue skies, white clouds, and snow mountains, while the highland meadows transform into green oases scattered across the water. In winter between December and February, the lake recedes, and the grasslands take on a bleak golden-brown hue. Flocks of rare birds such as cranes and black storks stroll around, making the place a mecca for birdwatchers. 
► FYI: If you’d like to explore further around the lake, bicycle rentals and horseback riding are available at your own expense.

After the visit, your guide and driver will convoy you to your hotel. Have a good sleep!

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Shangri-La

After breakfast, we will kick off today’s Shangri-La tour at the Songzanlin Monastery - the largest local Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Nicknamed ‘Little Potala Palace’, it resembles an ancient castle with red, yellow and white as the main colors. When you slowly mount the steep stone steps, the restlessness deep in your heart seems to dissipate. At the summit, you’ll be overwhelmed by the profoundly secluded atmosphere of the Dratsang Hall: the over-10-meter-high (33-foot) murals cover the entire walls, and their figures appear alive under the flickering candlelight, as if gazing lovingly at you whenever you go. Climbing to the hall’s observation deck, the vista becomes wide and clear: Lamuyangcuo Lake, like a green gem set in the surrounding mountains, mirrors the golden roofs and white walls of the monastery. Further away, green meadows spread out, dotted with small villages.Then, let’s visit the Potatso National Park, well-known for its mirror-like plateau lake, lush alpine pasture, and primeval spruce forest. Take a sightseeing shuttle straight to the most essential and worthwhile destination Shudu Lake. Wandering along the wooden paths, you might spot squirrels running through the trees, yaks lounging in the sunshine, and ducks splashing about in the water. If time permits, you can also dive into the Tranquil Eco Hiking Trail, which winds along a woodland stream for approximately 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles), ideal for exploring the forest. You can play by the water here, and even possibly encounter a herd of local horses.

★ Featured Inclusion: Local Tibetan Family Visit

Upon arrival, your eyes will be first drawn to the typical Tibetan-style house, built of white outer walls and a wooden internal structure decorated with intricate carvings. Inside the living room, you’ll be served a bowl of steaming-hot butter tea. Accept it with both hands as a mark of respect, gently blow the tea, and take a small sip to feel the rich, savory aftertaste lingering on your palate. Finally, your guide and driver will convoy you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Shangri-La

It’s a great pleasure for us to accompany you throughout this 10 days Yunnan Lijiang tour to Shangri-La! After breakfast, your guide and driver will see you off at the airport based on your flight schedule. If you would like to delve into the neighboring cities such as Kunming and Dali, welcome to contact us anytime to customize your itinerary!

Meals: Breakfast