6 Days Southwest Yunnan Tour of Dali, Lincang & Xishuangbanna

► Route: Dali → Erhai Lake → Dali Ancient City → Lincang → Nanmei Grassland → Cangyuan → Cliff Painting Valley → Wengding Primitive Tribe → Lincang → Xishuangbanna → Starlight Night Market → Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden → Dai Garden → Wild Elephant Valley → Primeval Forest Park

When you come to Dali, Erhai Lake is a must-see tourist attraction. Located in the north of the city, this huge lake breeds the ethos of the whole city. Rich in natural resources, the Erhai Lake has many beautiful and famous scenic spots along the lakeside road.

► Best Attractions: Xizhou Ancient Town, Haishe Ecological Park, Butterfly Spring, Nanzhao Folk Island, Shuanglang Town, Wase Town, Little Putuo Island…
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: one day
► Ticket Price: Free for the lake; some scenic spots around the lake charge entrance fees.

You can hire a car with a driver to take you around the lake, or rent a motorcycle or bike for a ride around the lake. Alternatively, you can take a cruise on the Erhai Lake. The cruise ships have different routes, leaving from Longkan Pier or Xiaguan Pier every morning from 8:00 to 9:00. You can choose a route according to your schedule and interests. The cruise stops at some interesting sites, leaving time for shore visits. On the ship, you can see the Shuanglang Ancient Town on the east bank, which is a perfect place to view the rippling Erhai Lake and the majestic Cangshan Mountain.

In the afternoon, take a taxi to get to the Dali Ancient City, make a leisurely walking tour around the city.

► Best Attractions: South Gate Tower, Wuhua Tower, Dali Museum, City God Temple, Mansion of General Du Wenxiu, Confucius Temple, Martial Temple, Dali Cathedral, Xiyun Academy, Foreigners’ Street, Honglongjing, Puxian Temple…
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours
► Opening Hours: All day long for entering the city; 8:00 to 17:00 for some attractions inside.
► Ticket Price: Free for entering the ancient city, while some attractions inside charge different admission fees.

When night falls, find an authentic local restaurant to have dinner, and then lodge in a local guesthouse.

Get up early in the morning, and you are suggested to set off around 6:00. Take a taxi to the Dali Railway Station in 35 minutes at a cost of CNY 50. Here you can take a high speed train to Lincang. Remember to book the train tickets online in advance.

► Departure: 7:30 from Dali Railway Station
► Arrival: 9:35 at Lincang Railway Station
► Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes
► Fare: CNY 86 for a second-class seat; CNY 137 for a first-class seat

Upon arrival, you are recommended to visit the Nanmei Village, a secluded ancient village hidden deep in the mountains west of Lincang. Inhabited by Lahu people, the village keeps well the Lahu folk customs and religious beliefs. You can appreciate the distinctive Lahu clothing, their song and dance, delicate handicrafts, and try the local food. Also, you can visit the nearby Nanmei Grassland and enjoy the primitive natural scenery.

► How to Get There: Hire a car with driver to get there in 1.5 hours. A round trip costs about CNY 300.
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 to 3 hours
► Ticket Price: Free

In the afternoon, get back to downtown Lincang. You can ask the driver to drop you off at the Wa Culture Square, where you can see the city center and learn more about Lincang as an important habitat of the Wa people. Then, walk southwest across the Nanting River and arrive at the Yulong Lake Park in 10 minutes.

The Yulong Lake at the intersection of the Nanting River and the West River is a wonderful waterfront green land in the downtown. Here you can see the local people’s daily life in the Citizen Square, walk along the lakeside path, get onto the bridges and islets, and enjoy the music fountain at night.

► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 hour
► Ticket Price: Free

In the morning, take a bus to from Lincang to Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, to visit the ancient Wa villages, historical relics left by the ethnic minorities, and tranquil natural landscape.

There are 8 buses from 8:20 to 14:00, departing from the Lingcang Bus Station and Linxiang Passenger Transport Station. The earliest bus departing from the Lingcang Bus Station at 8:20 is recommended.
► Distance: 190 km (118 mi)
► Duration: 3.5 hours
► Fare: CNY 74

Upon arrival, have lunch and then hire a local car with driver to complete an afternoon tour of Cangyuan County. It would cost CNY 200 to 300.

Drive 40 minutes to the first sight, the Sigangli Cave Scenic Area. This is a huge karst cave with a high dome and large space inside. Walking in the cave, you’ll feel amazing that the whole mountain seems to be hollowed out. It is dark inside, and you can borrow a flashlight with a deposit of CNY 10 at the entrance. The stalactites inside are grotesque and colorfully lit, making a visit to the cave an adventure.

► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 50

After visiting the cave, drive about 15 minutes to the Kilometer’s Chinese Painting Gallery, which is a spectacle of colorful paintings by ancient people on cliffs.
► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 hour
► Ticket Price: CNY 13

Afterwards, drive 5 minutes to visit the Cangyuan Cliff Painting Valley. Here you'll need to climb up and admire the paintings, which are more than 3,500 years old. The ancient Wa ancestors left a lot of interesting patterns. They dipped their fingers or feathers into red pigments made of animal blood and hematite powder to depict various life scenes on the cliffs, including gathering, hunting, entertainment, religious sacrifice and victory ceremony.

► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 2 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 30

In the late afternoon, drive half an hour back to downtown Cangyuan to visit the Guangyunmian Temple. Built in 1828, the temple retains the basic form of a Southern Buddhist temple, with the exterior characterized by Han architecture, and the interior decorated in Dai style.

► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 2 hours
► Ticket Price: Free

At last, ask the driver to drop you off at the Gourd Town, where you can have dinner and stay overnight.

Get up early in the morning to visit the Wengding Primitive Tribe. The name Wengding means a place in clouds and mist. It is an ancient tribe of the Wa people with a history of about 400 years. Entering the gate, you will see simple villagers, primitive thatched houses, stakes hang with bull skulls, and mysterious woods.

► How to Get There: Hire a local car with driver to get there in 30 minutes. It costs about CNY 150 for a round trip. Or you can take a bus from Cangyuan Bus Station to Mengjiao Village, which passes the Wending Primitive Tribe.
► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 to 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 35

You’d better finish visiting the tribe before 10:30, and get back to the Canyuan Bus Station, where you can take a bus returning to Lincang. There are several buses from 8:00 to 13:00, and you need to take one departing before 12:00.
► Distance: 190 km (118 mi)
► Duration: 3.5 hours
► Fare: CNY 69

You’ll arrive at the Lincang Bus Station around 15:30. Here you can take a taxi to the Lincang Airport to catch a flight to Xishuangbanna. A taxi takes 25 minutes and costs CNY 50. Or if you have enough time, you can take the Airport Shuttle Bus to reach the airport in 40 minutes at a cost of CNY 20. Remember that you need to get to the airport before 16:00.

There is one flight from Lincang to Xishuangbanna departing at 17:40
► Flight No.: MU5991
► Frequency: one flight every day
► Schedule: 17:40 – 18:30
► Duration: 50 minutes
► Fare: CNY 900 for a full price ticket of economy class

Upon arrival at the Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport, you are recommended to visit the Starlight Night Market, the largest night market in Asia. Starlight Night Market and Gaozhuang Night Market are adjacent to the floating market on the Lancang River, the upper reaches of the Mekong River. They are the most bustling places in Xishuangbanna at night. When the lights are on, the iconic Great Golden Pagoda by the river glows with a magnificent style similar to that of the Buddhist temples in Thailand. There are many people in gorgeous Dai costumes taking photos. The streets next to the pagoda are lined with barbecue and fruit stalls. You can go shopping, taste delicious food and buy Southeast Asian handicrafts in the market.

► How to Get There: A taxi from the airport to the night market takes 20 minutes and costs CNY 25 to 30. Or you can take the bus line 4 to the Gaozhuang Xishuangjing Beimen Station in 40 minutes at a cost of CNY 2, and walk 5 minutes south to find the night market.
► Opening Hours: 17:00-23:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 to 3 hours
► Ticket Price: Free

In the morning, you are recommended to visit the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is China’s largest botanical garden with the richest collection of species. Many species are very rare and most people have never heard of, such as dancing grass, blood tree, and mysterious fruit tree. The garden is divided into west and east areas. The west area, surrounded by the Luosuo River, is the best to visit, taking two to three hours to explore. The east part includes the Tropical Rain Forest and Green Stone Forest, which can also be visited if you have more time.

► How to Get There: From Banna Bus Station, you can take a bus to Menglun, which is near the entrance of the garden. It takes 1 hour and costs CNY 25.
► Recommended Touring Route: Western Entrance → Flower Garden → Distinctive Plant Garden → Cycad Garden → Fig Garden → Aquatic Plant Garden → Palm Garden → Ethnic Plant Garden → Fruit Garden → National Tree Garden → Shade Plant Garden → Commemorative Plant Garden → Medicinal Plant Garden → Aromatic Plant Garden → Bamboo Garden → Exit
► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 80 for entrance; CNY 50 respectively for sightseeing car of the west and east areas.

After lunch, go for the Xishuangbanna Dai Garden for a visit. Entering the gate, there are enthusiastic Dai people singing, dancing, and sprinkling water on the Welcome Square. The garden consists of five best-preserved Dai villages, and you can see their dwellings and Buddhist temples. You should not miss the lively Water Splashing Square, where you can join villagers and tourists in splashing water at each other for blessings.

► How to Get There: Take a taxi to go there in 1 hour at a cost of CNY 130 to 150.
► Best Attractions: Manjiang Village, Manchunman Village, Manchunman Temple, Peacock Garden, Water Splashing Square, Manga Village, Manzha Village, Manting Village, Manting Temple…
► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00, ticketing stops at 17:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 65 for entrance; CNY 40 for a round trip of the sightseeing car.

There are buses from the Dai Garden to the Banna Bus Station or Gaozhuang in the downtown. It takes 40 minutes and costs CNY 20.

You are recommended to visit the Wild Elephant Valley in the morning. This nature reserve has been hailed as a bridge between humans and Asian elephants. Here you can explore the tracks of wild elephants deep in the jungles, watch the elephant performances, take interactive photos with elephants, and see other rare tropical plants and animals.

► How to Get There: There are tourist through buses from Xishuangbanna Tourist Public Service Center at Gaozhuang Xishuangjing to the Wild Elephant Valley, passing by the Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park. It takes 1 hour to reach the Wild Elephant Valley, and a round-trip bus ticket costs CNY 70.
► Recommended Touring Route: South Gate → Rainforest Sightseeing Cableway → Elephant Viewing Platform → Plank Road → Asian Elephant Museum → William Platform → Birds Garden → Butterfly Garden → Snake & Lizard Garden → Rainforest Theater → Exit
► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00, entry stops at 17:00; 8:30 to 16:00 for the cableway
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 60 for entrance; CNY 50 for a single trip of the cableway while CNY 70 for a round trip.

Around noon, the return bus will depart from the Wild Elephant Valley, and you can take it to reach the Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park in 40 minutes. The park has one of the best preserved tropical rainforests south of the Tropic of Cancer. The deep valleys, luxuriant forests, wild flowers and fruits, and clear streams allow you to feel the real charm and power of nature. Here you can see the spectacular release of peacocks, enjoy the ethnic singing and dancing performances, take the fun jungle flights, and get close to the wild animals such as golden monkeys.

► Best Attractions: Rainforest Culture Square, Jungle Flight, Water Splashing Square, Aini Village, Nine-dragon Waterfall, Golden Lake, Peacock Villa, Air Garden…
► Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00, entry stops at 17:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 3 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 45

Finally, you can take the through bus back to the downtown. According to your following travel plan, you can fly to Kunming or other cities.

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