12 days · Kunming → Shangri-La
Yunnan Slow Journey — 12 Days from Kunming to Shangri-La
Tea, temples, tea-horse-road villages, and air that gets thinner every day. A gentle southwest arc.
- From (per person)
- $2,800
- Group size
- 2–8 travelers
- Best months
- Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov
- Last updated
- 2026-04-22
Highlights
- A morning of pu-erh tea with a third-generation tea master in Kunming
- Cycling the rim of Erhai Lake, stopping at Bai villages for lunch
- Sunrise at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, no crowds
- Tiger Leaping Gorge hike at your own pace (1, 2, or 3-day options)
- An overnight in a Tibetan guesthouse outside Shangri-La
Overview
Yunnan is the province where China meets Southeast Asia meets Tibet — climatically, culturally, culinarily. This itinerary climbs slowly: you start at 1,900m in Kunming and end at 3,200m in Shangri-La, which means you acclimatize as you go, and the landscape gets sharper the whole way. We've found that 12 days is the minimum — fewer, and you're chasing the clock instead of drinking the tea.
Day by Day
Days 1–2 — Kunming
City of eternal spring. One day on foot in the old quarter, one day at a working tea estate outside town.
Days 3–4 — Dali
High-speed rail to Dali. Bike the lake, eat grilled fish by the water, walk the old walled town in the evening. Day 4 free, often spent at a quiet Bai village on the far shore.
Days 5–6 — Lijiang
Drive to Lijiang. Morning at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (private guide, no tour groups). Afternoon in the Naxi old town.
Days 7–9 — Tiger Leaping Gorge
The hike most travelers in China talk about for years after. Day 7 transfer to the trailhead; day 8 hike the high trail; day 9 the final section + transfer out.
Days 10–11 — Shangri-La
Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. A night in a family-run Tibetan guesthouse outside town. Yak hotpot dinner if you're game.
Day 12 — Departure
Morning flight from Diqing to your next stop.
What's Included
- Private guide in each region (languages: English + local dialect)
- All ground transfers and one high-speed rail leg
- Boutique 4★ hotels + one traditional Tibetan guesthouse
- Daily breakfast; curated lunches and dinners
- All park and site fees
- Altitude first-aid kit + oxygen in the van above 3,000m
Pacing Note
This trip has two shorter hiking days. If you want the three-day Tiger Leaping Gorge trek (more remote, more rewarding), we can swap it in — add one day to the total.