Lijiang, Shangri-LaTiger Leaping Gorge
Ten days through the southwest, away from the icon route. Old towns the Naxi people built, the gorge the Yangtze cuts at its narrowest, Tibetan altitude before the border.
Ten days in the corner of China most first-time travellers miss. Kunming for the arrival, Lijiang's Naxi old town for the stone lanes, Tiger Leaping Gorge for the day the Yangtze runs through a chasm forty metres wide, then up the plateau to Shangri-La and the Songzanlin Monastery. Higher altitude, quieter pace, the route for travellers who want a second China trip without repeating the first.
Per person, twin share, your choice of hotels · selected hotels
Indicative · your trip is priced when we design it.
- Boutique stays
- Guide
- Domestic flight
Private 5-seater · from US$360/day
Driver and bilingual guide (English & Chinese) included throughout.
Ten days,
south to plateau,
altitude earned.
- Days 1-2Kunming
The arrival city
Two nights in Kunming, the spring city. A morning at the Stone Forest karst before the day-trippers arrive, an afternoon at the Green Lake park where locals practise tai chi, a quiet first night to acclimatise before the altitude climb.
This stop- Stone Forest karst at first opening
- Green Lake park and the old Yunnan University grounds
- Yunnan Museum walkthrough with a local guide
- Days 3-5Lijiang
Naxi old town
Flight to Lijiang. Three nights inside the old town at a Naxi-style boutique. Dawn walks through the stone lanes before the day groups arrive, an afternoon at Black Dragon Pool, a full day at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with the cable car to the glacier viewing platform.
This stop- Lijiang Old Town stone lanes at dawn
- Black Dragon Pool with the snow mountain reflected
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable car to 4,506 m
- Baisha Murals visit on the way back
- Days 6-7Tiger Leaping Gorge
The deepest gorge
Drive north into the Hengduan mountains. One night at the gorge edge, an upper-trail hike with a local Naxi guide, a side path to the Tiger Leaping rock where the Yangtze runs through at its narrowest. The drive itself is half the experience, prayer flags appear as the altitude climbs.
This stop- Tiger Leaping Gorge upper trail with a local guide
- Tiger Leaping rock at the narrowest point of the Yangtze
- Naxi village lunch at the gorge edge
- Drive through Haba Snow Mountain views
- Days 8-10Shangri-La
The Tibetan plateau
Continue north onto the Tibetan plateau, three nights in Shangri-La (3,200 m). Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan, an afternoon at Pudacuo National Park with the high-altitude meadows and lakes, the Shangri-La old town at dusk. Flight back to Kunming and onward home.
This stop- Songzanlin Monastery, the largest in Yunnan
- Pudacuo National Park meadows and Shudu Lake
- Shangri-La old town with the world's largest prayer wheel
- Tibetan dinner with a local family on the closing night
Ten days,
the route most operators
do not run.
Boutique Naxi and Tibetan stays inside the old towns, not city-edge chains with a shuttle.
Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge trail with a local Naxi guide, not the bus-platform lower trail.
Altitude is monitored across the route. We brief the day's elevation gain on the drive in.
No silver factory, no Tibetan-medicine showroom, no jade carving room.
Mei Lin Chen
Senior China Specialist
Mei Lin has spent fifteen years working with the guides, drivers and hoteliers across China. She'll be your contact from first enquiry to final airport pickup.
Stretch the route,
the natural next step.
- Another journey
Add the icons (+10 days)
Fly Kunming to Beijing for the Wall and Xi'an for the warriors before the Yunnan stretch.
Read more - Add an experience
Add Chengdu pandas (+3 days)
Fly Lijiang to Chengdu for the panda base and a hot-pot night before flying home.
Read more - Add an experience
Add Lhasa and the Potala (+5 days)
From Shangri-La onward to Lhasa for the high plateau. Requires Tibet permit, sort it with us.
Read more
A first-draft sketch,
by reply tomorrow.
Tell us a month, a party size, and any altitude concerns. We come back with the trekking pace we would suggest, three hotel options per stop, and an itemised all-inclusive quote. No deposit, no obligation.