5 Days Tour to Lijiang, Shaxi & Dali

Welcome to take this Lijiang and Dali trip. You will be picked up outside the arrival hall of Lijiang Airport by our guide, and transferred to a boutique hotel in Lijiang Old Town. Leave your pack and take a short break. Afterwards the guide will accompany you to explore the town. You are able to sight-see time-honored residential compounds, soak in the romantic culture in the famous bar street, and also hunt for local snacks at Sifang Street.

Meals: Lunch

Today, we will head for a real natural stunner of Lijiang, the gorgeous Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The ever snow-caped mountain is regarded as a holy place of Naxi people. A fascinating trekking starts from Ganhaizi Meadow to White Water River, and then you can take a cable car reaching the Spruce Plateau (Yun Shan Ping) while enjoying the splendid bird’s-eye view. At the plateau you could capture the most stunning image of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at a distance.

After a hearty lunch, continue your private Lijiang tour to Baisha Village, which used to be the earliest residential area for Nanxi people. It is famed for delicate Baisha Murals in temples, portraying religious figures of Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism. A special family visit will be arranged for you to step into Naxi people’s life. After that, you will be transferred back to Lijiang.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

After a hearty breakfast, you will take a private ride to Shaxi Ancient Town in about 2.5 hours. Located between Lijiang and Dali, Shaxi used to be a booming bazaar along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Most of the primitive dwelling complex is well preserved, including temples, opera stages, stone bridges, shops, inns and tea houses. However, though the town may convey a sense of vicissitudes, you can still trace its flourishing and prosperous past.

Your lunch will be served at a very popular local restaurant. At night, our guide will help you to check into Landscape Hotel Shaxi, which retains the residence style of Bai people.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch

Before leaving for Dali, we will seize the morning to pay a visit to Shizhongshan Grottoes in Jianchuan. Being the earliest and largest-scale grottoes cluster in Yunnan, it boasts numerous exquisite engravings that depict historical stories of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms.

Afterwards, move on to Xizhou Town where the best preserved old residences of the Bai minority nestle. Roaming along narrow alleys helps you immerse into their featured architectural culture. Then continue your Dali tour to Zhoucheng, the hometown of Tie-dyeing (Zaran) art of Bai people. This dyeing is a technology of printing flower patterns on cloth, and you get a valuable chance to witness its making process.

Upon arrival in Dali Ancient City, we will check into the handpicked hotel. You can either make use of the rest of the day to explore the ancient city further, or just have a good rest at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Lying between Mt. Cangshan and Erhai Lake, the Three Pagodas Scenic Area is one of the most renowned essential landscapes of Dali, which is also viewed as one of China’s best-kept ancient Buddhist structures. You will take a paced wander to totally refresh yourself there, in our guide’s company. Taking a boat cruise is always the best way to enjoy the fascinating Erhai Lake. Soaked up in the gentle breeze, all the troubles seem to go away. If time permits, you may land on the islets on the lake for an in-depth exploration.

At last, our considerate driver and guide will escort you to Dali Airport for your onward flight. Hope you enjoy this Lijiang and Dali tour.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch