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8-Day Yunnan Grand Tour: Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-La
A comprehensive 8-day Yunnan itinerary covering Kunming (Stone Forest), Dali (Erhai Lake, Cangshan Mountain), Lijiang (Old Town), and Shangri-La (Songzanlin Monastery).
Quick Answer
What is this 8-day itinerary like?
This 8-day itinerary covers 5 UNESCO sites, involves 29 km of walking, and offers a total cost of $1,480.
Day by day
Book this trip →Eight days to see the best of Yunnan province. Day 1-2 Kunming, Day 3-4 Dali, Day 5-6 Lijiang, Day 7-8 Shangri-La. Internal flights or HSR connect the cities. Most visa-free.
Kunming arrival
Arrive Kunming Changshui (KMG) · Green Lake Park · Yunnan Ethnic Village · Evening: Nanping Street
- 09:00Arrive Kunming Changshui
KMG
- 11:00Green Lake Park
Green Lake Park
- 13:00Yunnan Ethnic Village
Yunnan Ethnic Village
- 15:00Evening: Nanping Street
Evening: Nanping Street
Stone Forest
Stone Forest UNESCO (¥130, half day) · Return to Kunming · Afternoon: Western Hills + Dragon Gate · Evening: Birds and Flowers Market
- 09:00Stone Forest UNESCO
¥130, half day
- 11:00Return to Kunming
Return to Kunming
- 13:00Afternoon: Western Hills + Dragon Gate
Afternoon: Western Hills + Dragon Gate
- 15:00Evening: Birds and Flowers Market
Evening: Birds and Flowers Market
Kunming to Dali
HSR Kunming → Dali (2h, ¥145) · Dali Old Town walk · Erhai Lake sunset
- 09:00HSR Kunming → Dali
2h, ¥145
- 11:00Dali Old Town walk
Dali Old Town walk
- 13:00Erhai Lake sunset
Erhai Lake sunset
Dali sights
Cangshan Mountain cable car (¥282) · Three Pagodas (¥75) · Xizhou village (Bai houses) · Erhai Lake bike ride
- 09:00Cangshan Mountain cable car
¥282
- 11:00Three Pagodas
¥75
- 13:00Xizhou village
Bai houses
- 15:00Erhai Lake bike ride
Erhai Lake bike ride
Dali to Lijiang
HSR Dali → Lijiang (2h, ¥145) · Lijiang Old Town (UNESCO) · Black Dragon Pool · Evening: Naxi music at the Old Town
- 09:00HSR Dali → Lijiang
2h, ¥145
- 11:00Lijiang Old Town
UNESCO
- 13:00Black Dragon Pool
Black Dragon Pool
- 15:00Evening: Naxi music at the Old Town
Evening: Naxi music at the Old Town
Lijiang
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (¥280, full day) — glacier park + Impression Lijiang show · Blue Moon Valley · Baisha village
- 09:00Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
¥280, full day) glacier park + Impression Lijiang show
- 11:00Blue Moon Valley
Blue Moon Valley
- 13:00Baisha village
Baisha village
Lijiang to Shangri-La
Bus or HSR Lijiang → Shangri-La (4h) · Songzanlin Monastery (¥115, Tibetan) · Old Town of Dukezong · Evening: Tibetan dinner
- 09:00Bus or HSR Lijiang → Shangri
La 4h
- 11:00Songzanlin Monastery
¥115, Tibetan
- 13:00Old Town of Dukezong
Old Town of Dukezong
- 15:00Evening: Tibetan dinner
Evening: Tibetan dinner
Shangri-La and return
Pudacuo National Park (¥100) · Return to Lijiang or Kunming · Departure
- 09:00Pudacuo National Park
¥100
- 11:00Return to Lijiang or Kunming
Return to Lijiang or Kunming
- 13:00Departure
Departure
Book this trip
All routes →Top sight tickets and any private drivers sell out first; everything else can wait until a week before.
If 8 days isn’t quite right
All routes →
Beijing essentials
Forbidden City · Great Wall · Temple of Heaven. For short stopovers.
Beijing → Xi'an → Shanghai
Imperial, ancient, and modern China on one HSR loop.
Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Guilin → Shanghai
Adds Sichuan pandas and Li River karst.
Lock in the essentials before you fly
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Itinerary FAQ
How far in advance should I book the main sights?
Book the top restricted-access sight 7 days before, at midnight local time, via the official channel. Same-day tickets are not sold at most major sites.
Is 8 days too long for a first trip?
No — 8 days is the sweet spot. Three days covers the highlights but you will be exhausted. Five lets you add a day trip and an unhurried afternoon without rushing.
Can I do this itinerary without speaking Chinese?
Yes. Install Pleco (offline dictionary) and a translation app before you fly. Metro and attraction signage is in English in major cities; international-hotel staff speak English.
What's the worst time of year to run this exact route?
Golden Week (October 1–7) — every timed entry is impossible to get. Also avoid the Spring Festival rush (late Jan/Feb) and Labor Day (May 1–5). Mid-July to mid-August is hot and crowded with domestic travelers.
How much cash do I actually need?
Almost none. Alipay (linked to a foreign Visa/Mastercard) covers 95% of vendors. Carry ¥500–800 in cash as backup for small stalls. Tipping is not expected.
Is this route safe for solo travelers?
Yes. The main risk is traffic — e-bikes and scooters use sidewalks. Stay alert at intersections, especially outside Beijing/Shanghai where drivers may not stop. Solo female travelers report no issues.
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