7 Days in Dali

Walk the 1382 walls from the south gate, then the 69.13-m Qianxun Pagoda of the 9th-century complex and its reflection pond; entry runs CNY 75.

1. Dali Ancient Town
2. Three Pagodas of Dali and Reverse Reflection Park

About 18 km north, Xizhou's Ming-Qing courtyards include the Yan Family Compound (CNY 35); the Haishe spit pokes into the 1972-m-high Erhai a short ride on.

1. Xizhou Bai Ethnic Ancient Town
2. dali haishe peninsula

The range stacks 19 peaks and 18 streams; the gondola climbs to about 3900 m under 4122-m Malong Peak. Ride north first to Zhoucheng's indigo workshops.

1. dali cangshan
2. dali zhoucheng tie dye

Across the lake to the fishing village on the east shore — about an hour's run from the old town — with the Nanzhao Folk Island offshore at CNY 50 and the Cangshan wall across the water to the west.

1. Shuanglang Fishing Village

A long day north into Jianchuan County, roughly 100 km out — Sideng Square was the Tea Horse Road's living market, flagged by the World Monuments Fund in 2001; start early, return by evening.

1. dali shaxi sideng square

About 60 km south, Nanzhao rose here in the eighth century while the chessboard grid took shape in 1390; the town stays unhurried, with the source plateau of the Red River just beyond.

1. Weishan Ancient City (Yunnan's First City)

A last slow morning at the dock a couple of kilometers east of the walls, a three-courses-of-tea lunch, then the train or the airport run.

1. dali caicun dock