Relaxing Hiking Tour in Kunming, Dali and Lijiang - 10 Days

Enjoy the rest of the day to explore the city at your own pace.

The Stone Forest (UNESCO) is a typical Karst landscape formed some 270 million years ago. This geological wonder consists of limestone cliffs and peaks that have weathered into various shapes since their formation beneath the sea.

The Three Pagodas is the symbol of Dali City. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
The Erhai Lake is reputed as the pearl on plateau for its charming scenery, and it is one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China.
Take a walking tour of the Dali Old Town to capture its charm with narrow cobbled streets and traditional stone architecture.

Hiking hour: 7 hours

Today’s highlight is Cangshan Mountain which enjoys great reputation for its snow, clouds, springs and marble. Mt. Cangshan is made of 19 peaks and in between every two peaks are streams from which the water rushes down the mountain and pours into Erhai Lake.

After being transferred to Cangshan Mountain, you take the chair-lift to Zhonghe Temple to have a visit.

Then start hiking on Yudai Road (altitude: 2,700 meters) for about 7 hours. You will pass Zhongxi Stream, Lvyuxi Stream, Qilongnv Pool and Qingbixi Stream en route.

Take the Qingbixi Cable Car to the parking lot and transfer to the hotel.

Hiking hour: 5 hours

In the morning, take a car ride to Jianchuan County. Upon arrival, take a stroll in Jianchuan Old Town where you can visit the well-preserved wooden structure houses handed down from Ming or Qing Dynasty.

Then, drive to Shibao Hills Scenic Region. The Shibao Hills scenic region consists of Haiyunju Temple, Baoxiang Temple and Shizhong Grottoes. First, you hike to Haiyunju Temple (20 minutes) where lies the gate of the Shibao Hills. Then take the steps and head to Baoxiang Temple (40 minutes) which has a reputation of the “Suspended Temple”. Hiking for another 1.5 hours to Shizhong Grottoes where one hundred and thirty-nine statues of Buddha in 16 grottoes are scattered.

Continue to hike to Shaxi Town and visit Sideng Village which is a former vibrant hub along the Tea and Horse Caravan Trail, an important branch of the Silk Road.

Hiking hour: 3 hours

In the morning, take an overland drive to Shigu Town, where the Golden Sand River does a U-turn and flows northward. After visiting the town and looking the First Bend of Yangtze River far in the distance, drive to Qiaotou (altitude: 1,850 meters).

After lunch, the local guide will go with you to start the trek along the upper trails of Haba Mountain to Zhongnuoyu Village (altitude: 2,250 meters). The total trekking distance is around 6 kilometers.

Overnight in Naxi Family Guest House.

Hiking hour: 7 hours

In the morning, hike 1.5 hours to “28 Bends”. Then you will pass through the “28 Bends” which is a section of winding ascent. It takes more than half an hour to finish hiking it and reach the summit where you can enjoy the magnificent view of Jade Dragon Mountain to your opposite.

After 1.5 hours you will arrive at the Two Families Guest House (altitude: 2,320 meter). Go on hiking and have lunch in the Tea & Horse Guest House.

Continue from Tea & Horse Guest House to Bendiwan Village (altitude: 2,410 meters) and then to the Dashengou (altitude: 2,060 meters).

The total trekking distance is around 20 km.

Overnight in Tina’s Guest House.

Hiking hour: 2.5 hours

From Dashengou, trek 45 minutes to Walnut Grove to have a simple visit.

Then take a local vehicle to drive 40 minutes to Yongke village. From Yongke, trek 40 minutes to the pier and take a ferry boat to cross the Golden Sand River to the Old Pier (altitude: 1,650 meters) on the other side of the River. From Old Pier, hike 1.5 hours to Daju. The mini-van and driver will meet you at Daju and transport you to Lijiang (3.5 hours).

The total trekking distance is around 8 kilometers.

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a famous for a magnificent view of the glacieris. The snow-covered mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name.
The Baisha Village is one of the oldest towns in Lijiang as well as one of the earliest communities of the Naxi ethnic group. The 44 pieces of ancient murals there were carved in the early Ming Dynasty.
The Old Town of Lijiang (UNESCO) is one of the best-preserved ancient towns in China and is famous for its distinctive Naxi culture and ancient buildings.