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Tibetan Monastery
The Yunnan province has an unmatched diversity of landscapes and peoples, from the high Tibetan fringes in the northwest to the tropical rainforests on the borders of Burma and Vietnam. Water from this mountainous province feeds many of Asia's great rivers, including the Yangtze and Pearl rivers of China, and the Mekong, Red and Irrawaddy rivers, the lifeblood of Southeast Asia. Yunnan is home to 26 ethnic groups, some who share more in common with their distant relatives in the hills of Vietnam, Laos and Burma than with their coast dwelling countryman.
Our Classic itineraries cover the key attractions with carefully selected experiences to ensure you get the most out of your holiday. Classic itineraries include time for relaxation or for adding extra activities. Discuss itinerary options and extensions with our Asia Travel Experts.
Upon arrival you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel. Rest of the day will be at leisure.
Take full day excursion to the Stone Forest, an extremely rare geological phenomenon dating back to 270 million years ago. It is a collection and gray limestone pillars split by rain water and eroded to their present fanciful forms. Visit the Green Lake park which is one of the most beautiful parks in Kunming city. It is at the foot of Luofeng Mountain and on the west side of Wuhua Mountain.
Take a morning bullet train to Dali – the home to Bai minority as well as capital of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom as early as 1,300 years ago. Upon arrival you will be met and have tours including cruise on the Erhai Lake, the 1000-year-old Three Pagodas at Chongsheng Temple, and the old city of Dali.
Drive to Lijiang after breakfast with stop at Xizhou to visit the morning market and typical architecture of Bai minority. Upon arrival visit the old city of Lijiang that is reputed to be a “living museum”, the Dongba Culture Museum that is in a purpose to study, document and preserve the ancient Naxi culture of the dongbas, and the Black Dragon Pool Park – the best known and most frequently visited park in Lijiang.
Take full day excursion to the Yak Meadow, a plateau of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain where you will take a chair-lift and have a panoramic view of the snow-clayed mountains. You will enjoy the Impression of Lijiang show after lunch. Using Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as stage background, it shows the ancient Dongba culture of Lijiang, the long history of the ancient tea-horse road and the folk customs of the local Naxi people in forms of songs and dances. Then visit the Baisha Village, dating back to the Ming Dynasty.
A 210km drive of around 5 hours through forest reserves alongside the extreme upper reaches of the Yangtze River brings you to Shangri-La (named as Zhongdian or Gyalthang in Tibetan in the past), a peaceful and quiet land situated at an altitude of 3200m. Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge on the way.
The full day tours today take you first to the Songzanlin Monastery, the one founded in the 17th century and is nicknamed by local the Lesser Potala Palace. Holding about 700 monks and one living Buddha, the monastery is a must go in the region. You will also visit the Napa Lake Reserve with its vista of blossoming flowers and lush grassland dotted with sheep and cattle, a local Tibetan family and a local market.
Take a morning flight back to Kunming where upon arrival you will connect to onward flight.
All Get About Asia trips have been designed to make sure you have an unforgettable travel experience. We have developed several trip styles to cater for our diverse range of travellers. Read what your ideal Get About Asia experience might look like here.
| Standard: | from AU $3,259 |
| Superior: | from AU $3,990 |
All GetAboutAsia prices are based on twin share and depend on availability and season. All our itineraries can be customised including international flights and extra nights. For questions or further information, Enquire Now!
Hotels each night of the itinerary (excluding your departure day). All GetAboutAsia accommodation is handpicked by us. Upgrades are available for this itinerary.
Exclusions:
This trip package includes 1 internal flight (Kunming - Dalhi) which retails at about 200AUD.
Visas for China
Almost all nationalities require a visa for mainland China. You must obtain your Chinese visa in advance. Give yourself at least 3-4 weeks. It is not possible to get a visa on arrival and Chinese visas can be very difficult to obtain outside your country of residence.
Hong Kong and Macau are not considered part of mainland China for immigration purposes and most nationalities (please check) do not require a visa.
Availability of accommodation and season.
| Start: | Kunming, China |
| End: | Kunming, China |
| Dates: | 23 Jan - 01 Feb, 30 Apr - 06 May and 30 Sep - 09 Oct |
| Details: |
Suggested Itinerary Accommodation Options Important Information |
"Our highlight was the old history and scenery in Yuannan, all hotels were great and we loved the Monastery in Shangri La like Tibet!" — Mr and Mrs Willoughby, Sydney, November 2018
"A day in Shanghai-la China - a really beautiful part of the world - visiting The Songzanlin Monastery (The lesser Potala Palace), a Tibetan family, the local market and finally Napa Lake Reserve. Market Thank you GetaboutAsia and Asia teams for a wonderful trip in China, guides were fantastic. " — John and Viv Cumming, Sydney, November 2017
"Kunming was a fantastic surprise, telling an honest story of China, with natural history, development versus conservation, ancient cultures and a lifestyle different to other places we visited in China... ...Favourites were the Kunming Conference Hall and the Dynamic Yunnan cultural show with its peacock dance, which was much better than cultural shows experienced elsewhere… If you're brave I'd recommend the local hot noodle dish. " — Bennett Family, Woronora Heights, NSW, September 2013
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