Travel Notes
Travel Routes

15-Day Yunnan Route: Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La

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Route Overview

Starting from Kunming: Dali → Lijiang → Lugu Lake → Tiger Leaping Gorge → Shangri-La → Meili Snow Mountain → return to Kunming. Total ~1,800 km. Self-drive or private car is most flexible; public buses cover most segments. Best seasons: March–May (spring flowers) and September–November (autumn colors); avoid the July–August rainy season.

Day-by-Day Breakdown

D1–D3 Dali: Cycle around Erhai Lake (e-bike ¥60/day), Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple (¥75), stroll Renmin Road in Dali Old Town, try Bai-style tie-dye in Xizhou (¥80/person incl. workshop). Stay in Old Town guesthouses, ¥150–300/night.

D4–D7 Lijiang & Lugu Lake: Lijiang Old Town (free, but ¥50 maintenance fee), Shuhe Ancient Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (ticket + cable car ¥260). D6–D7 Lugu Lake (4-hour bus, ¥100) — cycle the lake, visit Mosuo Walking Marriage Bridge, sunrise by dugout canoe.

15-Day Yunnan Route: Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La

D8–D10 Tiger Leaping Gorge & Shangri-La: Trek Tiger Leaping Gorge (high trail 2 days, low trail half day) — one of China’s most spectacular gorges. Shangri-La: Dukezong Old Town, Songzanlin Monastery (¥90, “Little Potala Palace”), horseback riding at Napa Lake meadow (¥100/hour).

D11–D13 Meili Snow Mountain: Feilai Temple viewpoint for the golden sunrise on Kawagebo peak (6:30–7:00am), trek to Yubeng Village (2-day round trip, 3,900m altitude) — prayer flags and glacial lakes along the way.

Budget Estimate

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