Yunnan in 15 days
2025
Highlights of the trip
During your stay you can enjoy the following highlights: Culture / Heritage, Faune and flora, Discovery, Adventure / Sports & Leisure.
Best times to go
The best time(s) to go is/are : Printemps, Eté, Automne, Hiver.
The map of your stay "Yunnan in 15 days"
Detail of the stay : Yunnan in 15 days
How to get there - Kunming
Arrival in Kunming
Steps: Kunming
Capital of Yunnan and "city of eternal spring", Kunming offers a gentle way to acclimatize. Stroll through the old quarter of Guandu, discover the flower and bird market, the Yuantong temple and end the day at Emerald Lake Park.
Places of interest : TEMPLE YUANTONG PARC DU LAC ÉMERAUDE
Excursion to the stone forest (Shilin)
Just 20 minutes away by high-speed train, discover these impressive karst formations, veritable spires of limestone sculpted by wind and water. A Unesco-listed site. Return to Kunming for a final evening in the city.
Drive to the rice fields of Yuanyang
Early morning departure from Kunming to reach, by train then minibus, the most beautiful rice terraces in Yunnan, carved into the mountainside by the Hani people. Arrival late afternoon. Check-in at a guesthouse in the heart of the countryside.
Hiking in the rice fields
Get up early to watch the sunrise over the Duoyishu rice fields. Hike through the Hani hamlets, discovering the ingenuity of the traditional hydraulic system. Late afternoon, return to Kunming for the night.
Train to Dali
Dali and the Bai villages
Excursion by bicycle or scooter around Lake Erhai, near Dali's old town. Stops in Xizhou for its market and Bai houses, then in Zhoucheng to witness the handcrafting of indigo-dyed fabrics. Return to Dali in the late afternoon.
Road to Lijiang
Steps: Lijiang
Arrive in the charming old town of Lijiang, after a 1h30 train ride through the mountains from Dali. Check-in at a Naxi guesthouse. First discovery of the Unesco-listed old town, with its canals, labyrinthine cobbled streets, courtyards and flower-filled balconies.
Surrounding villages
Jade Dragon Mountain Park
Departing from Lijiang, Jade Dragon Mountain and its surroundings are the region's picture postcard. In one day, visit the Blue Moon Valley with its turquoise waters, climb to the glacier at 4,500 meters by cable car for a panoramic view of the snow-capped peaks and finish with the open-air performance of the Impression Lijiang show directed by Zhang Yimou, at the park entrance.
Hiking in the Tiger Leap Gorge
From Lijiang, the Tiger Leap Gorge can be reached by bus in 2 hours. A two-day hike in the upper reaches of the gorge is recommended for experienced hikers. It's one of China's most famous hikes. The gorge, wedged between two mountain ranges, offers breathtaking views of the Yangtze River. Overnight in a mountain inn, in a grandiose setting.
Road to Shangri-La
End of the hike in the morning (be careful, it's splendid but vertiginous). In the afternoon, gradual ascent to the Tibetan highlands. Arrival at Shangri-La (at 3,200 m altitude) at the end of the day.
Shangri-La
Visit the majestic Songzanlin Monastery, nicknamed the Little Potala. Stroll through the old town, rebuilt after the fire of 2014, take an excursion to Lake Shudu or stroll through the surrounding pastures. Sip yak butter tea and discover local handicrafts.
Hiking around Shangri-La
Excursion to Pudacuo National Park: high-altitude lakes, coniferous forests, small wooden paths. Possibility of meeting Tibetan herders in the surrounding villages. Serene atmosphere and wide open spaces guaranteed.
Return to Lijiang
Return by train to Lijiang. Free time in the old town. To round off your adventure, take the night train to Kunming, arriving in the early hours of the morning.
