14 Days West Yunnan Birding Tour with Gaoli Gongshan Mountain
Yunnan Province holds some of the most exciting habitats and alluring species in the whole of Asia, about half of China’s birds and mammals. This 14 days West Yunnan Birding Tour covers some of the best birding areas in the province, such as Zixi Mountain, Baoshan, Baihualing, etc.
Highlights:
- Enjoy a winter birding tour in Yunnan province.
- Cover some of the best birding areas especially the Gaoli Gongshan Mountains.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Kunming Arrival
- Day 2: Kunming – Zixishan
- Day 3: Zixi Mountain
- Day 4: Zixi Mountain – Dali
- Day 5: Dali
- Day 6: Dali – Baoshan – Bawan
- Day 7: Bawan-Baihualing
- Day 8: Baihualing
- Day 9: Baihualing
- Day 10: Baihualing – Yunlong
- Day 11: Yulong – Lijiang
- Day 12: Lijiang
- Day 13: Lijiang
- Day 14: Lijiang Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Kunming Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals:
Airport-hotel transfer.
Day 2 Kunming – Zixishan
Sightseeing and Activities: Haigeng Park, Dianchi Lake and The Green Lake
Accommodation: Zixishan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Do morning birding at Haigeng Park, Dianchi Lake and The Green Lake. Drive to Zixishan Mountain Nature Reserve (200km) in the afternoon.
Day 3 Zixishan Mountain
Sightseeing and Activities: Zixishan Mountain
Accommodation: Zixishan Mountain
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
A whole day birding in Zixishan Reserve, a good place for Giant Nuthatch, Yunnan Nuthatch, Tree creeper, Ms Hume’s pheasants!
Day 4 Zixi Mountain – Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Zixishan Mountain
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After morning birding in Zixishan, drive to Dali in the afternoon.
Day 5 Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Mt. Cangshan
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, birdwatching in Mt. Cangshan. Have a good opportunity to see Lady Amhersts, fire-tailed sunbirds and blood pheasant at 3100m elevation. Do bird watching in the farmland in the afternoon.
Day 6 Dali – Baoshan – Bawan
Sightseeing and Activities: Mt. Cangshan, Baoshan
Accommodation: Bawan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After morning birding in Cangshan, drive to Bawan in Baoshan city (280km). Baoshan is the main stepping off point for birders visiting Gaoligongshan. Evening bird watching for tropic birds along the Nujiang River in the valley and farmland.
Day 7 Bawan – Baihualing
Sightseeing and Activities: Baihualing
Accommodation: Baihualing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After morning birdwatching, drive to Baihualing in Gaoligongshan. Do birding along the road. 3-night in Baihualing Hostel.
Baihualing is the most easily accessible part of Gaolingong Mountains. Birds at Baihualing include Sclater’s Monal (high elevations only), Silver and Mrs. Hume’s Pheasants, Stripe-breasted Woodpecker, Ward’s Trogon (rare), Brown Wood Owl, Hodgson’s Frogmouth, White-bellied Green Pigeon, Long-tailed Broadbill, White-winged Magpie (rare), three species of shortwing including Gould’s, Chestnut-vented Nuthatch, Spotted, Grey-sided, Blue-winged, Scaly and Red-tailed Laughingthrushes, Coral and Slender-billed Scimitar Babblers, Grey-bellied Wren Babbler, Black-headed Shrike Babbler, Yellow-throated Fulvetta and Beautiful Sibia. Arguably Baihualing’s greatest avian attraction however is Cachar Wedge-billed Wren, a species that’s not uncommon here. Dark-rumped Swift has even been reported here.
Day 8 Baihualing
Sightseeing and Activities: Baihualing
Accommodation: Baihualing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
The whole day birding in Baihualing.
Day 9 Baihualing
Sightseeing and Activities: Baihualing
Accommodation: Baihualing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
The whole day birding in Baihualing.
Day 10 Baihualing – Shangjian – Caojian – Yunlong
Sightseeing and Activities: birding
Accommodation: Yunlong
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After morning birding in Baihualing, drive back to Bawan and birding on the way.
Day 11 Yulong – Jianchuan – Shibaoshan – Shaxi – Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Shaxi Ancient Town, Baisha Ancient Town
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer to Jianchuan County. Visit Shibaoshan Mountain and birding in Shibaoshan Mountain. Explore Shaxi Ancient Town including Yujin Bridge, Xinjiao Temple, Sideng Street and Ancient Stage. Move further to Lijiang and visit Baisha Ancient Town.
Day 12 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Lijiang Ancient Town, Lion Hill, Black Dragon Pool, Xiangshan Mountain
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit Lijiang Ancient Town and enjoy the birding tour in Lion Hill, Black Dragon Pool and Xiangshan Mountain.
Day 13 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Lashihai Lake
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Transfer to Lashihai Lake and visit the birds around the lake. Lashihai Lake turns into a paradise for migratory birds during winter times. Around 140,000 migratory birds spent their winter beside Lashihai Lake. A repertoire of 165 species of birds can be observed in Lashihai.
Day 14 Lijiang Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
Departure from Lijiang.
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
- Private English-speaking tour guide;
- Private vehicle for transfers & sightseeing with skilled driver;
- Service charge & government taxes;
- Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
- Domestic train tickets of soft sleeper.
Service Excluded:
- Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
- Chinese visa fees;
- Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
- Single room supplement;
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff;
- Personal travel accident insurance;
- All optional programs.
