20 Days Shanghai-Guilin-Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangrila-Chengdu-Xian-Beijing Small Group Tour
Yunnan is the highlights of this trip, which is the best place to appreciate the natural beauty and explore minority cultures. During this tour, we will visit the most classic sights of Yunnan: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La. Besides, the top cities of Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin and Chengdu are also included.
Highlights:
- Experience the old and modern culture of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.
- Enjoy the best highlights of Guilin and Yangshuo.
- Tour the most classic sights of Yunnan.
- Get close contact with cute pandas in Chengdu.
Brief Itinerary
- Day 1: Shanghai Arrival
- Day 2: Shanghai
- Day 3: Shanghai – Guilin
- Day 4: Guilin – Yangsuo – Guilin
- Day 5: Guilin – Kunming
- Day 6: Kunming – Dali
- Day 7: Dali
- Day 8: Dali – Lijiang
- Day 9: Lijiang
- Day 10: Lijiang – Shangri-La
- Day 11: Shangri-La
- Day 12: Shangri-La – Chengdu
- Day 13: Chengdu
- Day 14: Chengdu – Xian
- Day 15: Xian
- Day 16: Xian
- Day 17: Xian – Beijing
- Day 18: Beijing
- Day 19: Beijing
- Day 20: Beijing Departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 Shanghai Arrival
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals:
Upon arrival, met by tour guide and transferred to you hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Day 2 Shanghai
Sightseeing and Activities: Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Market, Shanghai Museum, the Jade Buddha Temple
Accommodation: Shanghai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, we will first visit Yuyuan Garden and Yuyuan Market. Yu Yuan Garden(or Yun Garden) is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie, Shanghai. It abuts the Yuyuan Market. Then we will stop at Shanghai Museum. It is the Museum of Ancient Chinese Art with more than 120,000 precious and rare works of art. In the afternoon, we will head to the Jade Buddha Temple, which is a venerable and famous Buddhist temple built in 1928.
Day 3 Shanghai – Guilin
Sightseeing and Activities: the bund, East Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Accommodation: Guilin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today visit the bund, which is located along the Huangpu River. It is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai. Then we will head to East Nanjing Road – the first choice for many fashion-seeking shoppers. You can find out whatever you want. Afterwards we will stop at Oriental Pearl TV Tower. The ultra-modern Oriental Pearl TV Tower combines ancient concepts with 21st Century technology, where you can get a bird-eye-view of whole Shanghai city.
In the afternoon, we will drive you to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, met by the tour guide and transferred to hotel.
Day 4 Guilin – Yangsuo – Guilin
Sightseeing and Activities: Li River, Elephant Trunk Hill
Accommodation: Guilin
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Take a Li River cruise to Yangsuo. On the twisty Li River from Zhujiang to Yangshuo, it covers hundreds and thousands of grotesque peaks. You will have lunch on board. Then disembark at Yangsuo and explore Yangsuo’s countryside to appreciate the beautiful rural scenery and farmer’s lifestyle.
Then transferred back to Guilin and visit Elephant Trunk Hill, which is the symbol of the city of Guilin, which got its name because it looks like an elephant drinking water.
Day 5 Guilin – Kunming
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast
Take the flight to Kunming. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.
Day 6 Kunming – Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Stone Forest, Birds and Flower Market, Green Lake
Accommodation: on the train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Breakfast at hotel, our tour guide and drive will pick you up from your hotel and then drive about 85km to the Stone Forest, a notable set of limestone formations and two parts of which have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst. Besides, Stone Forest is also famous for the ethnic culture of the Sani People (a branch of the Yi ethnicminority).
After the visit, drive back to Kunming and visit Birds and Flower Market. Then continue the tour to Green Lake Park, strolling around the lake, watching locals do dancing and making music.
In the evening, transferred to Kunming Railway Station for the overnight train to Dali(Reference train No.: K9626 23:30-06:42+1, soft sleeper(four-berth compartment).
Day 7 Dali
Sightseeing and Activities: Xizhou morning market, Zhoucheng Village, Erhai Lake cruise, Three Pagodas
Accommodation: Taiheju Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Arrive at Dali Railway Station in the early morning. Meet your local tour guide & driver and transfer to Taiheju Hotel for breakfast and the luggage settlement. Then head to visit Xizhou morning market and Zhoucheng Village.
In the afternoon, take a cruise on Erhai Lake. Then visit Three Pagodas in Chongsheng Monastery.
Day 8 Dali – Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities: Dali Old Town, Black Dragon Pool, Lijiang Old Town, Baisha Old Town
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, explore Dali Old Town including the Foreigner Street, the Ancient City Wall of Dali and The Gate Tower.
Transfer 2 hours to Lijiang, visit Black Dragon Pool and Lijiang Old Town. Visit Baisha Old Town in the late afternoon.
Day 9 Lijiang
Sightseeing and Activities:Baisha Murals, Yuhu Village and Former Residence of Joseph Rock, Mufu Palace, Wangu Tower
Accommodation: Baisha Holiday Resort
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, walk to visit Baisha Murals. Then pay a visit to Yuhu Village and Former Residence of Joseph Rock.
In the afternoon, visit Mufu Palace, walk up to the top of the Lion Hill to visit Wangu Tower and enjoy the panoramic view of Lijiang Old Town from Wangu Tower.
Option: If you don’t want to choose our Lijiang city tour, you also can take our option of 1 Day Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Group Tour (Price: USD 150/Person extra).
Day 10 Lijiang – Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities: the First Bend of Yangtze River, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Dukezong Ancient Town, Guishan Hill
Accommodation: Sheng Qu Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, drive to Shangri-La city. On the way, have a view of the First Bend of Yangtze River from afar and continue to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge which is the deepest gorge in the world.
In the afternoon, drive about 2 hours to Shangri-La and check in hotel. Later, stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town and walk up to the top of Guishan Hill to see the Grand Prayer Wheel and have a panoramic view of Shangri-La city and Dukezong Ancient Town.
Transfer to the hotel.
Day 11 Shangri-La
Sightseeing and Activities: Songzanlin Monastery, Napahai Lake, local family visit
Accommodation:Shangri-La
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit Songzanlin Monastery in the morning. Transfer to visit Napahai Lake. Pay a visit a local Tibetan family and have a simple Tibetan lunch for free.
Drive back to Shangri-La city.
Day 12 Shangri-La – Chengdu
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Chengdu
Meals: Breakfast
Explore this city at leisure until being transferred to the airport for the flight to Chengdu. Upon arrival, local tour guide will pick you up and transfer to your hotel.
Day 13 Chengdu
Sightseeing and Activities: Chengdu panda base, Jinsha Site Museum, the Broad and Narrow Alleys
Accommodation: Chengdu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Visit giant pandas at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. After that, continue to visit Jinsha Site Museum. Jinsha Cultural Relics in Jinsha Site Museum is a complete demonstration of ancient Sichuan culture. Then explore the Wide and Narrow Alleys of Chengdu.
Day 14 Chengdu – Xian
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, explore this city at leisure. Then transferred to the airport for the flight to Xian and the local tour guide will pick you up from Xian airport.
Day 15 Xian
Sightseeing and Activities: Terracotta Warriors, local family visit, Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today visit the world famous Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. After that, visit a local family and have a home-made lunch.
After that, visit the the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. At night, enjoy the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show(paid by yourself).
Day 16 Xian
Sightseeing and Activities: the City Wall, Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, Great Mosque, Muslim street
Accommodation: Xian
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today visit the City Wall. And then visit Shaanxi Provincial History Museum, one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China and one of the largest with the large storage of cultural relics from the Shang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.
Have a la carte lunch at a decent local restaurant and then continue to visit the Great Mosque. Later taste some local snacks on the Muslim Street.
Day 17 Xian – Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast
Take the flight to Beijing. A local tour guide will pick you up at airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.
Day 18 Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Breakfast at hotel, start today’s tour with Tiananmen Square. Go north through the square and you will reach the Forbidden City. As the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden structure in the world, it has more than 8,000 pavilions and thousands of historic treasures.
In the afternoon, head to visit the royal altar of the Ming and Qing dynasties – the Temple of Heaven. Then have a fantastic Chinese Kung Fu Show at the Red Theatre in the evening(optional).
Day 19 Beijing
Sightseeing and Activities: Great Wall, Summer Palace
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Get up early to visit Badaling Great Wall. Great Wall is one of the greatest architecture projects in human history. Then visit the Summer Palace , which used to be the summer resort for royal families and emperors.
Day 20 Beijing Departure
Sightseeing and Activities:
Accommodation:
Meals: Breakfast
Today your wonderful tour will complete. Be escorted to the airport for your flight and service ends.
Service Included:
- Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
- Meals as listed in the itinerary;
- Accommodations: hotels based on twin occupancy as specified(Except day tours);
- Sharing English-speaking tour guide;
- Sharing 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.
