15 Days Yunnan+Xinjiang Muslim Tour

Day 3 Turpan – Urumqi

Sightseeing and Activities: the Karez Well, the Sugong Minaret,
Accommodation: Urumqi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Morning depart from the hotel, we will head to the Karez Well, which is special kind of irrigation system, here you can not only visit this ancient irrigation system, but also get rid of the heat of summer. Then explore the Sugong Minaret, the largest Islamic minaret in China built in 1778. In the afternoon, we will drive all back to Urumqi to take a rest.

Transport: Car
Accommodation: Overnight in Urumqi

Day 4 Urumqi – Fuhai

Sightseeing and Activities: Heavenly Lake, Ulungur Lake,
Accommodation: Fuhai
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we will drive to the picturesque Heavenly Lake, which is surrounded by the snow mountains, blooming wildflowers, evergreen pine trees. Walking along the lake in the fresh air or you can explore further to the Maya Mountain by the cable car to enjoy the magnificent view of the Mountains.

Continue our trip to Fuhai, after about 5hrs driving, we will arrive at Ulungur Lake, and catch the stunning sunset of it if it’s a sunny day. Take a walk barefoot on the soft beach, you can see ducks hide & seek in reeds and seagulls glide freely above the sky.

After the visiting, we will drive to Fuhai County for overnight stay. Have a good rest.

Transport: Car
Accommodation: Overnight in Fuhai

Day 5 Fuhai – Hemu

Sightseeing and Activities:the most beautiful Tuwa village Hemu,
Accommodation: Hemu
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, enjoy your breakfast at the hotel. Then we will travel to the most beautiful Tuwa village Hemu, tranquil village, herds of cattle and sheep, warm and hospitable locals, What a beautiful and mysterious place! if you want to explore the life of Tuwa people, they will very welcome you to visit their family.

*Note: When arrive in Hemu, we will change the shuttle bus to the village, please leave your luggage in the coach. Prepare a washing bag and just take your necessities.

Transport: Car
Accommodation: Overnight in Hemu

Day 6 Hemu – Kanas

Sightseeing and Activities: Kanas Nature Reserve, the Fish Pavilion,
Accommodation: Kanas
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 Kanas – Urho

Sightseeing and Activities: the scenery of Five-colored Beach, Urho Ghost City
Accommodation: Urho
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 Urumqi-Kunming

Sightseeing and Activities: The Green Lake, The Flowers and Birds Market, Nancheng Mosque
Accommodation: Kunming
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9 Kunming-Stone Forest-Dali 

Sightseeing and Activities: the renowned Stone Forest,Dali Old Town
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, drive 86 km to the renowned Stone Forest, the ‘First Wonder of the World’. You’ll marvel at its natural stone masterpieces and be bewitched by the intricate formations. The Stone Forest is in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, which is about 120 kilometers from Kunming and requires a three-hour drive. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers and includes both large and small stone forests, as well as many other scenic spots.

Take the speed train from Shilin to Dali in the afternoon, meet your local guide and transfer to the hotel in Dali Ancient Town. Dali, a historical and cultural ancient town of China, is renowned for its historical interest and Bai ethnic culture.

Day 10 Dali-Weishan-Dali

Sightseeing and Activities: Donglianhua Village, Weishan Old Town, Big and Small Temples
Accommodation: Dali
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 11 Dali-Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Xizhou Old Town, Xizhou Morning Market, Zhoucheng Village, Bai Ethnic Tie-dying Cloth Workshop, Lijiang Old Town
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

In the morning, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. This little village has been called ‘a living art museum’ due to its unusual concentration of nationally protected heritage sites, mostly including architecture that spans the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) until the creation of New China in 1949, also including centuries old trees, parks, and wildlife preserves.

Strolling through the morning market and main walking street will reveal a vibrant town with a healthy mix of traditional Bai culture and modern influence from Eastern China and abroad. It is the balance of development and forward thinking that exists in Xizhou, which makes it special.

After Xizhou, visit Zhoucheng Village , which is the largest Bai ethnic village in China and the Bai Ethnic Tie-dying Cloth Workshop in which you can get some special souvenirs with the Bai ethnic style. The tie-dyeing products in Zhoucheng Village are well sought after, both at home and abroad. Do drop by and witness for yourself the process of this historical craftsmanship. Who knows, you will return home with some cheap and beautiful crafted cloths.

Transfer to Lijiang in the afternoon. You will stroll around Lijiang Old Town, a well-preserved old town of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, which is a central town of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Lijiang, Yunnan Province. Located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters above the sea level and embraced by the tree-covered Lion Mountain in the west, Elephant and Golden Row Mountains in the north, vast fertile fields in the southeast and crystal clear water running through, the old town looks like a big jade ink slab, therefore got the alias, the Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen).

Day 12 Lijiang

Sightseeing and Activities: Ganhaizi, Spruce Meadow, Baishui River, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Impression Lijiang Show, Baisha Old Town, Baisha Murals
Accommodation: Lijiang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy the sunrise of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang Ancient Town in the morning, drive about 30 km to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100 meters), you will take the sightseeing bus for a short visit through the Baishuihe River in Blue Moon Valley, then take the chairlift up to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The cable-way will be arranged according to the condition of the mountain. You will hike around 1 hour in the original forest in Spruce Meadow(3200 meters).

After lunch, enjoy Impression Lijiang Show which is A Spectacular Show with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as the Backdrop, directed by the famous director Zhang Yimou. Impression Lijiang is a magnificent outdoor singing and dancing performance demonstrating the tradition and lifestyle of the local ethnic people. It is another creation of famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou. The show is innovatively staged in the morning and afternoon, at 3100 meters above sea level with Jade Snow Mountain as the breathtaking backdrop.

Stroll through Baisha Old Town, which is an enchanting traditional Naxi style old town. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is a part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.

Transfer back to hotel in the late afternoon.

Day 13 Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Shangri-la

Sightseeing and Activities: the First Bend of Yangtze River, Iron Chain Bridge, Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Accommodation: Beijing
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

From Lijiang, you’ll drive about 60KM to the First Bend of the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery, visit the Iron Chain Bridge ,the Red Army’s Long March Memorial Monument in the Shigu Old Town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks.

Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha in this area because you can find gold in the river.

Afternoon, you’ll head for Shangri-La, the former Zhongdian which is well-known as the paradise destination for every tourist.  Upon arrival in Shangri-La, you will have entered the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields and yaks scattered in the valleys. Check in your hotel.

Day 14 Shangri-la

Sightseeing and Activities:Pudacuo National Park, Sogzanlin Monastery, Tibetan family Visit, Dukezong Old Town, the largest Prayer Wheel
Accommodation: Shangri-la
Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, move to visit the tranquil Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park. Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China’s land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.

At noon, have a visit of the local Tibetan family.

And afterwards you’ll visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias – ‘the little Potala Palace ‘, so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere.  Stroll around Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India. Walk up to the top of Guishan Hill or Tortoise Hill, you will see the largest Prayer Wheel of the world and have a panoramic view of shangrila county and Dukezong Ancient Town.

Day 15 Departure from Shangri-la

Sightseeing and Activities:None
Accommodation: Home
Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, fly back to Kunming to change the flight back home.
Or we take the 6 hours speed train from Shangri La to Kunming to catch the flight back home.