Flight to China! Dinner and overnight on board.

Breakfast and meeting with your driver and English-speaking guide for departure at 08:00. Drive to the town of Shilin, on the outskirts of Kunming. The site is famous for its Stone Forest, curious karst formations covering an area of 500km². Discover the Stone Forest site. Take your time to stroll along the site’s paths, taking care to keep away from the groups of Chinese tourists who usually stay close to the park entrance.
Continue on to the timeless village of Tuanshan, where most of the buildings date back to the Qing dynasty. Check-in at the charming Jielu Inn, right in the heart of the old town. Dinner and overnight in Tuanshan.

Early breakfast, and a stroll through the heart of the village. Continue on to Jianshui, one of the most remarkable old towns in southern Yunnan, 15km from Tuanshan. Stop en route at the Double Dragon Bridge. In Jianshui, visit the Temple of Confucius, the second largest in China after Qufu, the master’s birthplace. The complex comprises a large park with a pond, several inner courtyards, superb porticoes, temples and pavilions. Stroll through the old town of Jianshui, including the Zhu family gardens and the Chaoyang Arch, home to a small bird market. This afternoon, continue your journey to the Yuanyang region. On the way you will have to pay the entrance fee to the region. Check in to the superb Twelve Manor Hotel, where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the rice paddies from your room. Terraces on the roof of the hotel have been fitted out with deckchairs for moments of contemplation and serenity. Dinner on your own.

Enjoy breakfast overlooking the rice paddies, often bathed in morning mist, for a mystical, relaxing atmosphere. You will then go to the local market (the location varies according to the lunar calendar). Here you can meet the Yi and Hani minorities still wearing their traditional costumes. This afternoon, it’s a 2 to 3-hour walk through beautiful landscapes of rice terraces. You’ll pass through some picturesque little villages. Arrive at the hotel, and take a short transfer to the viewpoint over the spectacular rice terraces at Bada for sunset.
Dinner and overnight at Twelve Manor.

This morning, an early start and, if possible, the chance to visit a new market (the location varies according to the lunar calendar). This will be another opportunity to meet farmers from the surrounding area. Don’t be surprised if the locals, sitting around with friends, spontaneously invite you to share a glass of rice alcohol! You will then take the road to Mile station for your express train to Dali. Arrive in Dali, meet your driver and transfer to the old town for some free time. Dine in one of the many restaurants serving barbecue, a real local speciality! Then on to the Bai village of Xizhou. Check-in at the superb and comfortable Linden Commons 4* boutique hotel, built in a beautiful traditional Bai residence. Overnight in Xizhou.

Breakfast and departure at 8:30 am, towards the Shaxi valley. On the way, stop at the large Bai minority village of Zhoucheng, particularly known for its artisans making batik fabric. Installation at your charming inn, in the heart of the old town of Shaxi. Discovery of the village. Stroll through the picturesque alleys of the old town, formerly a large trading center on the tea and horse caravan route. Many cafes will be the opportunity to sit around the large square for a little rest and savor the atmosphere of the place at the end of the day. Free meals. Night at the Aoding Courtyard 3 *.

After breakfast, morning stroll through the majestic site of Shibaoshan, located very close to Shaxi. It is a beautiful set of Buddhist sculptures engraved in the rock and very Zen temples. You will go back down the mountain on foot, it will take you 1h30 with sumptuous views clear in the middle of the pines and under a pure invigorating air.
Free afternoon in Shaxi for a little time at your own pace. Free meals.
Night at the Aoding Courtyard 3 *.

Breakfast, and take the road to the Tibetan region of Shangri La. Upon arrival, check in at the Arro Khampa Boutique Hotel 4*, located in the heart of the old town. This afternoon, take the time to stroll through the alleys, to the small Da Gui Shang temple facing a giant Tibetan prayer wheel dominating the city: Superb, and even more so at sunset when the place lights up! Free dinner. Night in Shangri La.

Day of sightseeing in Shangri La and the surrounding area, starting with the impressive Tibetan monastery of Songzanlin. If time permits, do not hesitate to walk around the lake, for breathtaking views of this majestic building. Stroll to the local market with its stalls of local products such as yak cheese and its many species of freshly picked mushrooms, then walk through the old town, notably to the Bai Ji Si temple offering beautiful views of the surroundings of Shangri La and the Shika mountains. In the afternoon, discover the Tibetan countryside. You will have the opportunity to visit a Tibetan family, discover their habitat, taste Yak butter tea, “Tsampa” and of course let’s not forget yak butter cheese, all local specialties and the basis of daily food. Venture to the pretty temple of Ringha, in the heart of a beautiful green valley. This temple is considered one of the 5 most important Tibetan monasteries in Yunnan. The place is peaceful and not very crowded, an ideal moment of meditation.
Return to Shangri La. Free dinner. Attend or even participate in the evening in the spontaneous dances of the locals on the main square. Not to be missed! Night at the Arro Khampa Boutique Hotel.

Early rise. Have breakfast with a breathtaking view of the high peaks. Then for the bravest, hike for 2 to 3 hours below the gorges, to reach the banks of the river. It will then be time to get back on the road along the gorges, before heading to Lijiang. Discover the old town on foot, and venture to the very pretty park of the Black Dragon Pond with the mountains in the background reflected in the clear waters. Transfer and installation at the charming 4 * Bivou hotel located in the peaceful old town of Shuhe, away from the sometimes too popular paths of old Lijiang without being far from it (6km). Free dinner and night in Shuhe.

Leisurely breakfast at your hotel, why not on the terrace, and today we set off to explore the surrounding Naxi villages, including Baisha and Yuhu from where you will have a superb view of the snow-capped peaks of the Jade Dragon massif which peak at 5600 meters. Yuhu is also the village that the explorer Joseph Rock chose to settle; you can visit his house there.
Return to Shuhe and end of the day at leisure. End of the services of your guide and your driver. Remember to keep some time to stroll in the heart of the old town on foot. Do not hesitate to move away from the center and venture towards its hillside alleys lined with vegetable gardens and towards its shaded park (behind The Bivou hotel) where rivers and ponds with particularly clear waters mingle.
Free dinner and night in Shuhe, at The Bivou hotel.