Kunming – Dali – Lijiang – Shangri-La: 8-Day, 7-Night Private Tour of the Hidden Gems of Western Yunnan
Private 8-day Yunnan loop: Kunming, Dali's Erhai lake villages, Lijiang's old towns, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La.
Per person for a 6-guest group, twin share, 7 nights in 4-diamond hotels, private vehicle with driver-guide, all first-gate tickets and two second-class train tickets included.
Is this trip right for you?
- Families with children who want lakes, old towns and a cable car without long hikes
- Travellers who prefer a private car, no shopping stops and a relaxed daily pace
- First-time visitors to Yunnan who want to cover Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La in about a week.
- Guests with heart or blood-pressure conditions, or travelling with very young babies, who are worried about sleeping at 3,280 m
- Anyone looking for long treks or mountaineering; the walking here is old-town lanes and boardwalks
- Travellers on a very tight budget who prefer large group tours
- Erhai Lake circuit: Shuanglang, Wenbi Village's rainbow road, the S-bend and Xizhou's Bai courtyards
- Jade Dragon Snow Mountain by cable car to Spruce Meadow at 3,240 m, then Blue Moon Valley's turquoise terraces
- Tiger Leaping Gorge, Pudacuo National Park and Songzanlin Monastery on the way to Shangri-La
Day by day, with real numbers
Switch to the gentle version to see what changes for grandparents and kids.
Shaded band = above 3,000 m. Sleeping altitude goes up step by step (1,890 → 1,980 → 2,400 → 3,280 → 1,890 → 0 m). If anyone has heart or lung conditions, please check with a doctor before booking.
Pick-up at Kunming Changshui Airport and transfer to the hotel; evening free to walk Kunming Old Street, Nanping Street and Nanqiang Street and try local snacks.
Start根据实际航班抵达时间安排Steps~3.5kHighest1,890Sleep1,890- Stairs:
- Few; hotel and streets are level
- Travel:
- Changshui Airport to hotel about 40 min (25 km)
- Rest:
- Check in and rest at the hotel before going out
- Meals:
- None included, own arrangement · Crossing-the-bridge rice noodles, steam-pot chicken, grilled erkuai rice cake
- Kids:
- Kunming is mild all year; a short first evening helps children settle
Kunming sits at 1,890 m, so drink water and keep the first evening light
Steps and drive times are estimates for planning. Altitudes are from public data. Your guide adjusts on the day.
Meals & local food
Breakfast is included at every hotel. Lunches and dinners are booked by your guide and paid at the table.
- Vegetarian, allergies or no spicy food: tell your travel designer before booking
- Your driver-guide explains your needs to each restaurant in Chinese
- Mild dishes for kids and grandparents on request
Hotels & transport
Seven nights in 4-diamond hotels with good reviews: Kunming (2 nights), Dali lake-view room (2), Lijiang (2), Shangri-La (1). We pick the hotels in each city for the group and share the names before the trip.
| Group | Vehicle | Luggage |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 guests | 5-seat sedan or SUV | 2-3 medium suitcases |
| 3-4 guests | 7-seat MPV | 3-4 medium suitcases |
| 5-6 guests | 9-seat van, vehicle chosen for the group | One medium suitcase per guest plus day bags |
What will your group pay?
Estimate your whole group, then ask for a written quote. An estimate is not a booking.
- 4 × adult @ S$827
- S$3,306
- 2 × child @ S$785
- S$1,570
Estimate only. Your travel designer sends a written quote with currency locked, valid for 7 days.
- 7 nights in 4-diamond hotels: Kunming 2, Dali lake-view room 2, Lijiang 2, Shangri-La 1
- Private vehicle with driver-guide for the whole trip (5-, 7- or 9-seat by group size), including airport and train station transfers
- Second-class high-speed train tickets: Kunming to Dali and Shangri-La to Kunming
- First-gate tickets: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (entrance, shuttle, Spruce Meadow cable car, Blue Moon Valley cart), Tiger Leaping Gorge (ticket and return escalator), Songzanlin Monastery (ticket and shuttle), Pudacuo National Park (ticket and shuttle bus)
- Travel accident insurance and agency liability insurance
- 7 hotel breakfasts
- Flights to and from Kunming
- Lunches and dinners; the driver can recommend restaurants to your taste
- Pudacuo Shudu Lake boat ride, 65 CNY per person
- Optional extras such as costume photo shoots and horse riding
- Single room supplement for guests travelling alone
- Hotel rates during public holidays and peak dates (Labour Day, National Day, Spring Festival)
- Single room supplement if the group size or room sharing changes
- Train ticket prices and seat availability; seats open for booking about 15 days before departure
- Child price depends on age and whether the child shares a bed
Paying & cancelling
| If you cancel | We keep |
|---|---|
| 7 or more days before departure | 10% of the total tour price The rest is refunded |
| 6–4 days before departure | 20% of the total tour price The rest is refunded |
| 3–1 days before departure | 40% of the total tour price The rest is refunded |
| On the day the trip starts | 60% of the total tour price The rest is refunded |
| After the trip has started | 60%, plus a share of the other 40% for each day travelled See the day-by-day table below |
The day you leave counts as a day travelled. The rest is refunded.
Who is in charge of this trip
Names and phone numbers go into your confirmation pack 7 days before you fly.
Send this trip to your group chat so everyone can take a look.