Capture "God's Palette of Colors"
3-Day Kunming and Dongchuan Red Land Tour
Only the red land in Brazil can rival it. The rich iron deposits in the soil have been gloriously exposed for thousands of years as local people worked on this land generation after generation. This is Dongchuan Red Land — "the palette of colors placed on Earth by God".
On this 3-day Kunming and Dongchuan Red Land tour, you will visit the highlights of Kunming City and then head north for the unique landscape of colorful earth. Enjoy the most artistic sunrise and sunset shoots, and also encounter authentic rural life photo ops on China's greatest red land.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Maximize Your 2 Days to Photograph Dongchuan Red Land at 5+ Viewing Points
Your local guide will take you to the right places at the right times for the big scenic area's best shots.
Prepare your camera and take photos of beautiful views at sunrise and sunset.
Visit the Earliest Guanyin Temple with 1,200 Years of History
Discover the three main branches of Buddhism in one temple: Chinese, Tibetan, and Theravada Buddhism.
You can also burn incense and make a wish (prayer) there like a local.
Record Locals' Daily Life with Your Camera at Green Lake Park
Feel local people's happiness when they dance in traditional dress together.
China Highlights' Special Discovery Experiences
Take some photos of local life at beautiful Beihe Village, which is generally not visited by tourists.
Taste Dongchuan-grown baked potatoes with their 18 home-made sauces and pickles.
Why Choose Us
Your Wellbeing is Our Priority.
- 1-to-1 travel expert
- Vaccinated guides
- Private Rides
Your Trip is Perfectly Planned.
- No crowds
- Exclusive Exciting Experiences
Your Booking is Risk-Free.
- No cancellation fee
- Free changes
Finish Your Booking in as Quick as 1 Day
1. Tell us your dream travel idea
2. Work out your unique plan with 1 to 1 expert advice
What Our Customers Said
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Excellent Tour of Yunnan
China Highlights prepared an excellent trip for us in Yunnan. Murphy, Frank, Lily and Daniel were amazing! They were kind, knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make our trip enjoyable! We had the same driver for our time in Dali to Shangri-La and he was fantastic. He was kind, respectful and focused on the safety of his passengers! I would absolutely book another trip with these guides and driver. Thank you for a wonderful trip! moreAug 2021, Ashley Meadows
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5 stars!
What a memorable and smooth trip with China Highlights! I will most definitely be choosing China Highlights for my next adventure. My friend and I organized two private trips with them back to back, one through Qinghai/Gansu and this one through Yunnan. I give both experiences five stars. As for our Yunnan tour specifically, I believe that this trip is well-worth its value. How awesome is it to just “show up” and have everything organized for you, with friendly guides and drivers to take you where you need to go, explaining all you need to know along the way. The trip was seamless and well-organized, and accommodations were comfortable even when choosing the more economical options. We opted for the 8 day trip (the first and last day of which were arrival and departure, so 6 true days of sightseeing). This included Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-la. If you are okay with a high-paced trip, this is a great option to see the main highlights in a short time. moreAug 2021, ruth_charity
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5 stars!
Christy was our trip coordinator and behind-the-scenes mastermind. She is competent, efficient, helpful with requests, and pleasant to talk to. We were very satisfied with her service. moreAug 2021, ruth_charity
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Stunning nature and beautiful culture
We had a fantastic time traveling with China Highlights to Lijiang, Shaxi and Dali. The dry winter season was perfect without the crowds and with beautiful blue skies most of the time. The first part of the tour we enjoyed with our great guide Lee and for the second part the amazing Daisy took over. moreDec 2022, Elizabeth H
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Dali is Delightful with Nancy
A most delightful 3-day trip to Dali was had this past Golden Week thanks to #ChinaHighlights and our most amazing tour guide Nancy! Nancy was able to navigate and keep our travel group of 16 persons on task with a full itinerary including: Shaxi SiDeng Street, Xinjiao Temple, Erhai Lake cruise, a tour of Xizhou (Bai tie-dying and silk art), a cable car ride to Cangshan Mountain, Three Pagodas, and the Ancient City of Dali. Despite several pre-trip COVID-related challenges that included itinerary changes, we were AGAIN in the best of hands with CH, our driver, Mr. He, and Nancy. Dali was absolutely breathtaking and we were so fortunate to have Nancy leading us on a most memorable journey where we met the people of Dali, enjoyed the local fresh foods, along with the most perfect weather - we couldn’t imagine anyone taking a trip to Dali without Nancy! moreOct 2022, Erin
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Bai-curious in Dali
We had a fantastic time in Dali, our host Alice was very knowledgeable and flexible. She enhanced the good times with her positive and laid back attitude. We learned much about the Bai culture and took part in the torch festival celebration. We had an amazing bike ride round the lake and a memorable trip up the mountain in a cable car. China Highlights and Alice made every part of the tour straightforward and gave us great peace of mind when navigating the COVID rules. We can't wait to visit again in future with family and friends. moreJul 2022, Michael H
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Outstanding days in Dali
We have asked China Highlights to organize our Yunnan vacations. Our experience in Dali was outstanding: the program was good, and our guide Carrie Li was wonderful! She made us feel part of the culture, of the history. moreJul 2021, Bruno Duarte Alves
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A Day in Dali
We only had one day in Dali. Alice with China Highlights made Dali come alive for us. She explained the clothes, houses and history by taking us to the local market and walking us through the streets of Dali. We visited Dali houses, saw an Embroidery School, an Old Antique Market and the fishing village near the lake. She did a great job showing us Dali and yet keeping us away from crowds and tourist attractions. moreJul 2021, 244pattm
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Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Meet your private guide at the airport. Visit Yuantong Temple, and see the three main branches of Buddhism — Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Theravada Buddhism — meet together there. Walk around Green Lake Park, where you are likely to find local people in traditional dress dancing together. You are welcome to join them.
Drive from Kunming to Dongchuan. Have a lunch in a local restaurant and try the famous snacks of Dongchuan.
The key to touring Dongchuan Red Land (photography-wise) is visiting the right place at the right time. Enjoy the views and take pictures at Luoxiagou and Luosiwan in the late afternoon. Capture the sunset at Wafang Liangzi and catch the sunset glow at Yuepuao after sunset.
See a sunrise at Damakan and then take pictures at Jinxiuyuan and Qichapo. Take the chance to photograph local life in a photogenic and peaceful traditional village — Beihe Village, a place generally not visited by travelers, on the way back to Kunming. Not listed as a Dongchuan attraction, Beihe is an untouched village set against the background of a red-field hill.
We'll get you back to Kunming airport for your departure.
Hotel Selection
—the Icing on the Cake
Boutique hotels are recommended to enrich your travel experience.
Price includes:
- Private air-conditioned business car with big windows and ample space
- English speaking local guide
- Activities, hotels, and meals listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 helpline for while you are traveling
Tour code: km-5
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
