A Trip with Memorable Family Moments
9-Day Yunnan Family Tour
What are your expectations for a family trip? Relaxation, learning, adventure, experiencing, or simply having fun? There is a destination in China that offers all the above… Journey to Yunnan!
In this 9-day Yunnan family tour including Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La, you can have fun when biking in the idyllic countryside, learn about distinctive minority culture when interacting with local people, walk into an authentic ethnic village and experience its beauties and warm hospitality, go on an adventure to discover a best-kept secret of the snow-capped mountain, and relax and enjoy your stay on a Tibetan plateau pasture.
Tour 'Wow' Points
Have an interesting maze adventure game with your children.
Walk through the labyrinthine Naigu Stone Forest, and engage your imagination with your guide's black stone stories.
Explore an ancient town, find the tallest building, and see if you can find the big wooden waterwheel.
Have a leisurely outdoor family time in the sunshine and fresh air.
Bike along Erhai Lake accompanied by its refreshing breezes. Enjoy the flowery meadows and rice fields, and see the clouds floating above the majestic Cangshan mountains.
Take a cable car up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. You may be lucky enough to meet a cute animal like a squirrel before you enter the high snow-capped world.
Leave the car and take in the magnificent scenery by foot.
Have a short hike on Haba Snow Mountain's hidden route. Run around or lie down on the alpine meadow and enjoy breathtaking views that take in both Haba Snow Mountain and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at the same time!
For a longer hiking challenge you could descend into the deep and marvelous Tiger Leaping Gorge (our private transport is ready to help get you there). You will be awed be the roaring water resounding through the gorge.
Have a happy family time by making delicious local cakes together.
Learn to make Yunnan's famous flower cake at a flower farm.
Learn to make Naxi pancake in a local restaurant.
China Highlights' Special Discovery Experiences
Discover the secrets of Bai minority tie-dye and learn to make your own ethnic handkerchief at a family workshop.
Taste home-cooked cuisine in a Bai lady's home, and experience the amazing beverage that Bai people treat important guests to.
Visit a Naxi shaman and start to understand their unique minority culture. Learn some Naxi characters and enjoy a piece of old Naxi music.
Stay in a Tibetan tent on a highland pasture and experience the Tibetan lifestyle. Work with the locals to experience ploughing or seeding in spring, harvesting highland barley in summer, picking matsutake mushrooms in autumn, or collecting firewood in winter.
Discover Tibetan Buddhism. Tie your prayer flag to a pagoda and pray toward Songzanlin Monastery. Learn stories about the beautiful Thangka (huge religious paintings) and try to paint one by following a master.
Why Choose Us
Your Wellbeing is Our Priority.
- 1-to-1 travel expert
- Vaccinated guides
- Private Rides
Your Trip is Perfectly Planned.
- Less crowded
- Exclusive Exciting Experiences
Your Booking is Risk-Free.
- No cancellation fee (up to 22 days before departure)
- 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
|
Cultural and scenic beauty second to none!
I would highly recommend this tour to Lugu Lake to everyone and anyone! The tour guide Jack taught me more in two days about minority cultures, Chinese history, and the amazing natural history and geography of Yunnan and the Lijiang area. As well, the drive to Lugu Lake requires an expert - and Mr Wang is an expert! (From someone who has crossed the Rockies at least 20 times) As a single woman travel who still doesn’t have great Chinese it was a flawless experience - from the communications, accommodation and breathtaking scenery and cultural experiences. Please book and go! moreFeb 2023, Connie VH
|
We have been travelling around Yunnan…
We have been travelling around Yunnan Province for 8 days and it’s been amazing. The culture, the food, the people’s kindness, all these things made our trip unforgettable. Especially our guide Nancy! The most helpful and friendly guide we could have. We really appreciate her knowledge about the local history and the culture. She’s really amazing and we strongly recommend her services. moreMar 2022, Danielle Toledo
|
Awesome Yunnan trip with Nancy
We had a 6-day tour with guide Nancy around Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La in Yunnan. She’s very professional and experienced guide that made our tour far exceed expectations. It was a pleasure to have her as our tour guide. We strongly recommend her. Thank you! moreMar 2022, Rodrigo
|
One of the best things I’ve done in China
One of the best things I’ve done in China. Being that I am pretty well traveled in China this Experience was so different from the others. Each city provided a different aspect of the culture, local traditions and beauty that China has to offer. Our Tour guide Nancy was amazing as she made our itinerary very well constructed and organized. She was there to make sure we were comfortable and happy. Her hyper energy and cheerfulness made us feel enthusiastic for the day. We are very satisfied with this trip and Nancy’s services that we will be sure to book again. moreFeb 2022, RoshR
|
One of the best things I’ve done in China
One of the best things I’ve done in China. Being that I am pretty well traveled in China this Experience was so different from the others. Each city provided a different aspect of the culture, local traditions and beauty that China has to offer. Our Tour guide Nancy was amazing as she made our itinerary very well constructed and organized. She was there to make sure we were comfortable and happy. Her hyper energy and cheerfulness made us feel enthusiastic for the day. We are very satisfied with this trip and Nancy’s services that we will be sure to book again. moreFeb 2022, RoshR
|
Lijiang Trip July 2021
Kudos to Alisa Liu from the agency who I must say was on hand almost 24/7 for requests and queries. Even though our trip was marred with the onset of the Typhoon In Fa with various flight and train cancellations but Alisa was quick to arrange for alternative solutions under the circumstances and made the most effort to make our journey as comfortable as possible whilst we made our way back to Shanghai. As for the itinerary, Alisa understands her clientele’s different needs very well and for the most part my expectations were met. I love private tours with a very relaxed itinerary and comfortable accommodation and some of us prefer more exclusive accommodation vs a packed itinerary trying to go to a hundred location type of tour. moreAug 2021, Ida Suriani
|
Summer holiday in Yunnan
After spending 5 nights in Dali visiting sights in our own time, Alice who was very friendly and helpful, accompanied us on our drive from Dali to Lijiang. She shared interesting facts about the local area and the things we had done. In Lijiang, we met our guide Peter. Peter did an amazing job taking care of us and showing us the beautiful sights for our 3 days. He was so kind, providing us with snacks each morning and always ensuring the food met my dietary requirements. He even picked up our last minute NAT results that we did before our departure late at night! His passion and dedication to his job was very impressive, and we would highly recommend him to our friends. moreAug 2021, O6866ZGlaurag
|
Amazing experience in Yunnan
Please bear in mind that booking tickets and actually getting to the sightseeing point is very challenging, especially during peak season. But with the help of our guides everything went smooth and silky. Thank you, China Highlights, for making our first trip to Yunnan an unforgettable and carefree adventure. It was a true relaxation without any headache or stress. We had nothing to worry about, except enjoying breathtaking beauty of Yunnan. moreJul 2021, olya84
|
Tour Map
Itinerary Quick Look
Here is a suggested itinerary. We are happy to customize a tour according to your interests.
Meet your private local guide in the arrival hall and transfer to your hotel. Your guide will help you check in and make sure everything at the hotel is satisfactory.
Skip the touristy spots loved by Chinese people. Visit a less crowded area — the Naigu Stone Forest. You will feel that you are walking in a national geological park, but not a tourist attraction. Play at science fiction or “name the rock” with your children in this amazing landscape.
Take a bullet train to Dali in the late afternoon.
Have a bike ride along Erhai Lake in the morning. Feel the wind, enjoy the flowery meadows and rice fields, and see the clouds floating above the majestic Cangshan mountians.
Stop at a small square and take pictures of the landmark of Dali — The Three Pagodas.
Have a baking class in a flower farm. Learn to make the famous Yunnan snack — flower cakes. Enjoy the cake you have made with a cup of flower tea and play on a swing in the garden, while facing the great Cangshan (‘Deep Green Mountains').
Visit Zhoucheng Village, located at the foot of Cangshan, in the morning to catch the daily life of Bai people at the market. Discover the beauties created by Bai people in their architecture, traditional dress, and a family tie-dyeing workshop. Dye a handkerchief for yourself in the traditional way.
Be entertained by a local Bai family. Taste the hostess's cooking in her beautiful courtyard and feel her warm hospitality through the home-cooked cuisine.
Head to Lijiang in the afternoon in your private car. Explore the charming kingdom of the Naxi people in Lijiang Ancient Town.
Pilgrimage to holy Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the morning. The mountain massif is believed to guard and bless the Naxi, and so they in turn protect it.
Take a cable car to Spruce Meadow at an altitude of 3,240 meters (10,630 feet). Besides appreciating the awesome natural landscape and views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, you will unlock its romantic legends with the help of your guide.
Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant run by a Naxi family. You will also have the chance to learn to make Naxi pancakes (Naxi baba) as a dish of your lunch.
Understand more about the mysterious Naxi culture by visiting a shaman's house in the village. Learn some Naxi characters and enjoy a piece of old Naxi music. You will be impressed by the local people's passion for their culture and homeland.
You will drive from Lijiang to Shangri-La in the morning. On the way, you will stop at the magnificent Tiger Leaping Gorge. Listen to the roar of the Jinsha River (upper Yangtze River).
After lunch, discover a best-kept secret of Haba Snow Mountain. Have an easy 2-hour hike on an alpine meadow as you enjoy exclusive views of Haba Snow Mountain and share this meadow with no-one but the yaks.
Continue to Shangri-La by a brand-new highway. Be impressed by the amazing scenery along the way and yet another super project of China. Check in to your hotel on the Tibetan plateau pasture.
Visit the largest Tibetan Buddhist Lamasery in Yunnan Province — Songzanlin Lamasery. Be impressed by the splendid architecture as you ascend to the entrance. Then be embraced by the holy atmosphere of Tibetan Buddhism as you enter the hall with huge Buddhas and colorful murals. Feel the piety of Tibetan people who are praying and listen to the chants of the lamas.
Experience a Tibetan ceremony of blessing behind the Songzanlin Monastery, which is not seen by ordinary tourists. Tie your own prayer flag to the pagoda and pray toward the sacred Songzanlin.
Explore Shangri-La Old Town in the afternoon. Learn to paint a thangka (‘sacred tapestry') and bring the self-made souvenir and the good luck back home.
Note: If you would rather not take part in religious activities, you could always just watch, and there are many other Tibetan cultural experiences that you and your family could enjoy in Shangri-La.
Enjoy a beautiful sunrise while having breakfast.
Stop at a small square and take pictures of the landmark of Dali — The Three Pagodas.
Visit a local Tibetan family in a nearby village. Take part in their work on the day to experience ploughing or seeding, harvesting highland barley, picking matsutake mushrooms, or collecting firewood. The farmwork experience will be according to the season. It will not be arranged in advance. We will just follow the real working schedule of the local family on the day, because we don't want to disturb their daily life, and we would love for you to see and experience their authentic lifestyle.
In your free time in the afternoon, you could try on traditional Tibetan dress and have a family picture in the Tibetan manor. Or Walk to the quiet Dabao Lamasery near the hotel
Enjoy a starry night with a bonfire on the grassland.
Private transfer to Deqen Shangri-La Airport
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-3a
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
