7 Day Yun Nan Adventure Itinerary
Yun Nan, home to stunning mountainous landscapes, diverse ethnic cultures, the legendary Pu’er tea and all year round spring weather! Last April, we got to experience the beauty of the Yun Nan province in China.
It was my wife’s and I first time in China and our journey through Yunnan was nothing short of magical. While we were captivated by the snow-capped mountains and ancient towns, it was the hospitality of the people that made it an unforgettable experience.
If you are still having second thoughts about booking your China trip, just go for it!
Here is my itinerary for a week (7-days) in the Yun Nan province of China.
This itinerary will take you through the high elevations of Yun Nan from the old town Li Jiang down to the city of eternal spring, Kunming.
It is designed to be focused on convenience and has a slower pace of travel!
Pre-trip Preparation
Mobile Setup
A pre-trip preparation for your trip to China is never complete without installing a whole suite of applications! This is because you will find that none of your usual apps will work in the mainland. You will need to have a whole suite of apps at the ready to enhance your experience!
These are the most important applications which I used during my trip, most of them are supported in English:
Alipay & WeChat
Your payment systems and the most important applications you need to have. Most if not all of China is run on digital payments. In fact, I don’t recall using cash at all throughout my trip. They allow you to link your international credit cards to them to pay for things.
I felt that Alipay was more intuitive and easier to use whereas WeChat is supported by more local vendors. No harm to have both installed just in case either one does not work!
Although, do take note that there are some limitations like additional 2% surcharge for payments above RMB 200 for Alipay. However, vendors are often more than happy help split your transaction into multiple batches.
AMap – 高德地图
Your navigation tool for getting around. You will need this as the commonly used maps like Google Maps will not work here.
They have an English version, however the functionality is quite limited as compared to the Chinese one.
DiDi – 滴滴出行
A ride hailing app which was essential to getting around in China especially Yun Nan. This is because, most of Yun Nan outside of Kunming are not well connected via public transport.
DiDi is available as a mini-app in AliPay and WeChat. I had the full one installed as I felt that the app was easier to use!
For this itinerary we will primarily rely on DiDi to travel across towns.
Dian Ping – 大众点评
A lifestyle and review platform which I found it useful for my trip to plan and discover food places.
Many restaurants run promotions that are only accessible with vouchers provided by the app!
Tao Bao – 淘寶
This is not really an essential. But if you do plan to do some shopping online, you can purchase your items before your trip and have them shipped to your hotel in China. Shipping to addresses within in China is mostly free and most hotels are happy to help receive and store your purchases.
One of our favourite experiences in China is definitely opening up our shopping loots from the after checking into the hotel!
Internet
To access your usual applications such as Google services, you will either need to have a VPN if you have data roaming available or purchase a e-sim.
I highly recommend getting an e-sim with unlimited data for a fix number of days as this is often cheaper. An unlimited data plan will come in handy as the hotel’s WiFi is unusable due to the firewall restrictions. The applications above do consume large amounts of data.
Attraction Tickets
Most attractions or sights in China requires you to purchase admission tickets to enter. It best to purchase tickets in advance for popular sights like Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Here are some of the popular travel providers which you can use:
- Klook (English)
- Trip (English)
- WeChat (requires China phone number)
Medication
I felt that this doesn’t get mentioned enough in other blogs! Do absolutely prepare your medication in advance especially for high altitude sickness prevention! The Yun Nan region has a moderate to high elevation – Li Jiang city sits on 2400m. You will most likely be going to Yun Nan from a lower elevation. This may caused body might react adversely to the high altitudes, causing nausea or headaches.
Personally, we took high altitude sickness prevention pills prior to our arrival in Li Jiang.
Li Jiang – 丽江
The Old Town of Li Jiang sits at 2400m elevation and with the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range in the horizon, is a UNESCO world heritage site in its own right. Historically, Li Jiang Old Town is an important hub for economic and cultural exchange between the various ethnic groups in the region (Naxi, Bai, Han & Tibetan). It is now one of China’s busiest and vibrant old towns today.
We flew into Li Jiang where we got a night’s rest before embarking on our Tiger Leaping Gorge hike the next day!
Day 1: Tiger Leaping Gorge Hike
The Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic canyon situated along the Jinsha river. Legend says that a tiger, while escaping from hunters, leapt across the gorge using the rock in the middle. That rock and the fast flowing rapids are the main tourist attractions of the gorge.
However, we were not there to visit the gorge itself. Instead, we are going on a 2-day scenic hike on the upper ridges of the gorge.
We were really excited for our 2-day hike as it was considered “off the beaten path”.
2 – Day Overview
Start: Naxi Guesthouse
Stay: Halfway Guesthouse
End: Tina’s Guesthouse
The actual trailhead of the hike starts at Qiao Tou. However, most blogs recommend skipping the section from Qiao Tou up to Naxi Guesthouse due to the construction around the area. (this was in April 2025)
From Li Jiang you can choose to take a bus that may require some strategic planning or get a DiDi.
We chose the route of ultimate convenience and decided to take a DiDi from our accommodation in Li Jiang directly to Naxi Guesthouse which cost us around 288 RMB in total.
If you wish to take the bus, you can check out the blogs I have linked below which I have used to help plan my trip here!
The car ride itself took around 2 hours, you will know that you are reaching when you made it past the swarm of tour buses at the gorge attraction.
Start of Hike
At Naxi guesthouse, you can grab some snacks or water and go for any last minute toilet breaks before beginning your hike.
From Naxi guesthouse, the hike starts off gentle however, you will soon be faced with the toughest part of the hike – the infamous 28 bends – a series of switchbacks that will take you up over 600m of elevation to highest part of the hike at 2670m. Although I didn’t really count, I felt that there were more than 28 bends!
If you feel like you are unable to make it up, there will be many friendly aunties offering to let you ride their mule to the top!
The rest of the journey from the top of the hike to Halfway Guesthouse was quite easy but importantly the views on this part of the hike was stunning!
With every step and turn on our hike, we could see entirety of the amazing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range!
On our way we stopped by Tea Horse Guesthouse for lunch and the food was really good! It was a rewarding break to fuel us up for the rest of our journey.
Halfway Guesthouse
Our destination of the day, Halfway Guesthouse, is a popular place to stay on the hike and it was truly amazing.
There was a restaurant with pretty decent food, a cafe and a deck where you could just sit back, relax with a coffee in hand all while soaking in the surrounding views. Our room even had a balcony facing the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range!
All in all, the hike was entirely worth it and I highly recommend trying this out in your Yun Nan itinerary! It is one of my favourite things to do in Yun Nan and really lives up to the off the beaten path vibes.
If you are unable to hike and wish to enjoy the mountain stay, it is also possible to drive all the way up to one of the guesthouses where you can stay and take in the sights of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range.
Resources
I used these travel blogs to help plan for my 2-day hike!
Day 2: TLG → Li Jiang Old Town
The next day we checked out from the amazing Halfway Guesthouse and hiked down to Tina Guesthouse. The hike down was short and easy, there were some really nice photo-spots with waterfalls along the way.
At Tina’s, you can choose to grab lunch or head down to the gorge. There are buses daily at fixed timings that can take you to either Li Jiang or Shangri-la.
At that time, we had to wait around 4 hours for the next bus to Li Jiang so we ended up booking a car from Tina’s back to Li Jiang to save time, this cost us RMB 400!
If we had more days, this was where we would have most definitely taken the trip up to Shangri-la.
Li Jiang Old Town
The entirety of Li Jiang Old Town is like a movie set, with cobblestoned streets, traditional houses and a scenic backdrop. It is hard to imagine such a beautiful place exist.
There are many shops selling local snacks and souvenirs, restaurants specialising in Yun Nan cuisine and cafes with good coffee!
We loved wandering along the cobblestone streets and discovering new things at every turn.
Li Jiang truly comes alive at night when the streets are light up by the lanterns and neon lights.
The heart of the old town, Sifang Street (四方街), is where all the action is at. Performers fill up every area of the square, each having their own mini-concert.
Nearby, the Bar Street (酒吧街) is lined with different bars each with their own star singer belting out signature songs to attract potential patrons.
There is no denying that Li Jiang is tourist town and can be very crowded. However, we surprisingly enjoyed it and it is still our favourite old town in China.
One thing that I realised that might have helped us enjoy Li Jiang more was to stay in the southern area of the old town where it is relatively quieter. Having a quieter and safe space we could returned to definitely made it more enjoyable!
Day 3: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Today, we spent the entire day in the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Area. One of the most scenic places in Yun Nan.
As the name suggests, it is home to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. However, the park itself has variety of activities and sights that are worth a visit!
Before you go, these are some of the things you should prepare:
- Attraction tickets – Tickets are limited, so book in advance! We got ours from WeChat where our host graciously allowed us to use his phone number to purchase. Otherwise you may get the tickets from Trip.com.
- Oxygen Canisters – you might required this at higher altitudes, purchasing them in Li Jiang is cheaper!
- Cold Wear – Glacier Park is freezing! We loaned our thick jackets from within the scenic area for easier pickup and return
There is an additional one-time park entrance fee which will be collected by the ticketing personnel on your way in while in the car. Transport in and around the park to various attractions like shuttle buses and cable cars are generally covered under the ticket.
Your day trip to the scenic area is mostly dependent on the time slot of your tickets, so do plan ahead! We suggest getting the earliest ticket possible especially for the Glacier Park.
If you wish to witness the famed 日照金山 – where the sun rise bathed the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in gold – you will need to set off before the sun rises!
This is an overview of attractions we went in order:
- Glacier Park (冰川公园)
- Impressions of Li Jiang Show
- Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷)
There are other attractions like Spruce Meadow (云杉坪) and Yak Meadow (牦牛坪) which we wished we had enough time visit!
Glacier Park (冰川公园)
The Glacier Park of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the highest possible place where visitors can visit at 4680m.
To reach here, we had to take the shuttle bus from the entrance and then cable car up. It was fascinating to witness the gradual transformation of the alpine tree line to snowy granite from the cable car.
The cable car station is at 4506m and following that is a series of stairs which can lead you up to the top!
Impressions of Li Jiang Show
The Impressions of Li Jiang Show is a 1 hour open-air show with a dramatic backdrop of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range. It was really impressive to see the hundreds of performer singing, dancing and even riding horses on stage!
If you are into shows, our host also highly recommended the Li Jiang Eternal Love (丽江千古情) as opposed to the impressions show. We unfortunately didn’t manage to catch it to limited time, do let us know if it is good!
Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷)
The Blue Moon Valley sits at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain comprising of 4 lakes filled with the meltwater of the nearby glaciers from the mountain. The deep turquoise blue of the lakes was a really beautiful sight to see!
From Blue Moon Valley, we hopped on a car-pool back which sent us back directly to our hotel in Li Jiang which was around 25 RMB per person.
Accommodation
Lijiang Ancient City Yunxi Holiday Courtyard
We were incredibly impressed by this place! Not only was it nice, the incredible hospitality from the host was unmatched! He took great care of us when we were there ensuring we were all set for our trips in China and even upgraded us to their suite rooms for free. When we accidently left some of our belongings behind, he even helped to sent it out via mail to the next city!
One of the most popular and scenic stays for the Tiger Leaping Gorge hike. They sell out very quickly so book in advance! As I would often describe this place to my friends, there are not many places in the world where you can go for a scenic multi-day hike with hot showers and comfortable beds.
Shaxi (沙溪)
Day 4: Shaxi Ancient Town
Today, we finally said goodbye to the mountainous region of Yun Nan and proceeded south bound to Shaxi.
For convenience, we took a DiDi directly to our accommodation in Shaxi. You could probably catch a bus from Li Jiang with better planning!
Shaxi ancient town used to an important stopover along the ancient tea horse road, situated right about halfway between the two more popular towns, Li Jiang and Da Li. Shaxi presumably starting gaining more in popularity in recent years as it was one of the filming locations of the Chinese drama Meet Yourself (去有风的地方).
In terms of vibes, Shaxi is the complete opposite of Li Jiang. It is much smaller and very much peaceful. The town itself has a main square with a central theatre where plays used to take place. Today, the area around the town is filled with local shops selling crafts and cafes. We even had pizza here made from a traditional stone oven!
Overall, we felt that Shaxi was a really great place to unwind and escape the crowds especially if you are staying overnight here. However, it might not be worth the detour if you are short of time.
Da Li (大理)
From Shaxi, we took a DiDi and headed towards our hotel in Da Li which was quite near to Xi Zhou old town.
Da Li refers to the southwestern city in Yun Nan and is also synonymous with the areas surrounding Er Hai (洱海) lake. If you are looking for a chill countryside getaway destination in China, this is probably it!
Er Hai lake is huge and surrounded by many old towns such as Da Li, Xi Zhou and Shuang Luang. They are all connected by a cycling route that loops around Er Hai. I had the pleasure of going for a morning sunrise run here.
If you do visit, I will most definitely recommend staying at a place near Er Hai lake outside the old town for the magnificent sunrise and sunset views!
Day 5: Xi Zhou
Xi Zhou is very small and you could probably finish explore it in a few hours. Much of its buildings are well preserved. We mostly spent out time trying out local snacks and delicacies while seeking respite from the sun! The Xi Zhou baba is a must try when you are here!
Day 6: Da Li
This was our full day where we got to explore the ancient city of Da Li and the surrounding attractions.
Da Li Old Town
Dali Old Town is one of the most popular old towns in Yun Nan, home to the Bai ethnic culture. It is the biggest old town beside Er Hai (洱海) lake.
In contrast to Li Jiang, Da Li is much smaller and most of the activity happens along the 3 main streets Foreigners Street (洋人街), Fu Xing Road (复兴路) and Ren Min Road (人民路) where each of them have their own unique local shops.
One of the attractions you should definitely check out are the city gates of Da Li. They are built 600 years ago and are still beautifully preserved!
Three Pagodas
An iconic view of Da Li is definitely the towering sight of the three pagodas of Chongsheng Temple! They are 3 independent pagodas that is said to be arranged as an equilateral triangle. There is always something to admire about the engineering marvel of tall and old buildings. These pagodas have stood tall over thousand of years despite withstanding against multiple disasters.
Chongsheng temple, once the royal temple of the Da Li kingdom, is one of the largest Buddhist temple complex in Asia. It is actually made up of multiple temples, sitting behind the pagodas. Each temple is accessible via the back door of the previous temple, with increasing elevation signifying the increasing importance of the deity it houses.
From distance, the three pagodas seemed to represent three joss sticks presenting an offering to the heavens.
We went in thinking to only go for a quick exploration ended visiting all its building!
Accommodation
Da Li Qixi Peninsula Life Sea Villa
Easily the best hotel we stayed in throughout our trip! This seaside villa is situated right beside Er Hai lake near to Xi Zhou. The hosts were so helpful, making sure we had no problems getting around Da Li and even sent us all the way to the train station on our last day. They even upgraded us to their suite rooms for free! The rooms were spacious, luxurious and fully equipped like a smart home.
One of my favourite things about this place was the breakfast! The soy milk I had here was unforgettable and probably the best I had ever drank. Every night, we were treated with fruits and a glass of hot milk right before bedtime. Do check this place out if you are coming here!
Kun Ming
Day 7: Kun Ming Flight Home
On our last day, we took the high speed rail from Da Li to Kun Ming which took around 2 hours in total. Kun Ming is the capital of the Yun Nan and also known as the city of eternal spring due to the all year round spring like temperatures!
We didn’t spend much time in Kun Ming as it was time us to head back home to Singapore.
I hope this itinerary helps to inspire and plan for your trip to Yun Nan. I genuinely enjoyed my trip here and cannot wait to get back! On my next trip here, I will most definitely head up north towards the Tibetan region of Yun Nan!
