Day 1 Various locations → → Kunming ★ Assembly day
All day
Warm winter in Kunming
Today is a full-day gathering day. Please go to the designated hotel in Kunming to gather (China-TravelNote specially arranges a meeting place at the Kunming city center for your convenience). After checking in, you will be free to do whatever you want and experience the warm winter in the Spring City.
You can visit Cuihu Park to watch the wintering red-billed gulls, or watch the sunset and the gulls circling at Haigeng of Dianchi Lake. If you are interested in history and culture, you can visit the Army Military Academy or go to Dounan Flower Market, Asia's largest flower market, to find bargains at low prices and realize your own flower freedom.
In the evening, you can go to the Nanqiang Street Night Market to taste Yunnan's specialties, such as small pot rice noodles, coated tofu, Dai-style pounded chicken feet, Bai ethnic group milk fan and flower cakes.
Day 2 Kunming → Fuxian Lake → Jianshui
·morning
Fuxian Lake in winter is a dance of red-billed gulls and glazed blue waters.
After breakfast, we drove to Fuxian Lake. It is said that the people of Yunnan gave Erhai Lake to the world and kept Fuxian Lake for themselves. This preference is even more precious in winter.
First, arrive at the Luchong Scenic Area. After a 20-minute walk to the summit of Bijia Mountain (a gentle, easy walk), you'll enjoy panoramic views of Fuxian Lake. Afterward, descend the mountain to observe the wintering red-billed gulls from Siberia, a truly remarkable sight at Fuxian Lake in winter.
·afternoon
Jianshui, the thousand-year-old pearl of southern Yunnan, where the aroma of well spring beans warms the ancient city.
Proceed to Jianshui Ancient City with a full guided tour. Climb to the summit of Chaoyang Tower, the Little Tiananmen Gate. Built in 1389, the Chaoyang Tower boasts over 600 years of history. From this vantage point, you'll enjoy panoramic views of Jianshui and experience the majestic presence of this ancient city, dominating the southeast. Visit the Jianshui Confucian Temple, second only to the Confucius Temple in Qufu in size, and a symbol of the flourishing of Central Plains culture in Jianshui. Along Lin'an Old Street, explore the Daban Well, the most famous of Jianshui Ancient City's 100 wells. At night, it casts a mysterious, shimmering blue light. Enjoy a drink of water from the well.
Next, you will have free time to explore the cozy fireworks of this ancient city with your friends. After having fun, return to the hotel to rest. Please pay attention to safety.
Day 3 Jianshui → Yuanyang
·morning
The meter-gauge train travels through time and space, showcasing French style and the beauty of southern Yunnan.
After breakfast, head to Lin'an Station to experience Jianshui's unique wooden train, with its retro wall lamps and old electric fans, swaying to the rhythm of the rails. The life photos you take along the way are enough to amaze your friends.
The train passes through Shuanglong Bridge Station, Xianghui Bridge Station and Tuanshan Station in turn. After getting off at each station, you can check out the majestic Seventeen-Arch Bridge, the French-style train station and the pastoral scenery. The last stop is to visit Tuanshan Village with a history of more than 600 years.
·afternoon
The most beautiful season of Yuanyang Rice Terraces, a thousand-year heritage of the Hani people
Head to the Yuanyang Rice Terraces, a World Cultural Heritage site known as the "Sculpture of the Earth." This season, the terraces are fully flooded, forming a 170,000-acre "Sky Mirror." In the early morning, the sea of clouds billows, and at sunset, it looks like the wind is blowing magma down from all over the sky. This is the most spectacular time of the year.
Stay near the scenic area tonight for easy access to sunrise and sunset. Head to the Bada Rice Terraces Observation Deck to overlook the Hani people's thousand-year-old rice terraces and enjoy the stunning sunset.
Day 4 Yuanyang → Yisa Ancient Town → Gasa Town
·morning
Sunrise at Duoyishu: the magic of light and shadow reflected by the sunset glow
Get up early today and head to the Duoyishu Observation Deck to witness a sunrise over the terraced fields. The sea of clouds, the Hani mushroom houses scattered among the terraces, and the vibrant light reflected from the flooded fields create an epic sunrise over the Yuanyang Rice Terraces!
Azheke Mushroom House, Hani Cultural Experience
Visit the Hani village of Azheke at an appropriate time. Azheke has perfectly preserved the four elements of the Hani people: forest, water system, village, and terraced fields. Known as "Terrace Homes Above the Clouds," the village's well-preserved mushroom houses are a testament to the Hani people's wisdom. Your guide will explain Hani customs, followed by a stroll through the terraced fields, allowing you to experience the charm of these millennia-old terraces up close.
At noon, we will experience a special Hani family dinner in the Hani mushroom house, during which we will hear a Hani rap performance by the inheritor of the Hani intangible cultural heritage, thus ending our trip to Yuanyang.
·afternoon
Yisa Ancient Town: A Legend of Horse Caravans Combining Chinese and Western Cultures
Yisa Ancient Town, located on the top of the Red River, is a "city in the sky" built by horse caravans with their lives. This is a niche legendary ancient town newly discovered by China-TravelNote. Its "beauty" and "connotation" will surely amaze you!
Climb the 1947 blockhouse-style tower and overlook the rolling clouds in the Red River Gorge. Push open the teakwood door of Yao Chuji's former residence to reveal a three-story French-style castle. It's easy to get lost while exploring the Qian Erguan Courtyard, known as Southern Yunnan's "First Maze," with its 44 rooms and 188 doors and windows. Remember to follow your guide.
Day 5 Gasa Town → Ailao Mountain → Wuliang Mountain Cherry Blossom Valley
·morning
Explore the mysterious nature of Ailao Mountain under the clouds
Journey to the Jinshan Primeval Forest deep within the Ailao Mountains. Traverse the misty forest and encounter ancient trees. The forest is thick with tangled vines and mosses, and is dotted with bizarrely shaped trees and twisted branches. This, combined with the difficulty of sunlight penetrating, adds to the mystical atmosphere. If you're lucky, you might even witness the spectacular spectacle of rime in the primeval forest.
·afternoon
Wuliangshan Cherry Blossom Valley: China's First Spring in Ten Thousand Mu Tea Garden
Visit Wuliang Mountain Cherry Blossom Valley. While the north remains frozen and snowy, the cherry blossoms of Wuliang Mountain in Dali have already dyed thousands of acres of tea plantations red. This is undoubtedly the first place where spring arrives. Tens of thousands of pink winter cherry blossoms, unique to Yunnan, complement the tea plantations beautifully. The cherry blossom season is extremely short, lasting only three weeks a year; miss it and you'll have to wait another year.
Nanjian Jumping Vegetables, an Intangible Cultural Heritage that Can Be Played with Life
China-TravelNote has specially arranged a performance of the Nanjian Yi people's "Tiaocai Dance," also known as the "Dish Lifting Dance." This is a traditional ritual dance from Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, Dali. At banquets, dancers present dishes to guests with rotating and leaping steps, accompanied by the sounds of suona and gongs and drums, while balancing trays on their heads, holding bowls in their mouths, or supporting plates in their hands. Amidst the joyful laughter, experience the warm hospitality of the Yi people and savor their delicious cuisine.
Day 6 Wuliangshan Cherry Blossom Valley → Weishan Ancient City → Dali
·morning
The sea of clouds in Cherry Blossom Valley heralds the earliest spring in China
Early risers can enjoy the sunrise over the Wuliang Mountain winter cherry blossoms. Staying near the scenic area saves you the hassle of waking up early. The sea of clouds, morning mist, and the pink cherry blossoms blooming across the vast tea plantations create another unforgettable memory of this trip.
Weishan Ancient City, the unextinguished Nanzhao fireworks
We then proceeded to Weishan Ancient City, the ancient capital of Nanzhao, marking our final stop. Home to Zhao Linger from the Chinese Paladin series, it has also served as a filming location for numerous hit TV series, including Sito and The Rise of Nanzhao. Weishan Ancient City is also known as the "Hometown of Famous Chinese Snacks," boasting hundreds of snacks, including Yigenmian (snake noodles), Baked Meat and Rice Noodles, and Hegao (cakes). Everyone enjoyed lunch on their own within the ancient city.
·afternoon
After lunch, we will depart for Dali, arriving at Dali Railway Station around 5:00 PM (please book trains after 6:00 PM). We will arrive at Dali Fengyi Airport around 5:30 PM (please book flights after 7:30 PM). We will then disband at the North Gate of Dali Ancient Town around 7:00 PM. If you wish to continue your stay in Dali, please book your own accommodation.
