12 Days Budget China Travel Package to Explore Kunming & Lijiang

Summary

Day 1 Beijing Arrival
Day 2 Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Bird's Nest, Water Cube
Day 3 Beijing-Kunming: Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Flight to Kunming
Day 4 Kunming: Jiuxiang Caves, Stone Forest
Day 5 Kunming-Dali: Train to Dali, Erhai Lake
Day 6 Dali-Lijiang: Train to Lijiang, Lijiang Ancient Town
Day 7 Lijiang: Jade Dragon Mountain
Day 8 Lijiang: Stone Drum Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge
Day 9 Lijiang-Shangri-la: Drive to Shangri-la, Songzanlin Lamasery
Day 10 Shangri-la: Potatso National Park
Day 11 Shangri-la-Lijiang-Beijing: Drive to Lijiang, flight to Beijing
Day 12 Beijing Departure

Day 1 Beijing Arrival

Upon your arrival in Beijing, our local Beijing tour guide will greet you at the exit of Beijing international airport, you will find a welcome signage "China Private Tour" and escorted you to your hotel directly, our guide will help you to check-in.

The rest of the day is free on your own to recover the jetlage.

Day 2 Beijing

In the morning, our guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby at pointed time. Today, you will visit must-see place in Beijing-Mutianyu Great Wall.

Firstly, drive about 70km (1.5 h) to witness one of the Seven Wonders of the World – Great Wall. The less-crowded Mutianyu. "If you haven't climbed the Great Wall, you haven't seen China." Many of your friends who visited China before might have told you this. It is indeed an experience of life. As one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, Mutianyu section of Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs. It's known for its beautiful surroundings - dense woods and rich pastures changing colors with the seasons of a year. 

Your lunch is offered near the Great Wall in a local Chinese restaurant.

After lunch, the Sacred Way, affiliated with the Ming Tombs, is a main attractions arranged for you. The Ming Tombs lie in Changping County, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northwest from the urban area of Beijing. It is actually a tomb cluster of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), including thirteen emperor's mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines and one grave for eunuchs.  

Sitting at the foot of Mt. Yan and occupying an area of more than 120 square kilometers (29,653 acres), it appears extremely spectacular. It was listed in the World Heritage List in 2003. Each emperor's tomb was constructed at the foot of a separate small hill, but they all share a main road called the Sacred Way. The thirteen emperor's mausoleums are similar in their architectural style and overall arrangement, only differing in size and complexity of their structures. 

After that, return to the downtown Beijing and visit the Olympic Green Park (from outside), constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Visit the National Stadium (bird's nest). Its located at the Olympic Green, the stadium cost US$428 million. The design was awarded to a submission from the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in April 2003 after a bidding process that included 13 final submissions. 

Continue your tour to visit the "Water Cube" "National Aquatics Center"(from outside),it is one of the best venues of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, built with donations from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan compatriot and overseas Chinese. It was chosen through public appraisals as one of “China ten big new architecture views” by The U.S. magazine "Business Weekly". 

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel.

Day 3 Beijing-Kunming

In the morning, our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at pointed time. Your tour start at Temple of Heaven. The temple was constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and was enlarged during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is the grandest cult architecture complex in the world and a masterpiece of the Chinese people created in ancient times. It covers 2,700,000 square meters (667 acres). Emperors of the two dynasties used to worship the heaven and pray for rich harvests, as the feudal emperors thought they were the son of the heaven. 

Then head to the with a brief visit to Tian'anmen Square which is now the largest city plaza in the world. Tiananmen Square is the geographical center of Beijing City. It is the largest city square in the world, occupying an area of 440,000 square meters (about 109 acres), and able to accommodate a million people at one time. Tiananmen Gate on the northern square was the site where the Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

After sightseeing, walk into the Tiananmen you will meet the one of the world’s 5 most important palaces – Forbidden City, The Forbidden City, also named the Palace Museum, shares the honor of being one of five world-famous palaces with the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in England, the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia. The incomparable palace occupies an area of 720,000 square meters (177.9 acres) and has approximately 8,700 rooms. A high red wall with a total length of 3,400 meters (3,718 yards) encases the palace.

Have lunch at the local famous Peking Roast Duck restaurant, taste the most famous duck in Beijing and try some local cuisine in Beijing. Roast duck — or Peking Duck, as it's often known — has been served in Beijing for around 600 years, according to Liu. First served by palace chefs during the Ming dynasty, it has royal pedigree.

After lunch, head to visit the Summer Palace, it is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing, China. It serves as a popular tourist destination and recreational park. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres (1.1 sq mi), three-quarters of which is water.  After 1949, the Summer Palace briefly housed the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China. Many of Mao Zedong's friends and key figures in the Communist Party, such as Liu Yazi and Jiang Qing, also lived there. Since 1953, many major restoration and renovation works have been done on the Summer Palace, which is now open to the public as a tourist attraction and park.

After the tour ends, drive you to the local restaurant and have a dinner. Then, bring you to the Beijing airport for your flight to Kunming. Upon arrival, our Kunming local driver will takes you back to your hotel.

Day 4 Kunming

Today you will visit one of the limestone highlights Jiuxiang Caves, with hundreds of large and small caves, Jiuxiang scenic area owns the largest scale, number and most unique caves. It is a unique international karst geological park. According inspecting demonstration of cave scientists, Jiuxiang karst caves are located in dolomite which formed 600 million years ago. 

Then you will step into the Stone Forest, Walk into the Greater Stone Forest, marvel at groups of gray-black stone peaks and climb up a pavilion to have a panoramic view of the intricate stone forest. Visit the Lesser Stone Forest and listen to the legendary story of “Ashima”. It will be a real treat to visit the extraordinary natural stone forest.

After lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of the day free on your own to explore other attractions.

Day 5 Kunming-Dali

Check out from your hotel, drive you to the Kunming railway station and catch a train to Dali (about 2hrs).

Upon arrival have a simple lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, then take a leisure cruise on Erhai Lake, and you can visit temples and small islands in the lake. In the simple ceremony, three different kinds of Bai tea are served. Islands in the lake include Guanyin Ge (Guanyin Pavilion), Jinsuo Island, NanzhaoFengqing Island and Xiao Putuo Island. Then wander in the Ancient City of Dali to enjoy a nice evening.

At last, send you back to your hotel, free on your own for the rest day.

Day 6 Dali-Lijiang

After a morning relaxation, Leave for Lijiang by train. You can have a rest after you arrived.

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, then explore a well-preserved ancient city-Lijiang Ancient Town. Three old districts in this small city retain a special character of Naxi and Han construction and Naxi customs, arts and culture. It was a former trading town and a stop for traders carrying goods on the “Chama Road” trails. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 following an earthquake and reconstruction in 1996 that returned the city to a more ancient look.

You will be transferred to your hotel after the tour ends.

Day 7 Lijiang

After breakfast, firstly, drive you to visit Jade Dragon Mountain. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants. In fact, one fourth of all plant species in China can be found here and 20 primeval forest communities shelter a big family of 400 types of trees and 30 kinds of animals which are protected by the state. These species live in different temperature levels and create different kinds of views. The 13 peaks, which have the altitudes of at least 4,000 meters, are covered by snow all year round; the mountain is also called the "Natural Glacier Museum" for it has all types of glacier. 

After finished, send you back to your hotel.

Day 8 Lijiang

Today, our guide take you to view the first bent of the Yangtze River at Stone Drum Town, whose base of mountain standing for the First Bay on the Yangtze River.

After lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, continue your tour to take a Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking. Tiger Leaping Gorge gets the name because it is too narrow for a tiger to easily jump over the Jinsha River. You will be shocked by its magnificent gorge and have a chance to see Yulong Snow Mountain and overlook the Jinsha River Valley., one of the deepest and most marvelous gorges in China. Experience Naxi people’s culture on the hiking route. The hiking is one of the most exciting hiking routes in China.

Finally, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Day 9 Lijiang-Shangri-la

Today, drive you to the Shangri-la. You will explore Tibetan culture at Songzanlin Lamasery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist lamasery in Yunnan Province. It was originally built in 1679 A.D., and it was finished in 1681. It was a main temple used by Tibetans who lived in Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet and other areas in the southwestern part of China. Have a walk in Pudacuo National Park, a well-preserved ecosystem within the virgin forests. And Lake Bita and Lake Shudu are scenery not to miss in the park.

After lunch at local restaurant, the rest of the day is free on your own to explore other attractions.

Day 10 Shangri-la

After breakfast, drive you to visit the Potatso National Park. Potatso National Park is located in Shangri-La County. The park was announced on June 25, 2007, and is notable as the first national park in China to meet International Union for Conservation of Nature standards. It incorporates the Bita Lake Nature Reserve and the Duhu Scenic Area in the Hongshan region. As such they are part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site.

After the sightseeing, drive back to your hotel.

Day 11 Shangri-la-Lijiang-Beijing

Free on your own until drive you back to Lijiang. Upon arrival, you will be taken to the Lijiang airport to catch the flight to Beijing.

Day 12 Beijing Departure

Our driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby at appointed time, drive you to airport for your flight to next destinastion or back home. Your 12 Days Budget China Travel Package Tour comes to end.

Price Per Person in US Dollars