DAY 01
Dali’s old town
Arrive in Dali and settle in, then take a gentle walk around the old town if time allows. Keep your first day light.
Dali Old Town
Overnight · Dali← All journeys
SAMPLE JOURNEY / 7 DAYS
Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La · 7 Days.
Follow northwest Yunnan from lakes and Naxi old towns towards Tibetan highland culture.
Photo: chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Cropped to fit
AT A GLANCE
Dali · Lijiang · Shangri-La
Follow northwest Yunnan from lakes and Naxi old towns towards Tibetan highland culture.
Ask about this routeTHE ITINERARY
Day by day.
DAY 02
Erhai and the Three Pagodas
Explore an accessible section of Erhai’s shore and visit the Three Pagodas. Choose a few stops instead of trying to circle the entire lake in a day.
Erhai Lake Three Pagodas
Overnight · Dali
DAY 03
Dali to Lijiang
Transfer to Lijiang and explore its old-town lanes after checking in. Leave the evening free for a slow walk and dinner.
Lijiang Old Town
Overnight · Lijiang
DAY 04
Blue Moon Valley
Visit Blue Moon Valley in the Jade Dragon mountain scenic area. High cable-car experiences are optional and dependent on tickets, weather and personal suitability.
Blue Moon Valley
Overnight · Lijiang
DAY 05
Tiger Leaping Gorge to Shangri-La
Leave Lijiang for a visit to an accessible Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint, then continue to Shangri-La. This is a viewpoint visit, not the multi-day high trail.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Overnight · Shangri-La
DAY 06
Monastery and old town
Visit Songzanlin Monastery at an easy pace and spend the afternoon in Dukezong. Leave room for rest as this part of the journey is at higher altitude.
Songzanlin Monastery Dukezong Old Town
Overnight · Shangri-La
DAY 07
A flexible departure morning
Use any free time for another quiet walk in Dukezong before departing from Shangri-La. A return to Lijiang requires extra transfer time.
Dukezong Old Town
Overnight · Shangri-LaIncludes arrival in Dali and departure from Shangri-La. High-altitude activities and seasonal access require individual assessment.
IMAGES FROM THE ROUTE