Southwest China · 9 days
Yunnan Overland: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La in 9 Days
The full Yunnan traverse, done in the right direction: fly into Kunming, climb slowly through the Erhai lakeside and the Naxi old town, and finish on the Tibetan plateau at Shangri-La. Nine days, three cultures, one altitude curve that actually works.
The route
What this trip actually feels like
- Dawn gulls and lake promenades in Kunming before the crowds arrive
- Two nights on Erhai Lake with the Cangshan range for a backdrop
- The Naxi old town of Lijiang, and the villages above it
- Tibetan lodges and the monastery morning at Shangri-La, 3,300 metres up
Best for
- Travellers who want Tibet's culture without a Tibet permit
- Anyone building a trip around landscape and craft rather than cities
- Return visitors who have done the classic eastern triangle
Along the way
The places this route passes through
Day by day
The plan, as it would actually run
Arrive in Kunming, the spring city
Land at Changshui and drive straight to the lake side. The afternoon belongs to Green Lake Park and the teahouses around it — in winter the Siberian gulls are the show. Dinner is Yunnan cuisine done properly: crossing-the-bridge noodles and the mushroom season when it runs.
- Morning
- Arrive Kunming, transfer to the hotel
- Afternoon
- Green Lake Park and the old quarter
- Evening
- Yunnan dinner, early night
- Meals
- Dinner included
Night 1 InterContinental Kunming
Note. Kunming sits at 1,900 metres and the sun is strong — the first day is deliberately gentle before the plateau days.
The Stone Forest on the way south
Morning drive to the Stone Forest, the karst pinnacles field that is better taken as a stop than a day trip. Afternoon high-speed rail to Dali, arriving in time for the lakeside sunset at Erhai.
- Morning
- Stone Forest karst field
- Afternoon
- HSR to Dali (about 2 hours)
- Evening
- Erhai lakeside dinner
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 2 Dali EDITION
Note. Book the right-hand seats on the rail leg — the Cangshan range runs the whole way on the west side.
Dali old town and the Cangshan cableway
Morning in the Bai-architecture old town: the Foreigner Street lanes, the Three Pagodas reflected in the pond. Afternoon up the Cangshan cableway to the cloud path, with the whole lake below. Evening back on the water.
- Morning
- Three Pagodas and Dali old town
- Afternoon
- Cangshan cableway and the cloud path
- Evening
- Free evening by Erhai
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Night 3 Dali EDITION
Note. The cableway queues build after 10am — go up early and walk the flat cloud path while the light is still low.
Erhai by bicycle road and on to Lijiang
A slow morning on the Erhai ring road by e-bike or car, with the wetland stops. Afternoon rail to Lijiang, then the first walk through the Naxi old town as the lanterns come on.
- Morning
- Erhai ring road and wetland stops
- Afternoon
- Rail to Lijiang (about 2 hours)
- Evening
- First walk in the old town
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 4 Amandayan
Note. The Aman sits in the old village above town — have the hotel car meet the train, the last twenty minutes are lanes.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley
Early cable car to the 4,500-metre viewing platform on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, then the snowmelt lakes of Blue Moon Valley below. Afternoon in Baisha village for the Dongba pictographs and the embroidery houses.
- Morning
- Jade Dragon cable car (4,500 m)
- Afternoon
- Blue Moon Valley and Baisha village
- Evening
- Naxi concert or free evening
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Lunch included
Night 5 Amandayan
Note. Cable car tickets are quota-controlled — the hotel confirms them the evening before. Bring a layer; the platform is genuinely cold in every season.
The gorge railway to Shangri-La
The new rail line climbs through Tiger Leaping Gorge country — arguably the best two hours of scenery of the trip. Afternoon arrival at 3,300 metres, deliberately unhurried: the old town, the giant prayer wheel, and an early night for the altitude.
- Morning
- Rail through the gorges to Shangri-La
- Afternoon
- Dukezong old town and Guishan hill
- Evening
- Tibetan dinner, early night
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 6 Songtsam Lodge Shangri-La
Note. This is the acclimatisation day. Walk slowly, drink more water than feels necessary, and skip the alcohol tonight.
The monastery morning and Pudacuo
Morning prayer at Ganden Sumtseling Monastery with a lodge guide, then the boardwalk lakes of Pudacuo National Park under the Baima range. Evening hearth fire at the lodge with butter tea.
- Morning
- Ganden Sumtseling at morning prayer
- Afternoon
- Pudacuo National Park boardwalks
- Evening
- Lodge hearth evening
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 7 Songtsam Lodge Shangri-La
Note. The monastery is working, not a set — follow the guide's lead on where to stand and photograph.
The pastures and the Napa Lake loop
A slow highland day: the Napa Lake wetlands with their cranes and yaks, the Jini road loop, and an afternoon that can stretch to the Benzilan road if the weather holds. Farewell Tibetan dinner.
- Morning
- Napa Lake pastures
- Afternoon
- Jini loop or the Benzilan road
- Evening
- Farewell dinner at the lodge
- Meals
- Breakfast included · Dinner included
Night 8 Banyan Tree Ringha
Note. Your own lodge valley at Ren'an is the best walk of the day if the weather turns — keep it as the reserve.
Fly out from Shangri-La or Kunming
Morning transfer to Diqing airport for the direct departure, or the midday flight back to Kunming for international connections. The altitude curve ends where it started, in the spring city.
- Morning
- Transfer and departure
- Afternoon
- Kunming connection if needed
- Evening
- —
- Meals
- Breakfast included
Note. If your connection runs through Kunming, leave four hours — afternoon fog at DIG occasionally delays departures.
In pictures
Scenes from the Yunnan Overland route
Where you sleep
Handpicked stays on this route
InterContinental · Luxury
InterContinental Kunming
On the shore of Dianchi Lake with the Western Hills across the water. The practical base for a Yunnan arrival night: close to the airport rail link, far enough from traffic to sleep.
- Room upgrade at check-in, subject to availability
- Daily breakfast for two
- Late check-out to 2pm
- Welcome amenity
From US$180 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
EDITION · Luxury
Dali EDITION
EDITION’s Dali outpost on the Erhai side of the Cangshan range: villas and suites rather than towers, with outdoor pools and the brand’s restaurant-and-bar energy.
- Three days, two nights package
- Complimentary minibar during stay
- Couples sound healing session
- Children’s club and sunrise run
From US$1,230 per night
Valid to 2026-11-30
Aman · Ultra Luxury
Amandayan
Two hundred-year-old Ming-dynasty dwellings rebuilt as a village above old Lijiang, with a spa and a private cinema. The single most distinctive stay in the region.
- Daily breakfast for two
- Airport and railway station transfers
- Afternoon tea and daily cultural activities
- Private cinema screening
From US$1,050 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Banyan Tree · Luxury
Banyan Tree Lijiang
Naxi-style villas with pool villas at the quieter Ren’an outpost, an hour from old town. Better value than the Aman if you want a private pool.
- One-bedroom pool villa at Lijiang Banyan Tree
- Daily buffet breakfast for two
- Children under 1.2 m eat free
- Flexible dates across the summer period
Rate on request
Valid to 2027-01-24
Songtsam · Luxury
Songtsam Lodge Shangri-La
The Tibetan lodge that set the standard for high-altitude stays in Yunnan: hand-built timber rooms above the valley, hearth fires in the lounge, and the Songtsam guides who know every monastery road.
- Daily breakfast for two
- One cultural excursion with lodge guide
- Airport or rail transfer in Shangri-La
- Oxygen support and altitude briefing
From US$280 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Banyan Tree · Luxury
Banyan Tree Ringha
Converted Tibetan farmhouses moved to a private valley outside town, each a two-storey lodge with a hearth and a balcony over the river pastures. The quietest address in Shangri-La.
- Daily breakfast for two
- Welcome Tibetan ceremony and amenity
- Spa treatment credit
- Round-trip transfer from Shangri-La airport
From US$320 per night
Valid to 2026-12-31
Practicalities
The things to get right before departure
Visa and entry
A mainland China visa is required. Kunming is a 240-hour visa-free transit port, which works if you continue to a third country — check the rules before booking if you plan to use it.
Getting between the cities
All legs run northwest by rail and road: Kunming to Dali is about 2 hours by high-speed rail, Dali to Lijiang about 2 hours, and Lijiang to Shangri-La about 1.5 hours on the gorge railway that opened in 2023. A car in Shangri-La covers Pudacuo and the pastures.
Questions
Asked by travellers on this route
Is the altitude on this route dangerous?
The route is built as a staircase: 1,900 m in Kunming, 2,000 m in Dali, 2,400 m in Lijiang and 3,300 m in Shangri-La. Most travellers feel nothing worse than breathlessness on stairs. If you have cardiac or respiratory conditions, take the standard medical advice first.
Do I need a Tibet permit for Shangri-La?
No. Shangri-La is in Yunnan province, so a standard China visa covers it. The Tibet Travel Permit is only needed for the Tibet Autonomous Region itself.
Can this route run in reverse or in winter?
Yes, though we prefer the climb for acclimatisation. Winter works — clear skies, cold nights — but Jade Dragon's big cable car closes in high wind and the Shangri-La nights drop well below freezing.
How does this compare with doing Lijiang and Dali as a short break?
The short break skips Kunming and the plateau. This version is the full cultural traverse — Bai, Naxi and Tibetan — and it is the one that justifies the long flight.