This morning, stroll along the winding paths of Xizhou (literally “happy town”), stopping by a local wet market, a specialty noodle-maker’s workshop, and the home of a Dali cheesemaker.

A quiet town with a population of about 32,000 people, Xizhou is mainly known for the well-preserved traditional Bai architecture. The Bai are one of twenty-five minority groups in Yunnan. Your guide will regale you with stories about the history, architecture, and culture of this quiet, picturesque town.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before continuing on to your next stop.

This afternoon, if you still have energy left, hop on a bike and explore the farmland and villages that surround this beautiful area. The roads are flat and paved, and you will enjoy spectacular views of mountains to one side and Erhai Lake to the other. Transfer back to your hotel in Dali later in the afternoon.

Enjoy  full day tour from Lijiang to the world famous Tiger Leaping Gorge. In the morning, meet your guide and transfer to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge (approximately two and a half hours drive from Lijiang).

The gorge is believed to be the deepest gorge in the world. From the top of the gorge, you can look down the steeply angled mountain sides to the rushing Gold Sands (Jinsha) River with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 metres below.

The trekking itself is about 1.5 to 2 hours, covering 3 km of fairly flat terrain. There are about 200 steps to go down and see the famous tiger leaping gorge stone at one stage.

The Stone forest is about 100km from Kunming. This day trip visits the Black Stone Forest, about 10 km from the main site, where there are fewer visitors making it a more personal but equally impressive experience.

Head to the county of Lunan and discover one of the major attractions of the region, the Stone Forest. Due to its proximity to Kunming, Shilin can be a bit of a tourist trap. However, only a small part of the 26,000-hectare site is crowded and it is easy to escape the hordes of Chinese holidaymakers. We therefore will take you instead to the quieter and less frequented Black Stone Forest, which is roughly 10km away from the main site but just as impressive. 

The Stone Forest is an endless maze of rocky peaks in an intriguing array of shapes and sizes that are a result of chemical erosion of the rock over time caused by rain and wind. Depending on the weather, you will be able to enjoy a picnic lunch in the middle of the ‘forest’, which will not only give you the opportunity to enjoy the scenery but also to avoid the rather high prices of the restaurants on-site. 

The walk inside the forest can take 2 hours or more depending on your pace and needs. You can book an electric car for your visit (included) to avoid too long walks. 

En-route back to Kunming, see some of the old train tracks, the most significant traces of the French presence in China. The French laid more than 450 km of rail track, built more than 3500 bridges and 170 tunnels, requiring a workforce numbering more than 60,000 often working in extreme conditions.