| Day
1 Arrive in Kunming |
Upon arrival, welcome at airport and transfer to your hotel. Visit the vibrant Flower & Bird Market, the Central Square of old town quarter and Kunming's symbol building–Golden Horse & Green Phoenix Archway. |
| Birds & Flowers Market: |
Kunming is a paradise for flowers and birds. The market there is full of exotic species of both, making it an excellent place to leisurely stroll around and take in the sights. |
| Day 2 Stone Forest (B,L,D) |
| A rare experience today is excursion to the World Geopark - Stone Forest. Then visit Sani Ethnic Village. |
| Stone Forest: |
Believed to have formed 270 million years ago, this enchanting limestone landscape is a natural wonder filled with countless puzzle-like labyrinths and intricate stone formations. |
| Day
3 Kunming to Shangri-La (B,L) Transfer by flight |
Greeted by the rays of sunrise, we're on the way to Songzanglin
Monastery, then we head for Gyalthang Ancient Town.
Afternoon enjoy an excursion to the wonderland Pudaco National
Park. Visits including Plateau Lake Shudu, Alpine Meadow
Vegetation Nature Reserve, Rare Birds' Wetland Protected Area
and the fabulous Lake Bita. On the way back, explore a local
village and be a guest in a Tibetan family with a taste of Tibetan
specialities such as yak butter tea, yogurt & Tibetan barley.
|
| Songzanlin Monastery: |
As one of the largest lamaseries in the Kangzang (tri-province area of Tibet, Sichuan, and Yunnan) region, they are both Tibetan-style watchtowers and are surrounded by eight sub-lamaseries and the dormitories or the lamas. |
| Gyalthang Ancient Town |
As an
interesting contrast to Potala Palace & Barkhor Bazaar in Lhasa, at
Shangri-la city, you can witness the authentic Tibetan culture in this remote area bordering the eastern part of Tibet Plateau. |
| Bita Lake: |
It is an emerald color all year round. The local Tibetans believe that it appeared when a fairy lady dropped her miracle mirror. In the novel "The Lost Horizon" James Hills depicts it as a "Blue Lake", an essential part of "Shangri-La". |
| Shudu Lake: |
Around the lake, there are dense forests of fir spruce and birch. These are filled with wild animals such as musk deer, bears, leopards, golden cats, and pheasants etc. |
| Day
4 Shangri-La to Deqin (B,L,D) Transfer by car (184km/6hrs) |
Drive through Baimang Snow Mountain along the Yangtze River Canyon to Deqin. En the route, stop and appreciate the enchanting views of the Napa Seasonal Lake; explore Tibetan village Nixi; overlook the splendid Great Bend of Yangtze River from the steep slope of the canyon, and visit the Dongzhulin Monastery, then stay in the hotel besides Feilai Monastery. |
| Deqin: |
Deqin is perched at an average altitude of 3,550 meters and is peppered with views of majestic "Snow Mountains" in all directions. |
| Feilai Monastery: |
It is the holy monastery under the Meili Snow Mountain and also the best place to see the stunning Meili Snow Mountain. |
| Day
5 Meili Snow Mountain (B,L,D) |
Appreciate the Meili Snow Mountain in the early morning. After breakfast, drive to the great canyon of Lancang, get across the river Lancang and proceed to the eastern piedmont of Meili Snow Mountain. From the small village Mingyong at the foot of Meili, start hiking (8Km) up to the mountain (or you can take horse/mule riding, on your own account, cost around RMB150 per person for round-trip ride). After about 3 hours trekking, you get at Prince Temple by the Mingyong Glaciers. When the discovering expedition on the holy mountain is over, descend and retrace your way back to hotel for dinner. |
| Meili Snow Mountain: |
Meili Snow Mountain is towering likes a holy pyramid at the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is Yunnan's most magical mountain. It is also the highest holy Tibetan Mountain in the world, shrouded in mist, cloud and mystery. |
| Kawagebo Peak: |
As the main peak on Meili Mountain, Kawagebo Peak tops the list of the Eight Holy Mountains and is something of a Mecca for Tibetans. |
| Mingyong Glaciers: |
Stands below the holy Kawagebo Peak of Mt. Meili, Mingyong is a supernatural, low-latitude oceanic glacier stretches from 5,500 meters high down to an altitude of 2,700 meters into the forest. A Modern Glacier of this size is rarely seen at such low altitude in whole world. |
| Day
6 Deqin to Shangri-La (B,L) Transfer by car |
| Drive back to Shangri-La. On the way, reviewing the splendors of landscapes of towering snowcapped mountains, dense virgin forests, vast verdant meadows, onrushing river and the great canyon. |
| Day
7 Depart Shangri-La (Zhongdian)
(B) |
After breakfast, transfer to airport for your departure flight. Say goodbye to Shangri-la and fly to next destination.
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