Trip Summary
All of Yunnan, pole to pole, without hurry: the spring city's lakes and Stone Forest, a tropical arc through Xishuangbanna's rainforest and Dai temples, the lotus labyrinths of Puzhehei, and the classic north of Dali's Three Pagodas and Lijiang's old town — hammocks, tea and slow boats included.
Trip Highlights
- The botanical garden's 11 km² of rainforest canopy
- Puzhehei's standing-row boats between karst and lotus
- Dali's Three Pagodas over Erhai lake light
- Lijiang old town's canals and Naxi courtyards
- Green Lake gulls, dragon-gate cliffs and pu-erh tastings
Day by Day
Day 1 — Arrive Kunming
Fly into KMG. Green Lake's gulls at dusk.
Flight in · Kunminginternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · Green Lake Parkgull-side baseBook → Car rental · Kunmingpick up at Kunming Changshui International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Spring city
Western Hills' Dragon Gate, Yuantong temple, old-street flower cakes.
Stay · Green Lake Parksecond spring nightBook → 
Day 3 — Stone Forest
A day among the pinnacles; mushroom hotpot back in town.
Stay · Green Lake Parkthird forest nightBook → Tickets · Stone Forestskip-the-line entryBook → Day 4 — Fly to Banna
The hour south to Gasa (JHG); Jinghong's Mekong-night market.
Stay · Tropical Botanical Gardenrainforest-edge stayBook → 
Day 5 — Botanical garden
The rainforest garden at length: palms, lily ponds, canopy decks.
Stay · Tropical Botanical Gardensecond canopy nightBook → Tickets · Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gardenskip-the-line entryBook → Day 6 — Dai culture day
Zongfo temple's golds, Dai village lunch, water-splashing square at sunset.
Stay · Tropical Botanical Gardenthird Dai nightBook → Tickets · Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gardenskip-the-line entryBook → Day 7 — Banna slow day
Hammocks, tea and the orchid valley; optional evening peacock show.
Stay · Tropical Botanical Gardenfourth hammock nightBook → 
Day 8 — Fly back, HSR to Puzhehei
Return hop and the 1.5-h train; lakeside farmstay night.
Stay · Puzheheilotus farmstayBook → Tickets · Puzhehei Tourist Areaskip-the-line entryBook → Day 9 — Lotus maze
Boats through the karst-and-lotus channels; village peak at sunset.
Stay · Puzheheisecond lake nightBook → Tickets · Puzhehei Tourist Areaskip-the-line entryBook → Day 10 — To Dali
Train north; evening by the old town's gates.
Stay · Three Pagodaspagoda-view stayBook → Day 11 — Dali old town
The foreigner street's cafes and the cathedral oddity; Erhai-side dinner.
Stay · Three Pagodassecond Erhai nightBook → 
Day 12 — Three Pagodas
The pagoda park's reflection ponds and the Chongsheng complex at length.
Stay · Three Pagodasthird lake nightBook → Tickets · Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple Cultural Tourism Zoneskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 13 — To Lijiang
Two hours north; dusk canals of the old town.
Dali → Lijiang trainHSR ~2 hBook → Stay · Lijiang Old TownNaxi canal courtyardBook → Car rental · Lijiangpick up at Lijiang Railway Station on arrivalBook → Tickets · Old Town of Lijiangskip-the-line entryBook → Day 14 — Lijiang & Yulong
The old town's Naxi courtyards and Black Dragon pools with the Jade Dragon backdrop.
Stay · Lijiang Old Townsecond old-town nightBook → Tickets · Old Town of Lijiangskip-the-line entryBook → Day 15 — Out
Morning market for last pu-erh and mushrooms, fly from LJW.
Travel in China