Yunnan and Chengdu are two of China's popular tourist destinations. Due to their close proximity, a trip including Chengdu and Yunnan is a convenient and often-chosen choice.
Here, we will provide some useful tips on how to plan an itinerary for a Yunnan and Chengdu trip.
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How Long for a Yunnan and Chengdu Trip?
To tour the highlights of Yunnan and Chengdu, you would need about 9 to 10 days, with 1 week in Yunnan and 1–2 days in Chengdu.
Yunnan, with multiple famous cities, would need more days. We suggest spending about 1 week in Yunnan including Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La. Spend about 2 days in each city.
For a must-do stay in Chengdu, 1 to 2 full days are needed, focusing on Chengdu's food, pandas, and city sightseeing.
If you want more experiences, you could add more days to visit Chengdu's surroundings, such as Jiuzhaigou (2–3 days), Daocheng (4–5 days), and the Leshan Giant Buddha (1–2 days).
Therefore, you may need about 12–14 days, with 5 days in Chengdu and 1 week in Yunnan.
Itinerary Suggestions
Here, we offer some itinerary options focusing on different needs. You could choose your favorite or get some ideas from them.
1. 10-Day Yunnan and Chengdu Essence Itinerary
- Days 1–2: Kunming (arrive and visit the Stone Forest)
- Day 3: Dali (visit Erhai Lake and Xizhou Village)
- Days 4–5: Lijiang (go to Lijiang Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and Baisha Village)
- Days 6–7: Shangri-La (visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, Songzanlin Lamasery, and Pudacuo National Park)
- Day 8: Fly to Chengdu
- Days 9–10: Chengdu (city sightseeing, pandas, and Sichuan food; departure)
To better adapt to potential altitude sickness, this itinerary begins in Kunming, then gradually transitions to the highest elevations of Shangri-La, before concluding in the lower altitudes of Chengdu for rest and relaxation.
In Yunnan, the tour would cover four of the most famous cities. When visiting the Stone Forest in Kunming, we recommend visiting the less-visited Naigu Stone Forest for a better experience, instead of the Greater and Lesser Stone Forests, which attracts the crowds.
Since this is a time-smart route, we would not arrange a trip to the Cang Mountains in Dali because you would also see even-more-impressive mountain scenery at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang. However, if you are interested in Cangshan, you could allow one more day in Dali to go there.
On the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La, you would see the magnificent first bay of the Yangtze River at Tiger Leaping Gorge. If you like hiking, you could also consider adding 2 days to the hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge.
After the visit to Shangri-La, you would fly to Chengdu. In Chengdu, you would see the adorable pandas and discover Chengdu's local snacks in Jinli Ancient Street.
If you are a history lover, Sanxingdui Museum is recommended, displaying some rare Bronze Age treasures only seen in China. The museum is very popular, especially during the summer vacation. Its tickets are hard to get. It is best to book 2 to 3 months in advance.
All of our tours could be adjusted/customized based on your requirements and interests. Just contact us to create your itinerary.
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain2. Yunnan and Chengdu in 2 Weeks
- Days 1–2: Kunming (arrive and visit the Stone Forest)
- Day 3–4: Dali (visit Erhai Lake, Xizhou Village, and Shaxi Ancient Town)
- Days 5–6: Lijiang (go to Lijiang Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and Baisha Village)
- Days 7–8: Shangri-La (visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, Songzanlin Lamasery, and Pudacuo National Park)
- Day 9: Fly to Chengdu
- Day 10: Chengdu day tour
- Day 11: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by bullet train
- Day 12: Jiuzhaigou day tour
- Day 13: Huanglong Valley day tour
- Day 14: Back to Chengdu; homeward/onward departure
This itinerary offers more experiences in Yunnan and Chengdu, with 8 days in Yunnan and 6 days in Chengdu.
In addition to the must-see attractions in Yunnan, the schedule in Dali includes a visit to Shaxi Ancient Town, which has preserved its medieval town characteristics and offers insights into Tea Horse Road culture.
In Chengdu, besides the city sightseeing, we offer a special panda experience — a panda volunteer program. In the program, you would be a panda keeper and take care of the cute pandas, such as breaking bamboo and washing some bamboo shoots, making panda cakes, and seeing how to feed a panda in close proximity.
Additionally, you would extend your Chengdu trip to Jiuzhai Valley. To maximize your time in the park and avoid the crowds, we recommend starting your visit early.
Huanglong Valley, a 2-hour drive away from Jiuzhai Valley is also a must-visit. There, you would see unique travertine lake terraces, which colorfully glisten in the sunlight.
Besides Jiuzhai Valley, there are also many other options around Chengdu, such as the Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, and Daocheng. If you have any ideas or requirements for your trip, just contact us. We would make it according to your needs.
Best Times to Visit Yunnan and Chengdu
The best times to visit Chengdu and Yunnan are in spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October). The weather during these periods is neither cold nor hot with more sunny days, making it perfect for sightseeing.
It's best to try to avoid the first weeks of May and October, which are China's tourism Golden Weeks. As popular destinations, Yunnan and Chengdu, especially Chengdu, would have huge crowds.
Another choice is November to December. This period is recommended because the weather in Yunnan is still good, with mostly sunny days. Although there is a significant temperature difference between morning and evening, the daytime temperature (suitable for wearing windbreakers and sweatshirts) is very comfortable for sightseeing.
This time is also the best period to see the golden sunlight on the Meili Snow Mountains. Additionally, it's the low season for tourism, so there are fewer tourists and prices are more affordable. Although Chengdu might be a bit cold, it won't affect your sightseeing experience, and having a hot pot meal in this season is particularly enjoyable.
Of course, you could also visit Yunnan and Chengdu in the summer but there are some things to keep in mind. Since summer is the school vacation period, a large number of tourists could be expected and Chengdu can be very hot, although Yunnan would be relatively cool. There is a higher chance of encountering rainy days, but the rain doesn't usually last for long.
How to Travel Between Yunnan and Chengdu
Flying is the recommended way to travel between Yunnan and Chengdu. There are direct flights from Chengdu to Yunnan's major cities, such as Kunming, Lijiang, Dali, and Shangri-La. The journey would take about 1½ to 2 hours.
Direct bullet trains are also available between Chengdu and Kunming/Dali. The journey could be a little long, taking about 6 to 8 hours.
Kunming and Chengdu are the best start/end points for your trip because there are more international flight options. For example, Singapore has direct flights to Chengdu and Kunming.
Considering the convenience of transportation, the following are suitable touring sequences:
- Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-La → Chengdu (recommended)
- Chengdu → Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-La → Kunming
What to Budget for Yunnan and Chengdu
The daily cost is 170–200 USD per person based on a private tour for two people including flights between Yunnan and Chengdu, flights/trains within Yunnan/Chengdu, 4- or 5-star hotels, lunches, attractions, guides, and private transport.
If you want to participate in some special activities, such as a panda volunteer program, then the cost may increase. You could have a look at our prices for these Yunnan and Chengdu tours:
If you want to get a price for a tailored itinerary based on your requirements and interests, just contact us.