18-Day Epic China Tour Including Yunnan and Tibet

Shanghai Pudong International Airport is the airport with the second most international flights to China. If you wish to land in Beijing, or any other city that is more convenient for you, feel free to adjust this with your travel adviser.

After landing in Shanghai, your tour guide and driver would pick you up and drive you to your hotel. Spend your free time resting or exploring. Your guide could recommend some places for you based on your interests.

Shanghai is a vibrant and dynamic city known for its modern skyline, rich history, and diverse culture. You would visit the most famous iconic scenic spots in Shanghai.

The Bund is a waterfront area along the Huangpu River — the large river in Shanghai that empties into the Yangtze. Full of historic European architecture, each building on the Bund has a hidden story that's part of the development history of Shanghai. Hearing the stories from your knowledgeable tour guide would add even more interest to the waterfront sightseeing.

At over 600 meters in height, Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China. It offers an observation deck with breathtaking panoramic views of the city. See how Western influence and traditional Chinese culture combine from a towering vantage point.

After a 3-hour flight from Shanghai to Guilin, you would travel to Reed Flute Cave in the afternoon.

Reed Flute Cave is 240 meters deep with a large number of colorful and exquisite stalagmites, stone pillars, and calcite flowers. It is known as 'the Palace of Natural Art' and attracts thousands of tourists yearly. It's worth a visit, especially in the hot summer, as it is pleasantly cool inside the cave.

Longji means 'Dragon's Backbone' in Chinese. It aptly describes the landscape's appearance of stunning terraced rice fields that cascade down the slopes of the surrounding mountains.

Ping'an Village is inhabited by the Zhuang ethnic group, one of the largest minority groups in China. You would not only hike in through the mountainside village to admire the stunning landscape but also have a chance to learn how to make a local dish — sticky rice in bamboo. Enjoy the melded fragrance of bamboo, rice, and meat.

As a scenic county of Guilin, Yangshuo has earned international fame. Most tourists choose to take a Li River cruise to travel from Guilin to Yangshuo instead of driving. The scenic beauty along the Li River, with towering karst peaks covered in lush greenery, is often likened to scenes from Chinese paintings.

The cruise would come to an end at a wharf near Yangshuo's West Street, the center of Yangshuo Town. Full of restaurants, cafés, bars, and shops, you could stroll along West Street and see how travelers from near and far mingle and entertain themselves.

You would wake up in a rural village beside the Li River in the morning. Then, you would experience its authentic rural lifestyle by wandering around the village, shopping in a local market without a guide getting between you and the villagers, and writing Chinese couplets. These immersive experiences would help you to interact with the local people and, of course, add more fun.

Your high-speed train journey would start late in the afternoon. We always try to select the fastest train from Guilin to Kunming to shorten the travel time from 7 to 4 hours. Therefore, book your tickets as early as possible.

The Stone Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a remarkable geological formation known for its unique and otherworldly landscape. Characterized by limestone pillars, stone peaks, caves, and labyrinthine pathways, the forest covers an area of about 500 square kilometers (200 square miles).

Kunming offers a unique culinary experience. Its cuisine incorporates flavors from various ethnic groups, resulting in a diverse range of dishes. A food adventure would start from Kunming Old Street. You could try the cold rice-paper rolls, fried fungus, and variously-filled dumplings. Find your favorites!

Dali Old Town is the historical heart of Dali and a must-visit area. You would explore its cobblestone streets, traditional Bai architecture, and ancient city walls. You could also visit the Three Pagodas, which offer panoramic views of the town and Erhai Lake.

Erhai Lake is surrounded by picturesque landscapes, including lush green hills, traditional villages, and scenic farmlands. The lake is crystal clear and often reflects the surrounding mountains, creating stunning vistas. You would take a bicycle ride alongside the lake to explore the nearby villages and take in the breathtaking views.

Learning how to tie-dye may be a highlight of your day. You would experience the main steps of making a handkerchief, including brush-painting, tying and twisting, soaking, dyeing fabric, rinsing, and rolling the fabric. You could take it home as a memorable souvenir or a nice gift to give to your family or friends.

It takes about 2 hours to drive from Dali to Lijiang. Although Dali Old Town and Lijiang Old Town are both historical sites, they are different in culture, architectural style, and natural landscape.

Lijiang Old Town has a history dating back over 800 years, with its heyday set during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) dynasties. It is home to the Naxi ethnic minority. The town creates a lively and bustling atmosphere with narrow streets, local shops, traditional teahouses, and Naxi cuisine restaurants.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is known for its year-round snowcapped peak. It is a popular destination for trekking and photography. To save your energy and time, you would take a cable car ride to the peak to admire its spectacular scenic beauty.

Naxi cuisine is a type of local cuisine and has the most prominent ethnic characteristics in China. You could learn how to cook special dishes belonging to Naxi ethnic groups by visiting their homes and talking with them.

This is a transfer day to Shangri-La, named after the utopian paradise depicted in James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon".

Tiger Leaping Gorge is located on the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La. It is one of the deepest and most dramatic river canyons in the world. The scenery in the gorge is truly spectacular. Hiking along the gorge, you would be treated to breathtaking views of steep cliffs, lush forests, and waterfalls. It offers the opportunity to experience some of the most stunning scenery in an unspoiled environment.

Songzanlin Lamasery is one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Yunnan. It's an architectural marvel and a place of spiritual significance. With us, you would be allowed to hang a prayer flag on the mountain at the back of the lamasery with a lama to get involved in Tibetan culture.

Next, you would travel to Pudacuo National Park, a beautiful protected destination, in the afternoon. The park is known for its rich biodiversity with various species of plants and animals that are unique to the region. It is a peaceful and tranquil place to enjoy nature with fewer crowds.

It's time to fly to Lhasa to experience the strongest Tibetan cultural atmosphere. With an altitude of over 3,500 meters (11,000 feet), landing in Lhasa may cause altitude sickness. Your tour guide would escort you to your hotel and leave time for you to overcome the effects of acclimatization.

During this day, you would go to the most famous and representative Tibetan Buddhist sites on your bucket list for photo ops.

Norbulingka served as the traditional summer residence of the Dalai Lamas, the spiritual leaders of Tibetan Buddhism, and also as a center for cultural and artistic activities. It stands as a symbol of Tibetan heritage and the historical connection between Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lamas.

Sera Monastery has a strong tradition of Buddhist scholarship and education. One of the most famous features of Sera Monastery is its debate courtyard where monks engage in lively and intense debates on Buddhist philosophy.

The Potala Palace remains an enduring symbol of Tibetan culture. It continues to be a place of pilgrimage, cultural heritage, and architectural wonder. You could explore various parts of the palace, including the living quarters of the Dalai Lamas, the stunning frescoes, and the beautiful views of Lhasa from its upper levels.

Then, you would follow in the pilgrims' footsteps to Barkhor Street. The street forms a circular path around Jokhang Temple. You would see many Tibetan pilgrims and tourists alike walk this circuit, performing a kora around the temple as an act of devotion.

Chengdu is renowned for its panda base and spicy cuisine. After escorting you to your hotel in Chengdu in the late afternoon, your tour guide would recommend some places and restaurants for you to explore.

If you love pandas, you should not miss the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to see these adorable creatures up close. The base has made a significant contribution to giant pandas' conservation both in captivity and in the wild. You would see pandas in a semi-wild setting that nowhere else provides.

It's not just lazy pandas that you would notice in Chengdu — the locals are also considered to be the most laid-back people in China. They like to savor life slowly and enjoy every detail of life, without being impatient or hurried. Your tour guide would take you to see the real lifestyle of Chengdu people in the Wide and Narrow Alleys, teahouses, parks, matchmaking corners, and more.

You could choose to leave China from Shanghai or any other city that operates flights to your next destination. This is a suggestion for a tailor-made tour that is designed entirely based on your preferences.

We sincerely welcome you to explore still more of China in the future!