Yunnan
A multi-ethnic province on China's southwest frontier, bringing together snow mountains, ancient towns, tropical rainforest and tea mountains, and good to visit in any season.
Yunnan lies in southwestern China, bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, and its capital, Kunming, is nicknamed the "Spring City." The terrain drops dramatically from the Meili and Jade Dragon snow mountains in the northwest to the tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna in the south, and many ethnic minorities live here. Key destinations include the ancient city of Dali and Erhai Lake, the ancient city of Lijiang, Shangri-La, the Yuanyang rice terraces, Xishuangbanna, and Jingmai Mountain, a Pu'er tea mountain. Most areas have mild weather year-round, with many clear days in the winter–spring dry season and rain in summer. The gateway is Kunming Changshui International Airport, and high-speed trains run to Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna and other places.
Destinations
- Ruili
- Kunming City
- Xishuangbanna
- Dali
- Shangri-La
- Lijiang Old Town & Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
- Pu'er City Area
- Tengchong
- Fuxian Lake & Chengjiang
- Yuanyang Terraces & Jianshui
- Dêqên
- Chuxiong
- Yuanmou Earth Forest
- Weishan Ancient Town
- Dongchuan Red Land
- Nujiang & Bingzhongluo
- Lushui
- Heijing Ancient Town
- Puzhehei
- Jingmai Mountain
- Luoping
- Mile
- Cangyuan
- Lincang Tea Mountains
- Zhaotong
- Weixi
- Chenghai Lake (Yongsheng)
- Yunlong
- Gasa & Ailao Mountains
- Guangnan
- Fugong
- Huize
- Jianchuan
- Mangshi
- Lugu Lake
- Weining (Caohai Lake)
- Liupanshui
Itineraries
- Nujiang Grand Canyon, Degong Highway & Meili to Shangri-La – Travel north along the Nujiang Beautiful Highway to Bingzhongluo, then cross the Degong Highway to Meili and Shangri-La.
- Ancient Tea Horse Road: Weishan, Nuodeng, and Shaxi – An off-the-beaten-path slow route from Dali to Lijiang via the Nanzhao ancient town, a Bai ethnic salt village, and the…
- Southeast Yunnan Spring Flowers & Rice Terraces Grand Loop – A spring loop through Southeast Yunnan, connecting Luoping's canola flowers, Puzhehei, Bamei, Yuanyang, and Jianshui.
- Classic Yunnan: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La – Connect Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La by high-speed rail—the most established route for first-time visitors to…
- Northeast Yunnan: Dongchuan Red Land & Black-Necked Cranes – A winter journey from Dongchuan Red Land to Huize Old Town, then to Nianhu Lake and Dashanbao to watch wintering black-…
- Kunming Outskirts, Dongchuan Red Earth & Mile – Based in Kunming, a week linking the Stone Forest, a night in Dongchuan's red earth and the red-brick town of Mile.
- Lijiang, Lugu Lake & Shangri-La Loop – A self-drive loop starting from Lijiang, connecting Mosuo villages at Lugu Lake, Shangri-La, and Baishuitai.
- Xishuangbanna, Jingmai Mountain & Pu'er Rainforest Tea Route – Start from Jinghong's rainforests and Dai villages, pass through Nannuo Mountain to the ancient tea forests of Jingmai…
- Western Yunnan Borderlands: Tengchong, Ruili & Mangshi – Discover Tengchong's volcanoes, hot springs, and WWII history, combined with Ruili's border culture and Mangshi's Dai-s…
- Yunnan-Tibet Highway Self-Drive: Lijiang to Lhasa – A classic road trip from Lijiang to Lhasa via Shangri-La, Meili, Yanjing, and Nyingchi.
- Naxi Culture and Slow Travel in Shaxi Ancient Town – Stay in Shuhe, visit Baisha murals and Yuhu Village, and add a day in Shaxi, the Tea Horse Road ancient town, for a slo…
- In-Depth Dali Old Town, Erhai Lake, and a Day in Weishan – Stay in the Old Town and explore Cangshan and Erhai Lake at a slower pace, cycle through Bai villages on the western sh…