Yunnan,
stop by stop.
Between 1,900 and 3,400 m, Yunnan lines up the grey tiled roofs of Lijiang, the flooded Hani terraces of Yuanyang and the gorge where the Yangtze runs between two peaks of more than 5,000 m. Twenty-five minorities, Friday markets and a fast train between Kunming, Dali and Lijiang.
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📄 Yunnan guide: weather, budget, what to avoid and FAQYunnan guide: weather, budget, FAQ →
Kunming · Photo Mike van Schoonderwalt / Pexels
The full tour in Yunnan
Kunming
Duoyishu (Yuanyang)
Dali
Lijiang
Shangri-La
"Book" (hotels), "via GetYourGuide" (activities) and "Rent" (car) are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide). Prices, distances and times are approximate.
Altitude of the stops
The route changes altitude markedly from one stop to the next: from 923 m to 3 282 m. So you know in advance where you'll feel short of breath, and where you won't notice a thing.
- Rizières en terrasses de Yuanyang923 m
- Forêt de pierre de Shilin1 759 m
- Yuanyang1 866 m
- Kunming1 897 m
- Lac Erhai à vélo1 966 m
- Dali2 026 m
- Trois Pagodes de Dali2 045 m
- Shaxi2 101 m
- Shaxi et son marché du vendredi2 101 m
- Lijiang2 401 m
- Vieille ville de Lijiang2 401 m
- Gorges du Saut du Tigre3 236 m
- Monastère de Songzanlin à Shangri-La3 278 m
- Shangri-La3 282 m
Altitudes measured at each stop (Open-Meteo, Copernicus terrain model). Above 2 500 m, the body starts to feel the lack of oxygen: these stops are flagged. If in doubt, talk to your doctor before you leave.
Take this plan everywhere
The full PDF guide (Yunnan): map, day-by-day stops, hotels by budget and insider tips. Free and available offline.
Don't feel like organising everything? A local partner travel agent can set it all up for you (flights, hotels, activities). We pass on your preferences and they call you back. Free and with no obligation.
Good to know before you go
🍽️ Must-try food
Dim sum
small steamed and fried dishes shared over tea, a Cantonese morning ritual.
Peking duck
Photo Peachyeung316 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)lacquered, roasted until the skin cracks, and carved at the table.
Hot pot
a simmering pot of broth, often fiercely spiced in the Sichuan style, to cook your own meat and vegetables.
Jiaozi and hand-pulled noodles
Photo Emcc83 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)dumplings and noodles made to order, cheapest and best in the north.
Tea and baijiu
Photo Gary Stevens / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)green, oolong or pu'er depending on the region, and a very strong grain spirit for toasts.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Google, WhatsApp and most Western apps are blocked: sort out a roaming eSIM or a VPN before you arrive.
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you go: cash is accepted less and less.
- Carry your hotel's address written in Chinese characters for taxi drivers.
- Stay away from political topics in conversation.
Have you thought of…?
The little details that make all the difference once you're there.
