Kunming
Days 1-2Days 1-2The Shilin Stone Foresthalf a day85 km east of Kunming, a 270-million-year-old karst raises its grey limestone blades over 350 km², 80 of them laid out for visitors, some 30 m high.€17Book on GetYourGuide →
What to book before you travel to Yunnan?
Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.
Trip length
6 activities to book · about €66 per person
All activities in Kunming on GetYourGuide
Duoyishu (Yuanyang)
Days 3-4Days 3-4The Yuanyang rice terracesa full dayOn the slopes of the Ailao mountains, the Hani have been cutting terraces for 1,300 years, stepped from 500 to 1,800 m over 16,000 hectares, a UNESCO site since 2013.€13Book on GetYourGuide →
Dali
Days 5-7Days 5-7The Three Pagodas of Dali2 to 3hAt the foot of the Cangshan mountains, the Qianxun pagoda has raised its sixteen storeys to 69 m since the 9th century, flanked by two 42 m octagonal towers added a century later.€10Book on GetYourGuide →
No booking needed: Erhai Lake by bike · Shaxi and its Friday market
All activities in Dali on GetYourGuide
Lijiang
Days 8-10Days 8-10Lijiang old town2 to 3hA UNESCO site since 1997, the old town of Dayan spreads its cobbled lanes and grey-roofed Naxi houses around Sifang Square, at 2,400 m.€6Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 8-10Tiger Leaping Gorgeseveral daysOver 15 km, the Jinsha, the upper Yangtze, forces its way between Yulong (5,596 m) and Haba (5,396 m), with nearly 3,800 m between the water and the summits.€8Book on GetYourGuide →
Shangri-La
Days 11-13Days 11-13Songzanlin Monastery, Shangri-Laabout 1h30Founded in 1679 on the orders of the fifth Dalai Lama, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan climbs a hill at 3,380 m, north of Zhongdian, the town renamed Shangri-La in 2001.€12Book on GetYourGuide →
Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
How much do the activities to book in Yunnan cost?
€66 per person if you do them all, across 6 bookings. The most expensive is "The Shilin Stone Forest" at €17, the cheapest "Lijiang old town" at €6. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.
What can you do in Yunnan without booking anything?
2 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with Erhai Lake by bike, Shaxi and its Friday market. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.
At which stop should you book earliest?
Lijiang, with 2 activities to book, against 1 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.
How long do these activities take?
From about 1h30 for the shortest to a full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.