6-Day Yunnan: Kunming, the Stone Forest & Lijiang Old Town

Morning — Green Lake Park
Begin at Green Lake Park (Cuihu), Kunming's urban oasis of willow-lined water where locals dance, play instruments, and feed black-headed gulls in winter. Its teahouses and summer lotus blooms offer a gentle introduction to the city's laid-back charm.

Afternoon — Yunnan Ethnic Village
Explore this cultural park showcasing 25 of Yunnan's ethnic groups, including the Dai, Bai, and Naxi. Watch traditional dances, tour replica villages, and experience rituals like the Dai water-splashing festival that highlight the province's diversity.

Evening — Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles
Dive into Kunming's signature dish, Guoqiao Mixian, at a local spot such as Shangri-La Cafe. Assemble raw ingredients—meat, vegetables, herbs—into a piping-hot broth, and pair it with Yunnan Pu'er tea for an authentic ritual.

Morning — Stone Forest (Shilin)
Venture about 1.5 hours to this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a surreal labyrinth of limestone karsts sculpted over 270 million years. Wander formations like Sword Peak Pond and “Ashima,” inspired by Yi ethnic legend, on a guided walk through its geology and folklore.

Optional — Jiuxiang Caves
Extend the day at Jiuxiang, a spectacular network of caves and waterfalls. Ride a boat through a subterranean river, walk past stalactite forests, and cross suspension bridges in what is called a “Museum of Karst Caves.”

Evening — Kunming Old Street
Unwind on Nanping Street, a historic pedestrian lane blending Ming–Qing architecture with modern cafés. Sample Yunnan snacks such as Xuanwei ham or rushan (milk-fan cheese) while browsing handicrafts.

Morning — Dianchi Lake & Haigeng Park
Visit Dianchi, Kunming's largest freshwater lake, and cycle the lakeside trails of Haigeng Park with views of the Western Hills. From November to March, flocks of red-billed gulls migrate here from Siberia. Rent a paddleboat or relax in the lakeside meadows.

Afternoon — Dragon Gate (Longmen)
Ride a cable car up the Western Hills to Dragon Gate, a Taoist and Buddhist cliffside complex carved into the rock. Walk narrow paths and grottoes adorned with statues, and admire panoramic views over Dianchi Lake from the summit phrase “Touch the Southern Sky.”

Evening — Wild Mushroom Hotpot
In summer, savor Yunnan's seasonal delicacy—wild mushroom hotpot—at Lost Garden Restaurant, with porcini, matsutake, and morel mushrooms simmered in a herbal broth, a must for adventurous foodies.

Arrival — Welcome to Lijiang
Fly into Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, where your guide and driver will welcome you and transfer you to your boutique hotel in the UNESCO-listed Dayan Old Town, about a 30-minute drive away. After check-in, take time to acclimate to the altitude of 2,400 meters with a cup of Tibetan butter tea offered by your Naxi-style courtyard hotel.

Afternoon — Explore Dayan Old Town
Wander cobblestone lanes lined with Ming-era wooden houses and canals fed by the Yu River. Visit the Mu Family Mansion, a restored Qing Dynasty aristocratic residence showcasing Naxi Dongba script carvings. Stop at Sifang Street for walnut cakes and Yunnan coffee at a traditional tile-roof teahouse.

Evening — Naxi Ancient Music Performance
Attend a concert at the Dongjing Music Hall, where elderly Naxi musicians play Tang Dynasty tunes on antique instruments such as the pipa and guzheng. Dinner features Lijiang Baba (savory buckwheat flatbread) and yak hotpot with wild mushrooms.

Accommodation
Overnight at Banyan Tree Lijiang.

Morning — Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Drive about 45 minutes to this sacred peak, which rises to 5,596 meters. Ride a cable car to Yak Meadow at 3,600 meters for alpine vistas, keeping an eye out for rare Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, and visit Baishui Glacier, a tongue of ice accessible by boardwalk. Your guide will explain the Naxi people's mountain worship traditions.

Afternoon — Blue Moon Valley and Yuhu Village
Hike around Blue Moon Valley's turquoise pools, framed by spruce forests and snowy peaks. Then explore Yuhu Village, a stone-built Naxi hamlet where the botanist Joseph Rock once lived, and join a Dongba paper-making workshop using local hemp and herbal dyes.

Evening — Impression Lijiang Show
Watch Zhang Yimou's outdoor spectacle, staged at an altitude of 3,100 meters and featuring hundreds of ethnic performers who sing, ride horses, and reenact Tea Horse Road caravans against the mountain backdrop.

Accommodation
Overnight at Banyan Tree Lijiang.

Morning — Lashi Lake Wetlands
Paddle a wooden canoe through reed marshes that teem with migratory black-necked cranes and egrets. Visit a Yi minority village to taste Torch Festival barley wine and, in season, watch traditional fire-jumping rituals. The lake is a protected wetland and a well-known stopover for migratory birds.

Afternoon — Departure
Your guide assists with checkout and transfers you to Lijiang Airport, about 45 minutes away, for your onward journey. If time allows, you can make a last-minute stop at the Old Town Market for Dongba script scrolls or handmade silver jewelry.