Six-day Great Shangri-La Tour

    You will meet your guide and driver at Lijiang Sanyi International Airport and be escorted to your hotel in downtown Lijiang. In order to acclimatize yourself to the high altitude, you will get some rest after you check in at your hotel. A hotel in Lijiang will be booked for you for three nights.

    Lijiang is a prefecture in Northern Yunnan. The city is at an elevation of 2,400 meters(7,874 feet) above sea level. The airport is located 29 kilometers(18 miles) to the south of downtown Lijiang. Tourists can fly to Lijiang from some major cities within Mainland China, such as Chengdu, Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

    You will be guided to visit the Golden-Pagoda Monastery and the Black-Dragon Pool in the morning, and go for a stroll in Lijiang Ancient Town in the afternoon.

    The Golden-Pagoda Monastery is situated in the southern suburb of Lijiang. It is also called Jinta Monastery by locals. The monastery was built in the Tang Dynasty(628-907), and reconstructed in the Qing Dynasty(1644-1912). It covers an area of 7.2 hectares(18 acres). Dongbao Pagoda stands in the monastery. It is gilded with 208 kilograms(7,337 oz) of gold, is 49 meters(161 feet) in height. Many visitors are impressed by the magnificence of the pagoda.

    The Black-Dragon Pool lies nearby Lijiang Ancient Town. It is a very beautiful park in Lijiang where people can go for a stroll. The Museum of Dongba Culture stands in the park. The museum was founded in 1984. It houses over 12,000 historical curiosities, showing the splendid and absolutely unique culture of the Naxi People.

    Lijiang Ancient Town was founded in the late thirteenth century. It covers an area of 728 hectares(1,799 acres). As a national five-star scenic area, the old town is one of the must-see attractions in Yunnan Province. It combines the features of ethnic minorities’ architecture, such as the Naxi Group, Tibetan People, the Bai People and the Yi Nationality. The houses are built and decorated in the traditional way. Sometimes, the locals dance together to entertain themselves in the town square in the evening, wearing their own folk costumes. Mufu Palace can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368). It used to be Chieftain Mu’s mansion. The Mu clan ruled their territory for over 400 years. The compound covers an area of 3 hectares(7.5 acres). It is quite a luxury mansion.

    You will have a day trip to some attractions in Lijiang and the surrounding areas. After breakfast, you will ride your car to the Jade-Dragon Scenic Area, pay a visit to Ganhaizi Wetland and watch an amazing performance. The show is called the Impression of Lijiang. In the afternoon, you will be taken to Yuhu Naxi’s Village, Shuhe Ancient Town and Baisha Village.

    The Jade-Dragon Snow-capped Mountain lies in the north of Lijiang Prefecture, 21 kilometers(13 miles) to the city. It is the southernmost mountain in the Northern Hemisphere which is capped by snow all year round. The principal range of the mountain runs south to north. The mountain consists of thirteen peaks which stand on the range. It looks like a white dragon lying on the ground. The summit is called Shanzidou Peak which is 5,596 meters(18,360 feet) above sea level. Its view is amazingly gorgeous and magnificent. Ganhaizi Wetland lies at the foot of the mountain. The wetland is at an elevation of 2,900 meters(9,514 feet) above sea level, is a lovely pasture giving stunning views of the snow-capped mountain. Yuhu Village is located in the southern foothills of the Jade-Dragon. It is a picturesque village where the Naxi people dwell. Joseph Rock was a celebrated explorer, geographer, linguist and botanist in the twentieth century. He travelled to Lijiang in the year of 1922. Then, he lived in the village for many years. The former residence of Joseph Rock has been maintained by the locals.

    Shuhe Ancient Town is situated 8 kilometers(5 miles) to the north of downtown Lijiang. It is the cradle of Naxi’s civilization. The town used to be a very important post-station on the Ancient Tea and Horse Path. The old buildings perfectly harmonize with their surroundings. It has been added to the list of the most attractive old town in Mainland China. The nearby Baisha Village is noted for its exquisite and vivid mural paintings. The murals can be dated back to the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). The assemblage of the murals depicts the aspects of the Naxi People’s culture and folk customs.

    In the morning, you will set off for Zhongdian, the seat of government of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It was renamed as the City of Shangri-La in 2001. Its altitude is about 3,280 meters(10,761 feet) above sea level. The distance between Lijiang and Zhongdian is 176 kilometers(109 miles). The journey to Zhongdian takes about four hours. On the way to Zhongdian, you will pay a visit to the First Bend of Yangtze River and the Tiger Leaping Gorge. You will spend the night in your hotel in Zhongdian.

    The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world. It rises in the southwestern foothills of Tanggula Mountain and runs over 6,300 kilometers(3,915 miles) in a generally easterly direction to the East China Sea. The river makes a V-shaped turn at the foot of Hailuo Mountain. The turn is well-known as the First Bend of Yangtze River. A viewing platform by the river gives a breathtaking view over the bend.

    The Tiger Leaping Gorge is a component of the Three Parallel Rivers, a world natural heritage site. It lies between the Jade-Dragon Snow-capped Mountain and Haba Mountain, about 80 kilometers(50 miles) to the north of downtown Lijiang. It is one of the deepest canyons in the world with a maximum depth of over 3,900 meters(12,795 feet) and a total length of 17 kilometers(10.6 miles). The visitors are stunned by the spectacular scenery of the gorge.

    You will be taken to visit Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery in the morning, and enjoy your tour in Potatso National Park in the afternoon. Both are must-see attractions in Zhongdian. In the late afternoon, you will be escorted back to your hotel in Zhongdian.

    Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery is located in the northern suburb of Zhongdian, about five kilometers(3 miles) to the center of the city proper. It is also called Songzanlin Monastery by the locals, is the largest lamasery in Yunnan Province. The monastery was founded in 1679, and named as Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Well-known as the Twin Sister of of Potala Palace, Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery belongs to the Ge-lug-pa Sect of Lamaism.

    Potatso National Park lies about 24 kilometers(15 miles) to the east of downtown Zhongdian. It is noted as the First National Park of China. The park is a component of the Three Parallel Rivers Heritage Site, is a national five-star scenic area. Shudu Lake is the highlight of the park. It measures 15 square kilometers(5.8 sq.mi). It gives the impression of the authentic Shangri-La.

    You will be guided to visit Dukezong Ancient Town and the Tortoise Hill in the morning, and be transferred to Diqing Shangri-La Airport in the afternoon. The airport is located in the south part of downtown Lijiang. It operates flights to 6 domestic cities within Mainland China, namely, Chengdu, Lhasa, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming and Xishuangbanna.

    Dukezong Ancient Town covers an area of 160 hectares(395 acres). It was founded in the late seventh century. At that time, Tibetan people constructed a castle on the Tortoise Hill and named it as Dukezong. Gradually, more and more Tibetans built their houses by the castle. The old town shows the typical Tibetan styled architecture. The Tortoise Hill is a beautiful park overlooking the old Tibetan Town. There is a huge prayer wheel placed in the park. It is the landmark of Zhongdian.