How to Plan Yunnan Tour

Are you still worried about your Yunnan trip in China? Confused about budget, time allocation, transportation, weather and any other element that seems important for a first visit foreign tourist? Planning a tour before departure is a complex and brain-racking job. However, our ultimate Yunnan tour plan will make it all easier! Here is a simple tour guide for you includes all the problems you are worried about before starting, follow us step by step, you will be much clear about your Yunnan schedule!

·Step 1: Where to start?

Yunnan has several major cities with convenient transportation connections, such as Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La. Depending on your preferences and itinerary, select the city that best suits your travel plans and book your flight or train ticket. You can also check the table we prepared for you before get started. With our experience and the suggestions that give by our clients, considering the different regions and distance preference, our professional local tour guide selects several entry points for you before starting your trip:

• Step 2: Choose your must-see attractions

After choosing your entry city, you can start to plan where you want to visit and the attractions that you are definitely decide to go in Yunnan province. To explore the various attractions in Yunnan, you can choose from different modes of transportation. Yunnan has a total of 11 civil airports, wherever you want to go, transportation is very convenient for you and your family! The classical travel routes for the first-time tourist  is Kunming >>> Dali >>> Lijiang.  (the simple itinerary is as follows)

Day 1: Kunming >>> Dounan flower market
Day 2: Kunming >>> Dianchi Lake >>>Dali Ancient town
Day 3: Dali >>> Er'hai (All-day cycling along the seaside and enjoy the beautiful coastal scenery)
Day 4: Dali >>> Shuhe old town >>> Lijiang old town
Day 5: Lijiang >>> The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain >>> The Blue Moon Vally
Day 6: Lijiang >>> The White Sand Old Town >>> Back

Choosing too much cities or attractions in a short time may be exhausted, if you have enough time, you can add Shangri-La or Xishuang banna into your schedule.

We also prepared a specific Yunnan tour map for you with the ticket price, you can also click here to get your exclusive recomendation of Yunnan Tour, our travel expert will design a perfect itinerary for you for free! >>>Contact us

Most popular attractions in Yunnan:

1) Kunming (The City of Spring)—Dounan Flower Market

Daytime opening hours(Beijing time):  9:00-18:00 
Nighttime opening hours: 20:30-2:00 （the next day）

As the capital city of Yunnan province, Kunming has the largest flower market in Asia—Dounan Flower Market, can you imagine that flowers here are sold by the catty? No matter what type of flowers you want, you can find them all here and bring them back in a low price, these flowers are allowed to bring on the plane when you back! Please feel free to decorate your Yunnan trip with these fresh flowers!

Tips for you:

There are fewer people here during the daytime, and most of the flowers sold are for retail. The night flower market mainly sells fresh-cut flowers, which offer a wider variety and better freshness than those available in the daytime. Roses are the most abundant. The market primarily operates on a wholesale basis, but individual customers are also welcome to make purchases. However, due to its popularity among tourists, the Dounan Flower Market is often crowded at night. (remember don't touch these fragile flowers causually!)    

2) Kunming (The City of Spring)—Dianchi Lake

Ticket price: free
Open time: 24 hrs

Dianchi lake, the largest fresheater lake in Yunnan Province, which is regarded as "the shining peral in highland", this place is beautiful in all seasons: seagulls fly in the sky in spring, endless lotus flowers stretch across the lake in summer, mountains are covered with crimson autumn leaves and the warm winter sun scatters like golden shards. It's only a 30-minute drive from downtown Kunming, making it the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city!

Tips for you:

Every year in November to March (Next year), there are thousands of black-headed gull fly back from cold Siberia to pass the winter, just a handful of crumbs they will stay on your hand for a long time, it's a perfect time to take photos with these little creature, remember wearing your light-colored clothes to immerse yourself with the beautiful scenery in the camera!

3) Kunming (The City of Spring)—The Stone Forest

Ticket price: ¥130/per person
Open time: 7:30 AM-18:30 PM (all-year round)

The Stone Forest is waiting for your exploration! Step into the stone maze is like standing on the checkerboard in the land of Giants. You can see the gray stone pillar pointing to the sky, depict a mysterious picture! If you are travel with kids, it's definitely a great place for fun! The wild flowers blooming on the top of the summit, the crossing wind in stone forest compose an interesting song. Please stay for a while and enjoy the fantastic stone maze in this magical land!

Stone Forest (Kunming, Yunnan Province)

Tips for you:
The stone forest is a major settlement of the Sani people, a branch of the Yi ethnic group. If you visit this place around the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, you can join the local residents in the grand celebration of the Yi people's Torch Festival! As well as enjoy various interesting ethnic song and dance performances.

4) Dali—Dali Ancient Town

Ticket price: free
Open time: 24 hrs

If you want to experience Yunnan's folk culture and immerse yourself in its cultural vibe, Dali Ancient Town is your perfect choice. Nestled at the foot of Cangshan Mountain, this town was once the capital of the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom. With a mild climate, bright sunshine, and pleasant warmth all year round, it has long been recognized as one of China's must-visit attractions. If you plan to travel to Yunnan, this 500-year-old town is definitely worth a visit!

Dali Ancient Town (Dali, Yunnan Province)

Tips for you:
There are four gates to enter in this ancient town, the South Gate is the major entry of Dali Ancient town, the word on the gate "Dali" (大理) is wrote by Guo Moruo, which is a memorable place to go for, and the tourist center is located here as well.

5) Dali—Erhai

Ticket price: 
Open time: 24 hrs

There's a pure blue part on Yunnan's map, which is known as "the mermaid princess teardrop"—Erhai, it is the second largest freshwater lake in China. It looks like a natural color palette, every coner in this place is like an oil painting by Monnai, with its breathtaking scenery and well-protected environment, you can fully immerse yourself into the beauty of nature. Here, you can close your eyes and feel the breeze from the lucid lake, take photos of the golden field along the road, and experience the processing of traditional tie-dye skill directly.

Erhai Lake (Dali, Yunnan Province)

Tips for you:
If you have decide to go Erhai, don't forget bring your sunglasses, sun cream and caps to avoid strong ultraviolet rays from the plateau landform.

6) Lijiang—The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Ticket price: ¥150/per person
Open time: 24 hrs
Best time to visit: November-April (the next year❄️)， May-October (Trekking🚶‍♀️)

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a saint place of Naxi people, sits at an altitude of 5,596 meters, with snow covering it all year round. The Blue Moon Valley here is known as the "Little Jiuzhaigou" (a reference to Sichuan's Jiuzhaigou Valley, famous for its scenic lakes). The crystal-clear lake water, paired with light-colored clothing, makes for stunning photos—every year, numerous couples come here to take their wedding photos. At the foot of the snow-capped mountain, there are also performances to watch. For hiking enthusiasts, this is a must-visit spot when traveling in Yunnan.

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Lijiang, Yunnan Province)

Tips for you:
Please note that private cars are not allowed to enter the scenic area; you must take the eco-friendly shuttle buses. The Grand Cableway to the Glacier Park here is a well-known viral scenic spot. If you plan to visit, remember to book tickets in advance—they sell out quickly. It is also essential to check the weather forecast, as the cableway may be closed on cloudy days, which could affect your travel experience.

7) Lijiang—The Lijiang Ancient Town

Ticket price: free
Open time: 24 hrs

Lijiang Ancient Town is definitely one of those scenic spots that make every visitor never want to leave once they arrive. In spring, the town is in full bloom, with flowers dotting every corner. By the small bridges and flowing streams, the local customs and traditions of Yunnan are visible everywhere. It boasts a wide range of landscapes—snow-capped mountains, sea of flowers, and ancient towns, to name a few. There's no need to get up early or rush around; you just need to wander casually, take some photos, and you'll feel the ease and comfort of this place.

The streetscape in Lijiang Ancient Town (Lijiang, Yunnan Province)

Tips for you:
If you plan to visit here, the summer/winter vacations and legal holidays are peak tourist seasons, when there are large crowds of visitors and prices for accommodation and dining will rise. Therefore, it is a wise choice to avoid the peak periods. Remember to bring a thick jacket, as the temperature difference between day and night here is quite large. Stay close to your tour guide or check the navigation map at all times— the small roads in the ancient town are intricate and easy to get lost in. For shoes and socks, choose comfortable sports shoes to adapt to the stone paths of the ancient town.

8) Xishuang banna—Wild Elephant Vally

Ticket price:  ¥58 for adults; ¥30 for kids
Open time: 8:00 AM-18:00 PM

If you have plenty of time and want to explore more of Yunnan, you can visit the Wild Elephant Valley. This place is quite popular with children—here, you can play with these mild creatures, step into the tropical rainforest climate, and taste local delicacies. It is an area where Asian wild elephants are frequently active, and also the only place in China where you can observe wild Asian elephants up close. These giants have a gentle temperament, and the scenic area has installed protective facilities, allowing you and your family to get close to nature and learn a wealth of ecological knowledge together.

The  Wild Elephant Vally (Xishuang banna, Yunnan Province)

Tips for you:
It's a great idea to prepare some bananas in advance. Feeding the elephants bananas during interactions will help you capture more natural photos. The lighting is best around 3 p.m. There are also aerial walkways and observation towers in the scenic area, which make it easy for visitors to watch the elephants. It is recommended to visit from November to April the following year, as the climate is pleasant and wild elephants are more active during this period.

• Step 3: Decide How many days to stay

After choosing your attractions, what you need to do is connect these points with lines and calculate the distance, the time and effort spent on the journey. According to the feedback from our clients, a classical option is listed here for your reference. >>>More recommendations

• Step 4: Choose the best time to travel in Yunnan

The weather in Yunnan has the following characteristics:
1. The temperature difference between the four seasons is small, but the daily temperature difference is large.  (A thick jacket is needed before departure)
2. Distinct dry and wet seasons. (wet sesons: May-October; dry seasons: November-April)
3. Significant regional differences in weather. >>>Best time to Yunnan >>>Yunnan Weather >>>Yunnan Food