A Keats teacher will accompany you throughout the whole trip. You will set out from Kunming by taking a private car ride with a Keats driver. Upon arrival, you will visit the [three-pagodas] in Chongsheng Temple. Being one of the oldest and grandest Buddhist architectures in south China, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple is always related to the ancient culture of Yunnan. It is a cultural relic under national protection for its historical and cultural value.

Later, you will look around [Dali Old Town]. Dali Old Town is an ancient city for the Bai ethnic. Bai people inhabit in compact communities in Dali, known as “a land of letters” with a long history and rich cultures. Ancestors of the Bai people lived around Erhai Lake 4,000 years ago.

Distance: Around 380 Kilometers

Driving time: Around 5 hrs

Accommodation: Boutique Hotels

Meals: Not included, but will recommend local snacks

When we are in [Shaxi], you can take enough time to explore this important ancient station on the Tea and Horse Caravan Road. Unlike other ancient towns, Shaxi does not have many tourists. The old architecture and cultures still remained due to the protection from The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH) and the People’s Government of Jianchuan County. In 2001, the World Monuments Fund listed Shaxi as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world. Walking in this old town, you still can think of the old times in this ancient market.

Then your teacher and the driver will take you to [Lijiang]. When arriving in Lijiang, you can take time to explore the largest Naxi Ancient town: [Dayan]. This ancient town has no city walls; thus, it is the only ancient city of this kind. Surrounded by green hills, the city looks like a jade ink slab, so it is also called Dayan (Big Ink Slab). In 1997, the city was declared a UNESCO World Culture Heritage Site.

Distance: Around 150 Kilometers

Driving Time: Around 2.5 hrs

Accommodations: Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

Today, you will take a morning drive to Shangri-La. On the way, we will visit one of the deepest gorges in the world – [Tiger Leaping Gorge]. The name of this gorge comes from its unique valley shape. The gorge is so narrow that a tiger can jump from one side to another side of the river. During the rainy season, the dashing water will flow into this narrow valley at an amazing speed from the Jinsha River due to the huge drop. Walking along the path, you can see the view is changing, and the air is turning humid. Tiger Leaping Gorge must leave you with an incredible impression.

After the gorge, we will continue to drive to Shangri-La. Take some time to walk in the Dukezong Old Town. Then, we will have a rest today to adapt to the high altitude of 3200 meters.

Driving Distance: Around 200 Kilometers

Driving Time: Around 4 hrs

Accommodations: Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

After breakfast, we will take some time to explore the beautiful nature scenes of [Napa Sea]. Napa Sea is a natural highland grassy marshland. Then, the Keats driver will drive you back to Kunming.

Distance: Around 600 Kilometers

Driving Time: Around 6.5 hrs

Accommodations: Stay at Keats

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

The Keats driver and your Chinese teacher will take you to Duoyishu rice terrace by private car directly. When the sunlight shines from the clouds, the whole world looks so amazing that you can’t miss it.

Later on, your teacher will take you hiking to appreciate the scene of the Yuangyang rice terrace.

At dusk, your teacher will take you to watch and take photos of the sunset on the Bada (坝达) rice terrace.

Distance: Around 6 Kilometers

Driving Time: Around 30 min

Accommodations: Comfortable/Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

Today, you will take a morning drive to watch the sunrise, but change to another place named Jingkou (菁口) rice terrace. And then to the village to look around and explore the life of the Hani ethnic minority. You can see the mushroom houses, millstones, waterwheel, and plantain (芭蕉).

After lunch, the Keats driver will take you to the next destination – Jianshui County. Jianshui County  (建水县 Jianshui xian) is a division of Honghe Prefecture in Southeastern Yunnan. Although the county has its own name (it’s called Lin’an Town 临安镇), the name Jianshui is commonly used to refer to Lin’an as well, as it is generally the case with Chinese county seats.

You can go to visit Lin’an town at night. Since the Yuan Dynasty, Lin’an has been one of the most important cities of Yunnan, the center of Confucian learning and the veneration of Confucius.

While the ancient city wall that used to surround the city was demolished in the 20th century (only its four gate towers remain standing), many historic sites remain in and around Lin’an, making it one of the top tourist destinations in the province. A pleasant city overall, Jianshui is an attractive stopping point on a trip between Kunming and Yuanyang.

Then you can go to look around Jianshui’s old town. The Chaoyang Gate Tower (朝阳楼 Chaoyang Lou) is a scene you can’t miss. The preserved eastern gate of the Lin’an city wall, is now standing in the middle of a traffic roundabout. It is nicknamed “the little Tian’anmen Gate”, for its architecture. A small museum/exhibition hall is housed inside the gate tower, which affords nice views of the old city.

Distance: 200 Kilometers

Driving time: Around 3.5 hrs

Accommodations: Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

Today, your teacher will take you to experience the Jianshui Old City Train. Jianshui Old City Train (Lin’an Station). The century-old narrow gauge railway serving Jianshui (a branch of the better-known Yunnan-Vietnam Railway) has no regular passenger service anymore, but a tourist train runs twice a day from the restored Lin’an Station 临安站 to Tuanshan Station 团山站, in a village of the same name west of town. On its way, the train stops at the Double Dragon Bridge.

Later, you will go to Tuanshan village to watch and explore the old traditional Jianshui architecture.

Driving Distance: Around 1 KM

Driving Time: Around 5 min

Accommodation: Boutique Hotel

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

[Stone Forest] is 78 kilometers away from downtown Kunming. The Stone Forest is located in the Shilin Yi Autonomous County in the southeast of Kunming. The Stone Forest is a fantastic natural phenomenon. The Stone Forest is the Karst landform located in the sub-tropical area of the world. The total size of the Stone Forest is 100 square kilometers. Despite the various shapes of limestone formed due to millions of years of earth movement, the gorgeous Karst landform here integrates with the unique culture of the Sani People, hence making Stone Forest an attractive scenic area.

Distance: Around 78 Kilometers

Driving time: Around 1.5 hrs to Shilin, around 4 hrs to Yuanyang

Accommodations: Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

We will watch the clouds of Yuanyang Terrace in the early Morning. After that, you will visit the traditional mushroom house to learn about the life of the Hani ethnic minority.

At dusk, you will go to see the sunset of the Yuanyang rice terrace.

Distance: Around 6 Kilometers

Driving Time: Around 30 min

Accommodations: Comfortable/Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

Today you can sleep till you wake up naturally, and then we will go to visit the Zhu Family Garden. Constructed in Jianshui Old Town, Zhu Family Garden is famous as one of the most elaborate and grandest residential gardens in the south of Yunnan. Built in Qing Dynasty by the Zhu brothers, whose family was influential in the locality, the garden was completed in 30 years and was designed to include 42 courtyards.

After lunch, you will go to experience potting in the largest pottery workroom of Jianshui County to have a deep understanding of Jianshui culture.

Distance: Around 10 Kilometers

Driving Time: Around 3 hrs

Accommodation: Boutique Hotels

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included

Today you also can sleep till you wake up naturally. Fuxian lake is a beautiful natural scenery that needs you to calm down and enjoy it quietly. You can have a morning biking along the road of Fuxian Lake. Then the Keats driver will take you to Haikou Garden to have sightseeing.

After lunch, you will come back to Kunming.

Distance: Around 90KM

Driving Time: Around 1.5 hrs

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner not included