12 Days China Nature Tour for Seniors

Today your flight will touch down in Guilin. We will meet you at the airport exit with a welcome board and then drive you to Yangshuo downtown hotel to check in. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the surrounding areas.

Meal: No

Altitude: 314m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Yangshuo

After the breakfast in the hotel, we will take the bike tour to spend the whole day at Yulong River valley to enjoy the the most peaceful and bucolic countryside scenery in Yangshuo and it also offers you a chance to get a deeper insight into the farming life in rural China. To explore the Yulong River, take the bamboo boat on Yulong River. After that will go to the Moon Hill, hiking to the top of moon hill, cycle back to Yangshuo. In the evening, if you have interest, can enjoy a fabulous light show (optional).

Meal: B

Altitude: 314m

Traffic: Car, Bike

Hotel: In Yangshuo

Hotel pick up and drive about 40 minutes to visit Xianggong Hill, “Xianggong” is an ancient term for a wife to her husband. It takes about 15 minutes to the top of the hill where you will be amazed by the breathtaking view of Li River and the surrounded Karst mountain peaks. Afterwards getting down and drive to the river bank to cross the Li River by ferry, continue the trip with about 1.5 hours hiking along the Li River to Xingping town, enjoy the 20RMB bill background and the best views of Li River and the mountains. Have lunch at Xingping and explore this ancient town. Then head to Longji Rice Terraces for the splendid rice terraces and local ethnic minority villages and the drive takes roughly 3 hours. On the way you can enjoy the nice mountain range views, and in the minority villages explore more about the unique ethnic culture and customs. 

Meal: B

Altitude: 380m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Ping’an Village

Spend most of the day to hike around at the Ping’an Village to enjoy the rice terraces views and visit local minority villages. There are several hiking trails that you can choose depending on your physical condition, it could last from 1 hour up to 5 hours. So just tell your guide what you want, then your guide can recommend you the options. 

Meal: B

Altitude: 150m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Guilin

Today we will transfer to the airport and take a flight from Guilin to Lijiang. Our driver and guide will meet you at the station, then take you to check into the hotel in Lijiang. Have a good rest and make preparations for tomorrow’s tour.

Meal: B

Altitude: 2466m

Traffic: Plane, Car

Hotel: In Lijiang

Full day sightseeing in Lijiang. the first site we will visit today is Baisha village, which is the original settlement and earliest political centre of the Naxi people. Painted over 1,000 years ago, the murals combine the cultures of the Han, Tibetan, and Naxi people, and display stories of Tibetan Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Have a relaxing walking int he Baisha Village and get to know about the local life and culture.

Then, proceed the journey to Yuhu Village, Walking along this village, you can see how local people really live and experience the original face of the village. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ancient city of Lijiang can be traced back to more than 800 years ago. Besides its unique architecture and local ethnic culture, it is also known for its orderly arrangement of bridges and waterways. Walk along the winding cobbled paths — it is said that you won’t get lost as long as you follow the water.

Thereafter, You can visit the Mu family (Mu family) in the old town of Lijiang. It took more than 60 years to build this huge complex of buildings, consisting of many pavilions and gardens, each of which is more beautiful than the previous one. It overlooks Lion Mountain and provides access to the memorial.

Meal: B

Altitude: 2466m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Lijiang

After breakfast, drive to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, take 25 minutes’ cableway to Glacier Park, you will see the vegetations changes with ascending altitude. Walk along the plank road to reach 4680m and appreciate the fairyland with ice and snow. Take cableway down, drive to visit Blue Moon Valley with turquoise-colored water. Afterwards, drive back to Lijiang for rest.

Meal: B

Altitude: 2466m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Lijiang

Today we will drive all the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La. On the road, you will pay a visit to Tiger Leaping Gorge, It is on the Jinsha River of the upper reaches of the Yangtze) is located 105 kilometers south of Zhongdian County. The gorge is 17 kilometers long with a drop of 213 meters.The Tiger Leaping Gorge is divided into three sections: Upper, Middle and Lower Hutiao. At the narrowest spot the river is only 30 meters wide. The mouth of the gorge is 1,800 meters above sea level. The river is flanked by Yulong and Haba snow mountains, with a height difference of 3,900 meters. It is one of the deepest gorges in the world.

We will arrive in Shangri-La in the afternoon and visit Songzanlin Monastery, which is one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in Yunnan. Here, tranquillity prevails, as its 700 monks and acolytes (often beginning their training at the age of five) go about their daily lives – just as they have done for more than three centuries. The lamasery’s murals are one of its highlights – resplendently colourful depictions of the life Buddha, the guardian deities of Buddhism and the wheel of life, painted by distinguished lamas past and present. Today you will also have an opportunity to visit a local Tibetan family.

Meal: B

Altitude: 3459m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Shangri-La

After breakfast, we will drive to Pudacuo National Park, the first national park in mainland China. In Tibetan language, Pudacuo means reaching the opposite side of the lake by boat under the help of deity. forest, marsh, valley, alpine meadow and so on can be seen in the park. Afterwards, drive to Shaxi for overnight stay.

Meal: B

Altitude: 1300m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Shaxi

Meet your guide at the hotel. Morning walking in Shaxi Ancient Town, it was once an important station on the ancient tea-horse road. Now Shaxi is quieter and simpler, and it also better preserves the style of the tea-horse town. Walking on the street slowly enjoys the ancient town. Quiet and comfortable.you will visit Shibao Mountain, you will take the shuttle bus to the foot of the Baoxiang Temple. You will climb the stairs to the temple located in the mountains. In this temple, you will have the opportunity to visit the shrine dedicated to the Lord, Buddhist, and Taoist saints.

And then take a shuttle bus to Shizhong Temple. Upon arriving at the parking lot of Shizhong Temple, you will visit impressive 13th century Buddhist sculptures. Then you head for a small temple with a hiking trail behind it. Please note that this is an easy hiking trip, but there are stairs to take, and some places are a bit steep. You can take a shuttle bus instead.

Meal: B

Altitude: 2090m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Dali

Today pay a visit to the Monastery Santasi (Three Pagodas)，a symbol of the history of Dali City and a record of the development of Buddhism in the area. It occupies a scenic location at the foot of Mt. Cangshan and facing the Erhai Lake with a history of over 1,800 years. Then travel to the Erhai Lake, cruise in the lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island. In Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake. If you are interested, you can also ride a bicycle along the Erhai Lake if you are interested in.

After the visit at Erhai, You will also have an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful flowers at the Huayu Ranch. There are dozens of ornamental flowers such as lily, zinnia, dasiphora fruticosa, a string of blue, marigold, dianthus, campanula, chamomile, celosia, red leaves, willow verbena, willow, roses, etc. In addition to the flowers, there are some amusement facilities in the ranch. The journey will end at the old town of Dali, weathered gray granite stands at 2,100 meters on a long, narrow rice plain between the Cangshan Mountains and the Erhai Lake, a natural configuration that seems specially designed for a good, bountiful life. Format of the old town is like a chessboard with four gates guarding in the directions of east, south, west and north, a design that was adopted by most towns in ancient China. 

Meal: B

Altitude: 2090m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: In Dali

Today our journey comes to an end after a good breakfast, based on your schedule, you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Meal: B

Altitude: 2090m

Traffic: Car

Hotel: No