Yunnan & Meili Mountains itinerary - October 2017- Help please :)

Hello Everyone,

I am going to China from October 7th to 25th this year. Very excited as this is my first time in China. I have return flights to Beijing and other wise I will go to Yunnan.

That's where I am struggling a bit - especially with regards to transport... So i thought I'd ask you because the forum has been so helpful . What do you guys think of this itinerary ? is it feasible? am I missing out ?

Many thanks

Sat 07 -Oct Beijing -- Fly to Kunming

Sun 08 -Oct Kunming Spend the day in town and train to Dali (overnight)

Mon 09 -Oct Spending the day in Dali for visits, sleep in Dali

Tue 10 -Oct Dali visits, + en route to Lijiang. Sleep in Lijiang

Wed 11 -Oct Lijiang Visit the town

Thu 12 -Oct Lijiang Cangshan Mountain - Sleeping in Lijiang (or make way to Qiatou)

Fri 13 -Oct Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek

Sat 14 -Oct Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek - Go to Shangri la

Sun 15 -Oct Shangri La Visits

Mon 16 -Oct Shangri La Visits and go to Deqing

Tue 17 -Oct Meili Mountains - Sleep in Deqing

Wed 18 -Oct Meili Mountains - Sleep in Yuben

Thu 19 -Oct Meili Mountains - Sleep in Mingyong Village

Fri 20 -Oct Meili Mountains - Return to Shangri la

Sat 21 -Oct Return to Kunming and back to Beijing

Sun 22 -Oct Beijing

Mon 23 -Oct Beijing

Tue 24 -Oct Beijing

Wed 25 -Oct London

What do you think?

Thanks a million!!!

On the 11th..Lijian is so incredibly like a Chinese Disneyland, that if you have the chance to move onto the next destination, I would.

One night is enough... It's quite something to see the nighttime scene, but a few days not necessary imo.. Of course you can decide when there

Great thanks for the tip!

Do you mean Deqin?

You'll be arriving at the end of a huge holiday week that runs through Oct 8 this year. Intercity travel on Oct 7 and 8 will be more expensive and absolutely packed including flights, so I'd suggest you spend those first 2-3 days in Beijing and then another 1-2 days at the end of the trip when you return. That would have you leaving Beijing on Oct 10 and returning maybe late on the 23rd.

You have a bit of geography confusion: Cangshan Mountain is near Dali. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is by Lijiang. Lijiang Old Town is best explored a few hours in the early morning, then visit again in the evening when it's lively (sometimes too lively). No need to carve out full days for this. The best things to do when Lijiang-based is a day exploring the valley villages (Shuhe, Baisha, Yuhu) and small temples by bicycle. Another day for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain if that's of interest--though given the rest of your itinerary, I'd say it's skippable and saves your cash for further up the road. Shangri-La town itself doesn't have a lot more than the Songzanlin Monastery but I'd put that as a must-do; looks like you may have a day too much there.. Other than that, mostly a transport nexus for your purposes. I think you need to get more efficiencies into this itinerary, such as considering flying nonstop from Beijing to Dali (expensive) or Beijing to Lijiang (reasonable) and bypassing Kunming on the outbound. Try to add Shaxi (especially the Friday market) if you can. And let yourself acclimate for a bit in the Lijiang-Shaxi-TLG area before moving upwards to Shangri-La.

As an aside since it's probably too late for you to do anything about it, if Yunnan is the complete focus of this trip, booking an international return fare to Beijing and back was a strategic mistake. Beijing and Kunming are 2000 km apart by air, like London to Casablanca. There is a time and cost factor in getting back and forth between Beijing and Yunnan; the better option would have been an international ticket to Kunming, Guangzhou, or even Bangkok--even if a bit more than the Beijing return ticket. If it's not too late to cancel and rebook (unless you have a nonrefundable or the penalty fee for doing so would be too great), then consider doing so and saving Beijing for a future trip.

yes!

and yes I am not good with Geography... I get that :(

I also go to Lijiang -Shangrila from 14-19 Oct, may go to Shangrila on 17 Oct. If possible, we can join each other coz I travel alone, quite lonely

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