Yunnan: Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La in 9 Days

Yunnan is where China goes to slow down, and where independent travelers tend to linger longest. This nine-day loop runs through its most storied corners: the ancient lanes of Lijiang, the mountain scenery around Shangri-La, and the sculpted rice terraces of Yuanyang.

Distances are longer and the terrain is high, so the pace is deliberately gentle. You won't cram in ten sights a day here — you'll sit in a courtyard, drink tea and watch the mountains change color instead. That is the point.

What to expect

• Lijiang's UNESCO-listed old town, best at dawn before the crowds.
• Highland scenery and Tibetan-influenced culture toward Shangri-La.
• The vast, mirror-like Yuanyang rice terraces at sunrise.

Give yourself buffer days — mountain weather and altitude slow everything down, in a good way.