{ "id": 8580, "type": "page", "slug": "tour-yunnan-nw", "path": "/tours/tour-yunnan-nw/", "title": "tour-yunnan-nw", "excerpt": "", "featuredMediaId": null, "publishedAt": "2026-07-07 14:19:55", "modifiedAt": "2026-08-27 07:37:23", "authorId": null, "seoTitle": "Into Yunnan's Tibetan Highlands | Little Chinese Everywhere", "seoDescription": "Into Yunnan's Tibetan Highlands — 10 days in Yunnan | LCE × Boutique China Into Yunnan's Tibetan Highlands We take you across Yunnan's most diverse landscapes and cultures, into…", "canonicalUrl": "https://littlechineseeverywhere.com/tours/tour-yunnan-nw/", "robots": { "index": null, "follow": null }, "openGraph": {}, "socialImage": "https://jcwejfnxuwwffrrxjmkn.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/site-media/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/tours-card-nw.jpg", "destination": { "country": null, "province": null, "season": null, "latitude": null, "longitude": null, "color": null }, "excerptHtml": "", "contentHtml": "\n\n\n\n\n\nInto Yunnan's Tibetan Highlands | LCE × Boutique China\n\n\n\n\n\n
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\n \"Songzanlin\n
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Into Yunnan's Tibetan Highlands

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We take you across Yunnan's most diverse landscapes and cultures, into the everyday lives, homes, and cuisines of Bai, Naxi, and Tibetan communities.

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Enquire now
US$3,590per person · twin share
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\n Next Tours\n 13–22 May 202712–21 Oct 2027\n
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10 Days, Everything Sorted

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US$3,590 per person (twin share).
Single room surcharge: US$580

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10 days / 9 nights in hand-picked curated stays, each chosen for its unique character.

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Small-group departures, max 8 guests per trip.

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All experiences & entries: cheese-making, cooking class, Nixi pottery, and more.

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Daily breakfast plus most lunches and dinners.

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English-speaking bilingual guide & on-trip support throughout.

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We created an itinerary that brings together its full diversity — from Kawagarbo Snow Mountain to hidden Catholic churches and remote Tibetan monasteries in the Nujiang Valley, this is Yunnan at its most real — raw, diverse, unforgettable.

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Along the way, we move through ancient towns, Tibetan highlands, hidden valleys, and remote rural communities. We meet local families and artisans, share meals with them, and experience the cultures and traditions that make Yunnan one of China's most diverse regions.

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\n \"Tibetan-style\n \"The\n \n \"A\n \"Fresh\n \"Sharing\n \"Slicing\n \"Jade\n \n \n
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Where You'll Go

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DaysPlaceHighlights
1Dali & ShuanglangWelcome Dinner at Erhai Lakeside
2Dali → ShaxiLocal Market Visit & Rushan Cheese Tasting
3Shaxi → ShuheAncient Town of Shaxi, Artisan Visit & Yunnan Fine Dining
4–5Shangri-LaCooking Class, Songzanlin Monastery & Tibetan Family Visit
6–7Feilai Monastery & TachengNixi Pottery, Kawagarbo Sunrise & Tibetan Catholic Community
8–9Tacheng → XizhouRoasted Pig Picnic, Local Market & Farewell Dinner
10Xizhou → DaliOnward Transfer
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\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Yunnan\n \n \n 1Dali · start & end\n 2Shuanglang\n 3Shaxi\n 4Shuhe · Lijiang\n 5Shangri-La\n 6Feilai Si\n 7Tacheng\n 8Xizhou\n \n \n
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Day By Day Itinerary

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\n Day 1 · Dali & ShuanglangWelcome to Yunnan\n
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We meet you at Dali airport or rail station and drive to Shuanglang on the shore of Erhai Lake. The afternoon is yours by the water; at dusk, a relaxed welcome dinner — a short briefing, then good food and drink as strangers become fellow travellers.

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Welcome Dinner Included
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\n Day 2 · Dali → ShaxiA Taste of Everyday Yunnan\n
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Dawn at Dali's Beimen Market — mushrooms, fresh cheeses, and mountain herbs set the rhythm of Yunnan's breakfast culture. Enjoy free time in the old town before continuing to Shaxi, once a key stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road. On the way, we stop in Dengchuan to try Rushan, the region's unique Chinese cheese.

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Traditional Courtyard Dinner Included
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\n Day 3 · Shaxi → ShuheLiving Traditions of the Tea Horse Road\n
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We begin in Shaxi, an ancient Tea Horse Road town, where we walk its old streets and explore its living history as a former trading hub. We then continue to Jianchuan to visit local craft workshops and enjoy a simple regional lunch, including local specialties like baba bread. In the afternoon, we drive to Shuhe near Lijiang, where we settle into the old town and end the day with a modern Yunnan fine dining experience.

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Lunch + Fine-Dining Dinner Included
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\n Day 4 · Lijiang → Shangri-LaDiscover Yunnan Cuisine\n
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We explore Yunnan's food culture through a hands-on cooking experience in Lijiang, starting from the market and learning about local ingredients before preparing and enjoying a shared lunch together. In the afternoon, we drive towards Shangri-La via Tiger Leaping Gorge (if weather permits), arriving in the old town for check-in and a relaxed evening.

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Dinner On Your Own
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\n Day 5 · Shangri-LaLife on the Tibetan Plateau\n
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We start the day with a visit to Songzanlin Monastery where we explore Tibetan Buddhism and the historical role of Shangri-La in Tibetan culture. At midday, we visit a Tibetan family near Napa Lake, sharing a Tibetan-style lunch while learning about daily life and household rituals. In the afternoon, we take a gentle walk across the Napa Lake grasslands before returning to Dukezong Old Town for free time, with an optional evening of traditional Guozhuang dance in the square.

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Dinner On Your Own
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\n Day 6 · Feilai MonasteryThe Sacred Mountain\n
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We follow the sacred mountain route from Shangri-La through Nixi and Benzilan to Feilai Monastery, moving from Tibetan craft villages to highland valleys and dramatic mountain viewpoints. Along the way, we visit a black pottery workshop in Nixi, stop for a local lunch in Benzilan, and end the day at Feilai Monastery, where we arrive in time to check in and enjoy views of the Meili Snow Mountain range.

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Group Dinner Included
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\n Day 7 · Feilai Monastery → TachengWhere Tibet Meets Europe\n
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We explore the unique valley of Tacheng, where Tibetan culture meets European-influenced heritage. We begin with a sunrise view of Kawagarbo (Meili) Snow Mountain from Feilai Monastery, then descend through the Lancang River Canyon to Cizhong, where we visit the historic Catholic church and a local winery for a wine tasting, then a local lunch. In the afternoon, we continue towards Tacheng with scenic stops along the way, arriving in the evening to check into our hotel and enjoy a relaxed dinner in this quiet borderland valley.

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Dinner Included
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\n Day 8 · Tacheng → XizhouHidden Valleys of Yunnan\n
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Day 8 unfolds in Yunnan's hidden valleys at a slower pace, beginning with a free morning in Tacheng where we explore the village, riverside paths, cafés, and surrounding fields at leisure. Around midday, we gather for a picnic lunch on the grasslands before continuing to Shigu, where we take a break and enjoy views of the dramatic bends of the Yangtze River. In the afternoon, we drive on to Xizhou in Dali, arriving in the early evening, checking into our guesthouse, and settling into a quiet night in the old town.

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Dinner Included
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\n Day 9 · XizhouA Slow Goodbye to Yunnan\n
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Day 9 is a gentle farewell to Yunnan, spent in Xizhou at a slower pace to reflect, wander, and take in the final moments of the journey. The morning begins with a guided walk through Xizhou's early market, followed by free time for coffee, photography, and personal exploration. Around midday, we gather for a traditional Bai family lunch, before taking the afternoon to rest, sort photos, or choose between optional cycling around Erhai Lake or visiting a tie-dye workshop. In the late afternoon, we end the day with a farewell dinner, sharing memories and closing the journey together.

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Farewell Dinner Included
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\n Day 10 · Xizhou → DaliUntil Next Time\n
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Day 10 marks the end of our journey, beginning with a relaxed breakfast in Xizhou before a smooth group transfer to Dali Airport or the high-speed rail station.

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Trip Ends
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Where You'll Stay

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We stay in places that feel connected to their surroundings — lakefront inns, old-town courtyards, and Tibetan-style retreats, carefully selected along the route.

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\n \"Luna\n \"Luna\n \"Luna\n
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Luna Sea-View Inn

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Shuanglang · Erhai Lake
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First-line on Erhai — travertine terraces and soaking tubs open straight onto the water, the island village across the bay.

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\n \"Lanlinge\n \"Lanlinge\n \"Lanlinge\n
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Lanlinge

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Shaxi · Tea-Horse Road
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A Bai courtyard hotel on Shaxi's old Sideng Street — Tea-Horse Road stone walls and a lily pond, timber-ceilinged rooms opening onto bamboo, and a stone-and-beam library for slow afternoons.

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\n \"Awamai\n \"Awamai\n \"Awamai\n
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Awamai Hotel

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Lijiang Old Town
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Located in Lijiang’s Old Town, Awamai Hotel is a beautifully restored historic residence that blends traditional Naxi architectural elements with classic Chinese aesthetics, breathing new life into a centuries-old house.

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\n \"Sangzhu\n \"Sangzhu\n \"Sangzhu\n
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Sangzhu Bieyuan

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Dukezong · Shangri-La
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A Tibetan courtyard house in Dukezong old town — rammed-earth walls, carved pillars and a thangka-hung hall, steps from the great prayer wheel.

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\n \"Z\n \"Z\n \"Z\n
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Z Hotel Supreme · Feilai Si

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Feilai Si · facing Meili
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Picture windows onto the sacred Meili snow range — for the dawn alpenglow on Kawagebo, without leaving your room.

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\n \"Tianyu\n \"Tianyu\n \"Tianyu\n
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Tianyu Tacheng

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Tacheng · hidden valley
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A timber-and-glass inn in a remote Tacheng valley, rooms opening onto rice fields and forested mountains.

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\n \"Banxia\n \"Banxia\n
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Banxia Garden

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Xizhou · Dali
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A seven-room Bai courtyard guesthouse in Xizhou old town — whitewashed walls, timber-beamed rooms, and a quiet garden to slow right down in.

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In rare cases of limited availability, some stays may be replaced with hotels of equal standard.

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Your Guides

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\"Carrie\"
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Carrie
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Having spent the past few years guiding travelers and exploring Yunnan, Carrie has developed a deep appreciation for the region's incredible diversity. Now living in a peaceful village in Dali, she loves sharing the landscapes, cultures, and hidden gems she has discovered.

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\"Henry\"
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Henry
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Having called Yunnan home for over a decade, Henry has transformed his passion for the region into a career. From the bustling streets of Kunming to the mountains of Shangri-La, he specializes in uncovering hidden sceneries that guidebooks often miss. Henry loves connecting travelers with local culture through authentic food and untold stories, ensuring every journey feels personal and unique.

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\"Li\"
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Li
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A Yunnan native with a lifelong passion for his homeland, Li loves sharing the region's landscapes, cultures, and hidden stories with travelers. Years living in Australia and working with international guests give him both local insight and a global perspective.

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\"Jean\"
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Jean
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33 villages, 117 musicians, countless cups of tea and coffee. Jean Zhang is a Yunnan-born social anthropologist — a quarter Naxi, a quarter Yi — who speaks English and French, and happens to sing and dance too. She loves discovering the Yunnan that doesn't always make it into guidebooks: the people, stories, music and everyday life behind the landscapes.

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Perfect For Travelers Who Want More Than The Highlights.

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Our guides live and breathe Yunnan — building real relationships with the families, artisans and small guesthouses along the route, so you experience the province the way locals do, not just from a bus window.

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\n \"A\n \"A\n \"Shopping\n \"Shaxi's\n
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What's Included

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Included

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  • All curated stays (9 nights)
  • Daily breakfast + most lunches and dinners
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  • Private minibus, driver & bilingual guide
  • All experiences & entries in the itinerary
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  • On-trip support throughout
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Not Included

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  • International & domestic flights
  • China visa (we provide supporting docs)
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  • Travel insurance (required)
  • The few meals left free to explore
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Enquire to Reserve Your Spot

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Tell us a little about your trip and we'll be in touch within ~24 hours. A 20% deposit secures your spot; groups stay small.

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By submitting this form, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.

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\n \n \n \n \n or email info@boutiquechina.com.au\n
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Thanks for reaching out! We've received your enquiry and our team will get back to you within 24 hours usually.
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US$3,590 per person · 3 departures, Sep–Oct 2026 · up to 8 people
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