Flight: TG612 Bangkok - Kunming 10.50 - 14.05

Meet & greet: Upon arrival at Kunming International Airport, you will be welcomed to China by your private English-speaking guide, and then transferred to your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Park Hotel (Standard Room)

Full day tour of the Stone Forest and the Golden Temple: Located in Lunan Yi Nationality Autonomous County, the forest is a special type of limestone formation known as karst. Some 270 million years ago the area was submerged in a lake and a thick layer of limestone deposited on the bottom. The movement of the earth's crust caused the sea bottom to thrust upward and become land, and through weathering and erosion over eons, the stone was formed into pillars. These bizarre stone formations reach up to 30 metres tall and cover a large area stretching into the distance. After time to explore the Stone Forest you will return to Kunming and there will be a visit to Kunming's famous Golden Temple, which is a unique Taoist temple set in the grounds of a charming park.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Park Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning tour of Kunming: This morning, take a guided tour of Green Lake Park and then visit the Yuan Tong Temple, which is the largest Buddhist complex in Kunming. After this morning tour, your guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Tengchong.

Flight: MU5717 Kunming - Tengchong 13.05 - 14.05

Private transfer: On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Afternoon guided tour of Heshun Village: This afternoon, visit the traditional village of Heshun, said to be one of the ten most charming ancient towns in China, with impressive architecture built 200 years ago by wealthy trading families. Many well-known Chinese merchants and literati were born in Heshun. Also of great interest are the town's library, the largest village library in China, and the World War Two museum displaying some fascinating historical records from the days of the "Flying Tigers".

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Guanfang Hotel Tengchong (Garden View Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour of Tengchong Area: Today's tour starts at the Volcano Park, an area with a number of active volcanoes. There are walking trails allowing you to hike to the summits for views of the surrounding landscape pock-marked with volcanoes, trek around the rims, and descend into the craters. Continue to the Wetland Park, a large but seasonal fresh water wetland to the north which attracts bird-watchers and nature-lovers. The tour finishes at the "Sea of Heat" area of hot springs, where you will see impressive geysers and have the opportunity to bathe in the cooler small springs and a natural warm-water swimming pool.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Guanfang Hotel Tengchong (Garden View Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey from Tengchong to Dali: This morning, set off along the Old Burma Road to Dali, a drive of approximately 5 hours. Stop en route at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Gaoligong Mountain Nature Reserve. Stretching more than 300 miles along Yunnan's border with Myanmar, the jagged Gaoligong mountain range forms a divide between the Nu River to the east and the Irrawaddy to the west. Remote and rugged, the Gaoligong Mountains are protected by UNESCO for their immense biodiversity.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Landscape Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning guided tour of Dali: Dali is home to the Bai people, a colourfully dressed minority influenced by the Chinese, Tibetans and Indians. Throughout the town you will see typical houses of the Bais with stone walls and dark blue tile roofs. Visit the Three Pagodas, made of bricks built a thousand years ago and coated with white mud, housing a shrine with Buddha statues and lotus flowers. Continue to the ancient town dating from 1382 AD when it was founded as the capital of the Dali kingdom. The original city wall was 8m in height and 6km in length with four gates in the east, west, south and north. The layout of the ancient city resembles a chessboard. The tour finishes with a boat trip on Erhai Lake, with a magnificent setting fringed by mountains and ancient temples.

Afternoon at leisure: This afternoon, you have some time at leisure in Dali. The Old Town is a charming place to explore independently, or you can set out to explore the beautiful surrounding area. Some of our suggested activities include bicycle riding around Erhai Lake, or walking on the nearby Cangshan Mountains.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Landscape Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Dali to the ancient village of Shaxi: After breakfast, you will set off on the drive to the ancient village of Shaxi which is nestled deep in the Himalayan foothills and is home to the Bai and Yi minority peoples. On arrival here you will check in to a simple Bai minority hotel for the night. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant on arrival.

Afternoon optional tours: This afternoon, there are a number of tours available including wild Pine Mushroom hunting with a local expert (July to September only), a visit to see Shibao Shan 7th Century Buddhist rock carvings, or a trek to a mountain village (on foot or on horseback). Your guide will meet you later and take you for dinner in a local restaurant.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Old Theatre Inn (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Road journey from Shaxi to Lijiang with sightseeing: After breakfast, you will set off on the drive to Lijiang, passing through Jianchuan on the way. You will make a stop to see some ancient Buddhist carvings at Shibaoshan. The Stone Treasure Mountain Grottoes here offer a fine example of 9th century Bai carvings. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant en route. On arrival in Lijiang, you will be transferred to your hotel which is on the edge of the old town.

Afternoon at leisure: This afternoon, you have some time at leisure in Lijiang to settle into your hotel and begin exploring the charming Old Town independently.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Zen Garden Hotel - Lion Hill Branch (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning guided walking tour of Lijiang: This morning, take a walking tour of Lijiang. Visit Black Dragon Pool Park where between an arched marble bridge and a three storey Chinese pavilion you can see the towering peak of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reflected in the crystal waters. This peak dominates the scenery for miles around and has a continual covering of snow.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Zen Garden Hotel – Lion Hill Branch (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Guided tour to Tiger Leaping Gorge: After breakfast, set off on the drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge which is one of the deepest canyons in the world. Wedged tightly between titanic cliffs, the Yangtze River is so narrow here, so legend tells us, that a hunted tiger made his escape to the other side of the river in a single bound. In the afternoon you will stop at the village of the Stone Drum where you can see the first great bend of the Yangtze River. The approach of Stone Drum offers a dramatic view of the Yangtze's near 180 degree turn where the water performs a grand about face. For nearly 13 miles the river, first flowing south, then north, runs parallel to itself. Locals say that if it were not for their village standing guard at the bend, China would lose the water of the Yangtze to Southeast Asia, as happens with the nearby Mekong and Salween rivers. Return to Lijiang early evening.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Zen Garden Hotel - Lion Hill Branch (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day at leisure: Today you have some time at leisure in Lijiang. Get lost in the maze of cobbled streets, climb Lion Hill for some views over the Old Town, stroll around the Black Dragon Pool, or catch up on some souvenir shopping in the Old Town.

Private transfer: This afternoon, you will be transferred to Lijiang's airport for the flight to Jinghong, in the heart of Xishuangbanna.

Flight: MU5991 Lijiang - Jinghong 21.15 - 22.25

Private transfer: On arrival in Jinghong, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Tai Garden Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Full day guided tour of Jinghong: After breakfast, you will set out to explore Jinghong. Visit the Galanba Thai Village and the Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden. The Garden has been constructed as a botanical garden with the largest area and the richest plant diversity in China. Afterwards, have lunch in a local restaurant. This afternoon, you will visit the Kino tribe village to see at first hand their colourful ethnic culture. On returning to Jinghong, you will have a chance to relax at the hotel or take a walk around the city to get a feel for the Dai people and their customs.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Tai Garden Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Full day guided tour to villages around Jinghong: After breakfast, you will set off for a tour of the villages of Menghun and Mengzhe which are around 40 miles west of Jinghong and provide an interesting insight into the indigenous culture of this part of Yunnan. You will arrive in Menghan in time to see the colourful Sunday market which brings local folk from around the region to the village to trade. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant and after time to explore these villages and meet the locals you will return to your hotel in Jinghong to relax.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Tai Garden Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning guided tour to Wild Elephant Valley: After breakfast, you will set off for a tour of Banna Wild Elephant Valley to learn about the life of the 40 or so wild elephants that live in the tropical forest a little way outside Jinghong. A cable car runs over the treetops giving you a bird's eye view of the amazing creatures. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant.

Private transfer: This afternoon, you will be transferred to Jinghong's airport for the flight to Kunming.

Flight: FM9454 Jinghong - Kunming 15.00 - 15.50

Private transfer: On arrival in Kunming, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in and relax for the rest of the day.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Park Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch