Two weeks in one region works best in Yunnan, northwest China, with Lijiang Old Town as your base: day trips to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Baisha, a two-day Tiger Leaping Gorge hike, a two-night run to Shangri-La, and a train trip to Dali and Erhai Lake. One guesthouse, one unpacking, and every highlight within about three hours of your door.
Written by the HXXC Travel team and last reviewed in October 2026.
Key facts at a glance
- Region: northwest Yunnan — Lijiang (base, about 2,400 m), Shangri-La (about 3,300 m), Dali (about 2,000 m)
- Trip length: 14 days, 13 nights, one base plus two short excursions
- Best months: March-May and September-November
- Getting in: fly to Kunming Changshui (KMG), then a 50-minute flight or roughly three hours by train to Lijiang
- Visas: as of November 2026, many nationalities enter China visa-free for up to 30 days; others can use 240-hour visa-free transit (10 days maximum, onward ticket required) — check your nationality's status before booking
- Budget: roughly RMB 5,500-9,000 (about US$780-1,270) per person for two weeks, mid-range, excluding international flights
- Payments: Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card covers almost everything; trains book on the official 12306 app with your passport
Why one base works for two weeks
Yunnan's northwest sights cluster within a short radius of Lijiang. Tiger Leaping Gorge is about two hours by road, Shangri-La about 1.5 hours by rail, Dali about two hours by rail, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is visible from town. A single base means you acclimatize to the altitude in one bed, skip daily check-ins, and stop performing your holiday as a checklist.
From our guides' experience, travelers who change hotels every two nights in Yunnan lose most of a day each time to packing, transfers and check-in. Slow travel suits this region anyway: mornings at the market, afternoons walking, evenings in a teahouse.
Choosing your base: Lijiang or Dali
- Lijiang, about 2,400 m: the UNESCO-listed Old Town of Lijiang (inscribed in 1997), Naxi culture, and the closest access to Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La. Best if mountains and hiking are the priority.
- Dali, about 2,000 m on Erhai Lake: Bai culture, a flat lakeside cycle route, and milder altitude. Best if you want the gentlest acclimatization and lake scenery.
- Recommendation: base in Lijiang for this plan, because its two biggest excursions — Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La — start at its doorstep. If altitude worries you, invert the plan: base in Dali and visit Lijiang as a two-night trip instead.
Getting there and settling in
Most travelers arrive via Kunming Changshui Airport (KMG). Lijiang Sanyi Airport (LJG) receives flights from Kunming (about 50 minutes), Chengdu, Chongqing and Xi'an, plus a small number of regional international routes as of November 2026 — check current schedules. The train from Kunming takes about three hours and typically costs ¥220-260 in second class. From LJG, the Old Town is about 30 minutes by taxi; shuttle buses run into the city for around ¥20 (re-check both before travel).
Spend days 1-3 gently. Lijiang sits at 2,400 m, and the classic first-timer mistake is charging up a mountain on day two. Walk the Old Town, visit Black Dragon Pool park for the classic view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain across the water, and see Mu Palace (Mufu), the restored residence of the Naxi rulers.
The 14-day plan
Days 1-6: Lijiang and its day trips
- Day 1: Arrive, check in, an easy evening walk, early night.
- Day 2: Old Town on foot — Sifang Street, Mu Palace, and the Wangu Tower viewpoint on Lion Hill.
- Day 3: Slow morning at Zhongyi Market, afternoon in a teahouse; book your Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable-car slot for Day 5 (slots sell out in peak months).
- Day 4: Baisha village in the morning — the oldest Naxi settlement, with its old murals — then Shuhe Old Town, 20-30 minutes away by taxi or local bus.
- Day 5: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: the Glacier Park cable car to the 4,506 m station (boardwalks climb to about 4,680 m), then Blue Moon Valley's pale turquoise pools at the mountain's foot. Entrance and cable car typically total ¥240-320 as of November 2026. Dress warm; rent oxygen at the base if you are prone to altitude effects.
- Day 6: A deliberate rest day — laundry, cafés, craft shops, an early night before the gorge.
Days 7-11: Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La
This loop pairs Yunnan's best-known trek with a two-night stay in Shangri-La, gateway to Potatso National Park — and because you continue onward after the gorge, you never backtrack.
- Day 7: Transfer to Qiaotou (about two hours), enter the gorge (ticket around ¥45), and hike the High Trail's middle section — the 28 Bends climb to Tea Horse Guesthouse, then on to Halfway Guesthouse for the night. Check locally that the trail is open; sections close after heavy rain.
- Day 8: A short morning descent to Tina's Guesthouse, a 1.5-2 hour round trip down to the river viewpoint, then a road transfer on to Shangri-La (about two hours).
- Day 9: Acclimatize at 3,300 m: Dukezong Old Town, the giant prayer wheel on Guishan Hill, and Songzanlin Monastery in the afternoon (around ¥90-105 including the shuttle).
- Day 10: Potatso National Park day trip — boardwalks around Shudu Lake and Bita Lake in forest and meadow country. Entry plus park bus typically ¥100-150 as of November 2026; re-check.
- Day 11: Morning train back to Lijiang (about 1.5 hours on the line opened in late 2023); afternoon free.
Days 12-14: Dali, Erhai Lake and the way home
The finale swaps mountains for water: two days on Erhai Lake, the high-altitude lake that defines Dali.
- Day 12: Morning train to Dali (about two hours), afternoon in Dali Old Town and the Chongsheng Three Pagodas (around ¥75).
- Day 13: Erhai Lake day: Xizhou village in the morning for Bai architecture and Xizhou baba flatbread, then the lakeside ecological corridor by rented e-bike (typically ¥50-100 a day) or sightseeing bus, ending in Shuanglang for sunset over the water.
- Day 14: Departure. Fly from Dali to Kunming (about 40 minutes) to connect home, take an afternoon train to Kunming (about two hours), or ride back to Lijiang for a Day 15 flight.
What two weeks costs
Mid-range, per person, double occupancy, excluding international flights (prices as of November 2026 — re-check before travel):
- Guesthouse or boutique hotel: ¥150-450 per night for a double
- Food: ¥60-150 per person per day — noodle shops and market stalls at the low end, restaurant dinners at the top
- Major tickets: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain ¥240-320, Tiger Leaping Gorge around ¥45, Potatso ¥100-150, Songzanlin around ¥90-105, Three Pagodas around ¥75
- Trains and transfers: ¥600-1,000 across the fortnight
- Total: RMB 5,500-9,000 (about US$780-1,270). Adding a private English-speaking guide and driver for the gorge and Shangri-La days adds roughly ¥600-1,200 per day, split across your group.
When to go
The best time for this itinerary is March-May and September-November. Spring brings mild days and blossom; autumn has the clearest skies for the mountain and the gorge. June-August is the rainy season — landscapes are at their greenest, but expect afternoon showers and the busiest domestic travel in July and August. Winter is cold but clear; Shangri-La regularly drops below freezing. Avoid Golden Week (October 1-7) and Chinese New Year, when trains and hotels sell out and prices spike.
Visas, payments and practicalities (as of November 2026)
- Visas: China's unilateral visa-free policy lets ordinary passport holders from a long list of countries — including most of Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea — enter for up to 30 days. The UK and US are not on that list as of November 2026; their nationals can use 240-hour visa-free transit (maximum 10 days, onward ticket to a third country required, entry and exit through approved ports — Kunming Changshui qualifies), which is too short for this 14-day plan, so most UK and US travelers need an L tourist visa. These rules have changed several times since 2024 — confirm with the Chinese embassy before booking.
- Money: link a foreign Visa or Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure; carry a little cash for remote guesthouses.
- Trains: book on the official 12306 app with your passport; you will need the passport at station gates.
- Internet: Google, WhatsApp and Instagram do not work on local SIMs without a VPN; an international-roaming eSIM bought before departure is the simplest fix.
- Hotels: stay at properties licensed to host foreign guests — most in Lijiang, Shuhe, Dali and Shangri-La are — and present your passport at check-in, as registration is required by law.
- Altitude: you will sleep at 2,400 m (Lijiang) and 3,300 m (Shangri-La) and stand at 4,506 m on Jade Dragon. Keep the first three days easy, drink more water than usual, skip alcohol on day one, and ask your doctor about acetazolamide if you have a history of altitude sickness.
How HXXC Travel can help
HXXC Travel is a China inbound tour operator based in Jiangmen, Guangdong. We run this Lijiang-Shangri-La-Dali route as a private itinerary with English-speaking guides, handle the cable-car, train and park bookings that sell out in peak season, and adapt the plan — a Dali base instead of Lijiang, extra rest days, a driver for the gorge — to how you actually travel. Contact us for a quote or to have this route tailored to your dates.
About this guide
Written and last reviewed in October 2026 by the HXXC Travel editorial team, drawing on routes our guides operate year-round. Train times, ticket prices, visa rules and trail conditions in Yunnan change; confirm each detail close to your travel date.
FAQ
Do I need a visa for a two-week trip to Yunnan?
If your country is on China's unilateral visa-free list, no — you can stay up to 30 days as of November 2026. If not, the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme covers only 10 days and requires an onward ticket to a third country, so a 14-day stay usually means applying for an L tourist visa. Verify your nationality's current status before booking.
Is Lijiang or Dali the better base for two weeks?
Lijiang, if mountains and hiking are your priority — Tiger Leaping Gorge and Shangri-La are on its doorstep. Dali, if you want lower altitude and lakeside cycling. This plan uses Lijiang; travelers concerned about altitude should invert it.
How do I get from Kunming to Lijiang?
Fly (about 50 minutes) or take the train (about three hours, typically ¥220-260 in second class). The train suits most travelers and drops you closer to the Old Town.
Can I visit Tiger Leaping Gorge as a day trip from Lijiang?
Yes — a long day trip covering the High Trail's middle section (Naxi's Guesthouse to Tina's, roughly 4-6 hours of hiking) is possible, but the full crossing with a night at Halfway Guesthouse is the better experience and fits Days 7-8 of this plan. Check locally that the trail is open; sections close after heavy rain.
Will I get altitude sickness in Lijiang or Shangri-La?
Most people feel Lijiang's 2,400 m as mild breathlessness on stairs. Shangri-La at 3,300 m causes headache or poor sleep in some travelers for a night or two. Acclimatize in Lijiang first, keep early days easy, hydrate, and consult your doctor beforehand if you have had altitude problems.
How much does two weeks in Yunnan cost?
About RMB 5,500-9,000 (US$780-1,270) per person, mid-range, excluding international flights. The biggest variables are your hotel choice and whether you add private guides and drivers.
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