This 7-day Yunnan itinerary runs Kunming → Dali → Lijiang: one night in the provincial capital, two on the shores of Erhai Lake, and three in the Naxi old towns beneath the snow mountain. Expect ¥350 / US$48 in Dali and ¥420 / US$58 in Lijiang’s old town — both walkable, both at altitude where the air is thin and the light is clean.
Quick Answer
Seven days, three bases, seven nights, all linked by fast trains. Yunnan is China’s most ethnically varied province, and the pace here should be slow — Dali and Lijiang reward lingering, not ticking boxes. The trains are the easy part: Kunming–Dali is 2 hours, Dali–Lijiang 1.5. The only planning is booking the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable car ahead, because it sells out.
- Day 1 — Kunming: Green Lake, Yunnan food, optional Stone Forest.
- Day 2 — Train to Dali; Erhai Lake sunset.
- Day 3 — Dali: Cangshan foothills, lakeside bike, old town.
- Day 4 — Train to Lijiang; Lijiang old town at night.
- Day 5 — Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
- Day 6 — Lijiang: Shuhe old town or Tiger Leaping Gorge.
- Day 7 — Depart Lijiang airport.
- Bases — Kunming, Dali (Erhai), Lijiang old town.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Kunming: Green Lake & Yunnan’s Table
Land in Kunming, drop bags, and walk Green Lake (Cuihu) — a calm city park where locals dance and fish. If you arrived with a full day, the Stone Forest (Shilin, 1.5 hr by bus) is a surreal limestone maze, but it’s a long half-day; many skip it and save energy for Dali. Dinner is Yunnan’s gift: crossing-the-bridge noodles, mushroom hotpot in season.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: A central Kunming hotel near the metro (Line 2/3). The best budget hotels in China that accept foreigners list includes Kunming chains that take passports without fuss. One night only.
Day 2 — Kunming to Dali: Erhai at Sunset
The D-train to Dali takes 2 hours (¥145 / US$20). Settle on the east or west shore of Erhai Lake — I prefer the quieter west shore near the old town. Afternoon by the water, then the Dali old town walls and Foreigner Street for a Bai-cuisine dinner. The Cangshan range behind town turns pink at dusk.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Dali old town or a lakeside guesthouse. Two nights here.
Day 3 — Dali: Cangshan & a Lakeside Bike
Morning cable car up Cangshan for valley views, or just rent an e-bike and trace the Erhai bike path (the ring road is ~130 km, but you’ll do a flat 20 km segment). Stop at the tie-dyed Bai villages. Evening back in the old town; the pace here is the point — don’t over-schedule.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Same Dali base.
Day 4 — Dali to Lijiang: Naxi Old Town
The train to Lijiang is 1.5 hours (¥95 / US$13). Settle in the Lijiang old town (Dayan) or the calmer Shuhe nearby. Evening walk the cobbled lanes and the Mu residence; the Naxi architecture and the snow mountain backdrop are the draw. The where to stay near Lijiang old town guide compares Dayan vs Shuhe — Shuhe is quieter but farther from the bus hub.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Lijiang old town / Shuhe. Three nights here.
Day 5 — Lijiang: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Book the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain cable car (Glacier Park) in advance — it caps daily riders. At 4,506 m the air is thin; take it slow and rent the oxygen can (¥60) at the base if you feel light-headed. The Blue Moon Valley below is a turquoise contrast worth the shuttle. I’ve seen first-timers get altitude woozy by noon — go early, descend by lunch.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Same Lijiang base.
Day 6 — Lijiang: Shuhe or Tiger Leaping Gorge
Option A: a slow day in Shuhe, the smaller old town with better cafés. Option B: a guided run to Tiger Leaping Gorge (2 hr each way) for one of Asia’s great river canyons — a half-day hike on the high trail is doable if you’re fit. I lean Shuhe unless you’re a hiker; the gorge is a long day and the mountain already gave you altitude.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Final Lijiang night.
Day 7 — Depart Lijiang
Lijiang’s airport (LJG) has direct flights to major hubs; build 2 hours for the 40-minute transfer plus security. If you’re continuing overland, the train to Kunming is 3 hours. The late check-in & early check-out guide helps if your flight is a red-eye.
Where to Stay
| Base area | Nights | Nightly (¥ / US$) | Vibe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kunming center | 1 | ¥320–520 / US$44–72 | Transit, food |
| Dali old town / Erhai | 2 | ¥350–600 / US$48–83 | Lakeside calm |
| Lijiang Dayan / Shuhe | 3 | ¥400–700 / US$55–97 | Naxi old town |
Lijiang’s old town has no cars inside, so pack light or tip a porter (¥20) to haul your bag on a cart. The can foreigners book hotels in China rules apply; rural Yunnan guesthouses occasionally lack the foreigner license, so book listed properties.
Getting Between Cities
Yunnan’s rail is excellent now: Kunming–Dali 2 hrs, Dali–Lijiang 1.5 hrs, all on 12306 (China Railway (12306)) with your passport number exact. Seats are plentiful except around the Labour Day and National Day weeks. For the Snow Mountain, book the cable-car slot on the park’s platform or via Trip.com — the on-site ticket office often shows “sold out” by 9 a.m.
Caveat: Lijiang has two stations — Lijiang (for the old town, 20 min) and the newer Lijiang East. Confirm which your train uses; most tourists want the main Lijiang station.
Foreigner Check-in & Payment Tips on the Road
Three bases, three scans. Yunnan is foreigner-friendly but its old-town guesthouses are the most likely in this whole series to say “no foreigner license” — I’ve had it happen in a Shuhe courtyard. Book a listed property via book on Trip.com or check Agoda to avoid the awkward turn-away. Deposits ran ¥300 (Dali) and ¥400 (Lijiang); both released within days.
Yunnan runs on Alipay and yuan — cards are rare outside big hotels. The China hotel deposit & foreign credit cards guide explains holds. When I checked into a Dali lakeside place, the desk took my passport, scanned it, and the deposit was a cash ¥300 I got back at checkout — no card needed, which is common in small Yunnan towns.
When to Go & What It Costs
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–October) are ideal: clear mountain air, blooming Erhai, and no summer rain. Summer is green but wet (July–Aug monsoon); winter is cold and sometimes snowed-in on the mountain. Spring Festival crowds hit Lijiang hard.
| Season | Kunming | Dali/Lijiang | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 20°C, dry | 16°C, clear | Best overall |
| Summer | 24°C, wet | 20°C, rainy | Lush, muddy |
| Autumn | 21°C, clear | 17°C, dry | Best, book early |
| Winter | 12°C, mild | 8°C, cold | Quiet, cheap |
Mid-range daily budget per person: hotels ¥320–700, trains ¥95–145 each, Snow Mountain entry+cable ¥330 / US$46, food ¥120–200. Around US$110–160 a day.
