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Discover for yourself if there really exists a “shangri-la” as depicted in Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon that describes an ethereal place where man and nature live together in harmony. The Yunnan Province of China is noted for its magnificent landscape, agreeable climate, and fascinating lifestyles of the 25 ethnic groups that live in this region. The diverse history and different lifestyles has made Yunnan into a living museum of human society. Travel to Kunming, the location where the relics of Yuanmou Man was unearthed, dating back 1.7 million years. Stroll through the famed “Stone Forest,” a region consisting of porous limestone containing deep fissures and sinkholes, characterized by underground caves and streams. Continue on to the ancient cities of Dali and Lijiang, where the Bai and Naxi minority groups still go about their daily lives as they always have. The Diqiing Zang Autonomous Prefecture is the region known as “Shangri-la,” located in the northwestern part of the Yunnan Province, filled with mystery and peacefulness. Take a leisurely cruise along the Li River in Guilin, surrounded by picturesque hills that seem to fade into the background. Even more magnificent is Yangshuo, located southeast of Guilin. The county sits on a typical karst topography where there are green mountains and jade-like streams.

Day 1 May 10 USA – Kunming
Depart USA for your transpacific flight to Kunming located in the Yunnan Province of China.

Day 2 May 11 Cross the International Dateline

Day 3 May 12 Kunming
Arrival in Kunming in the early afternoon. Meet and greet by your local representative. You will be escorted to the hotel for check in. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax at the hotel or explore on your own.

Day 4 May 13 Kunming – Dali
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. The city enjoys mild all-year climates and is known as the “Eternal Spring City.” Take a brief orientation city tour before departing to the airport for a short flight to Dali, located in the southwestern part of the Yunnan Province. Transfer to the hotel upon your arrival. (B/L/D)

Day 5 May 14 Dali
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. You will have the entire day to visit the main attractions of this quaint and ancient city. With a history dating back to 109BC, today’s Dali people is mostly from the Bai Minority. Stroll through the streets of the Old Town, viewing the influence the Bai Minority has on its architecture that is characterized as simple and classic elegance. Take an excursion to the Butterfly Spring, situated at the foot of Yunnong Peak of Cangshan Mountain. The crystal clear water and bubbling spring gives you a sense of tranquility. Continue on to Erhai Lake where you will board a boat for a cruise around the fresh-water crescent-shaped lake. Experience the daily life of the Bai Minority when you visit one of the local villages. Learn the art of tea drinking in a “Three Course Tea” ceremony. Return to the city, en route visiting the Three Elegant Pagodas. (B/L/D)

Day 6 May 15 Dali – Lijiang
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Depart to Lijiang by coach this morning. The ancient town of LIjiang is the cultural center of the Naxi Minority, nestled beneath snow-capped peaks. The Naxi people have steadfastly preserved their ancient heritage as you will witness first hand while enjoying a leisurely walk down the cobblestone streets, lined with stores and restaurants. Next visit the Black Dragon Pond, a public park surrounded by bridges and pavilions. (B/L/D)

Day 7 May 16 Lijiang
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Today’s excursion takes you to the Jade Dragon Mountain, the mythical mountain worshipped by the Naxi people as a deity. Arrive at the base of the mountain where you will continue up the mountain by chair lifts, giving you a panoramic view of the city and the famed Thirteen Peaks. Take a rest stop at the Baisha Village, the ancient capital of the Naxi Kingdom as you gain composure from the thinness of the air due to the higher elevation. (B/L/D)

Day 8 May 17 Lijiang – Shangri-la
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Depart for the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Descend 200 steps to get a fantastic view of the swift turbulent current of the Golden River created by the constant cutting by the waters between Jade Dragon Mountain and Haba Mountain. Continue on to Shangri-la, the mystical city portrayed in Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. Tonight’s dinner is especially welcoming as you dine with a local Tibetan family, being careful to observe their local customs and traditions as it often times involves singing and dancing. (B/L/D)

Day 9 May 18 Shangri-la
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Venture to the Songzan Temple in the early morning, the largest Lhamasery existing outside of Tibet. Travel to Napahai, a beautiful scenic spot that typifies the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, filled with birds and flowers, blue skies and white clouds, snow-capped mountains, meandering rivers, and serene farm houses. Visit Suodu Lake before returning to the hotel to enjoy dinner. (B/L/D)

Day 10 May 19 Shangri-la – Kunming
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Kunming. Take an excursion to visit the famous Stone Forest, formed 270 to 300 million years ago. Viewed from a distance, the stones resemble a dense forest. Only up close do you see that the “trees” are stone pinnacles of limestone formations known as karst. Tonight’s dinner features Yunnan specialty cuisine followed by a Minority Culture Show. (B/L/D)

Day 11 May 20 Kunming – Guilin
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Depart for your flight to Guilin in the morning, the city of mountains and rivers. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before embarking on a city tour visiting Elephant Trunk Hill and the Reed Flute Cave. Elephant Trunk Hill is a large rock formation by the confluence of the Yang and Li Rivers, that resembles an elephant drinking water from the river, hence the namesake. Reed Flute Cave is the largest and most spectacular of the karst caverns in Guilin, its name deriving from the reed that grows near the entrance of the cave and makes excellent flutes. (B/L/D)

Day 12 May 21 Guilin – Yangshuo
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Depart 50km from the city to the docks to board your Li River cruise. The leisurely cruise meanders its way along the Li River, a fantastic way to savor the serenity and fairytale scenery of the hills jutting out. Viewed from a distance, the hills create their own shadows in the misty air. A buffet lunch will be served on board. Arrive into the ancient riverside town of Yangshuo in the early afternoon. Weather permitted, you will have the opportunity to attend the “Yinxiang Liusanjie,” an exciting local minority show performed on the banks of the Li River. (B/L/D)

Day 13 May 22 Yangshuo – Guilin
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a morning walking tour of Yangshuo, a small quaint town situated on the plain with the Li River on one side and the numerous karst peaks on the other. Return to Guilin in the afternoon. A special performance of the Minority Folklore Dance has been arranged for your entertainment. (B/L/D)

Day 14 May 23 Guilin – USA
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your homebound flight.

Program subject to change.

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