YM-28 Kunming-Dali-Lijiang-Shangri-la-Kunming (8D7N)

Day 1 Arrive in Kunming by air, meet the local guide and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon take a visit to Bamboo Temple where you can see "the sculpture
treasure of Orient" - 500 colorful clay Buddhas which were made 100 years ago.

Day 2 After breakfast visit Stone Forest, a typical Karst formation, which covers an area of more than three hundred square kilometers. Scientific research has shown that what is now the Stone Forest was 270 million years ago an immense expanse of water with a vast stretch of limestone sediment formed over the years on the seafloor. As a result of the crustal movement, the seabed rose gradually and a large piece of land thus came into being. Exposed to rains and winds, eroded by the elements, the strange-looking limestone ranges were shaped by time. About 200 million years ago numerous stone peaks, pillars, and stalagmites rose abruptly from the ground and towered into the sky, extending now as far as the eye can see, looking like a vast forest of stone, hence the name "the Stone Forest".

Day 3 Morning take flight MU5987 ( 0830/0915 ) to Dali. Meet the local guide and visit Three Pagodas which known as the Chongsheng Santa and situated on top of the ruins of Chongsheng Monastery, the Three Pagodas lie one kilometer northwest of Dali and located on the slope of Mount Cangshan. In the afternoon you could take a pleasant stroll in Dali Old Town which was the capital city of Nanzhao Kingdom 1000 years ago.

Day 4 In the morning visit Xizhou morning market , Bai village Zhouchen Village, then on drive to Lijiang. Meet the local guide and transfer to the hotel. Then walking on the Lijiang Old Town which belongs to the World Culture Heritage of UNESCO.

Day 5 After breakfast visit Baisha Naxi Village and Baisha Ancient Mural. Baisha ( White Sand ) is located in the north of Lijiang. It is named this because of the large amount of white sand on the earths surface there. According to history Baisha is the earliest place for the settlement of Naxi nationality after they entered Lijiang basin. The present murals are all kept in Dabaoji Palace and Luili Temple in Baisha. All of the 55 murals were masterpieces in the Ming Dynasty ( 1368 – 1644 ). The biggest one is stored in Dabaoji Palace. In total, there are 100 vivid figures visible in it. Their facial expressions are vivid enough to show their happiness, anger, sadness and joys. All of the Bashai Murals are about religion. However their uniqueness comes from the fact that they are the combination of Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism, which is a very rare phenomenon. In the afternoon go to visit the Black Dragon Pool,
somewhat idiosyncratically known as Black Dragon Pool, the Jade Spring Park to the north of Lijiang derivers its name from the waters which sparkle like jade and are as clear as spring water. The entire park is green with grass and shaded by swaying willow trees. Under the Shuocui Bridge, a waterfall creates a constant roar as it cascades downstream. Then visit Dongba Culture Museum ( Museum of Naxi Culture ).

Day 6 After breakfast drive to Shangri-la. Visit Tiger LeapingGorge on the way, which is believed to be one of the deepest gorge in the world. From the top of the gorge you look down the steeply angled ( 70-90 degrees ) mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands River ( up reach of Yangtze River ) with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 meters ( about 700 feet ) below. Upon arrival, take a visit to Songzanlin Tibetan Buddhism Monastery, which is 5 km from the seat of Shangri-la County. Construction began in 1679 and was completed in 1681. It is said that the Fifth Dalai Lama chose the site of the monastery through divination and named it "Gedan Songzanlin Monastery". In 1724, during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty, the monastery was renamed the "Guihua Monastery". During its time of greatest prosperity, there were more than 3,000 monks in the temple, now there are still 700 monks inside.

Day 7 Today drive along Yunnan-Tibet Road to visit Dongzhulin Monastery which is located in deep mountains, 95 km away from Zhongdian. Dong Zhu Lin Monastery was first built in 1667, the 6th year during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi of Qing Dynasty. It was where the Monlam Festival of the Prayer for the Emperor's birthday was held. The main hall in the center is a four-story wood and earth structure, surrounded by 82 tall trees. The hall on the 1st floor is for reciting Buddhist scriptures, where enshrines the statues of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Ge-lug-pa sect, together with Damarenqen, one of Tsongkhapa's disciples, and Khedrub Je, the 1st Panchen Lama, and other Buddhist statues of Sakyamuni, and Guanyin, a Bodhisattva. The monastery also enshrines a 6.8 meter high, gilded bronze, statue of seated Buddha of Qiangba (Maitreya), and a10.5 meter tall statue of Sakyamuni, gifts from the Sera Monastery in Lhasa. The monastery also collects an 8.5 meter long, 5.2 meter wide image of Buddha, which is sunned once a year when the Monlam Festival of Prayer is held. It is unique with many thangka, Tibetan Buddhist Scriptures, four mandalas and stupas. The most unusual thing is the real body of the fifth Zhatang living Buddha which is over 100 year but still reserved very well in the monastery. Beside that have a photo stop for the wonder of upper Yangtze River -- The First Bend of Golden Sand River ( the upper reach of Yangtze ) and enjoy the scenery along the river. Then continue drive to Baimang Snow Mountain Pass which is the National Nature Reserve Area, 4250 meters above sea level. Then drive back and visit Zhongdian old town with Tibetan old streets and houses and enjoy the local people dancing performed by Tibetan people in the middle square of old town.