16-Day China Photography Tour

Tour Overview
From dynamic cultural cities to historic towns and the charming scenic sites, this trip offers numerous chances to dig interesting Chinese facts through your camera lens...

Day 1 Arrive In Shanghai (no meals)

Meet your guide at the airport and then transfer to the hotel. Balance of the day at leisure.

Day 2 Shanghai (B, L)

Today, your full-day Shanghai tour includes the Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden, Yuyuan Market and the Jade Buddha Temple.

Day 3 Shanghai (B, L)

A morning trip to the Bund and the Nanjing Lu, after that, ascend the Oriental Pearl TV Tower to have a bird's eye view of Shanghai.

Day 4 Shanghai To Kunming (B)

Free in the day until the local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination--Kunming. Upon your arrival at Kunming--""the Vernal City"", be met and picked up to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure.

Day 5 Kunming (B)

Today, you will make an excursion to the Stone Forest, and then be driven back to Kunming to visit the local famous Birds and Flower Market.

Day 6 Kunming To Dali (B)

After breakfast, be escorted to the airport for the morning flight to Dali. Upon your arrival, be met and transferred to the city by our local guide. Today, you visit in this beautiful city includes cruise on Erhai, Three Pagodas and the Dali Ancient Town.

Day 7 Dali To Lijiang (B)

In the morning, drive to Lijiang (3-hrs). On the way, you will visit Xizhou Town, Heqing Village and  Xinhua Village (in Heqing County).

-Heqing Village & Xinhua Village:
Long history of handicraft craftsmanship, you will see some traditional workshops, such as gold-making and silver-making etc., and you will have time to do some shopping if you wish.

Day 8 Lijiang (B)

Today, you will enjoy a full day trip to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the Baisha Mural Paintings, the Black Dragon Pool Park and Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture inside the park.

-Baisha Mural Paintings:
Located in Baisha Township, 8km north of Lijiang, there are 53 groups of mural paintings in different temples with fine and smooth lines, bright colors, vivid patterns and harmonious composition. Painted from the early days of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), these mural paintings are an artistic representation of the different religious cultures such as Buddhism, Lamaism, Daoism and the Naxi Dongba religion.

Day 9 Lijiang (B) 

Free at your leisure. You can do some independent exploration at the nearby places.

Day 10 Lijiang To Shangri-la (B)

This morning, you will make an excursion to the First Bend of the Yangtze River and Iron Chain Bridge in the Shigu (Stone Drum) Town, and then Tiger Leaping Gorge. Drive about 100km to Zhongdian County (Shangri-la County) afterwards, where you will stay overnight.

- Shigu Village:
Aka Shigu Town (Stone Drum Town), which is located on the opposite of the First Bend of the Yangtze River. Since ancient times, this town has been important, linking Tibet with the outside world. Here Tibetan people bring their quality fell, hide and herbal medicine and take home tea, salt, cloth and other necessities. When market day comes, the town is incredibly crowded and noisy.

Day 11 Zhongdian (Shangri-la) (B)

The full-day excursion includes the Bita Lake, Napa Lake and Gedan Songzanlin Monastery. In the evening, pay a visit to a Tibetan family, where you will enjoy a local Singing and Dancing Show with some special snacks.

-Bita Lake:
Located in Shangri-La County of North-western Yunnan, the lake is embraced by mountains and teeming with fish. The lake area is a good place for the ecotourism exploitation. Due to the road condition, you need to walk 7km on your own or ride a horse before you reach the lake.

- Napa Lake:
8 km away from the Shangri-La County County, the lake is situated on the Yila Grassland. The lake and it's around area are under the state's protection. Visit there you will be enchanted by the snowclad mountains, green grass, trees, rare birds, and clear water...

-The Gedan Songzanlin Lamasery:
Built in the Ming Dynasty and expanded in the Qing Dynasty, which is nicknamed ""Lesser Potala Palace"", is the biggest monastery of Traditional Tibetan Buddhism in Yunnan Province and one of the thirteen lama-series in the Kangba area.

Day 12 Zhongdian To Kunming To Beijing (B)

After breakfast, be picked up to the airport for the flight to Kunming. Please wait for your next flight to Beijing at the airport (no guide service at Kunming airport). Upon you arrive at Beijing, our local guide meet you and escort you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure.

Day 13 Beijing (B, L)

After breakfast, you will first visit the Tiananmen Square, and then the magnificent Forbidden City. In the afternoon, you will marvel at the splendid Temple of Heaven. Your lunch will be served for the Beijing Roast Duck.

Day 14 Beijing (B)

Today, your full-day excursion includes the majestic Great Wall (Badaling section), the Sacred Way and the Dingling Tomb of the 13 Ming Tombs.

Day 15 Beijing (B, L)  

This morning, you will visit the Beijing Hutongs by rickshaw. Lunch will be served in a local people's home during the tour, where you can learn how to make dumplings. After that, proceed to the Summer Palace. In the evening, enjoy the wonderful show—the Legend of Kung Fu.

Day 16 Depart Beijing (B)

Free in the day until the local guide escorts you to the airport for your homebound flight.

Services End