5-Day Dali & Lijiang Retreat

About

Dali & Lijiang - A Sanctuary for the Soul

Unwind your soul as you stroll along Erhai Lake, a shimmering expanse of blue. Disconnect from the rush of modern life and step back in time through the ancient towns of Dali, Shaxi, Xizhou, and Lijiang, huddled beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain’s peaks—each brimming with its own charm, whispering tales of the past.

Begin your day with morning meditations, indulge in a rejuvenating spa retreat, and savour a wholesome meal infused with the flavours of traditional ethnic cuisine.

Stand in awe at Tiger Leaping Gorge, where the roaring Jinsha River—a mighty tributary of the Yangtze—carves through one of the world’s deepest and most breathtaking canyons.

Itinerary

    • Arrive in Dali, a 1,200-year-old gem nestled along the shimmering shores of Erhai Lake.

    • Begin your journey with a warm welcome feast—an authentic Bai ethnic banquet, celebrated for its harmonious blend of sour, spicy, and herbal.

    • As dusk falls, wander beside Erhai’s tranquil waters, where the evening breeze carries whispers of ancient tea-horse caravans.

    • Begin your morning with a steaming bowl of Ersi – silky rice noodles swimming savoury broth.

    • Cycle along the shores to Xizhou village, where Ming-era mansions hide tie-dye workshops. Try your hand at this UNESCO-listed craft and bring back this special handmade souvenir.

    • Lunch on herb-steamed Erhai fish with fiery chili dip, wander cobbled lanes, then unwind with a spa treatment in a tranquil corner of the ancient town.

    • Step into Shaxi, a village where time lingers like afternoon shadows. Savor a cup of tea at Librairie Avant-Garde, the bookstore where cobbled courtyards and weathered bookshelves whisper of forgotten tales.

    • Lunch in a 19th-century tea horse road mansion on claypot rice, then journey onward to Lijiang Ancient Town—a living museum of Naxi culture cradled beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

    • Here, master artisans will guide your hands in crafting Dongba paper from mountain herbs, and teaching the world’s last surviving pictographic script.

    • Arrive at Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge, Walk the paved path to Tiger Leaping Rock, where legend says a tiger once jumped across the raging river.

    • Thrill-seekers can tackle the cliffside trail—a heart-pounding path wedged between towering snow peaks and the Jinsha River's thunderous rapids below.

    • Return to Lijiang and unwind with a rejuvenating spa—the perfect finale to your journey.

    • End your journey at Lijiang, Dali or Kunming airport

Gallery

Accommodations

Stay in carefully curated boutique hotels - a perfect mix of authentic traditional style and modern-day comfort - where warm hospitality, handcrafted decor, and cozy comforts immerse you in local culture while ensuring restful nights after days of adventure.

Package

Included

  • Ground transportation, including airport transfers

  • All admission fees and activity expenses, as noted in the itinerary

  • Meals as noted in the itinerary with complimentary drinking water

  • Accommodation based on double occupancy as noted in the itinerary

  • Services of an English-speaking guide

Excluded

  • International flights

  • Travel insurance

  • Personal expenses

  • Other fees incurred due to force majeure