9 Days Shangri-La Circle Tour and Three Parallel Rivers Adventure (Depart from Lijiang)

In the morning, enjoy the sunrise of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang ancient Town. Then head to visit Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), take the chairlift up to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Hike around 1 hour in the original forest in Spruce Meadow(3200M).

After lunch, enjoy the Impression Lijang Ethnic Show directed by Zhang Yimou at Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M). After that, stroll through Baisha Old Town. Visit the Baisha Mural, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage.

In the morning, drive about 60 KM to visit the First Bend of the Yangtze River and Iron Chain Bridge in the Stone Drum town. This town got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum.

Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. Afternoon, head for Shangri La, the former Zhongdian. Upon arrival, walk around Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India.

After breakfast, visit Songzanlin Monastery (Ganden Sumtseling Monastery), reputed as the “Little Potala Palace”. Established by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1679, the monastery belongs to Gelug sect of Buddhism, and it is also the largest Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province with around 600 monks.

Then, drive to the first national park in China – Pudacuo National Park which is mainly comprised of Shudu Lake, Militang Grassland, Bita Lake. Shudu Lake is a famous pasture, herds of yak and goat grazing beside the lake. Militang Grassland is located between Shudu Lake and Bita Lake with lush grass in meadow. Bitahai Lake, regarded as a pearl of the Plateau, is an intact natural attraction with outstanding landscapes.

After the merry time in the park, pay a visit to a local Tibetan family to experience the highly-praised hospitality of Tibetan people and taste some special Tibetan snacks and butter tea.

In the morning, drive 6 to 7 hours to Deqin County (3400m), 187km away from Zhongdian through Baimang Snow Mountain Nature Reserve. View Baimang Snow Mountain if the weather is clear.

After traversing mountain ranges, make a short stop and have lunch at Benzilan town. Take some shots on the first bend of Jinsha River, Dongzhulin monastery and Baima Snow Mountain. Stay at Feilaisi for overnight.

Early in the morning, enjoy the magnificent sunrise view of Meili Snow Mountain from Feilaisi, then drive to Mingyong Village. Hike from Mingyong village to Mingyong Glacier (2600m) which is the low altitude glacier of the lowest latitude in the world.

After lunch at Mingyong Village, trek down directly to the edge of Meikong River. Walk along the Mekong Grand Canyon and arrive in Xidang Village where you can visit some scattered Tibetan houses in the village. Drive along the Lancang-Mekong River to Cizhong Village in Yanmen Town.

Drive south along the Mekong Grand Canyon to Cizhong Village in Yanmen Town with some Tibatan villages en route. Visit the Tibetan Catholic Church built by French missionaries in 1867, which is used by Tibetan, Naxi and Lisu people. They still have the grapes planted by missionaries and old the traditional way of making wine.

Drive further south along the Mekong gorge to Weideng Township, and finally arrive in Tacheng Town for one night stay. We will make stops to visit Naxi and Lisu villages and a church en route, people here live in the traditional houses built with wooden walls and tile roofs. As the road construction work is going on here, we may need to wait sometimes.

Arrive in Tacheng Town in the late afternoon and pay a visit to Tacheng Black Snub-Nosed Monkey National Park of Weixi County. Overnight at the guesthouse in Tacheng Town.

In the morning, drive along the Yangtze River to Shigu Ancient Town. On the mountain at the river's bend stands Stone Drum (Shigu) Town. Visit the Stone Drum, and the Iron Chain Bridge which is the relic of the Ancient Tea-horse Road from Yunnan to Tibet and India.

After lunch, have a chance to float in the Yangtze River from Shigu Town to Longpan Town. After one hour floating, meet your driver and come back to Lijiang.

Transfer to Lijiang Airport for departure flight