6 Days and 5 Nights Beyond the South of Clouds in Yunnan

Yuantong Temple

After arrival at Kunming Airport, you will be greeted by a guide and transferred to Yuantong Temple. This shrine boasts a history of over 1,200 years. Walk along a gently sloping garden path to enter the site which is different from all other Buddhist temples that are built on an elevation.

30 Minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Jingxing Bird and Flower Market

We then visit the Jingxing Bird And Flower Market, a retail area that has over 700 stores selling abundant goods, including antiques, jewellery ornaments and handicrafts.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Next is Green Lake Park, an oasis of greenery for a relaxing stroll. This site contains two long riverbanks covered in willow trees and it is dotted with vibrant lotuses. The contrast between the pale green of the willows and the array of lotus colours makes the park a popular destination for nature lovers. One can feel the freshness in the air, making this site an excellent location for a picnic, a morning walk, or time to sit and reflect.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Stone Forest

Prepare to be transported to a geological wonderland on today’s tour. The Stone Forest is a mass of karst limestone formations shaped by over 270 million years of seismic activity and water and wind erosion. The stones resemble stalagmites and caves, ponds, waterfalls and an underground river have formed over the years, giving the area the illusion of a forest. This particular type of stone includes tower, pinnacle and cone karst formations and this has created natural bridges and gorges over an area of 400 sq-km. Legend has it the forest is the birthplace of Ashima, a beautiful girl of the Yi people who lived in the area. After falling in love she was forbidden to marry her chosen suitor and turned to stone, according to the folklore.

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Included

Yuanyang County

Following the transfer to Yuanyang, we take a walk around the old town to get a feel for the locale.

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Yuanyang Rice Terraces

Fall in love with the surreal emerald curves of giant terraced rice paddies on today’s inspirational excursion. We get an early start to catch the sunrise at Duoyishu Rice Terrace. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and descending down the valley on the fourth side, the terrace is a sight to behold. The scenery here provided the backdrop for the famous film Yunnan Story. When immersed in water, the fields seem like a large waterfall encircling the mountains.

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

We then visit the market in Shengcun to browse local goods produced by the Yi and Hani ethnic people.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Hani Nationality Folk Village

A visit to the Jingkou Hani Ethnic Village will introduce us to the Hani people and their mushroom-roof houses. We also view an interesting system for distributing running water in Jingkou village.

2 Minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Yuanyang Rice Terraces

Next, we enjoy the sunset at Bada Rice Terraces. These are often described as ‘ladders to heaven,’ with over 3,700 levels, rising from 800 to 2,000 metres to create an amazing panorama.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Jianshui Confucius Temple

Today we step back in time at a famed temple and residential compound. The Jianshui Confucius Temple was constructed in 1285 and it serves as a precious resource for the study of the history of Confucianism and traditional architecture.

1 Hours 30 Minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Zhu's Family Garden (Zhu Jia Huayuan)

Next is a visit to the Zhu Family Garden, a set of large-scale residential buildings from the Qing dynasty. The main buildings have a three vertical and four horizontal layout, which is a prime example of the classic Jianshui style. The layout of the halls and courtyards is byzantine and they resemble a maze.

1 Hours 30 Minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Jianshui Ancient City

We finish with a stroll in Jianshui Old Town to soak up the atmosphere.

2 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Jianshui County

Experience slow life in Jianshui by “little train”. Taking the hundred-year-old little train to go back centuries has become a must-do when visiting Jianshui. By the little train and in the wobbly wooden compartments, you could appreciate idyllic scenery and chat about childhood memories. The line for the metre-gauge railway sightseeing train, from Jianshui Lin’an Station to folk houses in Tuanshan. The 13km railway takes about one hour, including the stations of Lin’an, Shuanglong Bridge, Xianghui Bridge and Tuanshan.

1 Hours • Admission Ticket Free

Kunming

Drive back to Kunming in the afternoon.

• Admission Ticket Free

Kunming

After breakfast we transfer to Kunming Airport for the onward flight and the conclusion of this fascinating tour.

• Admission Ticket Free