Exclusive Lijiang

Accommodation: Songtsam Lijiang Lodge — China’s premier Tibetan-style boutique hotel.

Songtsam, China’s most unparalleled hospitality brand, pioneered the concept of a "boutique lodge circuit" and remains the only hotel group that flawlessly integrates local natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and refined mountain retreat experiences.

For two decades, Songtsam has transformed from an obscure gem to a globally acclaimed legend, crafting ethereal sanctuaries beneath snow-capped peaks and redefining China’s most breathtaking vistas. Every detail—from site selection and architectural aesthetics to interior design—is a masterstroke of artistry.

Spanning the UNESCO World Heritage-listed "Three Parallel Rivers" region, the mythic National Highways 214 and 318, the ancient Tea Horse Road, and the "Third Pole" Tibetan Plateau, Songtsam has elevated Tibetan travel with unprecedented luxury and cultural immersion. Its lodges are not mere accommodations but living museums, where guests dwell within an ambiance so authentically Tibetan, it feels like stepping into a curated cultural tapestry.

Meals: Breakfast: On your own | Lunch: On your own | Dinner: Hotel dinner

Breakfast: On your own

Morning: 【Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Area】

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sacred peak in the hearts of the Naxi people and other ethnic groups of Lijiang. Sanduo, the guardian deity of the Naxi, is believed to be the mountain’s divine embodiment, and Lijiang still hosts the annual Sanduo Festival, a grand celebration honoring this cultural legacy.

More than a symbol of natural grandeur, the mountain stands as a spiritual totem of Naxi culture and a living testament to multiethnic harmony. Its cultural significance is rooted in the Dongba civilization of the Naxi, the symbiotic diversity fostered by the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, and the interplay of cultural preservation and innovation amid modern tourism. Together, these elements weave a magnificent tapestry of nature and culture interwoven—where glacial peaks echo ancient rituals, and timeless traditions breathe alongside contemporary life.

Blue Moon Valley

Dubbed "Little Jiuzhaigou", this valley dazzles with its crystalline waters that turn vivid blue on sunny days. The crescent-shaped valley, nestled at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, resembles a sapphire crescent moon from afar—hence its poetic name. Tibetan people revere it as "the mirror where the goddess combs her hair" in their mythology.

Lunch: On your own

Afternoon: 【Lijiang Ancient Town】

Lijiang Ancient Town, also known as Dayan Old Town, is one of China’s renowned historico-cultural cities. Its streets, built along mountains and waterways, are paved with red breccia stone—a material that remains mud-free during rains and dust-free in dry seasons, its natural veined patterns exuding rustic elegance. It stands as one of only two ancient towns in China successfully inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in their entirety.

At its heart lies Sifang Street, the bustling commercial hub of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, where hoofprints of caravan horses still mark the weathered bluestone pavements. Today, Dongba pictograph street signs and cultural souvenirs seamlessly weave ancient Naxi script into modern life. Visitors immerse themselves in hands-on activities like thangka painting and Naxi ancient music performances, experiencing the town’s enduring vitality as “a living ancient town”. The open-air spectacle Impression·Lijiang, featuring over 300 performers from the Naxi, Pumi, Tibetan, Yi, and other ethnic groups, reenacts the hardships of the Tea-Horse Road and celebrates interethnic harmony, serving as a modern artistic tribute to “national unity”.

Dinner: Guests may freely explore Lijiang’s local cuisine.

Evening: Return to the hotel to rest after the day’s itinerary.

Notes:

（1）Complimentary：

【Glacier Park Great Cable Car】 to explore Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, where snow-capped peaks rise like jade screens piercing the clouds, encircled by deep-green valleys teeming with lush vitality.Tickets to the renowned outdoor live spectacle Impression Lijiang, directed by Zhang Yimou. (Note: Fees are non-refundable if the activity is missed due to personal reasons or force majeure.)

（2）Cable Car Advisory:

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Great Cable Car Management Office states that during temporary maintenance, school holidays, or major festivals, daily visitor capacity is capped at 10,000 people (reduced to 50% during pandemics). We cannot guarantee access to the Great Cable Car. If unavailable, guests will be switched to the Spruce Meadow Cable Car with a refund of 80 RMB/person for the price difference. Kindly note this policy in advance.

Breakfast: On your own

Morning: 【Husband and Wife Trees】

Dali’s “Husband and Wife Trees” are not just natural wonders but living symbols of Northwest Yunnan’s multicultural harmony, embodying the love philosophies and ecological wisdom of the Bai, Naxi, and other ethnic groups.

The most iconic "couple trees" in Dali include two 511-year-old highland banyans at the Ancient Banyan Club and a century-old banyan tree on Haishi Peninsula. Their interconnected roots and intertwined branches form a symbiotic wonder known as "entwined branches," imbued by locals with the romantic symbolism of "eternal devotion." The Bai people's Benzhu faith venerates ancient trees as incarnations of mountain deities, with couple trees particularly regarded as mediums for sacred unions between heaven and earth. The sandbar where the Haishi couple tree grows, resembling "Cangshan Mountain's tongue stretching into Erhai Lake," is endowed with cosmic significance as a bridge connecting celestial and earthly realms.

During festivals like the Third Day of the Third Lunar Month and Qixi (Chinese Valentine's Day), Bai youth circle these trees singing antiphonal love songs, perpetuating the romantic tradition of A'Peng and Jin Hua from the classic film Five Golden Flowers. Beneath these arboreal wonders, the "Three Courses of Tea" ceremony is often performed, its progression from bitter to sweet to reflective aftertaste poetically mirroring the journey of marriage.

(Exclusive Package: "Travel Photo Shoot + Aerial Drone Photography + Traditional Bai Dance with Jin Hua + Open-Air Dance Party on Vast Grassland" — Complimentary professionally edited 1-minute cinematic video + 2 social-media-ready 30-second clips + 3 curated photos per person.)

Beside the iconic couple trees, capture Dali's most trending hotspots: the viral "S-Curve" (a serpentine lakeside path) and cycle along Erhai Lake's shimmering shores.

At the foot of Cangshan Mountain and along the shores of Erhai Lake, immerse yourself in the timeless grandeur of nature to embark on a journey envisioning and pursuing a life of serene harmony. Pedal along the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor, where natural splendor, cultural mysteries, and the joy of movement converge.

Glide through wetlands and Bai villages along the corridor, passing the viral "S-Curve" (a serpentine lakeside path), and witness Bai fishermen practicing traditional cormorant fishing—a centuries-old method where trained birds dive for fish—embodying the wisdom of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Lunch: On your own

Afternoon: [Dali Ancient City] (Free time to explore)

The most iconic "couple trees" in Dali include two 511-year-old highland banyans at the Ancient Banyan Club and a century-old banyan tree on Haishi Peninsula. Their interconnected roots and intertwined branches form a symbiotic wonder known as "entwined branches," imbued by locals with the romantic symbolism of "eternal devotion." The Bai people's Benzhu faith venerates ancient trees as incarnations of mountain deities, with couple trees particularly regarded as mediums for sacred unions between heaven and earth. The sandbar where the Haishi couple tree grows, resembling "Cangshan Mountain's tongue stretching into Erhai Lake," is endowed with cosmic significance as a bridge connecting celestial and earthly realms.

During festivals like the Third Day of the Third Lunar Month and Qixi (Chinese Valentine's Day), Bai youth circle these trees singing antiphonal love songs, perpetuating the romantic tradition of A'Peng and Jin Hua from the classic film Five Golden Flowers. Beneath these arboreal wonders, the "Three Courses of Tea" ceremony is often performed, its progression from bitter to sweet to reflective aftertaste poetically mirroring the journey of marriage.

(Exclusive Package: "Travel Photo Shoot + Aerial Drone Photography + Traditional Bai Dance with Jin Hua + Open-Air Dance Party on Vast Grassland" — Complimentary professionally edited 1-minute cinematic video + 2 social-media-ready 30-second clips + 3 curated photos per person.)

Beside the iconic couple trees, capture Dali's most trending hotspots: the viral "S-Curve" (a serpentine lakeside path) and cycle along Erhai Lake's shimmering shores.

At the foot of Cangshan Mountain and along the shores of Erhai Lake, immerse yourself in the timeless grandeur of nature to embark on a journey envisioning and pursuing a life of serene harmony. Pedal along the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor, where natural splendor, cultural mysteries, and the joy of movement converge.

Glide through wetlands and Bai villages along the corridor, passing the viral "S-Curve" (a serpentine lakeside path), and witness Bai fishermen practicing traditional cormorant fishing—a centuries-old method where trained birds dive for fish—embodying the wisdom of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

Lunch: On your own

Afternoon: [Dali Ancient City] (Free time to explore)

Nestled at the heart of the Dali Basin, the Ancient City of Dali stands as a historic mountain-and-water town that served as Yunnan's political, economic, and cultural epicenter for over five centuries during the Tang and Song dynasties. Within its walls lie 14 officially protected cultural heritage sites at municipal level or above, safeguarding the legacy of Dali's historical narratives, religious traditions, and ethnic identity.

As a crossroads of ethnic communities, the ancient city thrives as a repository of Bai cultural heritage and a melting pot of multicultural fusion. Here, imperial, foreign, and indigenous cultures clashed and blended over millennia, forging the radiant Nanzhao-Dali Kingdom culture (8th–13th century) and the distinctive Bai traditions. Timeworn city walls, grid-patterned cobblestone streets, and rustic Bai courtyard homes coalesce into a living tapestry of ethnic charm and vibrant human landscapes—a place where Dali's soul truly reveals itself.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: Return to the hotel after the itinerary ends. (This package can be upgraded to include a complimentary stay at Er Yuan Geothermal Hot Spring Hotel)

Breakfast: On your own

Nestled at the foot of Phoenix Mountain in northwestern Heqing County, Dali Prefecture, this site once served as a vital hub along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. In 2019, it was officially designated as a "Yunnan Provincial Characteristic Art Town" by the People's Government of Yunnan Province.

Tucked along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, this hidden gem of a town safeguards the most intricate cultural DNA of Bai civilization. The high-altitude plateau's constellation of Longtan "dragon pools"—a labyrinthine water network—not only nourished the ecological fabric of the "Land of Springs and Pools," but over millennia, forged a distinctive metalworking legacy. In Xinhua Village, silversmith clans perpetuate the Nanzhao Kingdom's artisan spirit ("a millennium of hammer strikes") through the rhythmic clinks of chisels, transforming each silver artifact into a flowing embodiment of the Zhang Shengwen Scroll—a Song-dynasty masterpiece depicting Dali's spiritual cosmos.

The Bai people's decorative screen walls, adorned with ink-wash poetry and paintings, and the pantheon of deities enshrined in Benzhu temples (local deity shrines) bear witness to the extraordinary fusion of Han literary traditions and borderland shamanic rituals. Amidst the rugged mountain folds, the Yi ethnic group's Torch Festival totems and the swooping, upturned eaves of Bai vernacular architecture achieve a silent dialogue of aesthetic harmony. Meanwhile, contemporary art galleries quietly blossom within preserved heritage homes, deconstructing centuries-old intangible cultural heritage metal-chasing techniques into avant-garde installations that pulse with modern vitality.

Lunch: Meals at own expense

Afternoon: [Lugu Lake]

As China’s only extant living matriarchal society, Lugu Lake is celebrated not only for its natural splendor as the "Pearl of the Plateau" but also for its Mosuo culture, which weaves a unique tapestry of harmonious coexistence between nature and humanity, tradition and modernity.

The Mosuo people preserve a matriarchal family system centered on women, where households are governed by the eldest grandmother, with lineage and inheritance passed through the maternal line. Men, primarily in the role of "uncles," oversee rituals and external affairs, embodying the traditional division of power: "uncles govern ceremonies, mothers govern wealth." This structure not only ensures familial stability but also reflects an ancient wisdom of gender equality, where roles are complementary rather than hierarchical.

To the southeast of Lugu Lake lies Grass Sea, a marshland named for its dense reeds. Spanning this wetland is the Walking Marriage Bridge—a symbolic "Magpie Bridge" from Mosuo love legends (said to unite lovers) and a modern-day emblem of matriarchal culture. Nearby, Gemu Goddess Mountain and Houlong Mountain, revered as incarnations of star-crossed lovers, stand as spiritual landmarks deeply rooted in Mosuo mythology.

Lugu Lake’s cultural landscape unfolds like a living anthropological epic, preserving the DNA of matriarchal civilization while dynamically engaging with modernity. Every wisp of hearth smoke rising from a Mosuo home, every "pig-trough boat" (traditional dugout canoe) gliding across the lake, poignantly the possibility of "another way of living"—one where tradition and harmony with nature endure.

Dinner: [Mosuo Matrimonial Banquet ("Azhu" Walking Marriage Feast)]

The Mosuo "walking marriage" (Azhu) custom—where "men do not marry, women do not wed"—stands as the most iconic emblem of Mosuo culture. Partners freely unite through mutual affection: men visit their beloveds’ "flower chambers" at night and return to their maternal homes by day, while children are raised collectively by the mother’s family. This relationship model, rooted in emotional bonds rather than material ties, challenges conventional definitions of marriage and remains a treasured case study in anthropology.

During this immersive evening, we’ll be hosted by a Mosuo family to savor an authentic feast:

Woodfire-roasted free-range chicken

Fragrant steamed corn cakes (a Mosuo staple)

Fourteen symbolic dishes celebrating love and kinship.

Mosuo women, with crystal-clear voices, will serenade guests with traditional toasting songs, weaving an atmosphere of warmth and joy as laughter and song fill the air.

Evening: [Mosuo Bonfire Night]

Under the starry sky, Mosuo women gather at the bonfire to seek potential partners. If a man is drawn to a woman, he invites her to dance. To express interest subtly, he might lightly trace her palm—a silent "message" of admiration. Should the woman reciprocate, she reveals the location of her flower chamber.

After midnight, the man embarks on the "walking marriage" ritual, overcoming three symbolic challenges:

Scaling the courtyard wall (a manageable task).

Quieting the guard dogs by offering treats—a test of preparation and wit.

Cutting through the thick wooden bolt on the flower chamber’s door with his belt knife—a skill honed since his coming-of-age ceremony, when all Mosuo men receive their ceremonial blade.

Night: After the event, check in at your Lugu Lake hotel to rest.

Breakfast: Hotel breakfast

Morning:[Lugu Lake Sunrise] → [Mosuo Village] (120-minute tour)

Lugu Lake is renowned worldwide for its stunning natural scenery and the unique Mosuo culture, one of Earth’s last matriarchal societies. The Mosuo people here preserve traditional lifestyles, drawing global attention as a living cultural treasure.

Explore a village hailed as “the last red rose of Eastern matriarchal culture”, where homes cling to mountainsides and lakeshores. The wooden log houses—comprising a main hall, scripture hall, flower chambers (young women’s quarters), and livestock pens—embody centuries-old architectural wisdom.

Cultural workshops in the village sustain folk songs, dances, and handicrafts, allowing visitors to try traditional crafts like textile weaving. The seamless blend of natural landscapes and human geography creates an immersive “field-style” ethnic cultural experience.

Lunch: On your own

Afternoon: 【Pig-Trough Boats】-【Liwubi Island】

Pig-Trough Boats (Zhucao Chuan) - Traditional watercraft hollowed from single tree trunks, these boats once served as crucial vehicles for the Mosuo people's "walking marriage" culture. Now transformed into a cultural experience for tourists, they allow visitors to paddle across the lake while showcasing vibrant hull paintings that blend traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics.

【Liwubi Island】, a renowned islet in Lugu Lake, features lush vegetation dominated by azalea and wild cherry trees. The island's highlight is Liwubi Temple, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, making it a popular destination for both sightseeing and spiritual visits. Lugu Lake unfolds like a mystical realm - its sapphire waters embraced by emerald mountains create breathtaking landscapes. Here resides the hardworking Mosuo community, guardians of an ancient matrilineal clan system that has earned the region the poetic title "Oriental Kingdom of Women".

Evening: Afterwards, take the coach back to Lijiang and check into the hotel, concluding the day's pleasant itinerary.

Dinner: Optional self-paid experience to sample Lijiang’s local delicacies in the Old Town, such as:

Lijiang baba (a flaky, savory wheat flatbread

Jidou liangfen (chilled jelly noodles made from chickpeas, often served with chili and vinegar).

Breakfast: Hotel buffet breakfast

Morning:Free time or a complimentary visit to Black Dragon Pool Park (Heilongtan Park).

The park’s iconic postcard view—featuring the Five-Arch Bridge, Deyue Pavilion, snow-capped mountains, and their prismatic reflections in the lake—has long symbolized Lijiang’s natural splendor. It’s one of the city’s most photographed sites, where azure skies, cotton-like clouds, and mountain peaks mirror perfectly in the water, creating a painting-like scene.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: Airport transfer based on your flight schedule, concluding your unforgettable journey in "The Land of Colorful Clouds" (Yunnan). Return to your sweet home!