Yunnan China Travel Guide 2026: Dali to Lijiang in 7 Days (with Tiger Leaping Gorge)
Yunnan China Travel Guide 2025: Dali to Lijiang in 7 Days (with Tiger Leaping Gorge Hike)
Why Yunnan Works Well for Travelers
Yunnan is a good region for travelers who want a slower pace and smaller cities. The scenery is impressive but the logistics are straightforward. Dali, Xizhou, Shaxi and Lijiang all have walkable centers, good food and simple day trips.
Starting in Dali and ending in Lijiang works well with flights and trains. It also means you move gradually from quieter villages to a more built up old town at the end of the trip.
Our itinerary at a glance
This is the order I recommend for a first Yunnan trip:
- Days 1 to 3: Dali and Xizhou with time on Erhai Lake and in Bai villages
- Days 3 to 5: Shaxi for a quiet Tea Horse Road stop
- Day 5 or 6: Tiger Leaping Gorge day hike on the way north
- Days 6 to 8: Lijiang and nearby Baisha to finish the trip
You can stretch this to ten days by adding an extra night in Xizhou and Lijiang.
Best bases in Yunnan
| Base | Why | Ideal stay | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dali / Xizhou | Access to Erhai Lake and Bai villages. Overnighting in Xizhou means you see the village in the morning and evening when the day trippers are gone. | 2 to 3 nights | Families and travelers who like cafes, gentle cycling and workshops. |
| Shaxi | Small Tea Horse Road town. Staying overnight gives you quiet streets and main square views after tour groups leave. | 1 to 2 nights | Travelers who want a slow section in the middle of their trip. |
| Tiger Leaping Gorge | Mountain trail between the Dali and Lijiang sides of the route. Works as a day hike with a driver or a simple overnight at a guesthouse. | 1 day or 1 night | Hikers with reasonable fitness who are comfortable with some exposure. |
| Lijiang | Old town with more hotel choice and easy access to Baisha and markets. A practical place to finish before flying out. | 2 to 3 nights | First timers who want a mix of historic streets and simple day trips. |
Staying overnight in both Xizhou and Shaxi is worth it. Mornings and evenings feel local and calm. Most day trippers arrive late morning and leave by late afternoon, so basing in the village gives you quieter hours on either side.
Dali, Xizhou and Erhai Lake
I like starting in Dali and Xizhou. You adjust to the altitude, get your bearings and settle into the food and rhythm of Yunnan before heading into the mountains.
What worked well for us
- Tie dye workshop in Dali. Simple, hands on and easy even with a child.
- Snoopy e bikes around Erhai Lake. Cartoon themed e bikes on lakeside roads were an easy way to see villages and water views.
- Overnight in Xizhou. Waking up before visitors arrived and walking the streets at dusk was a different experience than passing through in the middle of the day.
Shaxi
Shaxi is smaller and quieter than Dali and Lijiang. Two nights felt right. We used it as a rest stop between Tiger Leaping Gorge and the last leg of the trip.
Evenings in the main square and simple walks along the river were enough here. If your dates line up with market day, build that into your stay.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge sits between Shaxi and Lijiang. It makes sense to hike it on your way north rather than backtracking. The trail is clear and there are guesthouses for simple meals and overnights.
The path has some narrow sections and dropoffs. Older children who are used to hiking and listening on exposed sections usually cope well. Younger kids who run ahead or dislike uneven ground will find it harder.
Lijiang and Baisha
Lijiang is a practical place to finish your Yunnan itinerary. Flights and onward connections are straightforward and you can slow down after hiking.
Highlights
- Local market visit for produce, snacks and a clearer sense of what you see on menus.
- Early walks in the old town before it gets busy.
- Half day in Baisha for a quieter village feel close to the city.
Lost Plate food tour
A structured food experience is a good way to anchor the trip. We used a Yunnan itinerary from Lost Plate Food Tours, which linked meals, markets and villages in a way that would have been hard to replicate on our own.
You can see the Dali to Lijiang route here:
Lost Plate Dali to Lijiang multi day food trip
Use code STEPHANDPETE to save on your booking.
How to get around Yunnan
For this routing, I recommend:
- Fly into Dali or take a high speed train to the Dali area.
- Use a driver between Dali or Xizhou, Shaxi and Tiger Leaping Gorge.
- Continue on to Lijiang at the end and fly out from there.
If you do not speak much Mandarin, it is easier to have hotels or a trusted operator arrange drivers rather than negotiating everything on the spot.
How to stay connected
China blocks many common apps without a VPN. An eSIM with a built in VPN is the simplest way to stay online across cities, villages and mountain roads.
We used the Holafly China eSIM which includes a built in VPN. It worked in Dali, Xizhou, Shaxi, Lijiang and on the roads between them, so we could use Google Maps, Gmail and our usual social apps without extra setup.
Get Holafly China eSIMPhysical SIM cards are possible after arrival but usually involve more paperwork and some Chinese language forms. For a one week Yunnan itinerary, an eSIM is easier.
Practical tips
- Timing. Seven to eight days is enough for this loop. Ten days gives you slower mornings in Xizhou and Shaxi.
- Cash vs cards. Cards work more often in cities. Carry cash for small restaurants, markets and village shops.
- Clothing. Pack layers. You will move between lake level, village evenings and mountain paths.
Need more help?
I plan custom trips to China and can help you build a Yunnan itinerary that fits your dates, pace and budget, including hotels, drivers, food tours and add ons in other parts of China.
You can email me at steph.hays@fora.travel with your dates, rough budget and who you are traveling with, and I will let you know what is possible.