Southwest China is where the country’s most spectacular natural scenery meets its most diverse ethnic cultures. This 10-day route covers three of China’s greatest destinations and works year-round, with spring and autumn offering the ideal conditions.
Table of contents
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Route Overview
Chengdu (3 nights) → Guilin/Yangshuo (3 nights) → Lijiang (2 nights) → Dali (2 nights)
| Day | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Chengdu | Giant panda base, Jinli Street, Leshan Buddha |
| 4–6 | Guilin / Yangshuo | Li River cruise, karst peaks, bicycle riding |
| 7–8 | Lijiang | Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain |
| 9–10 | Dali | Erhai Lake, Bai culture, Old Town |
Day 1–3: Chengdu
Day 1: Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (成都大熊猫繁育研究基地) is the world’s premier panda facility — about 250 giant and red pandas in spacious naturalistic enclosures. Go early (8–10am) when pandas are most active and feeding. Allow 3 hours.
Afternoon: Return to Chengdu for Jinli Ancient Street (锦里古街) — a recreation of a Han Dynasty commercial street beside the Wuhou Shrine; good for Sichuan snacks and handicrafts.
Evening: Sichuan hotpot dinner. Haidilao (海底捞) is the famous chain — extravagant service, excellent quality. Or try a local neighbourhood hotpot spot for ¥80–¥120 per person.
Day 2: Leshan Giant Buddha Day Trip
The Leshan Giant Buddha (乐山大佛) is a 71-metre Tang Dynasty cliff sculpture — the world’s largest stone Buddha — carved at the confluence of three rivers. Take the 1.5-hour ferry from Chengdu (or bus to Leshan, 2 hours).
Best approach: boat trip (¥70) gives the full frontal view from the river. Then walk the cliffside path to see the Buddha’s face at close range.
Return to Chengdu by 5pm for dinner. Evening: Sichuan Opera Face-Changing Show (变脸表演) — performers in opera costume change masks in fractions of a second. Book at the Shufeng Yayun teahouse.
Day 3: Kuanzhai Alley + Sanxingdui Museum
Kuanzhai Alley (宽窄巷子) — Chengdu’s preserved Qing Dynasty alley district; three parallel lanes of courtyard houses with cafes, street food, and live music. Busy but atmospheric.
Afternoon day trip (90 min from Chengdu): Sanxingdui Museum (三星堆博物馆) — home to the most mysterious archaeological discovery in China. Bronze Age Shu civilisation masks and objects completely unlike anything else in Chinese history — alien-looking bronze faces, gold foil, jade. The expanded museum opened in 2023. Entry ¥60.
Evening: Flight or overnight train Chengdu → Guilin (air: 1.5 hours; train: 11 hours overnight).
Day 4–6: Guilin and Yangshuo
Day 4: Arrive Guilin — Reed Flute Cave and Two Rivers Cruise
Reed Flute Cave (芦笛岩) — a cave filled with extraordinary stalactites and stalagmites, colourfully lit. One of Guilin’s most popular natural sites. Entry ¥90.
Two Rivers and Four Lakes Cruise — the evening cruise around central Guilin’s waterways between the karst peaks, lit by classical Chinese pavilions and coloured lights. Atmospheric and romantic.
Day 5: Li River Cruise to Yangshuo ⭐ Don’t Miss
The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo (漓江游船) is one of China’s Top 10 scenic experiences — 4.5 hours on a bamboo-lined river between needle-like karst peaks rising sheer from flat paddy fields. The scenery is what appears on the back of the ¥20 note.
Tickets: ¥200–¥490 depending on boat class. Book 1–2 days ahead in peak season.
Arrive Yangshuo by early afternoon. Yangshuo is a small tourist town with excellent guesthouses, cafes, and outdoor activities.
Afternoon: Rent a bicycle or electric scooter and cycle the riverside roads through rice paddies between karst peaks — some of China’s most beautiful rural cycling.
Day 6: Yangshuo Activities
Choose based on interest:
- Yulong River bamboo rafting (遇龙河) — quieter river, no motorboats, push-pole bamboo rafts under limestone arches. ¥120–¥150.
- Rock climbing — Yangshuo has world-class limestone sport climbing. Moon Hill is a classic; guided half-days from ¥150.
- Ancient Moon Corridor (月亮山景区) hiking
- Cooking class — several guesthouses offer Guangxi cooking classes (¥180–¥280)
Evening: Return bus to Guilin (1.5 hours, ¥25) for overnight flight or train to Lijiang.
Day 7–8: Lijiang
Flight Guilin → Lijiang (1.5 hours) or Kunming transit.
Day 7: Lijiang Old Town
Lijiang Old Town (丽江古城) is a UNESCO World Heritage site — a Naxi-minority town of wooden buildings over a network of clear streams, preserved since the 14th century. The town suffered a 1996 earthquake and was beautifully rebuilt.
Best experience: Arrive on foot, ditch the tourist crowds on the main Sifang Square, and find the quieter northern quarter around Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭) — perfectly reflecting Snow Mountain behind the town’s white-and-brown rooftops.
Evening: Traditional Naxi music performance — the Dayan Ancient Music Association keeps alive a Han court music tradition from the Tang Dynasty that’s been lost everywhere else in China. Performances nightly at 8pm.
Day 8: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山) — a 5,596m peak visible from Lijiang’s streets. Take the cable car to 4,506m for spectacular views of the glacier. Altitude acclimatisation tip: Move slowly, carry oxygen (available for rent on the mountain, ¥20–¥30 per can), and don’t rush.
Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷) at the base of the mountain has glacier-melt lakes of extraordinary turquoise-blue colour. Entry ¥80.
Combined ticket (cable car + Blue Moon Valley): ¥340–¥440. Book cable car slots online — they sell out.
Day 9–10: Dali
Bus Lijiang → Dali (3.5 hours, ¥70) — stunning highway through mountain passes.
Day 9: Dali Old Town + Erhai Lake
Dali Old Town (大理古城) — a Bai minority walled town of whitewashed buildings with marble inlays (Dali marble is famously beautiful), stone-paved streets, and mountain backdrop. Less commercial than Lijiang; more genuinely local.
Erhai Lake (洱海) — a 250 km² highland lake ringed by Bai villages and overlooked by the Cangshan Mountains. Cycle around the lake (full circuit 120km — most people do a section), or rent a boat to reach the mid-lake island of Jinsuo (¥60).
Xizhou Village on the north shore is the finest example of traditional Bai architecture — the Ben Benali Compound (本主庙) is particularly impressive.
Day 10: Three Pagodas + Departure
Three Pagodas (三塔寺) — three Tang Dynasty pagodas at the base of Cangshan Mountain, perfectly reflected in the foreground pond. Best photographed in morning light. Entry ¥75.
Afternoon: Bus or fly from Dali to Kunming (2 hours bus / 40 min flight) for onward connections to your next destination.
Transport Summary
| Leg | Options | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chengdu → Guilin | Flight | 1.5 hrs | ¥350–¥700 |
| Guilin → Yangshuo | Bus | 1.5 hrs | ¥25 |
| Guilin → Lijiang | Flight via Kunming | 3–4 hrs total | ¥400–¥800 |
| Lijiang → Dali | Bus | 3.5 hrs | ¥70 |
| Dali → Kunming | Bus/Flight | 2 hrs/40 min | ¥70–¥300 |
Practical Tips
Weather: Yunnan’s dry season (October–April) gives best conditions for Lijiang and Dali. Guilin is most dramatic in spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October).
Altitude: Lijiang is at 2,400m; some travellers feel mild altitude effects. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (4,500m cable car) requires caution.
Crowds: Lijiang Old Town is extremely busy during Chinese Golden Week (Oct 1–7) and Chinese New Year. Visit in late October, March, or June for lower crowds.