Lijiang rooftops and mountains in Yunnan

Sichuan & Yunnan | 19 days

Sichuan & Yunnan Discovery

A supplier-confirmed 19-day journey through Beijing, Chengdu, Leshan, Emeishan, Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna and Shanghai, designed for travellers who want deeper southwest China with comfort built in.

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TOUR OVERVIEW

A deeper southwest route with time to settle in.

This is JadeDays’ longer southwest journey. It starts with Beijing’s imperial foundations, moves into Sichuan’s Buddhist landscapes, then opens into Dali, Lijiang and tropical Xishuangbanna before ending with a polished Shanghai finish.

From A$12,495 per person

twin share · party of 3–6 · land only
Private party of 2 — A$16,995 pp

Duration: 19 days
Route: Beijing, Chengdu, Leshan, Emeishan, Dali, Lijiang, Xishuangbanna, Shanghai
Style: Fixed journey with guided touring
Pace: Moderate to fuller
Hotels: Supplier-confirmed city stays or similar
Best for: Southwest culture, highlands and tropical China

What’s Included

Clear inclusions before quote confirmation

Included in the tour

Premium 4-5 star hotels or carefully selected equivalent stays, with breakfast.
Most lunches and dinners, as set out in the confirmed itinerary.
Private airport/rail transfers and guided touring according to the confirmed itinerary.
English-speaking local guides during scheduled sightseeing days.
Domestic transport planning between cities, with final train/flight choices confirmed before payment.
Core attraction tickets listed in the confirmed itinerary.
JadeDays pre-departure support for apps, payments, timing and local travel notes.

Not included

International flights to and from Australia.
China visa fees or passport-related charges where applicable.
Personal expenses unless specifically confirmed.
Optional activities, upgrades or route changes requested after confirmation.
Travel insurance.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

Supplier-confirmed day-by-day route

Day 1 Arrival and old Beijing soft landing Beijing

Morning: Arrive in Beijing, meet your private transfer and check in, keeping the first day centred on rest and jet-lag recovery.

Afternoon: If energy allows, take a light walk through Nanluoguxiang or the Shichahai hutong area for a gentle first taste of old Beijing.

Evening: Welcome Peking duck dinner, with no heavy sightseeing added.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Light

Day 2 Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and cloisonne Beijing

Morning: Explore the Forbidden City with English guiding focused on palace layout, imperial life and the stories behind the main halls.

Afternoon: Visit the Temple of Heaven, then add a shortened cloisonne culture visit or light hands-on moment depending on energy.

Evening: Easy walk around Wangfujing or Qianmen.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Moderate

Day 3 Mutianyu Great Wall and tea-house evening Beijing

Morning: Travel to Mutianyu Great Wall, using cable car or ropeway support and a flatter essence section for a more comfortable Wall day.

Afternoon: Continue the Great Wall visit and return to Beijing, with an optional exterior stop at Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.

Evening: Choose Lao She Teahouse for a cultural evening, or keep the night free for rest.

City: Beijing
Intensity: Moderate

Day 4 Fly into Sichuan Beijing to Chengdu

Morning: Transfer to the airport and fly to Chengdu, then meet your guide and check in.

Afternoon: Ease into Chengdu with Kuanzhai Alley, keeping the walking light after the flight.

Evening: Rest at the hotel or enjoy a hotpot experience.

City: Beijing to Chengdu
Intensity: Light

Day 5 Leshan Giant Buddha and Emei base Chengdu to Leshan and Emeishan

Morning: Travel to Leshan Giant Buddha and use a safer, gentler route to view the statue and the meeting of the three rivers.

Afternoon: Continue to Emeishan and check in, keeping the afternoon mostly for recovery after the transfer.

Evening: Hotel dinner, hot spring time or a light foothill walk.

City: Chengdu to Leshan and Emeishan
Intensity: Moderate

Day 6 Golden Summit mountain day Emeishan

Morning: Use scenic-area transport and cableway support to reach the Emeishan Golden Summit area.

Afternoon: See the Samantabhadra statue, cloud-sea views and mountain scenery, adjusting time on top to weather and fitness.

Evening: Return to the hotel for rest.

City: Emeishan
Intensity: Moderate to active

Day 7 Return to Chengdu with city breathing room Emeishan to Chengdu

Morning: Return to Chengdu after breakfast.

Afternoon: Free time or a light walk around Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li for shopping and city photos.

Evening: Chengdu farewell dinner, with lighter Sichuan dishes or a mild hotpot option.

City: Emeishan to Chengdu
Intensity: Easy

Day 8 Arrive in Yunnan Chengdu to Dali

Morning: Fly from Chengdu to Dali according to the confirmed flight schedule.

Afternoon: Meet your private transfer, check in and settle into the slower Yunnan rhythm.

Evening: Gentle walk through Dali Old Town for cafes, Bai-style streets and night atmosphere.

City: Chengdu to Dali
Intensity: Light

Day 9 Three Pagodas, Erhai and Bai culture Dali

Morning: Visit the Three Pagodas area or a carefully chosen viewpoint for Nanzhao and Dali history.

Afternoon: Follow the Erhai ecological corridor by light ride or lakeside walk, then visit Xizhou for Bai houses, fields, tie-dye or local snacks.

Evening: Relaxed dinner by Erhai or in town.

City: Dali
Intensity: Moderate

Day 10 Into Lijiang highlands Dali to Lijiang

Morning: Keep the morning free in Dali, with time for a lakeside coffee or hotel rest.

Afternoon: Travel to Lijiang and adjust to the higher altitude with a gentle Baisha or Shuhe Old Town walk.

Evening: Lijiang Old Town night walk along the canals and lanes.

City: Dali to Lijiang
Intensity: Light to moderate

Day 11 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley Lijiang

Morning: Visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, choosing the easier Spruce Meadow or Yak Meadow option, or Glacier Park only when fitness and altitude comfort allow.

Afternoon: See Blue Moon Valley, then return via Black Dragon Pool or a light Dongba culture stop.

Evening: Hotel rest or free dinner in Lijiang.

City: Lijiang
Intensity: Moderate to active

Day 12 Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint and slow old towns Lijiang

Morning: Use a light Tiger Leaping Gorge viewpoint plan rather than a strenuous hike.

Afternoon: Spend time in Shuhe and Baisha at a slower pace, with craft shops, cafes and Naxi village atmosphere.

Evening: Free dinner and packing time.

City: Lijiang
Intensity: Moderate

Day 13 Tropical China arrival Lijiang to Xishuangbanna

Morning: Fly from Lijiang to Xishuangbanna according to the confirmed flight schedule.

Afternoon: Private transfer and hotel rest, with time to adjust from highland air to tropical climate.

Evening: Gaozhuang Starlight Night Market and the Golden Pagoda night scene for fruit, snacks, crafts and atmosphere.

City: Lijiang to Xishuangbanna
Intensity: Light

Day 14 Botanical garden and Dai royal garden Xishuangbanna

Morning: Visit the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden for giant water lilies, palms, tropical flowers and rainforest ecology.

Afternoon: Continue to Manting Park and the former Dai royal garden, with an evening performance option if suitable.

Evening: Pool time or free rest at the hotel.

City: Xishuangbanna
Intensity: Moderate

Day 15 Rainforest walk and Pu’er tea mountain Xishuangbanna

Morning: Take a light rainforest walk, keeping the route comfortable rather than expedition-style.

Afternoon: Visit Hekai ancient tea mountain for a Pu’er tea experience and a deeper look at tropical tea culture.

Evening: Hotel pool time or free rest.

City: Xishuangbanna
Intensity: Moderate

Day 16 Fly to Shanghai and Bund evening Xishuangbanna to Shanghai

Morning: Fly to Shanghai and transfer to the hotel.

Afternoon: Walk the Bund and see the international architecture along the river.

Evening: Huangpu River night cruise.

City: Xishuangbanna to Shanghai
Intensity: Light

Day 17 Yu Garden and Oriental Pearl Shanghai

Morning: Visit Yu Garden and the City God Temple area for Jiangnan garden design and old-city atmosphere.

Afternoon: Continue to the Oriental Pearl Tower for skyline views and Shanghai city context.

Evening: North Bund riverside dinner.

City: Shanghai
Intensity: Moderate

Day 18 Zhangyuan and West Bund art Shanghai

Morning: Explore Zhangyuan, where old shikumen texture meets cafes, restaurants and contemporary boutique retail.

Afternoon: Choose West Bund Museum or Long Museum plus Gate M Dream Center, depending on current exhibitions and opening hours.

Evening: Dinner at Gate M Dream Center.

City: Shanghai
Intensity: Easy to moderate

Day 19 Departure buffer Shanghai

Morning: Free time for nearby coffee, shopping or final city photos.

Afternoon: Private transfer to Pudong International Airport according to flight timing.

Evening: Return journey and end of tour.

City: Shanghai
Intensity: Light

Route Map

Route, transport and overnight flow

A longer southwest route with flights between distant regions, private overland connections in Sichuan and Yunnan, and a Shanghai finish.

Fixed Journey

Flight / private car connectionsOvernight city

Travel flow

01Beijing → ChengduFlight

02Chengdu → Leshan → EmeishanPrivate car

03Emeishan → Chengdu → DaliPrivate car + flight

04Dali → LijiangPrivate car

05Lijiang → XishuangbannaFlight

06Xishuangbanna → ShanghaiFlight

Overnights

Beijing3NImperial opening
Chengdu / Emeishan4NSichuan, Leshan and Emei
Dali2NErhai and Bai culture
Lijiang3NHighland old towns and snow mountain
Xishuangbanna3NTropical gardens and Dai culture
Shanghai3NUrban finish and departure

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation

Every Jade Days journey is matched to a curated selection of refined hotels — from internationally branded five-star properties in major cities to character-rich retreats in smaller destinations. The hotels below are representative examples of where you may stay on this journey. Your final accommodation will be drawn from these or others of equivalent quality, selected to suit your dates, group and preferences.

Nights 3

Beijing Hotel NUO

Beijing

Nights 2

Wyndham Grand Chengdu East

Chengdu

Nights 2

Le Meridien Emei Mountain Resort

Mount Emei

Nights 2

Dali International Hotel

Dali

Nights 3

InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort

Lijiang

Nights 3

Crowne Plaza Resort Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna

Nights 3

The Westin Bund Center Shanghai

Shanghai

Hotels are subject to availability and may be substituted for properties of equivalent standard.

DATES & AVAILABILITY

Your journey, on your dates

Every JadeDays departure is private — hosted for your own party of two to six, never merged with strangers. So there is no fixed departure list to fit around: this journey can begin in any month of the year, on the date that suits you.

Tell us when you would like to depart, and we will shape everything else around it — confirming hotels, guides and internal travel personally before your dates are locked in.

When would you like to depart?

Choose a departure date to see your return day.

The earliest selectable departure is 14 days from today.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Before booking

This journey spans highland Yunnan and tropical Xishuangbanna — what should we pack?

Layers, above all. Dali and Lijiang sit at around 2,000 metres, where the sun is strong but mornings and evenings turn cool even in summer; Xishuangbanna, down near the tropics, stays warm and green year-round. One journey, effectively two wardrobes — light layers, serious sun protection, one properly warm layer, comfortable shoes. Your pre-departure notes set out exactly what to bring for your season.

How do we handle the altitude in Yunnan?

The highland stretch of this journey sits at around 2,000–2,400 metres in Dali and Lijiang — noticeable, but comfortably below the altitudes where most people have real difficulty. The itinerary gives you time to adjust, your guide keeps an eye on everyone, and the day's pace flexes if anyone needs it. Drink more water than usual, take the first day gently, and most guests feel nothing more than the thinner, brighter air.

Nineteen days is a long journey — how is the pace managed?

Deliberately. A journey this long only works if it breathes: travel days alternate with settled stretches, mornings aren't uniformly early, and downtime is planned rather than apologised for. Because the trip is private, the rhythm adjusts to you in real time — a slower afternoon, a lingering lunch, an earlier night. Nineteen days should feel like a journey, not an endurance event; that's the design brief.

When is the best time of year for this route?

Yunnan's climate is famously kind. Autumn through spring is the dry season in the highlands — the clearest light of the year over Dali and Lijiang — while Xishuangbanna is warm year-round and at its greenest after the summer rains. Sichuan is mildest in spring and autumn. If highland light matters most to you, aim for October to April; every season, though, gives this route something.

Will the food be too spicy for us?

Only if you want it to be. Sichuan's reputation for heat is earned, but the cuisine is far broader than chilli — and Yunnan is a different world again: wild mushrooms, fresh herbs, and the Dai flavours of the tropical south. Your guide orders with you at every meal — milder dishes alongside the bold ones — and nothing arrives as a dare. One note for chilli lovers: for you, this route is a pilgrimage.

What makes Xishuangbanna special?

It's the China most itineraries never reach. Tucked against the borders of Laos and Myanmar, Xishuangbanna is tropical, unhurried and culturally distinct — home to the Dai people, morning markets full of unfamiliar fruit, Buddhist temples in a different architectural language, and rainforest instead of mountains. It adds a final movement most China journeys simply don't have — somewhere that feels like a discovery.

Questions about travelling in China?

Visas, payments, safety, food and how our private journeys work — answered in one place. Read the full FAQ →

From itinerary to booking

Choose a departure, then confirm the place with JadeDays.

This is one of the four fixed JadeDays journeys. Select a preferred date, then JadeDays confirms seats, hotel allocation, guide availability and the final quote before any deposit is paid.

Book This Journey

01Choose a departureSelect a departure date on this checkout page, then confirm traveller details with JadeDays.
02Confirm the final quoteA JadeDays expert checks the live hotels, guides, transport and any seasonal adjustments.
03Secure with depositPayment happens through a hosted Stripe-style checkout after the confirmed quote is clear.

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