itinerary for Shanghai-Zhangjiajie-Chengdu-Guilin-Yunnan

Question

I need to finalize the final month of my time in China and here is what I have. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I’m going to post the specific parts in Zhangjiajie and Yunnan also and hope that’s fine. Thanks so much for any help or suggestions for changes

I arrive in Shanghai May 10 at night (so day doesn’t count) and have to leave to Lhasa on June 4 to start Tibet trip but in between those, nothing is booked. Also, having survived the may 1-5 holiday, I’m now concerned about the may 31-june 2 dragon boat holiday. I’m currently planning on spending may 31 in Lijiang and June 1/2 on leaping gorge hike. Are those good places to spend the holiday? Obviously I’d like to minimize crowds. I don’t know how big a deal the holiday is and whether the Chinese like to go hiking on the holiday.

outside of dragon boat, here are my concerns:

4. I feel like I have one day too many in Kunming so I could move that anywhere, and I also have two full days in Dali and don’t know how much is needed there. Let me know where sounds good

5. Is 2.75 days in Shanghai enough?

6. I’m going to post this in the Zhangjiajie forum also, but is it possible to do tianmen and fenghuang in the same down if I start early enough and don’t mind arriving late? like a 6 AM to 11 PM day? The first half in tianmen and the last half in fenghuang so I can combine daylight and night hours since I know the experiences are different? Is it doable? I know it’ll be tiring but I’m wondering if it’s possible

7. should I change the order of the trip at all? I have to start in Shanghai but I could possibly change the Zhangjiajie/Chengdu/Guilin/Yunnan order if the flights/buses work out.

8. I’m going to post this in the Yunan forum as well, but I’m also concerned about Yunnan in early June. I’m leaving June 4 so it’s pretty early so I think I’m avoiding rainy season but am not sure.

Saturday – May 10 – Late night arrival in Shanghai

Sunday – May 11 – Shanghai

Monday – May 12 – Shanghai

Tuesday – May 13 – Shanghai during day, 8:25 PM flight to Zhangjiajie

Wednesday – May 14 – Zhangjiajie day trip to Fenghuang

Thursday – May 15 – Zhangjiajie park

Friday – May 16 – Zhangjiajie park

Saturday – May 17 – Tianmen mountain – night flight (11:35 PM) to Chengdu

Sunday – May 18 – Chengdu – first half with pandas, second half in city

Monday – May 19 – Chengdu – first half to leshan, second half in city, night train to guilin (leave

10 PM, arrive in guilin 7 AM)

Tuesday – May 20 – Guilin

Wednesday – May 21 – Guilin – day trip to longji rice terraces

Thursday – May 22 – Guilin to Yangshuo boat ride

Friday – May 23 – Yangshuo – return to Guilin at night to catch early morning flight to Kunming

Saturday – May 24 – flight lands in Kunming at around 9 AM so day in Kunming

Sunday – May 25 – Kunming day trip to stone forest

Monday – May 26 – Kunming (so two full days not including stone forest trip, too many?)

Tuesday – May 27 – Kunming to Dali – early train

Wednesday – May 28 – Dali

Thursday – May 29 – Dali to Lijiang via Shaxi

Friday – May 30 – Day trip to snow jade mountain

Saturday – May 31 – Lijiang

Sunday – June 1 – Lijiang to leaping gorge

Monday – June 2 – leaping gorge to shangrila

Tuesday – June 3 – shangrila

Wednesday – june 4 – shangrila flight

Answer

Your itinerary from Shanghai to Yunnan between May 10 and June 4 is ambitious but generally doable. Here is detailed feedback and suggestions based on logistics, sightseeing, and crowd considerations.

1. Shanghai (2.75 days)

2.75 days in Shanghai is sufficient for major highlights such as The Bund, Yu Garden, Nanjing Road, Jing’an Temple, and Xintiandi. If you like museums or want a more relaxed pace, consider adjusting the schedule slightly.

Day 1: Arrival May 10 late night – rest at hotel.
Day 2: Full day exploring The Bund, Yu Garden, and shopping areas.
Day 3: Morning in Shanghai Museum or French Concession; evening flight to Zhangjiajie.

2. Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang (May 13–17)

Your current plan has:

May 13: Shanghai day, night flight to Zhangjiajie.
May 14: Day trip to Fenghuang.
May 15–16: Zhangjiajie park visits.
May 17: Tianmen Mountain + late night flight to Chengdu.

Comments:

Splitting stay between downtown Zhangjiajie (May 13 & 16) and Wulingyuan (May 14–15) is practical and minimizes travel time.
Day trip to Fenghuang from Zhangjiajie is long (~4–5 hours each way), so starting very early is essential. Overnight stays in Fenghuang are optional but could reduce travel fatigue.
Combining Tianmen Mountain and Fenghuang in one day is technically possible but extremely tiring (6 AM–11 PM day). Not recommended if you prefer a more comfortable pace.

Tickets for Zhangjiajie National Park and Tianmen Mountain should be purchased in advance to avoid queues.

3. Chengdu and Leshan (May 18–19)

Day 1: Panda Base in the morning, city exploration in the afternoon/evening – doable.
Day 2: Leshan Giant Buddha in the first half of the day, return for city sights. Night train to Guilin is fine; be prepared for limited rest.

4. Guilin & Yangshuo (May 20–23)

Day 1: Guilin city exploration.
Day 2: Longji Rice Terraces – full day trip is sufficient.
Day 3: Li River cruise to Yangshuo – scenic and enjoyable.
Day 4: Explore Yangshuo countryside; return to Guilin for early morning flight to Kunming.

This is reasonable. Note that May is not peak season yet, so crowds should be moderate.

5. Kunming & Dali (May 24–28)

Kunming: 2 full days including Stone Forest is slightly more than needed. You could shorten Kunming by one day and allocate it to Dali or Lijiang for a more relaxed pace.
Dali: 2 days is adequate to see Dali old town, Erhai Lake, and surrounding villages.
Consider adding a short stop at Shaxi between Dali and Lijiang as you planned – adds historical value.

6. Lijiang & Leaping Gorge (May 29–June 2)

May 29–30: Lijiang old town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain – reasonable.
May 31–June 2: Dragon Boat holiday – you will be in Lijiang and Leaping Gorge. These areas are scenic and popular, but not as crowded as major cities. Expect more domestic tourists than foreigners.
Early June in Yunnan generally avoids heavy rainfall, but carry rain gear just in case.

7. Trip order suggestions:

Shanghai → Zhangjiajie → Chengdu → Guilin → Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Leaping Gorge → Shangri-La is a logical flow geographically. Flight and train connections support this.
Minor adjustment: reduce Kunming by one day, allocate extra day to Dali or Lijiang to make schedule less tight.

8. Holiday considerations (May 31–June 2)

Lijiang and Leaping Gorge are less impacted by Dragon Boat holiday than big cities, but popular spots like Jade Dragon Snow Mountain may have more visitors. Start early to avoid crowds.
Hiking in Dragon Boat holiday is possible, as many domestic tourists enjoy outdoor activities, but trails will be busier than normal weekdays.

Summary Recommendations:

2.75 days in Shanghai is adequate; focus on main highlights.
Split Zhangjiajie stay between downtown and Wulingyuan; avoid combining Tianmen Mountain and Fenghuang in one day.
Reduce one day in Kunming; redistribute to Dali or Lijiang for better pacing.
Advance ticket purchase for parks and scenic areas is strongly recommended.
Early starts for popular sites minimize crowd impact, especially around holiday periods.

Overall, your itinerary is well-structured, geographically logical, and covers major attractions while balancing travel time. Minor tweaks for pacing and ticket planning will make it smoother and more enjoyable.