Sweet Trip for Two | Yunnan

Number of days：8 days
Time: May
Average cost: 7500 yuan
With whom: husband and wife
Updated: 2023.05.29

Day 1 - Departure

Our annual 520 travel week plan went ahead again this year! After last year's Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, this year we decided to focus on Yunnan. The general route involved flying to Lijiang, then traveling northwest from Shangri-La to Yubeng Village in Deqin, where we'd try hiking. Once we finalized our itinerary, we began a six-month-long planning process. On the morning of May 19th, we set off.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Daxing Beijing New Airport Area

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Daxing Beijing New Airport Area Take off

Day 2 - Yunshanping - Blue Moon Valley

Because we forgot to buy tickets on the first day, we opened the mini program and found that the snow mountain tickets were sold out. Therefore, we did not go to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on Day 2. However, since we will go to Meili to see the snow mountain in the next few days, it doesn’t matter if we didn’t buy tickets this time. We can just have fun in Yunshanping Blue Moon Valley.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Blue Moon Valley Heading to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain~

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Blue Moon Valley

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Spruce Terrace

We spent most of the day hiking in Yunshanping Blue Moon Valley, taking photos as we went. My wife had been to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain once before and had terrible altitude sickness. I had always thought she would have altitude sickness this time, but it turned out she had no issues at all. We had a blast and the weather was great, making for great photos. We quickly rested up back at the inn and prepared to leave for Shangri-La early the next morning.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Lijiang Ancient Town

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Lijiang Ancient Town Wangu Tower on Lion Rock

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Lijiang Ancient Town

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Lijiang Ancient Town Night view of Lijiang Ancient Town

Lijiang Ancient Town is very lively and often bustling with people after 12 o'clock in the evening, but we had to go back early to rest and prepare for the next day's itinerary

Day3-Tiger Leaping Gorge-Pudacuo-Shangri-La

Around 8 o'clock in the morning, after checking out of the hotel, we prepared to drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge. Since the two of us had no hiking experience and there were other attractions to visit, we only went to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge this time. Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Tiger Leaping Gorge

After reaching Tiger Leaping Gorge, we drove to Shangri-La. Before checking in, we stopped by Pudacuo National Forest Park. I have to say, the weather forecast for the first few days of our trip to Yunnan predicted rain almost every day, but it turned out the air was clear and sunny the entire time, making it easy to take photos everywhere.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Pudacuo Forest Park

Pudacuo Forest Park

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Pudacuo Forest Park

After visiting Pudacuo, we returned directly to Shangri-La and stayed at a guesthouse in Dukezong Ancient Town. In the evening, we had Tibetan hot pot and then went to Moonlight Square and pushed the giant prayer wheel. Since Shangri-La is at a relatively high altitude on this trip, we returned to the guesthouse early. Before going to bed, my wife took an hour of oxygen and got a good night's sleep. We were ready to set off for Deqin the next day to see the Baima Snow Mountain Pass and then transfer to Yubeng Village.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Dukezong Ancient City

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Dukezong Ancient Town

Dukezong Ancient Town

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Dukezong Ancient Town

Day4-Baima Snow Mountain-Yubeng Village

Since the entrance to Yubeng Village stops at around 4-5 pm, in order to avoid changes in road conditions on the road, my wife and I set off for Yubeng Village at 7 am. After passing Baima Snow Mountain on the way, we detoured 10 kilometers to the Baima Snow Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4292. After taking a photo, we headed to Yubeng Village to prepare to enter the village. If you drive yourself, you can only drive to the Xidang Hot Spring Parking Lot and park your car in the parking lot. After purchasing the ticket, enter on foot and buy an off-road vehicle ticket to enter the village, which is 200 yuan per person. Most of them are 7-seater SUVs such as Prado Prado and Cheetah. They basically have to be full before they depart. If you are alone, you have to wait at least 2 hours to enter the mountain. My wife, I and an older brother waited for about 40 minutes before we started to enter the mountain. I have to say that this 8 kilometers of road is really difficult to walk. It was so bumpy that my internal organs were about to come out hahaha, it was very exciting. After about 40 minutes, the driver dropped us off at the Shangyubeng Village get-off point. My wife and I, each carrying a backpack, walked for about 15 minutes before we reached our inn in Shangyubeng Village. After checking in, we opened the curtains and saw the snow-capped mountains opposite us, which was very beautiful. We were also looking forward to the sunrise on the Golden Mountain tomorrow morning and our first hiking trip. Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Meili Snow Mountain National Park

Day 5 - First Hike of the Divine Waterfall Route - Rizhao Jinshan

At 6:30 in the morning, I opened the curtains and saw Rizhao Jinshan. I woke up instantly and quickly went to the rooftop of the inn with my wife to take pictures.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Yubeng Village

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Yubeng Scenic Area - Divine Waterfall

Day6 - Lijiang Ancient Town

After yesterday's 15-kilometer hike, both of us were exhausted. We went to bed early yesterday and prepared to drive back to Lijiang early this morning. Coincidentally, we saw the sunrise over Golden Mountain on both mornings while staying in Yubeng. On the day of our return, it was overcast and we couldn't see a thing. At 8:30, we arrived at the Shangyubeng bus stop, bought the ticket and then drove another 8 kilometers of bumpy mountain road. At around 10:00, we returned to the Xidang parking lot and drove back to Lijiang. On the way, we took a detour around the Jinsha River bend that we had missed a few days ago. After returning to Lijiang, we stayed in the ancient town and took a good rest in the evening.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Jinsha River Viewing Platform

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Lijiang Ancient Town

Day7-Shuhe Ancient Town

After breakfast early in the morning, I drove to Shuhe Ancient Town and took a set of photos with my wife in Tibetan costumes. We strolled around Shuhe for the whole morning and had the most delicious coated tofu I had in the past few days. In the afternoon, we filled up our rental car with gas, washed it, and bought some nice little trinkets and flower cakes from the dealership in Lijiang Old Town. We had dinner together in the old town and clinked glasses to congratulate each other on the successful conclusion of this year's 520 Tourism Week. We then happily began planning our destination for next year's tourism week. We boarded a flight home early on the 27th.

src="/travelogue/China/Yunnan/4100339/45.webp">Shuhe Ancient Town

On the morning of the 27th, I caught the earliest flight back to Shandong to go home with my wife to entertain relatives and friends from her parents' family. At 4:30 in the afternoon, I hurriedly took the high-speed train from Shandong back to my home in Beijing hhhh. Although it was hard, this trip was very rewarding.

Summary: Itinerary Plan and Expenses

The itinerary plan and expenses for this trip are basically covered by this table. I use this table every time I go out. I modify the content inside to make it convenient and quick. Hahaha, I also use this table to plan itineraries for my family. It has become the standard planning template for our family to go out and play.