9D Mysterious Lugu Lake Tour

DAY 01: SINGAPORE/KUNMING (MOB/L/D)                
Assemble at Changi Airport for flight to Kunming, which is often called “the City of Eternal Spring” because of its pleasant temperate climate. Upon arrival, visit Xishan (Western Hills) Longmen (Dragon Gate to seek out the most precarious perches for views of Dian Chi.

DAY 02  KUNMING/DALI - DOMESTIC FLIGHT (B/L/D)                        
After breakfast, fly to Dali by domestic flight. Upon arrival, sit on a boat to visit Erhai Lake, which covers 250sq km with the shape of a human ear. After which, visit Three Pagodas of Dali, the pagodas look pretty, especially when seen reflected in the nearby lake. They are, in fact among the oldest standing structures in south-western China. Next, proceed to Butterfly Spring. Continue to visit Zhoucheng Township. It contains the largest ethnic Bai people in Dali area. Proceed to Xizhou and Dali Old Town. Within the old town, there are well-preserved traditional houses of the Bai people. The “Foreigners Street” is the favourite place of the overseas visitors to relax. Enjoy the Three-course Tea performance.

DAY 03: DALI/LIJIANG (B/L/D)
After breakfast, visit mountain Cangshan by cable car. After which, coach to Lijiang, which is bordering Tibet with its spectacular mountain backdrop. Upon arrival, visit the Rectangular Street in the centre of the Lijiang old town. The town is crisscrossed by rivulets and the streets are paved with colourful stone labs which are free of mud or dust either in raining or dry seasons. Continue to Heilong Tan (Black Dragon Pool).

DAY 04: LIJIANG (B/L/D)
After breakfast, visit the magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which soars 5500 meters above Lijiang and is snow-capped all year round. Take cable car to tour “Third Jade Dragon Kingdom” – Yunshanping. Continue to visit Ganhaizi and Yufeng lamasery where a 500 years old camellia tree is the highlight of the temple.

DAY 05: LIJIANG/LUGU LAKE (B/L/D)
After breakfast, coach to mysterious Lugu Lake. This remote lake overlaps the Yunnan-Sichuan border and is a centre for several Tibetan, Yi and Mosu (A Naxi subgroup) villages. The Mosu still practice matriarchy and many of the Naxi customs now are still in evidence here. Tonight enjoy a campfire party.

DAY 06: LUGU LAKE/LIJIANG (B/L/D)
After breakfast, visit the Lugu Lake. The lake is fairly high at 2685m and is usually snowbound over the winter months. Visit several islands on the lake via large dugout canoes, which the Mosu call “pig troughs” (zhucao). After which, coach back to Lijiang. Down the road, enjoy beautiful scenery.

DAY 07: LIJIANG/SHANGRI-LA (B/L/D)
After breakfast, coach to the mysterious Shangri-la. Along the way, visit the first bend of Yangtze River. After making its first turn, the mighty Yangtze River surges between the mountains of the Haba Shan and the Yulong Xueshan, through what is one of the deepest gorges in the world—Hutiao Xia (Tiger Leaping Gorge). The entire gorge measures 16km and from the waters of the Yangtze River to the mountaintops is a giddy 3900m. Reach Shangri-la in the evening.

DAY 08: SHANGRI-LA (B/L/D)
This morning, visit the largest Tibetan Lamasery—the Songzhanlin Lamasery, with 800 Buddhists, pilgrimaging the 70 years old living Buddha, Xia Jia. Next, pay a visit to a Tibetan family. Also visit Pita Lake to enjoy the view of the vast pastures of the grassland.     

DAY 09: SHANGRI-LA/KUNMING/SINGAPORE (B/L)                                       
After breakfast, fly back to Kunming by domestic flight. Free at leisure at Kunming till time to transfer to airport for flight back to Singapore.