[Greater Shangri-La Loop] Lijiang | Shangri-La | Meili Snow Mountain | Mangkang (Tibet) | Litang | Daocheng Yading | Lugu Lake

Activity Description

Group Type: Mini Boutique Tour (2-8 people)

Schedule: [Group Tour] Every Saturday, departing from Lijiang; [Private Tour] Daily departures

Meeting Point: Designated hotel in Lijiang (please specify "Greater Shangri-La Loop Tour + your name" for check-in)

Suitable for: Healthy travel enthusiasts aged 8-70

Tour Leader: Travel concierge/driver (text message sent two days prior to departure)

Registration Notes: Please check with customer service in advance to confirm availability.

▷【Children's Price Information】

1.Children under 1.2 meters tall, without a bed (sharing a bed with an adult), are exempt from entrance fees. Includes breakfast, parking, insurance, complimentary items, and activities;

2.Children exceeding the height limit but under 12 years old do not occupy a bed and will need to pay for the corresponding entrance tickets and breakfast;

3.If a bed is required, a bed fee (including breakfast) will apply;

4.Special Note: Children do not occupy a bed (sharing a bed with an adult). However, if you are traveling with one adult and one child, to avoid disturbing you and other guests in the same room, the child must occupy a bed and will need to pay for the bed (including breakfast);

5.Tour Type: Mini Group (2-8 people)

6.Please check with customer service in advance to see if there are any vacancies.

Special Notes

Ticket Information: If you hold special identification such as a teacher's certificate, military officer's certificate, journalist's certificate, disability certificate, tour guide certificate, or student ID, please present it to the tour leader/driver in advance. Since the travel agency offers discounted tickets at scenic spots, the refund will be based on the travel agency's discounted price, not the scenic spot's listed price. Thank you for your understanding. (Specific discount policies are subject to the actual charges of the scenic spot.)

Single Room Supplement Information: Room sharing is available in standard 2-3 person rooms. Each room can only accommodate 2 adults and no more than 2 children. Those who do not wish to share a room or whose room sharing is not possible must pay a single room supplement.

Gear Checklist

Documents: ID card, discount cards (student ID, military ID, etc.)

Luggage: Suitcase (24 inches or smaller), backpack, small personal bag

Clothing: Light jacket, windproof jacket, sun-protective clothing, sneakers, hiking shoes

Sun Protection: Sunscreen SPF50+, sunglasses, sun hat, face mask

Altitude Sickness: Altitude sickness medication, oral glucose solution, etc.

Electronic Equipment: Mobile phone, power bank, charger, camera (including charger, spare battery, memory card), tripod (essential for photographing flower fields/snow-capped mountains/lake views), headphones, etc.

Medications: Motion sickness medication, cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, and other personal medications; consider bringing allergy medication (due to high pollen counts in spring).

Food: Chocolate, beef jerky, nuts, energy bars (for energy replenishment during hiking/long-distance driving).

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Lijiang from various locations nationwide → Airport/Train Station pick-up in Lijiang → Hotel check-in → Free time

▷Accommodation: 4-star luxury hotel in Lijiang (based on online reviews)

▷Meals: On your own

▷Driving distance: 25km ▷Driving time: 0.5h

Today, guests will arrive in Lijiang by plane or train. Our team will pick you up and transfer you to the designated hotel in the city center. Upon arrival, please check in at the front desk. Free time after check-in. Our staff will contact you later. Please be mindful of your personal safety and belongings when out and about.

Important Notes:

1. Hotel check-in time is after 2:00 PM. If you arrive earlier and there are available rooms, you can check in directly. Alternatively, you can leave your luggage at the front desk and enjoy free time.

2. We offer a free 24-hour airport/train station pick-up service. There will be a waiting time of approximately 30 minutes. Please inform customer service of your flight at least 2 days in advance; otherwise, it will be considered a waiver of the service.

3. The distance from Lijiang Airport to the meeting hotel is approximately 25km, a 40-minute drive. The distance from Lijiang Railway Station to the meeting hotel is approximately 10km, a 20-minute drive.

Lijiang Travel Guide:

1. Lijiang Old Town: Lijiang Old Town is actually composed of three ancient towns. The first is [Dayan Ancient Town], with its small bridges and flowing water, built against Lion Mountain and facing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It is hailed as a "World Heritage Site." Famous attractions within the town include Sifang Street, Mu's Residence, Yuhe Square, and Wangu Tower. It's about a 3-5km walk from the hotel.

2. The second is [Shuhe Ancient Town], a well-preserved important market town on the Ancient Tea Horse Road with over 1300 years of history. It's famous for its rustic architecture, clear springs, and profound cultural heritage. Core scenic spots include Sifang Street, Qinglong Bridge, Feihua Chushui (Flying Flowers Touching Water), and Jiuding Longtan (Nine Dragon Pool). It's about a 7km taxi ride from the hotel.

3. The third is [Baisha Ancient Town], a newly popular tourist destination in Lijiang. It was the earliest political and cultural center of the Naxi people and the closest ancient town to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It's about a 10km taxi ride from the hotel. The air in the ancient town is filled with the aroma of coffee.

Day 2 Lijiang → Dukezong Ancient Town → Yila Grassland → Jinsha River Moon Bay → Baima Snow Mountain → Feilai Temple

▷Accommodation: Comfortable hotel in Deqin County/Feilai Temple;

▷Meals: On your own;

▷Distance: 340km; ▷Driving time: Approx. 6 hours;

After breakfast, depart from Lijiang to the Greater Shangri-La described in James Hilton's "Lost Horizon." Along National Highway 214, pass the Haba Snow Mountain viewing platform, offering panoramic views of Haba Snow Mountain and the Yi ethnic minority's Turtle Back Terraces. Then, enjoy the highland pasture scenery along Xiaozhongdian Road. Visit Dukezong Ancient Town at your leisure, including the Long March Red Army Museum. You will also have the opportunity to spin the world's largest prayer wheel (21 meters high and 6 meters in diameter), a Guinness World Record holder, to bring you and your family peace and good fortune (Tashi Delek, meaning auspiciousness and good luck in Tibetan).

After a free lunch in the ancient town, we'll arrive at the First Bend of the Yangtze River viewing platform after about an hour for photos. Then we'll proceed to Moon Bay on the Jinsha River. The Jinsha River encounters a perfectly rounded, pyramid-shaped mountain peak, causing the golden river to flow around it in a classic inverted "Ω" shape – the famous Great Bend of the Jinsha River often depicted in photographs. After visiting Moon Bay, we'll enter the heart of the Baimang Snow Mountain area, passing through a tunnel and through Deqin County, arriving at Feilai Temple around evening.

In the evening, we'll enjoy the stunning sunset over the snow-capped mountains, with Meili Snow Mountain (known as "Kawa Karpo") right before us. This is the perfect time to photograph the afterglow of the sunset over Meili Snow Mountain, a breathtaking spectacle of magnificent colors. Feel free to unleash your creativity and capture this breathtaking scenery!

Day 3: Meili Snow Mountain Sunrise → Gejie River → Yanjing, Tibet → Hongla Mountain Pass → Mangkang → Batang

▷Accommodation: Comfortable Hotel in Batang

▷Meals: Breakfast included; Lunch/Dinner: On your own (AA system)

▷Driving Distance: 310km ▷Driving Time: 6 hours

On a clear day, wake up to witness the "Golden Sunrise" on Meili Snow Mountain. As the first rays of sunlight paint the main peak, Kawagebo, golden, the dazzling gold will stir your heart and leave you deeply moved. The hotel rooftop offers the best vantage point for photographing the golden sunrise on Meili Snow Mountain. From here, you'll enjoy a panoramic view of the sacred thirteen peaks of Meili, one of the eight sacred mountains of Tibet and one of the most beautiful snow-capped mountains in the world. After enjoying the Golden Sunrise, we'll have breakfast and then depart for Yanjing, Tibet. It takes about two hours to reach Gejie River, where you can rest and take photos before arriving in Yanjing, Tibet, about half an hour later. For lunch, you can enjoy the most authentic and delicious Jiajia noodles in Yanjing.

After lunch, we drove for about ten minutes to reach the Ancient Salt Fields viewing platform for photos. Then, we continued along the Lancang River Grand Canyon for about an hour to reach the Hongla Mountain Pass for panoramic views of the Dameiyong Snow Mountain. After enjoying the view of Dameiyong Snow Mountain, we drove to Mangkang County in the Tibet Autonomous Region. This is the first county town after entering Tibet from Sichuan, and it's also where the Yunnan-Tibet Highway and the Southern Sichuan-Tibet Highway meet.

Afterwards, we passed through Mangkang County, crossed the Zongla Mountain Pass, and drove along National Highway 318 for about an hour and a half, passing through Zhubalong Township, the junction of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet. Then, we crossed the Sichuan-Tibet Bridge and arrived in Batang, the hometown of the folk song "Xianzi," about an hour later, and checked into our hotel.

Day 4: Batang Sister Lakes → Haizi Mountain → Maoyaping Grassland → Litang → Rabbit Mountain → Daocheng Yading

▷Accommodation: Daocheng Yading 4-star hotel (based on online reviews)

▷Meals: Breakfast included; Lunch/Dinner: On your own (AA system)

▷Driving distance: 390km

▷Driving time: 6.5h

After breakfast, depart from Batang and drive along National Highway 318 for about an hour and a half to reach Sister Lakes. Haizi Mountain Sister Lakes is a dazzling pearl on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway and the largest ancient glacial relic on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Then, cross Haizi Mountain at an altitude of 4500 meters to reach Litang Maoyaping Grassland, which was once rated as one of the six most beautiful grasslands in China by China Geography magazine. We will then travel along the Maoyaping Grassland Scenic Avenue to reach Litang, the world's highest city and a sacred snow-covered land. This is also the hometown of Dingzhen, with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, grasslands, pastures, and Tibetan houses—a veritable utopia.

Lunch was served in Litang. The journey continued through Hange, over Rabbit Mountain, and past Sangdui Red Grassland before arriving at the sacred Zunsheng Pagoda Forest, the gateway to Daocheng County. The forest is divided into five levels, with a tall white pagoda at the center of the highest level, surrounded by four levels of smaller white pagodas, totaling 108 pagodas. The poplar forests lining the riverbanks and roadsides have become iconic landmarks that photographers always capture.

Afterwards, we'll admire the vast poplar forest along the Daocheng River, cross the 4513-meter-high Bowa Mountain, and traverse picturesque alpine pastures and spectacular canyon forests. In the evening, we'll arrive at the beautiful Shangri-La Town (Riwa Town) and check into our hotel. The scenery along the way today is incredibly beautiful, so feel free to enjoy yourself and take plenty of photos. Just remember to make sure your electronic devices have plenty of batteries!

Day 5: Full-day in-depth tour of Daocheng Yading Scenic Area

▷Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Daocheng Yading (based on online reviews)

▷Meals: Breakfast included; lunch and dinner at your own expense (AA system);

▷Driving distance: 70km, ▷Driving time: 2 hours;

After breakfast, enter the Yading Scenic Area and take the scenic area's eco-friendly bus (included in the price). After about 1 hour, arrive at the secluded Yading Village. Then, at Longlongba, transfer to the scenic area's electric sightseeing bus (50 RMB one way, 80 RMB round trip, optional, at your own expense). Take the electric sightseeing bus to Luorong Pasture, the most beautiful alpine pasture in Yading. This is also the best location to view the three sacred mountains: 【Xianaori】, 【Yangmaiyong】, and 【Xiannairi】. The three sacred mountains are arranged in a triangular shape, offering a panoramic view of blue skies, grasslands, seas of flowers, snow-capped mountains, and antelopes, making you feel as if you are in a dreamlike fairyland.

The hike from Luorong Pasture takes about 3 hours to reach the sacred lake, Milk Lake, a round trip of about 10 kilometers. The azure Milk Lake, resembling a teardrop of the blue earth, is nestled among the snow-capped peaks. From the right side of Milk Lake, a further ascent of about 100 meters leads to the highest point of the hike, Five-Color Lake. Under the refraction of sunlight, Five-Color Lake presents a fantastical spectacle of vibrant colors. It is said that those with sincere hearts can see their future here.

Afterwards, return to Luorong Pasture via the same route and take a sightseeing electric vehicle to Longlongba. Hike to Chonggu Temple, visit Pearl Lake, and admire the reflection of Xiannairi Sun Peak. After touring the Yading Scenic Area, take the park's eco-friendly bus back to Shangri-La Town and check into your hotel. Enjoy a hot shower in the evening to relieve the day's fatigue.

Friendly Reminder:

The Yading Scenic Area offers long and short routes. The long route includes Milk Lake and Five-Color Lake, while the short route is Pearl Lake. For high-altitude hiking, please choose your route according to your physical condition. Please prepare your own lunch in advance. High-altitude hiking is physically demanding; please assess your own physical capabilities and avoid overexertion to prevent unnecessary trouble.

Day 6: Daocheng Yading → Echu Mountain → Crossing the Lugu Lake-Yading Route → Lugu Lake → Mosuo Bonfire Party

▷Accommodation: Comfortable hotel/guesthouse in Lugu Lake;

▷Meals: Breakfast included; lunch and dinner at your own expense (AA system);

▷Distance: 260km ▷Driving Time: 6.5 hours;

After breakfast, bid farewell to the sacred land of Yading and head to the mysterious "Kingdom of Women" of the East, Lugu Lake. En route, pass Echu Mountain for a distant view of the Three Holy Mountains of Yading. After lunch in Wafang, pass through Lupuluo Pass to admire the rhododendron forest. Continue along the Lugu Lake-Yading Route, passing through Mengzi Township, Guzeng Miao Township, and Wujiao Mongolian Township, traversing narrow mountain paths through forests, enjoying the breathtaking autumn colors along the way. High mountains, canyons, and forests offer endless scenic beauty. Arrive at Lugu Lake in the afternoon, where a panoramic view of Lugu Lake unfolds before your eyes, truly captivating! Lugu Lake Scenic Area boasts distinctive natural and cultural landscapes, characterized by its typical highland lake scenery and unique Mosuo matriarchal culture. Immersed in the scenery, the water and sky blend seamlessly, the lake surface is like a mirror, and the pig-trough boats gliding gently on the azure waves and the Mosuo folk songs floating softly between the water and sky add to its rustic charm and tranquility. It is a pristine lake, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and unspoiled by pollution, earning it the reputation of a "Pearl of the Plateau."

After checking into our hotel by Lugu Lake, we will have free time for dinner. On a clear day, you can enjoy the breathtaking sunset over the lake. In the evening, we will have a complimentary Mosuo bonfire party. Join the young Mosuo men and women in their traditional costumes, light a bonfire, dance hand-in-hand, and sing the celestial songs of Lugu Lake.

Friendly Reminder:

As the Lugu Lake-Ya'an route is not yet overdeveloped for tourism, it is relatively sparsely populated, with limited restaurants and supplies. The environment and prices may not be ideal. Please consider bringing your own packed lunches. Thank you for your understanding.

Day 7: Lugu Lake Sunrise → Pig-trough Boat Cruise → Lugu Lake Tour → Lijiang (Disband)

▷Accommodation: None;

▷Meals: Breakfast included; Lunch and dinner at your own expense (AA system);

▷Distance: 200km; ▷Driving Time: 3.5H;

Wake up to witness the breathtaking sunrise over Lugu Lake. The rising sun, the lake, and the morning mist create a mesmerizing scene. After enjoying the sunrise, you are free to take photos by the lake. Lugu Lake is beautiful in the morning; you'll never tire of taking pictures. Of course, you can also relax and sleep in. Afterwards, head to the pier for a unique pig-trough boat tour on Lugu Lake, a traditional Mosuo custom. Enjoy the blue sky, white clouds, and the tranquil water – a truly dreamlike experience. Then, take a tour around Lugu Lake, passing Lover's Beach and Lige Peninsula. Leave the scenic area along the lakeside road, passing through Ninglang County for lunch before returning to Lijiang, concluding your enjoyable Greater Shangri-La loop tour.

For those not in a rush to leave that day, let's have a get-together for dinner (AA system) that evening. Since everyone will be going their separate ways after the trip, let's go to a bar together, drink until we drop, and enjoy the beautiful night in Lijiang. Let's party and create wonderful memories forever.

Friendly Reminder:

1. If you're returning from Lijiang Railway Station, we recommend booking a high-speed train or regular train departing after 6:00 PM that day;

2. If you're returning from Lijiang Airport, we recommend booking a flight departing after 8:00 PM that day.

Booking Notes

1. As the organizer and executor of the activity, our company reserves the right to use all photos, videos, and other materials taken during the trip.

2. This activity involves outdoor hiking, long-distance travel, and thrill rides. Participants must ensure they are in good health and fit for travel. Those with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, mental illness, severe anemia, those recovering from major surgery, those with mobility impairments, and pregnant women are not permitted to participate. Those registering on behalf of others must accurately verify the health status of the person being registered for to ensure they meet the requirements of this tour.

3. According to relevant tourism laws, minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a guardian who is responsible for their care throughout the tour.

4. This activity does not accept unregistered participants (including unregistered infants). For the health of others and the experience of the activity, pets are not allowed.

5. Please provide accurate and complete information as required by the system when registering to avoid booking errors that may affect your trip. You will be solely responsible for any losses caused by incorrect information provided.

6. Room assignments will be based on accommodation availability. Room sharing is generally for same-sex group members. If you require a room with family/friends, please inform staff after registration. If you are registering alone and require a single room, please contact staff to confirm availability. If available, the single room supplement will be borne by the traveler.

7. If you hold special documents that may qualify for discounts, such as military officer ID, press card, disability certificate, senior citizen card, student ID, or medical certificate, please contact staff within one day of registration and submit the relevant documents. Discounted tickets are issued by the travel agency and will be refunded based on the travel agency's discounted price, not the attraction's listed price.

8. Some attractions may require advance ticket reservations using the traveler's personal information (the identification document must match the ticket document). If an attraction is unavailable due to sold-out tickets or other objective reasons, our company will arrange alternative attractions for you, with refunds or additional charges as needed.

9. Due to weather and seasonal changes, the scenery of the attractions mentioned in the itinerary may not be consistent with what is shown in the activity description. By registering, tourists acknowledge and understand this.

10. The tour guide shown on the activity description page may not be the final actual tour leader. The company reserves the right to make adjustments based on the actual situation and activity arrangements. By registering, tourists acknowledge and understand this.

11. During the actual trip, with the consent of the guests, the tour leader may make appropriate adjustments to the itinerary based on weather, traffic, and other conditions (such as adjusting the order of attractions or changing the meeting time) to ensure the smooth progress of the trip.

12. In the event of force majeure, such as traffic delays, strikes, weather, aircraft or train malfunctions, flight cancellations or changes in flight times, airport closures, scenic spot closures, or events that the travel agency or its service providers could not avoid despite exercising reasonable care, the company will make every effort to assist with itinerary changes. Any price difference will be refunded or charged accordingly.

13. If the activity is cancelled before departure or midway due to force majeure, the remaining itinerary will be cancelled, as stipulated in the "Travel Contract." The activity fee will be refunded to the original payment account after deducting any non-refundable payments already made to the service providers.

14. If a tourist withdraws from the activity midway for personal reasons, a departure agreement must be signed. All safety responsibilities and expenses incurred after leaving the group will be borne by the tourist. During the period of separation, any unused and refundable expenses included in the tour fee will be refunded to the tourist, with the actual refund amount calculated based on the travel agency's discounted price. Expenses already paid to the service providers that are non-refundable will not be refunded to the tourist.

15. During the activity itinerary, there may be shopping venues not arranged by our company in scenic spots, restaurants, rest areas, etc. We remind you to consume rationally and obtain receipts. Any disputes arising from consumption will be resolved between you and the merchants selling the goods.

16. A travel accident insurance policy is provided upon registration, effective during the activity period. Insurance claim hotline: See policy.

17.Lijiang Municipal Government Service Hotline: 0888-12345. Service Agreement

After registering for and paying for the activity, if a participant requests a refund or change due to personal reasons (due to force majeure "including but not limited to natural and social causes, such as natural disasters, war, terrorist activities, riots, strikes, public emergencies, traffic delays, strikes, coups, road blockages, vehicle breakdowns, car malfunctions, attraction closures, flight cancellations, local government actions, etc."), the following refund and change policy will apply (Note: Group airfare is non-refundable, only taxes will be refunded; accommodation fees, meal fees, and entrance fees, if tickets have been issued before departure, are non-refundable).

1. Full refund for cancellations made 5 days or more before departure;

2. Refund for cancellations made 3 to 4 days before departure (inclusive) after deducting 30% of the activity fee;

3. Refund for cancellations made 2 to 3 days before departure (inclusive) after deducting 50% of the activity fee;

4. Refund for cancellations made 1 to 2 days before departure (inclusive) after deducting 70% of the activity fee;

5. Refund for cancellations made on the day of departure (the day of departure);

6. Refund for cancellations made during the trip only for unused entrance fees and accommodations.