Private Tour
9 days Ancient Town Tour
Overview
Available languages
216 hours
Mobile ticket
While traveling this tour with us, you can visit some important villages on the ancient Tea Horse Road and you will immerse into the diversity of Yunnan. Indeed, we will vary between the famous highlights, some of the must-see places, and remote sites which will give you a unique experience and insight of Yunnan.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.<br>If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
What To Expect
Arrive in Dali
Accommodations
Overnight at Dali Yanyuan Mountain Retreat
Food and Drinks
DINNER
Dinner
Welcome dinner
Dali Ancient
Arrive at the airport or railway station where a guide holding a nameplate will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel by private car (The hotel will be after 14:00). You will visit Dali Old Town,where once the seat of the imperial capital of Nanzhao and Dali. As a national-level scenic area, it is one must destinations to Yunnan. Besides you can visit a small Cathelic church with ethnic architecture style inside the ancient town.
Dali - Xizhou - Weishan
Accommodations
Overnight at Weishan Laoguan Guesthouse
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
Xizhou Town
Your driver will pick you up at the hotel at 09:00 and drive you to the Xizhou Morning Market (19 km, about 30 minutes). Xizhou is famous for its old and well-preserved folk houses of Bai culture. It's not only a historical city but also a typical commercial center of Bai Ethnic Nationality. Here, the lively Morning Market is a wonderful place to understand the daily life of the Bai who still live in traditional ways and fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, spices, and local handicrafts are sold in the market.
Donglianhua Village
Then transfer to Weishan (90km, about 2 hours). On the way, you will visit Donglianhua village, it’s a Hui minority settlement. You can visit the Tea and Horse Museum and a local mosque.
Weishan Ancient City
After arrived in Weishan, enjoy the rest of the time to leisurely wander through Weishan Old Town, explore the wooden houses, small stalls, and the museum with unique artifacts.
Weishan - Nuodeng
Accommodations
Overnight at Nuodeng Fujia Liufang Guesthouse
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Dinner at the local villagers' house
Weibaoshan Taoistes
In the morning, we will drive approximately 30 minutes to Weibaoshan Mountain. As one of the 13 famous Taoist mountains in China, 22 Taoist temples built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties were all over and have unique architectural art. And among them, the most famous and significant are Wenchang Palace and Changchun Cave.
Then transfer to Nuodeng (220km, about 4 hours)for sightseeing. "Praised as the "Millennium Bai Village", Nuodeng is a famous historic and cultural village of Yunnan province. Located in a mountainous area, it is far away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. It is the true place with the original flavor of life. Except for the profound history, Nuodeng is the important place of Ancient Tea and Horse Road.
Nuodeng - Shaxi
Accommodations
Overnight at Shaxi Aoding Courtyard Hotel
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
In the morning, you can wander in the Nuodeng Ancient village and admire the ancient buildings and cultural relics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Yunnan Shaxi Ancient Town
Your driver will pick you up at the hotel at 10:00 and take you to Shaxi (210km, about 4-5 hours). On the way, you will meet some ancient Bridges. After arrived at Shaxi, you can walk around the old town, the Shaxi River, Xingjiao Temple, stage in the square, and some ancient courtyards of local people. Shaxi used to be an important Courier station on the Ancient Tea and Horse Road. With the decline of this road, it was gradually forgotten. Because of this, it has become the only surviving market on the Ancient Tea and Horse Road.
Shaxi
Accommodations
Overnight at Shaxi Aoding Courtyard Hotel
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
Shibaoshan Town
In the morning, you can take a magical walk between Shibaoshan Caves and Baoxiang Temple, which hangs on the cliff and magnificent colorful Buddha statues are kept inside. After the visit, you can hike from Shibaoshan Caves to Shadengqing Valley (2 hours), then drive to Shaxi (15 minutes). Alternatively, you can take the shuttle bus to return to the parking lot to meet your driver. The hiking path from Shibaoshan Cave to Shaxi Village is beautiful and relatively easy, but it is not recommended for those with knee problems as the path consists of steep stairs.
Yunnan Shaxi Ancient Town
In the afternoon, you can explore the countryside surrounding Shaxi village by bike or ride a horse.
Shaxi – Tiger Leaping Gorge – Shangri-la
Accommodations
Shangri-La Karma Café Lodge (a small, charming hotel, located in the Old Town)
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
DINNER
Dinner
Special Tibetan dinner in an excellent restaurant in the Old Town
Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Xia)
Your driver will pick up at your hotel at 09:00 and take you to Tiger Leaping Gorge (120 km, about 2 hours 30 minutes). Here, you will visit the breathtaking Tiger Leaping Gorge, a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River, a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River which sweeps between Mount Yulong (5596m’s altitude) and Mount Haba (5396m’s altitude). You can admire the impressive landscape above the roaring waters of the Jinsha River Hutiao Rock View: If you would like to journey deeper into the gorge for the view from Hutiao Rock, there is a path that leads closer to the Yangtze River. From here, you can enjoy a splendid panoramic view. The hike down takes about 30 minutes, and then the hike up takes about 40 minutes. Please be aware there are a lot of stairs leading to and from the gorge. Your driver will wait for you in the car park.
Shangri-La County
From Tiger Leaping Gorge, your driver will take you to Shangri-la (100 km, about 2 hours 30 minutes). Upon arrival, you can stroll through Shangri-la Old Town and visit Guishan Temple, home to a massive prayer wheel. In the evening, you can watch or, for the more daring, participate in the Old Town’s spontaneous Tibetan dances.
Shangri-la – Lijiang
Accommodations
Lijiang E-outfitting Boutique Hotel
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
Your driver will pick up at your hotel at 09:00 and take you to visit a local Tibetan market. Afterward, you will visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan, nicknamed" Little Potala‘’.
Shuhe Ancient Town
After Shangrila, you will journey to Lijiang (180 km, about 4-5 hours).
Lijiang
Accommodations
Lijiang E-outfitting Boutique Hotel
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
LUNCH
Lunch
Dayan Naxi Ancient Concert
Your driver will pick up at your hotel at 09:00 and take you to Lijiang Ancient Town where you can explore before the crowds arrive. Later you will visit the Black Dragon Pool to enjoy the beautiful scenery, watch or join the local square dancing if you have an interest, and visit the Dongba Museum to know the rich Naxi minority culture. Then, you will visit the Zhongyi Market.
Lijiang Mural in Baisha Village
Afterward, take a visit to authentic Jade Lake (Yuhu) Village: from here, you can enjoy a fantastic view over the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. In the end, you will visit Naxi Baisha village and Shuhe village.
Lijiang – departure
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Lijiang
Your driver will pick up at your hotel and take you to Lijiang airport or to the railway station. Depart from Lijiang.
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Air-conditioned vehicle
An English-speaking guide
Accommodation
Tips for driver and guide (highly appreciated)
Personal Travel Insurance
Flight tickets
Chinese visa fee (China requires visa for most travelers)
Personal expenses
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
9 days Ancient Town Tour
Pickup included
Reviews
22 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
An extraordinary journey
882vale,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Family trip with six, from Beijing to Xi’an to the rice fields of Yunnan: an exceptional experience. The agency has shown remarkable responsiveness and has been able to meet all our expectations perfectly. Guides, drivers, tours, activities and hotel selection: everything was perfectly organized. Zero stress, just fun from start to finish. We will leave without hesitation with Sky China to discover many more wonders.
We are extremely pleased to have chosen this agency and can only recommend it.
christophemA348II,,Jan 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ciel Yunnan has organized the trip with guide and driver including plane and high speed train travel. This agency is very efficient, well organized with competent guides and drivers on site. Every step of the way, we were taken care of as soon as we arrived without delay and without any problems. Bookings for the hotels we had chosen, were in line with our expectations. The vehicles with driver for travel were very new and comfortable. The guides were very kind and perfectly attentive to our wishes on the program of the day.
Smooth trip through magical Yunnan!
Sunbeachwater,,Jan 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ciel Yunnan curated an absolutely unforgettable seven-day journey through Yunnan, combining spectacular sightseeing and booking all our boutique hotels, which were each full of character. Our meticulously crafted itinerary for six people started in Lijiang, where we explored Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Spruce Meadow, Blue Moon Valley, Black Dragon Pool Park and the Old Town of Lijiang. Day two began with a Naxi cooking experience at Fancy’s, followed by a scenic drive to Shangri-La. There, we visited Turtle Mountain Temple and the Great Prayer Wheel before joining a lively Tibetan dance performance in the Town Square after a dinner of tasting yak meat and yak milk dumplings. On day three, in the morning, we rode horses around Napa Lake, enjoying the vast and stunning landscape. We then visited the majestic Songzanlin Monastery at 3,300 meters. Oxygen cans are sold on the way, in case you experience altitude sickness. The hotel provides an oxygen machine for your nighttime comfort, which you can pay for via your Chinese social media app. For lunch, we were invited to an intimate home-cooked Tibetan meal with a local family, which gave us a wonderful insight into how locals live and eat. In the afternoon, we marvelled at the breathtaking vistas of Tiger Leaping Gorge. We opted to take the escalator down and up to avoid the 1,300 steps both ways! We woke up to a spectacular mountain backdrop on day four and embarked on a leisurely two-hour hike to soak in the high-altitude landscape. Arriving in Shaxi in the afternoon, we participated in a traditional tea ceremony and explored the quaint little streets and shops. Day five took us to Shibaoshan Mountain. The ride up to the grottoes is quite long. Don’t expect caves or grottoes, but rather carvings of Buddhist nature in the stone cliffs. Arriving in Dali after a local Bai lunch, we biked around Erhai Lake before exploring the vibrant streets filled with local snacks and shops. Our journey concluded in Kunming, where we wandered through Yuantong Buddhist Temple, Green Lake Park and the lively Zhaungxing Market, sampling a variety of unusual and delicious foods. Carrie, our tour guide, was exceptionally kind, attentive, knowledgeable and endlessly thoughtful. From ensuring our comfort at every step to helping with dinner orders and hotel arrangements, she made the trip seamless and truly memorable. Our driver, who drove us around in a comfortable, small bus, was equally careful and considerate, making us feel safe throughout our journey. It is a great time of the year to travel, as the skies are blue and it doesn't rain. It is fairly cold, so pack some warm underclothes and wind resistant, warm jackets. There are not too many tourists at this time of the year, so we didn't have to queue anywhere for long. Ciel Yunnan’s choice of locations, boutique hotels, and attention to detail was impeccable. The booking process was smooth, and our itinerary was thoughtfully adapted to our wishes prior to departure. We cannot recommend Ciel Yunnan highly enough.
Travel agency very serious and available
jjgv2022,,Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Very serious travel agency! Pros: Well organized tour, quality guides, agency manager always available by WhatsApp (never sleep lol) Cons: it's a bit of a marathon, be careful if you can't walk 10 hours straight.
Discovery and satisfaction
34amandier34,,Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent trip thanks to a flawless organization and follow-up , thank you Cindy. Constant contact with guides and drivers thanks to the "wechat" group A varied tour of North and South China (First steps in China plus Pingyao), which allowed us to discover several facets of this huge country. This first trip to China made us want to go back and of course with Sky China.
Perfect trip
christophejB8605VW,,Aug 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Perfect trip, pleasant travel agency and always available, with good guides and good driver. Always excellent recommendations
First successful experience in China
J5069RRisabellep,,Aug 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Two weeks in China between Beijing, Xi'An, Guilin and Shanghai with Sky China who proved to be a constantly available organizer before and during the trip and who provided us with accurate and useful information. A steady pace but competent guides and drivers, friendly and really eager to make our lives easier.
An agency that tailors for a family trip to the top!
isabelled403,,Jul 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The agency fully understood what we expected from our trip. The hotels selected for us were perfect, with great charm. The team was always easily reachable and very responsive when we needed them. We have a wonderful memory of our trip.
Unforgettable first tour of China in Yunnan with Ciel.
klo44w,,Jul 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked on a tour with Ciel for our (or at least mine) first foray as tourist into China. As I am not a Mandarin speaker, so the need to have an English speaking guide was important. Also, we read from other feedback from other tourists about the driver's smoking might leave a lingering smell in the van, so we also made a request to Ciel to provide us with a non-smoker driver. Both requests were fulfilled, and it was only when we touched ground that we found out how challenging it was to find a non-smoker driver, and Ciel delivered. The hotels that we were put in were top notch, and the restaurants that we went to was also top notch. The guides were able to tweak the program (within their means) to cater for my family's interests (mainly going to the local markets and experiencing the sights and sounds there). On the final leg of our journey, we had to cut short our trip due to a family emergency, and the guide (together with the office staff) managed to find a way for us to get back home quickly (it was challenging as myself and my daughter was also doing our own web searches), and the driver drove expeditiously but safely to ensure we got to the airport on time, even though it was a last minute detour. As we plan to explore more of China, we will definitely tap on Ciel again to organise our trips for us.
Fantastic tour package
maithilin2025,,Jun 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tour was fantastic, our tour guide Nancy and driver Mr.Herr were so nice, very professionals👌👍 Nancy explained all the history of the places we visited very helpful and the restaurants we ate and the accommodation were top notch, make me feel wanted to visit again and again, I highly recommend the tour company and Nancy to anyone wish to explore great China 🇨🇳
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