How to Plan a Trip to Yunnan

Yunnan Province, in central south China, is rich in incredible landscapes, ethnic cultures, and historical sites. It is on many visitors’ second-trip-to-China lists and is one of China’s top places for photography, hiking, and mountaineering. See more on Yunnan Facts>>>

Use this page for inspiration and to get prepared for your Yunnan tour.

Bai Minority in Yunnnan

Things to Do in Yunnan

With its diverse minority culture and awesome natural scenery, Yunnan often attracts people to travel around it more than once.

If it is your first time to travel Yunnan, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La are always top of the Yunnan list. Discover the large-scale Stone Forest near Kunming, relax in the ancient towns of Dali and Lijiang, listen to the roaring of Tiger Leaping Gorge, and experience Tibetan culture in Shangri-La.

You may well want return to Yunnan after your first trip for an in-depth Yunnan trip as much more is waiting for you to discover (or, if you have the time or specific interests, do more on your first trip).

• If you are a photographer, the amazing sunrises and sunsets at the Yuanyang Rice Terraces, "God's Palette" — Dongchuan Red Land, and the holy snow-capped Meili Snow Mountains cannot be missed.
• If you are a fan of minority cultures, Yunnan is the right place to go as it is home to 25 ethnic minorities with over 400 ethnic festivals celebrated throughout the year. More on Yunnan Festivals>>>
• If you would like to discover less-traveled roads, travel to Northwest Yunnan. The lands along the Nujiang (Salween River) enjoy the reputation of being “the paradise where God and humans live together”.

Yunnan is also a paradise for hiking and mountaineering. Haba Snow Mountain is always the first choice for amateur mountaineers, Tiger Leaping Gorge is celebrated as one of the world’s most classic hiking trails, and Yubeng Village is a paradise for hikers.

More on Things to Do in Yunnan>>> 

Check our Yunnan tours for inspiration or contact us for a customized tour.

• 4-Day Yubeng Village Hiking Tour
• 5-Day Lijiang and Tiger Leaping Gorge Hiking Tour
• 6-Day Yunnan Ethnic Minorities Tour
• 6-Day Jianshui and Yuanyang Photography Tour
• 8-Day Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La Highlights Tour

Hiking in Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Best Times to Visit Yunnan

The weather and topography in Yunnan Province is diverse over its different regions, but they generally enjoy mild climates with lots of pleasant weather. Though Yunnan is suitable for travel all year round, its regional destinations have different best times to visit and seasonal attractions.

• Spring (March to May) in Yunnan is the season for oceans of flowers. We recommend a visit to Kunming, Dali, Luoping, and Xishuangbanna.
• Summer (June to September) in Yunnan is a good season to escape China’s heat. We recommend Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, and Puzhehei.
• Autumn (October to November) in Yunnan is busy with golden harvests and it’s a season to enjoy clear blue skies. We recommend Dongchuan, Shangri-La, and Tengchong.
• Winter (December to February) in Yunnan is the best season to admire snow-capped mountains, rainforests, or mirror-like rice terraces. We recommend Xishuangbanna, Yuanyang, Tengchong, and Nujiang.

More on Yunnan Weather>>>

Napa Lake

Recommended Yunnan Tours by Season:

• 5-Day Spring Tour to Kunming, Luoping and Wanfenglin
• 6-Day Classic Yunnan Tour to Escape from Summer Heat
• 3-Day Dongchuan Red Land Tour in Colorful Autumn
• 8-Day Shangri-La, Deqin, and Tacheng Adventure Tour to Enjoy a Snow-Capped Winter

Getting to Yunnan

Yunnan has around 15 airports in its major tourist cities and more are under construction, which makes traveling to Yunnan very convenient.

Frequently used airports by tourists are Kunming Changshui International Airport, Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, Dali Airport, Diqing Shangri-La Airport, and Xishuangbanna Airport. Flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, etc. make Yunnan’s airports easy to reach from all over China and major international transfer hubs.

Kunming Airport, as the transportation hub of Yunnan, offers international flights to Southeast Asia, including Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Bangkok. More on Kunming Transportation>>>

Bullet trains are available from big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Yunnan’s neighboring provinces (Sichuan, Guizhou, and Guangxi) to Kunming, but train rides take 6–12 hours or more. However, it is quite convenient to take a bullet train from Guizhou. A Guiyang–Kunming train ride takes only 2½ hours.

Traveling Around Yunnan

Major tourist cities in Yunnan can be easily accessed by air from Kunming’s airport. Bullet trains are also running between Kunming and Dali.

And thanks to Yunnan’s well-developed highway network, it is also convenient to take a coach between tourist cities within 2½-4 hours. Normal trains are a slower but more comfortable option for many cities.

Private transfers are highly recommended when you are traveling within Yunnan for over 6-8 days, covering the main tourist cities. Contact us if you need assistance with a vehicle and driver within Yunnan. 

More on Yunnan Transportation>>>

Relax at Erhai Lake

Yunnan Hotels

In the major Yunnan destinations, whether you are looking for a luxury international hotel, a smart boutique with local features, or a convenient and comfortable hostel, there is always plenty of choice for you. While in some remote areas, like Dongchuan Red Land, Northwest Yunnan (Nujiang Prefecture), and Deqin (near the Meili Snow Mountains), hotel conditions can be quite basic.   

Contact our Yunnan experts for the best hotel recommendations for you.

Yunnan Food

With its unique climate and diverse ethnic culture, there are various foods in Yunnan that could add a unique flavor to your Yunnan Tour.  

Local people like to cook meals with fresh ingredients, and you will find dishes or snacks made with fruits, flowers, mushrooms, wild herbs, etc.

With 25 minorities inhabiting Yunnan, the cuisine is diverse. The Bai make a lot of pickles and pork dishes, Dai cuisine has a lot of Thai influence, and the Hani prefer sour and spicy food, wild vegetables, and blood cakes…

Must try foods and snacks in Yunnan:

• Crossing-the-bridge noodles (过桥米线)
• Steam pot chicken (汽锅鸡)
• Roast erkuai (rice cakes) (烤饵块)
• Wild mushrooms (野菌)
• Preserved pork ribs (腊排骨)
• Flower cakes (鲜花饼)
• San dao cha (Three Course Tea) (三道茶)

Contact our travel consultant to design a Yunnan cuisine tour for you.

Yunnann Food

Tour Yunnan with China Highlights

We can help you maximize your Yunnan travel experience by suggesting less-commercialized attractions, traditional culture experiences, authentic local cuisine, and locally-themed boutique accommodation.

Here are our most popular Yunnan tours and all these tours can be customized.

• 6-Day Yunnan Ethnic Minorities Tour
• 8-Day Yunnan Tour of the Nu River and Tengchong
• 8-Day Shangri-La, Deqin, and Tacheng Adventure Tour

Or contact us to let us know your preferences for a Yunnan tour.