9 Days Mesmerizing Lugu Lake Tour

Kunming, Lijiang, Lugu Lake

Traveler Reviews

Tour Code: TCT-Yunnan-01

Tour Type: Private Tour

Tour Highlights:

This tour includes Kunming, Lijiang and Lugu area.

You will highly inspired by the fascinating natural view and unique enthnic group culture.

You will see the superior of female as the leader of a family and how the 'Zouhun'(Men and women are not united by wedlock, each living at the mother's home respectively, yet keeping a casual cohabitation relationship) tradition is remained in Lugu Lake area.
 

Best Travel Time: Suitable for the whole year, best from March to October.

From $ 942

Free Inquiry

Day 1Arrival Kunming
Transfer service to hotel
Meals: No meals
Accommodation: In Kunming

Arrive in Kunming, the start of this tour. Be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for a good rest.

Kunming City View
Kunming City View

Day 2Kunming
Green Lake, Flower and Bird Market, Stone Forest

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Kunming

Our guide will meet you up at the hotel lobby and visit the Spring City. Enjoy morning leisure tour to Green Lake which is peaceful and a public park for local people. You will see musicians singing and playing and you can also take a paddle boat out and relax on the lake. After that, go directly to Flower and Bird Market, which is the biggest and most exciting market in Kunming where antiques, jewelry, and other handmade crafts can be found. This is a perfect place for entertainment and observing local lifestyle. After lunch, visit to The Stone Forest which is known as the First Wonder of the World and typical karst landform. The magnificent, strange and steep landscape of the Stone Forest creates countless labyrinthine vistas, all of which feature stones in various formations. Animals, plants, and even human figures can be found here.

Kunming Stone Forest
Stone Forest

Day 3Kunming - Lijiang
West Hill & Dragon Gate, Take bullet train to Lijiang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lijiang

In the morning, Transfer to take a visit to West Hill & Dragon Gate. Located at the west bank of the Dianchi Lake of Kunming, it is set in mountains well covered by evergreen woods and filled with sweet songs by lovely birds. We will arrange cable car services up & down as well as sightseeing car in the scenic spot. When you get on the mountain, you will have a breathtaking view of the panoramic Dianchi Lake. There are also some interesting places waiting for you to explore on the mountain, especially the Dragon Gate. After lunch, transfer to Kunming South Train Station to take a D-train to Lijiang (duration: about 3.5 hours). You will see different landscape of Yunnan on the train.

Lijiang Ancient Town
Lijiang Ancient Town

Day 4Lijiang
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yufeng Temple, Baisha Mural, Black Dragon Pond Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lijiang

Our guide will meet you up at the hotel lobby and start today’s tour. Drive to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and take cable car up to the Mountain. We will arrange the visit to Glacier Park at 4506 meters above sea level and get real close to the Snow Mountain. You can choose to hike on the mountain and get to the top at 4680 meters or just stroll around at Glacier Park and appreciate the holy Mountain peacefully. After lunch, visit Yufeng Temple. The whole temple shows a distinctive and conjunct architecture style of Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism and the local Naxi Dongba Religion. Afterwards, pay a visit to Baisha Mural, which is the cradle of the Naxi culture and ancient capital of the Naxi Kingdom. Go back to Lijiang, on the way, have a short visit to Black Dragon Pond Park where is the perfect place to take photo of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with reflection in the Pond.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Sown Mountain

Day 5Lijiang
Tiger Leaping Gorge, the 1st Bed of the Yangtze River, Biking tour to Lashi Lake

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lijiang

In the morning, transfer to visit  Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is on the way to Shangri-la, a canyon on the Yangtze River which can be divided in to upper, middle and lower sections, winding 25 km and it is one of the deepest valleys in the world. The narrowest part of the gorge was just 30 m, which is so narrow that a tiger can jump over the gorge, hence the name. We will drop you at upper Tiger Leaping Gorge and you hike down to the viewing deck about half an hour. Then visit Shigu Village, which is just at the bank of Yangtze River. You will also have chance to view the First Bend of the Yangtze River. Then drive back to Lijiang downtown for lunch. In the afternoon, you will have a biking tour between Lijiang Ancient Town and Lashi Lake, enjoying the beautiful highland sightseeing(about 30 km, 2.5 hours).

Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge

Day 6Lijiang - Lugu Lake
Drive to Lugu Lake, Local minority village visit, Have a panoramic view of Lugu Lake

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lugu Lake area

Today, you will take a long driving to Lugu Lake, the remote Paradise on earth. It takes about 4 hours driving from Lijiang to Lugu Lake. You can enjoy the countryside view of Yunnan on the vehicle. En route, we can have a stop at a local minority village (Yi Village) for a short visit. Before arrival, a stop is arranged to have a panoramic view of Lugu Lake. Upon arrival, we will  arrange you check in hotel soon. You can take a good rest after long-time driving trip.

Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake

Day 7Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Lugu Lake area

Enjoy your whole day exploration around this fairy land - Lugu Lake. Today's sightseeing will include the lake itself by boating, the isles in the lake and Mosuo family. A bonfire dancing party with the local Mosuo people is arranged.  Stay overnight at Lugu Lake.

Lugu Lake
Lugu Lake

Day 8Lugu Lake - Lijiang
Drive back to Lijiang

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:In Lijiang

A leisure morning is arranged for you to explore this Shangri-la. Then check out at noon time and drive back to Lijiang.

Lijiang
Lijiang

Day 9Lijiang - Kunming, Departure
Fly back to Kunming for departure

Meals: Breakfast
Check out from hotel and transfer to take flight back to Kunming airport for departure.

Service Ends

Tailor-made Free Inquiry

Tour Price (US$ per person)

Hotel Class Group Size Dec. ~ Feb. Mar. ~ Nov.
Economy Hotel
★★★
2 ~ 5 pax

$ 1252

$ 1252

6 ~ 9 pax

$ 942

$ 942

Comfortable Hotel
★★★★
2 ~ 5 pax

$ 1347

$ 1347

6 ~ 9 pax

$ 1036

$ 1036

Deluxe Hotel
★★★★★
2 ~ 5 pax

$ 1621

$ 1621

6 ~ 9 pax

$ 1310

$ 1310

Price includes:

♦ Domestic flight or high-speed train as specified
♦ Private transfer between the airport or railway station, attractions, and hotels
♦ Private licensed English-speaking guide and driver service
♦ Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast on sharing basis
♦ All attraction entrance fees as specified
♦ Meals mentioned in the itinerary, Chinese local food
China Life Tourist Accident/Casualty Insurance

Price excludes:

* International Air tickets or Train Tickets to enter or leave China
* Tips to your tour guide and driver on your own discretion
* China Entry Visa Fees
* Personal expenses
* Optional tours, meals, activities and services


Remarks:

※ Prices are valid from Jan 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2025, except Chinese public holidays, local fairs or events.
※ TCT reserves the right to adjust the price caused by exchange rate
※ No guide on the flight and Yangtze River cruise. 
※ Recommended hotels are subject to change in actual booking
※ Special requirements should be advised to TCT in advance.
※ TCT reserves the right of final explanation for any change due to the reasons beyond our control.

Traveler Reviews Feedbacks & Photos >>Feedbacks

5.0

PunkNelson

5.0

Great Hotel stay Very Nice Tour guides Convenient planned daily trips Average selection of restaurant for food though
Kiwimac53

5.0

We were looking for a tour in SW China while in the area for work and found this one. While we wouldn't normally get a private tour but surprisingly it was actually cheaper than most of the group tours in the area and was great value. While I would usually rather keep one guide for the whole tour, as you get to know each other and they get to know what you are interested in, we changed guides 5 times during this trip (fortunately we had the same guide in Kunming at the start and end of the tour which was a real bonus as Murphy, our Kunming based guide, was excellent.) In this case changing guides had the advantage of local knowledge at each site so compensated for the change. Of the 4 guides we had 3 excellent and 1 very good with each of them working hard to look after us and make sure we enjoyed our trip. Vicky, our Dali based guide was also extremely good making our time there a highlight. The tour gives you 2 days at each base ie travel in the morning, have the afternoon and the next day touring the area then drive to the next base. We chose the driving tour as we feel it gives you a better experience of the area and you get to see the locals in action. All the drivers we had were great - they went out of their way to look after us and were very safe, which is saying something for driving in China. While all of the guides were very fluent in English none of the drivers could speak English which was a slight disadvantage as you didn't have the guides with you when traveling between bases but the friendliness and helpfulness of the drivers more than made up for this. The tour was very well organised and we knew what we were doing from the time we met our guide on arrival at the Kunming railway station to when we walked through security at the airport on our way out. The tour comes with 4,5 and 6 star accommodation choices and we went for the cheapest 4 star option. While the English at the hotels was limited the guides made sure we were checked in and out and took care of any issues (which were minimal). The 4 star option is largely "Chinese style" hotels ie designed for Chinese visitors with breakfast consisting of what many westeners would consider dinner style food but there was always eggs and toast for the less adventurous. The hotels were all clean and comfortable and generally very well located. The Hotel in Kunming (Jin Jang Inn) was a bonus as it seemed higher than 4 star and we stayed there both on our way in and out. As well as breakfast, lunch came with the tour which was enjoyable as the guides choose the restaurants so we got a variety. I got the feeling that most of the restaurants were owned by friends or family or there was some arrangement with the guide, but as you get to formally review each guide and the meals at the end of each stop they work hard to make sure you enjoy the meal and there was always an abundance of food. We tried a range of local cuisine and there was only one meal we didn't think was up to par. You get your own dinner which also suited us as there is invariably a range of restaurants or for the more adventurous there is the street vendors and you can choose what you want. The vehicles we were driven in were all very good- plenty of space and very comfortable. Being a private tour, while there was a set itinerary, which was diverse and very interesting with something for most people, the guides could tweak it to suit individual interests eg more time at one site and less at another. It is easy to get a bit templed out but overall the itinerary was a good mic of nature and culture. I would thoroughly recommend the tour and the company and we will be looking to the company if/when we go back - Guilin is next on the list as the guides were very happy to discus what they thought we would and wouldn't enjoy based on working with us on this tour,
N2265ZIinfo

5.0

Excellent guides, flexible and knowledgeable travel agent. They speak good English. Our trip was very well organized. We are 100% happy and I can recommend Top China Travel to everybody.
Wesley O

5.0

I contacted Top China travel for a 13 day China vacation (Beijing/Xian/Yangtze River cruise/Shanghai) and right from the start Bonnie provided me with great choices and package options. Throughout the entire planning and even during the trip Bonnie was there for us following up and making sure everything was perfect. Thank you Bonnie for making our China vacation unforgettable.
Johnf8958

5.0

From the minute I contacted Vicky at Top China Travel to book our holiday, to the time we were taken to Pudong airport for our flight home, the experience was perfect. My wife and I visited Beijing, Xian and Shanghai and all of our tour guides were fluent in English, very knowledgeable and very friendly. Thank you Vicky and all at TCT and I will definitely be in contact when I return to China.
lakazdi

5.0

I went on a Top China Travel group tour. Everything was so well organised that I never had to worry about anything. I really liked that the group was small and it felt like we were a big group of old-friends all travelling together, not just a passenger on the bus. Every hotel, guide, driver and restaurant was very well picked. I was very happy with how well-informed each guide was, how flexible they were to ensure we all had a great time, and their English was all very good. At every step of the way, guides had us fill in a Top China Travel feedback form which I am certain the company take very seriously since their service was so good. I will be passing on their details to all my friends and family who want to travel in China.
DEBORAH O

5.0

Thanks to Ms Raylene He we had a wonderful and well organised trip to 5 destinations which all went off without a hitch including being met by guides and drivers in each city and looked after very well. This all included several domestic flights a train trip and permits. I have no qualms in recommending this company to other travellers.
EBTraveler

5.0

With forty years of travel to the far corners of our world we have encountered many guides. Like most travelers some have not been very good, some decent and the rare few that are outstanding. During our three weeks in China last month we encountered just such a rare individual. Our guide in Guilin was a young women named Ping (I'll provide her email later). Ping demonstrated knowledge and command of the history, stories and culture all along the way. Beyond that, Ping exuded infectious enthusiasm not only for our touring, but for us personally as well. We had a serious medical issue occur suddenly, in fact one of us went into diabetic shock. It was four in the morning but no matter, after calling Ping she took command and arranged for the hotel to send us, with a car, driver, and assistant to a hospital. Upon our arrival there was Ping who obviously thru on some clothes, got on her motorbike and rushed to meet us. There she not only served as translator but as though a family member, she became invested in our proper care and recovery. Truly remarkable to have such a person supporting you. In small ways she flavored her guiding with a sense of our interests and preferences, like the day we mentioned our love of pomegranates and the next morning there she is smiling and with samples for us as a treat. When we left a jacket behind, once again was on it as Ping arranged for its shipment to out next stop and tracked it until it was in our hands. Beyond that, Ping was in frequent contact to make certain of our full medical recovery and to offer her help where or whenever it might be needed while in China. Amazing! Ping can be contacted at bellakanas@163.com Sheila Hertz, Howard Entin
ourview_11

5.0

From the first email to Top China Travel with Joyce to our wonderful Tour Guide Linda and our driver I can not say more happily what a wonderful trip we have had. Linda was very Kind and very informative with all your tours. The vehicle used was at very high standard and the Driver very safe. We had a private Tour for myself and my Husband we would totally recommend this company.
Geonannie

5.0

Top China Travel is the the tops! I booked an 21 day tour of China for my husband and I and from the very first contact with Lily Lui I was totally impressed. We communicated via e-mail and Lily was very quick and helpful with her responses. Because this was not our first trip to China, I wanted an itinerary that was different from the norm. Lily's recommendations were top notch. The hotels she used were top shelf as we requested. Our guides and drivers were fantastic. What impressed me the most was that when we were in China, Lily called to speak to me and make sure everything was going well. When I ran into some issues due to altitude sickness, I contacted her and she had the itinerary changes done and finalized within an hour. This was a private tour with guide and driver and I honestly can say there was not one thing I wished we had done differently. Thanks to Top China Travel and Lily our trip to China was perfect. I will definitely be contacting Lily when we return to China for yet another visit.
Allessandr0

5.0

I am a tour leader from Italy and this was my first cooperation with Janet and how lucky we met her!! We followed the trip with her to remote areas in China including some ethnic group area in Guizhou province and Sanjiang, Longsheng and Guilin, we enjoyed completely throughout the whole trip and some arrangement even out of our surprise, like we went to Janet’s home to learn how to pack Chinese Ravioli, she invited a Taichi teacher and we had a 1 hour Taichi class inside her home community. Everything was fine and our group members are all like her very much. We strongly recommend Janet Chan (janet@topchinatravel.com) as your China trip consultant! She is so considerate and carefully planned each detail of our trip. Guizhou is a very interesting and primitive place for visiting, you should include in your China trip as well! Thank you Janet! You are very professional!!
Salim A

5.0

When I planning our private trip to china I have read many trip adviser reviews and I have noticed Janet Chan’s name came up a number of times so i sent her an e-mail asked for the best two weeks private tour in China for 6 persons , whiten two days she replied me recommending 5 cities ( Zhangjiajie, hangzhuo , shanghai, Beijing , Guilin ) we went through the program which she sent to us it was excellent so we asked her to go ahead to arrange our journey . it was a great choice we made, The tour guides were knowledgeable and helpful. The hotels which reserved for us by TCT were excellent We can only say thanks for TCT and especially Janet Chan
Karan J

5.0

From the 1st point of contact till the end Joyce was great and helped plan a perfect trip which I was for a short time in Beijing. I was traveling alone and was recommended to join a small group of fellow travelers which was perfect. Great tour guide with a clean bus. Pick up on time and overall a great experience.
Ms Masha B

5.0

My husband and I booked a two week private tour of China with Top China Travel. It was an excellent experience. Vicky, a tour consultant, offered us a very good program visiting Beijing, Xian, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai and Nanjing. We really enjoyed every location. The tour guides were knowledgeable and helpful. In Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing me made our own hotel reservation and in Xian an Zhangjiajie TCT made the reservations for us. Lunch was included in the tour and the selection of the restaurants was excellent in most locations (except Xian). Overall great tour!
Chris W

5.0

When planning our China trip we read many trip advisor reviews and noticed Janet Chan’s name came up a number of times so we asked for her to arrange our journey across this fascinating land. What a great choice we made, she listened and responded to our questions and arranged all our trip that went off without any problems. We didn’t want shopping nor group travel and she responded brilliantly. Two days hiking on the wall with fabulous guide Miko, in fact all our guides and drivers were just excellent. High speed train meant we saw lots of China’s varied countryside and went to some out of the way places. We can only say great things about TCT and especially Janet Chan if you are planning a trip. Thank you Janet for an exciting and memorable trip! Chris n Jools Winstanley
Raghavan A

5.0

We signed up with TCT after reading reviews of Tibet tour agencies. Our trip included 4 days in Lhasa, two in Shigatse and one at the base camp. TCT made all the arrangements including the Tibet permit, hotels, tour guide, car and the driver for the entire trip. The arrangements were superb. The guide and the driver were very accommodating to our needs and made the entire trip very convenient. At the base camp, the guide even arranged for extra oxygen in case we need it. She was also very helpful in advising us as how to get acclimated to the altitude. The entire trip was smooth and enjoyable and we would highly recommend TCT for travel to Tibet.
karenilena

5.0

wonderful visit and wonderful guide Li. Li showed us all the charms of this great city together with our Li river tour. We fell in love with this place and Yangshou. Great place to visit and it was a favourite city in all the cities we visited. great guide
Natasha J

5.0

I can't recommend this company enough!! I started talking to Yocky via the chat system on their website, as we wanted to do a 2.5 week trip around China. Our itinerary was: Shenzhen-Beijing-Xian-Kunming-Dongchuan-Chengdu-Guilin-Sanya Here's how things went: 1) She was instant in her replies and responded to subsequent emails within the hour (and trust me, I sent A LOT of emails). She was always so thorough and efficient. 2) She made us a tailor made trip that covered everything we wanted, including some slightly more off the beaten track attractions. 3) She helped us keep to our budget and suggested reasonable things we could cut out when things were too expensive (not something many companies would do as they are trying to make a quick buck). 4) She listened to all of our requests for things such as early morning flights, vegetarian food, and readjusting itineraries. 5) All our drivers and guides were EXCELLENT; they were prompt, kind, spoke excellent English and had a wealth of knowledge about all the sites we saw. All the cars on our private tours were nice and comfortable and had water. 6) Despite asking for 3* hotels, all 7 hotels we stayed in seemed like 4* to us and all included breakfast. 7) With such a large and complicated trip there were bound to be a few hiccups (e.g. there was a marathon in Xian one day which meant a lot of roads were closed, so we couldn't access sites). Yocky was in touch with us the entire time and helped us rearrange our plans quickly and ordered complimentary tickets to a show to make up for the inconvenience. We were so nervous about our first trip to China as we speak no mandarin and are strict vegetarian but honestly this was one of the best trips of our life; this company made it so easy for us and I really can't imagine having been able to do it myself any better!
JrnyJunkie

5.0

The views are stunning and the boat that we were on had VIP seating for just our group with a private balcony to view the river.
Candi S

5.0

Raylene did a wonderful job organizing our tour to meet our time constraints. She answered all questions very efficiently. Our tour guide Rocco met us at the airport and the Driver was waiting near by. I have specific dietary restrictions and the guide was extremely helpful communicating that with the restaurants. The trip was so easy and we always felt safe. My husband and I are looking forward to booking a more extended trip in the future. There is so much to see and the food is wonderful!
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