6 Days | Yunnan Erhai Lake Tour

Tour Overview 

Have you ever seen a lake that mirrors the sky like a liquid sapphire while cradled by snow-capped mountains? Erhai Lake in Yunnan Province offers this magical views, setting it apart from global counterparts. Unlike Switzerland's Lake Geneva with its European grandeur or Canada's Lake Louise framed by rugged Rockies, Erhai Lake blends Tibetan plateau majesty with Bai ethnic culture, Erhai's shores are dotted with traditional Bai houses adorned with intricate wood carvings. This Erhai Lake Tour is a 6-day exploration of cultural diversity, you will indulge yourself in the colorful traditional customs of Bai ethnic culture. 

We will bring you to experience Xizhou tie - dyeing, make clay figurines and traditional Bai ethnic handicrafts. After that, you will be brought to experience a rice field viewing and stroll along the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor for the wonderful relaxation. The trip is very suitable for newlyweds on their honeymoon, family travel, business invitations, gatherings of friends and parent - child time. We will also make private customization based on your needs and help you check in all the scenic spots in Yunnan and recommend popular foods for you.

Highlights of this tour:

1. Participate in the traditional Naxi custom.

2. Visit Dali Ancient Town and Xizhou Ancient Town. 

3. Taste afternoon tea at a Mediterranean-style wild luxury camp.

4. Experience boat tour on small West Lake and enjoy the wonderful tea performance.

5. Immerse in the rice paddy view.

6. Naxi family visit and costume changing experience.

7. Walk along the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor.

 

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Lijiang

Airport Pickup - Check in Shuhe Guesthouse

Upon arrival at Sanyi International Airport, you will be greeted by a professional tour guide with a ceremonial flower welcome. After that, take a private car to stay at the Xiaozhu Jiangxin Light Luxury Inn (晓驻匠心轻奢客栈), it is about 1-hour's drive. After that, you will experience the tranquility under the blue sky and white clouds, as well as the leisurely slow-paced atmosphere of Shuhe Ancient Town. The town is peaceful at night, with exceptionally bright stars—if lucky, you may even see the Milky Way or shooting eye-catching stars, washing away all the fatigue.

From a distance, the inn resembles a renovated old building with a low-key and delicate facade. Stepping through the wooden door reveals a hidden world, the 2,700-square-meter courtyard is a complex integrating Naxi and Chinese architectural styles. Each room has its unique style, thus allowing you to connect with different "souls."

Meal: N/A

Hotel: Lijiang Hotel

 

Day 2: Visit Yuhu Village & Study Naxi traditional Culture

Yuhu Village - Naxi Family Visit - Afternoon Tea in Mediterranean Camp - Shuhe Guesthouse

After breakfast, head to Yuhu Village, a secret village at the foot of the snow-capped mountains. Most of the village's buildings still retain a relatively primitive style, basically constructed from glacial stones and wood materials. Walking on the stone paths with staggered houses on both sides, blue skies, white clouds and snow-capped mountains overhead, you’ll experience Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in a unique way and feel the magical charm of nature.

Next, there is a Naxi family visit (approximately 2 hours), where you can learn about the stories of Naxi ancestors living in harmony with nature, follow an Dongba wise man to study the only surviving pictographic script—Dongba characters, exchange blessings of love, and learn traditional Naxi crafts like "stone mill" tofu making and "Dongba paper making." Additionally, you’ll enjoy a magical costume experience in Naxi clothing (men: sheepskin jackets; women: star-and-moon capes), and then follow their leader to learn the Leba Dance (a dance performed by Naxi Dongba priests during festival rituals, scripture recitations, and prayers for blessings).

In the afternoon, you will enjoy taking part in a specially arranged wild luxury Mediterranean camp afternoon tea. In this "Altay-like" spot, you can breathe in the fresh air of a natural oxygen bar while savoring delicate afternoon tea, allowing your mood to drift away with the breeze.

In the evening, return to the guesthouse in Shuhe Ancient Town. For dinner, a special Naxi copper hotpot banquet is arranged, featuring selected high-quality local pollution-free specialty ingredients, including red heart potatoes, authentic cured pork ribs and ham etc. 

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch +Dinner

Hotel: Lijiang Hotel 

 

Day 3: Visit Shuihua Manor & Enjoy Rice Paddy Afternoon Tea 

Dali - Shuihua Manor - Linden Centre - Rice Paddy Afternoon Tea - Hotel Check-in

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Dali's hidden gem, Shuihua Manor (approximately 2 hours). In Dali, you can encounter a summer straight out of a Hayao Miyazaki anime—beyond the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake, there are tons of flower fields, lawns, and small log cabins just like those in Grandpa Miyazaki’s cartoons. Here, you can behold the romance of blooming flowers and feel the grandeur of Cangshan’s white clouds.

In the afternoon, we will head west to stay at the Linden Centre in Xizhou (approximately 1 hour). Located in the thousand-year-old Bai cultural town of Xizhou Ancient Town, it is close to Erhai Lake (3 km) and Dali Ancient Town (17 km), with eye-catching scenery and spring-like weather all year round. This courtyard is a crystallization of the wisdom of Bai architects and Mr. Yang Pinxiang, a masterpiece of Bai architecture—every detail from design to construction reflects the original owner’s dedication. The guesthouse features a delicate open-air garden, classical art collections throughout, and exquisite traditional stone and wood carvings. The open-air viewing platform in the backyard offers panoramic views of Cangshan Mountain and pastoral scenery. On top of this, you may enjoy the rice paddy view afternoon tea amid endless rural landscapes—the camellias along the fields and delicate daisies along the paths will captivate your heart.

For dinner, we will dine at the Linden Centre’s Rice Paddy Restaurant, which serves carefully selected Bai specialty dishes such as Erkuai Chicken, Carved Plum Spareribs, Pomegranate Flowers, and Ham with Snow Peas—satisfying your rich imagination about food diversity.

Meal: Breakfast + Dinner

Hotel: Dali Hotel

 

Day 4: Indulge in the Memorable Carriage Tour and Bai Ethnic Culture 

Dali - Xizhou Carriage Tour - Bai Cultural Experience - Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor - Dali Ancient Town

After breakfast, you will experience a unique carriage tour in Xizhou Ancient Town (approximately 1 hour). As the horse bells jingle, you’ll feel as though time has reversed to the era of the tea-horse caravan, and you’ll enjoy endless fun as you learn to shout commands like a caravan leader! In this quaint town, you’ll see distinctive towers integrated with the unique customs of Bai folk houses. As you pass by grocery stores at the roadside, you probably want to taste local snacks such as grilled snacks, grilled milk fan, and small yellow fish—delights that will linger in your memory.

Xizhou Ancient Town is not only famous for its rice paddy scenery but also famed for a hub of Dali’s Bai culture. Therefore, you will be arranged to participate in a Dali Bai Traditional Craft Experience (approximately 1.5 hours), with three options to choose from:

Tie-dye Experience: Xizhou tie-dyeing is a textile dyeing technique with a history of over 2,000 years, featuring unique methods including pattern tying and dyeing. You can follow artisans to learn the craft and create your own special handicrafts.

Varmint Cat (Wamao) Making: On the rooftops of traditional homes in many parts of Yunnan stands a peculiar "mythical beast"—wide-mouthed, tongue sticking out, four sharp teeth, and fierce eyes, looking imposing from afar. This is the Varmint Cat, which appears very cute when you get closed to it. Though named after a cat, it embodies the spirit of a tiger, symbolizing people’s prayers for peace and blessings as a guardian of the home. Under the guidance of intangible cultural heritage inheritor Mr. Su, you’ll handcraft your own Varmint Cat as a heartfelt blessing for family and friends.

Jiama (Paper Horse) Experience: Jiama may have originated from the paper horses (sacrificial deity prints) of the Tang and Song dynasties. In Yunnan, Jiamai is not just a simple paper horse but a unique cultural phenomenon integrating the primitive witchcraft, nature worship, and ancestor worship of local ethnic minorities. Today, it still features many intriguing themes, embodying rich aesthetic and cultural values.

After these distinctive folk experiences, you will enjoy a stroll along the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor, where lake views and mountain scenery blend with lush vegetation, making it an ideal spot for cycling and sightseeing.

In the afternoon, drive to Dali Ancient Town (approximately 30 minutes). The section from Foreigners’ Street to Red Dragon Well is a unique blend of traditional and modern culture. You can choose to relax in an American-style café and savor the town’s charm. After the visit, our guide will assist you in checking into a guesthouse in Dali Ancient Town.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Hotel: Dali Hotel

 

Day 5 Enjoy Boat Tour & Appreciate Tea Performance 

Small West Lake - Three-Course Tea Performance - Boating - Tea Tasting - Lijiang

After breakfast at the hotel, we set off for another hidden gem: Eryuan Small West Lake - the water source of Erhai Lake (approximately 60 minutes). The lake remains as clear as a mirror all year round, with reeds swaying along the shore and wild ducks splashing in the water. Six villages and seven islands are scattered across the lake, thus forming a pastoral landscape where villages nestle within the lake and the lake winds through the villages.

During the specially arranged West Lake boating tour, local fishermen will row you through the lake in small wooden boats with wooden oars, allowing you to enjoy the tranquility between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. Also, they would tell you the local customs and culture, you will enjoy listening to them and watching the wonderful Three-Course Tea Performance. Along the shore lie Dali’s most pristine Bai ancient villages, wooden boats sway gently on the lake with Cangshan Mountain in the distance, flocks of seagulls and wild ducks nearby. If you’re lucky, you may even witness the "Tyndall effect"—beautiful beams of light filtering through the clouds, which is indeed the breathtaking views you have never seen.

In the afternoon, drive back to Lijiang (approximately 2 hours) and check in a guesthouse, which may bring you a romantic night, you can stroll hand-in-hand with your friends or loved one through Lijiang Ancient Town, which is a place worth savoring slowly. Listed as a World Historical and Cultural City alongside international cities like Athens and Paris, it is known as the "Venice of the East." The smooth, clean narrow cobblestone paths, entirely hand-built wooden and earth-structure houses, together with the ubiquitous small bridges and flowing water, all of them will provide you with the overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

Hotel: Lijiang Hotel

Day 6: Departure

After breakfast, you can enjoy your last morning in Yunnan at your own pace. Perhaps explore a local market or revisit a favorite spot. Then, your driver will escort you to the airport or train station to return to your home, ending this unforgettable journey in Yunnan.

Meal: Breakfast

Tour Price ($=USD)

$ 1000 P.P, which is based on a private tour for 2-6 people. 

The price varies depending on the activity, number of people, travel date, and selected hotel.

Price Includes

√ Transportation: Round-trip flights from the departure city to Lijiang Airport, airport pickup and drop-off service, ground transportation in Lijiang and Dali;

√ Value-Added Services: Complimentary welcome fruit on the first day of hotel stay, flower welcome reception by guides/drivers (private group for each booking), aside from the scheduled activities in the itinerary, there are no additional self-funded expenses, there is a carefully selected souvenir for each guest;

√ Vehicle Arrangement: 5-seat car for 2–3 passengers, 7-seat car for 4–5 passengers, 9-seat car for 6–7 passengers, guaranteed one seat per person;

√ Accommodation: 5 nights of hotel stay included;

Price Excludes

√ Costs for activities outside the contract-specified itinerary, such as fees for cable cars, ropeways, and boat tours during sightseeing;

√ Expenses incurred during free time (e.g., optional activities);

√ Personal expenses of guests during the trip, such as non-complementary meals on transportation, baggage overweight fees, laundry, telephone, minibar, and medical expenses during hotel stays;

√ Fuel surcharges temporarily imposed by airlines;

√ Personal travel insurance and air accident insurance (not included). It is recommended to purchase suitable personal travel accident insurance based on their individual needs(not expensive).