Arrive in Louang Phrabang, the former royal capital of Laos, now UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Activities |
King's Palace of Laos, Grand Buddhism Temples, the sunset of Mekong River |
Early morning have an unusual view of hundreds local monks begging alms in order by the street. Then visit King's Palace of Laos, Grand Buddhism Temples, View the sun-setting on Mekong River from hill, stroll in the evening and night market.
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Activities |
Pak Ou Cave, Pakbeng |
In the morning get on board of German-Chinese owned cruise Mekong Prince at Louang Phrabang Port in Laos ( 0800 ). Visit Pak Ou Cave with thousands of small Buddha statues inside deep caverns. In the afternoon arrive in Pakbeng.
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Activities |
Wat Pa Sak Temple, Golden Triangile |
After breakfast, start the cruise in Mekong River and arrive in Chiang Saen in the late afternoon. Visit Wat Pa Sak, about one kilometer to the west of Chiang Saen in Tambon Wiang, was built by King Saen Phu in 1295 and three hundred teak trees were planted, hence the name Pa Sak (Teak Woods). It was then the residence of the patriarch.
The temple's chedi is of the beautiful Chiang Saen architectural style and the exteriors are elaborately decorated with designs. The chedi itself measures 12.5 meters tall with a base of 8 meters wide. Have buffer lunch in Imperial Golden Triangle Resort with the view of Mekong. Evening back to the cruise. Overnight aboard the Mekong Prince
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Activities |
the Golden Buddha of Sop Ruak, Golden Triangle Archway and the new Hall of Opium |
Today is spent on an excursion to the Golden Triangle area at Chiang Saen, where you will visit the Golden Buddha of Sop Ruak, Golden Triangle Archway and the new Hall of Opium. This fascinating museum, sponsored by the royal family of Thailand, gives a deep background on the history and politics of the opium trade and the health effects of opium abuse. This last evening on board will be celebrated with a farewell dinner.Overnight aboard the Mekong Prince
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Activities |
Ban Xiangkok, Jinqiang village |
Cruise in Mekong River and arrive in Ban Xiangkok, visit Jinqiang village.
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Activities |
Ban Xiangkok, Guanlei Port , Jinghong Port |
Continue the cruise into Guanlei Port in China. In the afternoon arrive in Jinghong port in XishuangBanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, you will say goodbye to your Laotian crew and disembark from Mekong Prince Ship, then transfer to the hotel for checking.
Overnight in Jinghong City
Note:
Depending on season and water level the check-out will either be at Chiang Saen or Chiang Khong. Regularly until early December the check-out will be at Chiang Saen, afterwards until May it will be Chiang Khong.
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Activities |
Xishuangbanna Wild Elephant & Nature Reserve, Air Veranda |
Visit Wild Elephant Valley including Air Veranda; nine-dragon village; Aini ethnic villages and waterfall. In the forest you can walk about on the overhead corridor and maybe you can enjoy the scene of wild elephants bathing, playing water and seeking for food. The tree houses is the unique hotel built in the trees, so many foreigners are very interested in it.
To the Dai people, the elephant is the symbol of good luck, might and longevity. The wild elephants of Xishuangbanna mainly live in the Wild Elephants Valley (yexiang gu), at the juncture of the western and eastern part of the Menyang natural reserve. In the valley, there is an observation tower, especially built for tourists. The best time to see these impressive beasts is at dawn or dusk. There are currently 300 elephants living in the dense forest in Xishuangbanna, known locally as the "kingdom of elephants".
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Activities |
Galanba Morning Bazaar, Dai ethnic Village, Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden |
After breakfast, transfer to visit Galanba (Olive Dam) with an elevation of 530 meters above the sea level, a small town where you will see typical Dai bamboo cabins, Dai ethnic villages, Mangting Park, tropical plants and colorful fruits. Visit the Morning Ganlanba bazaar, here you will see some ethnic people decorated colorful costume in the market.
After lunch, step cross a suspension bridge to visit Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden, which has the riches plant diversity in China.
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Activities |
XishuangBanna-Dali |
Take the morning flight to Dali which is a historically and culturally famous city of China, is renowned for her historical interest and Bai ethnic culture. After lunch, you’ll cruise in Erhai Lake by the small boat to the Jinsuo Islet in the east Erhai Lake. There are 200 Bai ethnic families around 1000 people in Jinsuo Island.In Erhai Lake cruise, you will enjoy the green Cangshan Mountain and the Three Pagodas from a far as well as lots of birds and seagulls flying over the lake.
At last, you will visit the Ancient Dali Town, walk around the Foreigner Street and enjoy the relax time with local people. After climbing up to the City Wall of Dali, you will have panoramic view of the Erhai Lake.
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Activities |
the Three Pagodas, Xizhou Town, Zhoucheng Village, Lijiang Ancient Town |
In the morning, you visit the Three Pagodas in Chongshen Monastery which has a history of over 1,800 years located at the foot of Cangshan Mountain facing to the Erhai Lake. Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle.
Before leaving for Lijiang, you will head for Xizhou Town to fully appreciate Bai-style traditional architectural courtyards, taste their fragrant Three-Course Tea and explore their distinctive culture. Visit Zhoucheng Village and the Bai people's Tie-dying cloth workshop where you can take some special souvenir with the Bai ethnic style.
Visit the Shaping Balaar happened every Monday in Shangguan Town. Drive about 180KM to Lijiang with the beautiful farmlands and ethnic villages on the way. In the late afternoon, explore Lijiang Old Town.Lijiang Ancient Town has a history more than 800 years; it was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997. Here you will see the wonderful wooden architecture of Naxi ethnic people. After dinner, you will attend the Naxi Orchestral Music in Naxi Concert in Lijiang Ancient Town.
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Activities |
Yulong Snow Mountain,Spruce Meadow, Baisha Village and Murals,Baishui River and Terraces |
Enjoy the sunrise of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang Ancient Town in the morning, drive about 30KM to Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M), you will take the sightseeig bus for a short visiting through the Baishuihe River, take the chairlift up to visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The cableway will be arranged according to the condition of the mountain. You will hike around1 hours in the original forest in Spruce Meadow (3200M).
After lunch, you will enjoy the Impression Lijang Ethnic Show directed in Ganhaizi Meadow(3100M). A cultural show demonstrating the traditions and lifestyles of the Naxi, Yi and Bai peoples of the area. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500m in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a backdrop. The production itself was designed by Zhang Yimou, Fan Yue and Wang Chaoge, a cast of over 500 people, and a number of horses.In the afternoon, you'll stroll through Baisha Village, which is an enchanting traditional Yunnan village. Visit the Baisha Mural about 600 years old, which is one part of the World Cultural Heritage by the UNESCO 1997.
--Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence, the name Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The highest peak named Fan Peak (Shanzidou in Chinese) which is about 5596 meters above sea level. There are three cablecars in the mountain, the fist to the Glacier Park(4500M),the second to Spruce Meadow(3200M),the third to Yak Meadow(3700M).
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Activities |
Shigu Ancient Town, the Iron Chain Bridge, Stone Drum,Tiger Leaping Gorge |
From Lijiang, you'll drive about 60KM to the First Bend on the Yangtze River with imposing gorge scenery, visit the Iron Chain Bridge,the Red Army's Long March Memorial Monument in the Shigu town. The town of Stone Drum got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. The scenery is magnificent as the road running through the Lijiang valley which is filled with wheat fields and drying haystacks. You will have an experience of the floating from the First Bend of the Yangtze River to Longpan Town, after one hour floating, meet the driver and trasfer to Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. With 34 rapids of the Yangtze River, it is called the Jinsha in this area because you can find gold in the river. Afternoon, you'll head for Shangri La, the former Zhongdian which is welknown as the paradise destination for every tourist. Upon arrival in Shangri La, you will have entered the Tibetan cultural area and a landscape of barley fields and yaks scattered in the valleys. Walk around Dukezong Ancient Town, an important town of the Ancient Tea-horse Trade Caravan from Yunnan to Tibet and India.
-- Tiger Leaping Gorge is on the Jinsha River of the upper reaches of the Yangtze, located 105 kilometers south of Shangrila County. The gorge is 17 kilometers long with a drop of 213 meters. Tiger Leaping Gorge is divided into three sections: Upper, Middle and Lower Hutiao. At the narrowest spot the river is only 30 meters wide. The mouth of the gorge is 1,800 meters above sea level. The river is flanked by Yulong and Haba snow mountains, with a height difference of 3,900 meters. It is one of the deepest gorges in the world.
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Activities |
Sogzanlin Monastery, the Bita Lake & Shudu Lake, Dukezong Ancient Town, the largest Prayer Wheel |
In the morning, visit the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan. Songzanlin Monastery has another alias - 'the little Potala Palace ', so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere.And afterwards you'll visit the tranquil Bita Lake & Shudu Lake in Pudacuo National Park Pudacuo National Park is located in one of the most biologically-diverse regions of the world. While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China's land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country's plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.
Visit Dukezong Tibetan Ancient Town in the late afternoon, climb up to the top of Guishan Hill or tortoise Hill, you will see the largest Prayer Wheel of the world and have a panoramic view of shangrila county and Dukezong Ancient Town. Finally, you will visit a Tibetan's family to experience the local life in the bonfire party with Tibetan dance and music and you will try Tibetan home-made yak and cheese.
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Activities |
the Green Lake, the Stone Forest, the Flower and Bird Market |
ake the morning flight to Kunming.
After landing, you'll begin your journey to the diverse and captivating province of Yunnan from the capital city, Kunming. You will drive 86 km to the Stone Forest. An old local saying says that 'If you have visited Kunming without seeing the Stone Forest, you have wasted your time.' Truly, the Stone Forest is one of the most important attractions of Yunnan.
Drive back to Kunming and visit the Jingxing Flower and Bird Market.You will take a leisurely stroll along the Green Lake, a charming area of teahouses and small boutiques selling handicrafts and beautiful local paintings. If time permits, you will have a Kunming city tour.
After dinner, you will have an option to enjoy the large-scale dance drama "Dynamic Yunnan" which has been an outstanding innovation on the Chinese stage in recent years directed by Yang Liping. Primitive, unsophisticated folk dances and a fresh artistic concept converge in the programme, giving audiences a unique "Yunnan Impression." Sixty-two drums and 120 masks of strong ethnic characteristics are incorporated in the performance.
-- Kunming is the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world's most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city.
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Transfer to Kunming International Airport for returning.
Service ends.
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