Yunnan feels like home to the soul for many. Days 1-2, Kunming: Green Lake Park with winter gulls, Dianchi Lake, the Stone Forest geopark.
Days 3-4, Dali: cycle Erhai Lake (about 120 km), Xizhou old town for Bai houses and rice paddies, Cangshan cable car, and night music in Dali old town.
Day 5, Lijiang: the Old Town (Dayan) for the Mu Residence and Sifang Street, quieter Shuhe town, and the Yulong Snow Mountain glacier cable car.
Days 6-7, Shangri-La: Songzanlin Monastery (the "little Potala"), the prayer wheel of Dukezong Old Town, Pudacuo National Park lakes and meadows - at 3,300 m, mind altitude sickness.
Transport: Kunming-Dali high-speed rail 2 hours, Dali-Lijiang train/bus 2-3 hours, Lijiang-Shangri-La bus 2-3 hours; driving is the classic way.
Seasons: March-May brings flower seas, September-November autumn colours; summer is crowded and rainy, winter dry and clear but cold.
