Private Journey
Yunnan Ethnic Kitchens
A private China route with day-by-day pacing, hotel logic, seasonal pricing, and guide support confirmed before payment.
Route Overview
A route designed for depth, not distance
Pace built around energy, not a checklist. Star-level hotels confirmed privately. One real local culture thread on every route.
Day by Day
The shape of the trip
A representative shape. We finalize each morning during the planning call so the route reflects your interests and pace.
Yunnan Ethnic Kitchens
City stops, day ranges, and the main movement between anchors are shown before you ask a planner to confirm the route.
Tap any day to open the full plan — where you stay, what you do, meals, what is included, and traveler notes. All 12 days are shown below.This route is fully customisable — adjust it with a specialist →
Day1 Kunming — Spring city & Stone Forest
Touch down and just breathe — no rush today. Kunming is a soft landing, and your guide spends day one quietly working out your rhythm so the whole trip bends around you, not some script.
near Green Lake - near Green Lake
the Stone Forest karst
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around crossing-the-bridge noodles when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Kunming opens Yunnans ethnic mosaic
Day2 Kunming — Spring city & Stone Forest
Slow start or early one, totally your call. Green Lake and the old quarter is roughly the heart of today, and we leave plenty of breathing room so nothing feels rushed. Food-wise, hold out for crossing-the-bridge noodles — worth it.
near Green Lake - near Green Lake
Green Lake and the old quarter
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around crossing-the-bridge noodles when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Kunming opens Yunnans ethnic mosaic
Day3 Kunming — Spring city & Stone Forest
We’ll build today loosely around Yuantong Temple, at your pace and nobody else’s. Expect a small surprise or two your guide pulls out depending on the day. crossing-the-bridge noodles sorts the eating. And here’s the bit that’s properly ours: Yunnan tie-dye and ethnic-minority embroidery introduction. Most tours can’t get you in the room — we can.
near Green Lake - near Green Lake
Yuantong Temple + private intangible-heritage session
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around crossing-the-bridge noodles when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Kunming opens Yunnans ethnic mosaic
Day4 Dali — Erhai Lake & Bai old town
Today’s the kind you’ll be showing people photos of later — Erhai Lake by bike or boat, with the freedom to slow right down whenever something catches your eye. Lunch or dinner usually circles back to Erhai fish.
an Erhai-view or old-town courtyard - an Erhai-view or old-town courtyard
Erhai Lake by bike or boat
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Erhai fish when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Dali is Bai culture between lake and mountains
Day5 Dali — Erhai Lake & Bai old town
Ease into Dali old town and the Three Pagodas today. Nothing’s rigid — your guide flexes things around the weather and how you’re feeling, so it stays comfortable start to finish. And Erhai fish is exactly what you’ll want when hunger hits.
an Erhai-view or old-town courtyard - an Erhai-view or old-town courtyard
Dali old town and the Three Pagodas
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Erhai fish when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Dali is Bai culture between lake and mountains
Day6 Dali — Erhai Lake & Bai old town
Honestly, this is one of those days people bring up for years. We’ll point you at Xizhou Bai courtyards — and since it’s all yours, you linger where it grabs you and wander off when you’re ready. Somewhere in there, Erhai fish, the kind locals actually line up for, not the tourist version. And here’s the bit that’s properly ours: Bai tie-dye (zharan) and jiama woodblock print — a Zhoucheng tie-dye workshop. Most tours can’t get you in the room — we can.
an Erhai-view or old-town courtyard - an Erhai-view or old-town courtyard
Xizhou Bai courtyards + private intangible-heritage session
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Erhai fish when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Dali is Bai culture between lake and mountains
Day7 Lijiang — Naxi old town & Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Today leans into the Lijiang Naxi old town canals. No stopwatch — your guide reads the crowds, the light and frankly your mood, and shapes the day from there. When you get hungry, Naxi grilled fish is the move.
a Naxi courtyard in the old town - a Naxi courtyard in the old town
the Lijiang Naxi old town canals
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Naxi grilled fish when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Lijiang is living Naxi culture under a snow peak
Day8 Lijiang — Naxi old town & Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Slow start or early one, totally your call. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley is roughly the heart of today, and we leave plenty of breathing room so nothing feels rushed. Food-wise, hold out for Naxi grilled fish — worth it. And here’s the bit that’s properly ours: Naxi Dongba script and Naxi ancient music — a Dongba scholar and an ancient-music recital. Most tours can’t get you in the room — we can.
a Naxi courtyard in the old town - a Naxi courtyard in the old town
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Blue Moon Valley + private intangible-heritage session
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Naxi grilled fish when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Lijiang is living Naxi culture under a snow peak
Day9 Xishuangbanna — Tropical Dai borderland
We’ll build today loosely around Dai villages and the Mengla rainforest, at your pace and nobody else’s. Expect a small surprise or two your guide pulls out depending on the day. Dai pineapple rice sorts the eating.
a riverside Dai-style resort - a riverside Dai-style resort
Dai villages and the Mengla rainforest
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Dai pineapple rice when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Xishuangbanna is Theravada Dai culture in the tropics
Day10 Xishuangbanna — Tropical Dai borderland
Today’s the kind you’ll be showing people photos of later — a morning market and Buddhist wat, with the freedom to slow right down whenever something catches your eye. Lunch or dinner usually circles back to Dai pineapple rice. And here’s the bit that’s properly ours: Dai slow-rhythm dance and Beye-script tradition. Most tours can’t get you in the room — we can.
a riverside Dai-style resort - a riverside Dai-style resort
a morning market and Buddhist wat + private intangible-heritage session
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Dai pineapple rice when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Xishuangbanna is Theravada Dai culture in the tropics
Day11 Puer — Puer tea mountains
Ease into ancient Puer tea forests and a producing village today. Nothing’s rigid — your guide flexes things around the weather and how you’re feeling, so it stays comfortable start to finish. And Puer chicken pot is exactly what you’ll want when hunger hits.
a tea-estate lodge - a tea-estate lodge
ancient Puer tea forests and a producing village
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Puer chicken pot when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Puer is the source of aged dark tea
Day12 Puer — Puer tea mountains
Honestly, this is one of those days people bring up for years. We’ll point you at a vintage-tea tasting with a maker — and since it’s all yours, you linger where it grabs you and wander off when you’re ready. Somewhere in there, Puer chicken pot, the kind locals actually line up for, not the tourist version. And here’s the bit that’s properly ours: Puer tea fermentation and compression craft — a tea-mountain master. Most tours can’t get you in the room — we can.
a tea-estate lodge - a tea-estate lodge
a vintage-tea tasting with a maker + private intangible-heritage session
Breakfast at hotel; one guided local meal built around Puer chicken pot when timing fits.
Private guide, private transfer, entrance planning, hotel breakfast and route coordination.
Personal shopping, alcohol, spa, evening shows and anything outside the confirmed route.
Your guide reconfirms pickup, pacing, tickets and weather the evening before.
Cultural context: Puer is the source of aged dark tea
Dates & Pricing
Choose a tentative date - see your seasonal supplement
Base price for standard non-holiday departures. Chinese national holidays add a supplement automatically.
Yunnan Ethnic Kitchens
Choose a date window below, or set an exact start date here.
Base per traveller$6,420.00
Seasonal supplement+0%
Trip value before offer$6,420.00
Pay in full today: 20% off$1,284.00
Full payment due today$5,136.00
Deposit plan: 10% off trip value$642.00
Deposit plan total after 10% off$5,778.00
20% deposit due today after 10% off$1,155.60
Deposit balance after planner confirms$4,622.40
Holiday supplement is shown before checkout. Final guide, room, and rail availability is confirmed by a planner.
Trusted private travel framework
Similar Private Routes
More private journeys you may like
Hand-built routes in a similar style. Every one is private-only and fully adjustable to your pace.
Yangtze Family Cruise
Private pacing, route support, hotel logic, and seasonal planning.
Panda + Pandas First-China
Private pacing, route support, hotel logic, and seasonal planning.
Fujian Tulou Overnight
Private pacing, route support, hotel logic, and seasonal planning.
Naxi Lijiang & Shangri-La
Private pacing, route support, hotel logic, and seasonal planning.
