Yunnan: Dali to Lijiang

Food Tour

Days: 8

Start: Dali

Overview

End: Lijiang

Group size: 4 - 10

Min. Age: 8

Category: Boutique*/Food

Eat and explore your way through Yunnan’s Tea & Horse Road, from Dali to Lijiang, plus a unique overnight stay in Tiger Leaping Gorge. Plentiful local meals, cooking classes, market tours, and hot pots galore –  the perfect way to explore Yunnan’s diverse culture is through their equally diverse cuisine.

Spend 8 days in the land of cured ham legs, homemade breads, bubbling bowls of rice noodles, and fried local cheese. It’s where Chinese artists come to escape the nation’s newfound love of tarmac. Local live-music bars and evening bonfire square-dance sessions are opt-ins we highly recommend on this tour. And to us, that constant ebb and flow of peoples and their appetites in a climate well suited to agriculture means it’s the perfect storm for all things crazy delicious.

Boutique*: Boutique guesthouses and hotels that offer comfort and modern amenities while exemplifying Yunnan architecture and culture at a great price. All meals are included on this food focused tour

Trip Highlights

A group of people enjoying a hot pot meal at a restaurant table with various vegetables, meats, and condiments, using chopsticks.
Two elderly women wearing black hats and traditional clothing smiling at each other at an outdoor market, with cheese and baskets visible in the background.

  • All meals included, including soft drinks and beer!

  • Visit ancient towns and villages & discover the best local cuisine

  • Spend the night in Tiger Leaping Gorge in your own private villa

  • Explore Shaxi and the surrounding countryside with hidden cafes

  • Enjoy a cooking class in Lijiang with Naxi local people

  • Visit a rose farm & learn how to make local rose cakes

Open window with wooden frame overlooking green fields, with mountains in the background and a vase of flowers on the windowsill.
Tepanyaki grilling hot pot with vegetables and meat, surrounded by onion slices and tofu, on a stove with red embers.
A bowl of Asian noodle soup with vegetables and green onions, topped with herbs, next to a plate of chopped chicken salad with herbs and vegetables.

Itinerary

  • Day 1: Dali

    Arrive and check into our hotel in Dali at any time, airport pick up is available on this day until 3pm.

    Start off with an evening walking food tour – Lost Plate style! Try locally-made rice noodles, fried cheese and more. A Bai minority feast served on the biggest platter you’ve ever seen, and more!

Driving: None

Hotel: A modern boutique guesthouse near Dali’s old-town with excellent mountain and lake views

  • Day 2: Dali

    • Start the day with a local breakfast and visit a bustling market in Dali, followed by coffee tasting and free time to explore Dali Old Town.

    • Visit a rose farm, enjoy fresh rose water, and learn to make rose cakes with your guide.

    • Stroll or bike around the lake, followed by dinner at a lakeside spot known for local shrimp, fish, and regional flavors.

    Driving: A total of about an hour in and around Dali.

    Hotel: Same as previous night.

  • Day 3: Xizhou & Shaxi

    • Leave Dali for Xizhou to explore its historic streets, try freshly baked Xizhou Baba, and watch it being made in a traditional charcoal oven.

    • For lunch, enjoy freshly-caught fish, local chicken served with chili and rice cakes, plum-fried pork, fried eggs with jasmine flower, and more.

    • Learn Bai minority fabric dyeing and create your own handkerchief before heading to Shaxi for a courtyard family-style dinner.

    Driving: 30 mins from Dali to Xizhou, 1.5 hrs from Xizhou to Shaxi.

    Hotel: Boutique courtyard guesthouse in Shaxi.

  • Shaxi

    • Enjoy a relaxed morning at local coffee shops before lunch featuring Yunnan wild mushroom hotpot loaded with fresh, foraged varieties.

    • Take a 2-hour tuk-tuk ride through villages, stopping at a hidden hillside cafe and a unique bookstore in a nearby village.

    • End the day with a Bai minority dinner featuring tree moss with eggs, lemongrass pork ribs, and local cheese.

    Driving: None

    Hotel: Boutique courtyard guesthouse in Shaxi (same as previous night).

  • Shaxi > Tiger Leaping Gorge

    • Visit Tiger Leaping Gorge for breathtaking canyon views, and enjoy an optional easy 2-hour hike from the guesthouse with a coffee shop break along the way (mostly flat with gentle slopes), or simply relax back at the guesthouse.

    • Stay in a villa with incredible views, then join the locals after dinner for a cozy bonfire filled with music, laughter, and dancing.

    Driving: About 2 hours from Shaxi to Tiger Leaping Gorge, plus 30 minutes to the hotel.

    Hotel: Private boutique villas deep within Tiger Leaping Gorge.

  • Tiger Leaping Gorge > Lijiang

    • Enjoy a leisurely breakfast with stunning views before driving to Lijiang to explore its charming cobblestone streets.

    • Stay in the less touristy Shuhe and savor a Naxi hot pot dinner featuring cured pork ribs cooked in local broth on a hot stone slab.

    Driving: Approx. 2 hours from Tiger Leaping Gorge to Lijiang.

    Hotel: Boutique courtyard guesthouse at Shuhe old-town in Lijiang.

  • Lijiang

    • Start by exploring Lijiang’s oldest market before preparing lunch in a private cooking class with with Naxi locals, making three dishes.

    • Visit Lijiang old town to stroll its quiet lanes and enjoy coffee while soaking in the architecture.

    • Our final dinner will be a huge selection of local Naxi minority dishes, including roast pork belly with mint, fried eggplant, spicy fish, and a ton more. The perfect way to end the trip!

    Driving: A total of about 30 minutes in and around Lijiang.

    Hotel: Boutique courtyard guesthouse at Shuhe old-town (same as previous night).

  • Lijiang

    • Enjoy your last moments in Yunnan before you depart. Feel free to explore Shuhe old-town for some last minute shopping or cafe hopping. Airport drop-off is included any time today.

    • For those departing later, we’ll be happy to make some recommendations for the day, like a day trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

A scenic view of wooden bungalows on a hillside with a swimming pool in the foreground, surrounded by lush greenery and tropical plants.
A stone arch bridge over a river surrounded by trees, with mountains and a partly cloudy sky in the background, and people walking across the bridge.

What’s included?

Meals: All Meals and soft drinks/beer

Transport: Private Vehicle

Accommodation: Boutique guesthouses and hotels that offer comfort and modern amenities while exemplifying Yunnan architecture and culture (7 Nights)

  • 7 Nights Accommodations

  • All Meals, Including Soft Drinks & Beer

  • All Tickets/Entrance Fees

  • Transportation, Including Airport Transfers

  • English Speaking Lost Plate Trip Leader

  • Online Pre-trip Briefing & Q&A Session.

  • Tiger Leaping Gorge Overnight

  • Dali Old-Town Food Tour

  • Naxi Cuisine Cooking Class

  • Local Market Visits

  • Rose Cake Making

  • Bai-Minority Tye-Dye

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Flights/Trains

Our tour prices don’t include flights, as the price of these will change throughout the year. We are able to package your tour with flights or train and the price you pay will be determined by the time of year you travel, your departure airport, airline and availability.

Your Eventurus Travel Consultant will be able to find the best flights to suit you and your choice of tour.

Dates & Price

Guide Price $1,500 pp

  • Based on 2 adults sharing a room

  • Solo rooms available for extra cost

  • Families should contact Eventurus for detailed pricing

  • Departure dates for group tours available most months

To enquire about dates or get more details, use the form below or book a video call with us

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  • Group trips require a minimum of 4 people to operate. You should only purchase your transportation to/from Yunnan after you receive a tour confirmation notice. Private tours (for an additional fee) are always an option if your join-in trip does not hit the minimum amount of people.

  • A deposit of $500 USD per person is required to secure your spot. This deposit is non-refundable for any reason unless the trip is cancelled due to the minimum group size not being met.

  • Solo travelers not sharing a room will incur a single occupancy fee of $309 USD.

  • Payment of your remaining balance will be collected 14 days before the trip starts.

  • If you need to cancel, the amount you have already paid cannot be refunded. This is because spots on each trip is limited, and because we arrange accommodations when you reserve your spot. You are able to transfer your spot to someone else.

Tour Operator & Your Booking Partner

This tour is delivered by a carefully vetted international tour operator and curated by Eventurus, specialists in China travel and complex itineraries.

While the day-to-day operation of the tour is handled by the operator, Eventurus supports you throughout the booking process with:

  • Expert destination advice

  • Help choosing the right tour and departure

  • Assistance with visas, flights, and extensions

  • A single, reliable point of contact

This means you benefit from globally trusted operators combined with local expertise and personal service.

Why Eventurus?

Authentic Local Experiences

China specialists (not generic global agents)

Many Big Name Partners

Personal pre-trip planning & advice

Help with visas, flights, extensions, upgrades

Readily available point of contact