Short answer. Yunnan is southwest China's mountain province, best visited from March to June or September to November. Allow 7 days for the classic northwest route from Kunming to Shangri-La and 10 to 14 days to add Meili Snow Mountain or Tengchong. The main planning issue is altitude: Shangri-La sits at about 3,300 metres.
How long do you need?
Seven days covers the northwest spine from Kunming through Dali, Shaxi and Lijiang to Shangri-La. Ten days lets you slow down or add Deqin for Meili Snow Mountain. Southern Yunnan (Xishuangbanna, Yuanyang's rice terraces) and western Yunnan (Tengchong) are different directions; trying to add them to one week turns the trip into airports and highways.
How the route fits together
Fly into Kunming. High-speed trains link Kunming, Dali and Lijiang in about two hours each. North of Lijiang, the road takes over: through Tiger Leaping Gorge to Shangri-La, and on to Deqin. Fly home from Shangri-La or Lijiang so you do not drive back the way you came.
Altitude
Kunming and Dali sit near 2,000 metres, Lijiang at about 2,400 and Shangri-La at about 3,300. Deqin's viewpoints for Meili Snow Mountain are around 3,400. Gaining height in stages through Dali and Lijiang is the best protection; keep the first evening in Shangri-La quiet.
Where to stay
Dali and Lijiang have the best range of boutique hotels in the province. Choose by location: on Erhai's shore rather than inside Dali Old Town, and in Shuhe, Baisha or the edge of Lijiang Old Town where a car can reach the door. In Shangri-La and Deqin, warmth and heating matter more than design.
Getting around
Trains for the long, easy stretches; a private driver for mountain roads, Shaxi and anything north of Lijiang. Ride-hailing through DiDi works in Kunming, Dali and Lijiang but is unreliable in the mountains.
Month by month
- Spring (March–June)
- Flowering season and mild days. Expect changeable mountain weather.
- Summer (July–August)
- Rainy, green and quieter. Snow peaks are often in cloud.
- Autumn (September–November)
- Clearest skies, golden landscapes. Avoid October 1–7, China's national holiday.
- Winter (December–February)
- Dry and bright in Dali and Lijiang; cold and sometimes snowy in Shangri-La and Deqin.
