This itinerary volition encompass Dali over 3 days, in addition to is the 2nd business office of my Yunnan, China backpacking trip. To reckon my previous itinerary, delight banking company check out my 2 24-hour interval itinerary for Kunming, Yunnan. To fast frontwards to my side past times side itinerary, delight banking company check out 4 24-hour interval itinerary for Lijiang, Yunnan
Trip Summary
Trip length in addition to when did I go? 3 days inwards March 2017
Day 1- Dali. Arrival inwards Dali past times overnight develop from Kunming. Transferred from the railway station to Dali quondam town in addition to checked inwards to Jade Emu International Hostel. In the morning, I did a walking tour unopen to Dali quondam town, visiting major landmarks such equally the Dali North in addition to South Gates in addition to Wuhua tower. In the afternoon, I rented an e-bike for an excursion to Erhai lake, in addition to visited Chongsheng Three Pagodas on the way back. Spent the balance of my level wandering unopen to Dali quondam town. Overnight inwards Dali.
Day 2- Dali. Did a 24-hour interval trip to Cangshan mount past times taking a chairlift to Zhonghe temple, walked halfway to Phoenix Eye Cave in addition to walked dorsum downwardly to Dali quondam town. Overnight inwards Dali.
Day 3- Dali to Lijiang. Check-out from the hostel in addition to took a jitney from Dali to Lijiang.
Itinerary Map (click to persuasion POIs in addition to routes)
5.30 am - Wake up. Freshened upwards on the develop on the way to Dali
6.15 am - Arrive inwards Dali (hopped off at Dali railway station)
Dali is a large district in addition to is divided into several areas, namely Xiaguan (or Dali novel town), where the railway in addition to jitney stations are at in addition to Old Dali (or Dali quondam town), the chief tourist hub inwards Dali which is nigh 20km from Xiaguan in addition to is where I'm headed to
Exited the develop station in addition to walked nigh 20m to the chief route inwards front end of the station to grab a jitney to Dali quondam town. Very straightforward, exactly follow the crowds. Didn't receive got to hold off long equally at that spot were frequent buses from the railway station to Dali quondam town. Once onboard the bus, at that spot is no need to larn off anywhere midway, equally the jitney volition accept you lot all the way to Dali quondam town
6.35 am - Rode jitney #8 from Dali railway station to Dali quondam town - 2 yuan
Early morning time arrival inwards Dali railway station
Outside Dali railway station
Waiting patiently to larn on jitney #8 that volition larn me to Dali quondam town, exactly a curt walk away from the railway station
In & Around Dali Old Town
7.25 am - Arrive inwards Dali quondam town (dropped off close #8 jitney terminal, located side past times side to Dali Hospital, nearby Dali North Gate)
Walked from #8 jitney terminal to my accommodation inwards Dali quondam town (under fifteen minutes)
7.40 am - Check-in to Jade Emu International Hostel - 25 yuan per nighttime for a dorm room. Stayed for 2 nights (total cost - 50 yuan). Not a bad house to base of operations yourself inwards Dali, even so its location is a mix of proficient in addition to bad. Good if you lot desire to easily create excursions to Cangshan mountain, given its proximity to the Zhonghe in addition to Ximatan ropeway stations. Bad if you lot intend to see the quondam town expanse a lot, keeping inwards heed that it's a 10 infinitesimal walk to quondam town from the hostel
Breakfast at the hostel - Western breakfast (35 yuan)
My room wasn't quite create yet, so inwards guild to maximize my fourth dimension inwards Dali, I decided to leave of absence my backpack alongside reception in addition to caput out to explore Dali quondam town
The courtyard expanse inwards Jade Emu International Hostel
The dorm room I got inwards Jade Emu hostel
Sightseeing Around Dali Old Town
8.30 am - Walked from the hostel to Dali quondam town (under 10 minutes)
8.45 am - 1.00 pm - Walking tour unopen to Dali quondam town. Visited the next points of involvement unopen to the quondam town area:
Dali North Gate. There's a minor temple at the top that you lot tin climb upwards to, alongside some of the best views of the Cangshan mountains. The expanse unopen to the northward gate is also a haven for street food, inwards example you're wondering where to observe inexpensive eats unopen to Dali
Wuhua Tower. Located nigh halfway betwixt Dali's northward in addition to due south gates. Similar to Dali North Gate, you lot tin climb all the way to the top for some proficient views of the Dali quondam town area
Dali South Gate. Touted to live Dali's oldest gate in addition to is also a symbol for Dali quondam town. Not much else, but if you're a completionist, in addition to so this is 1 house you lot can't miss
In Dali quondam town center, a juncture where the streets leading to the Dali North, South in addition to East Gates intersect
Lady preparing yak cheese in addition to hot sausages on charcoal
There are many temples that dot the quondam town area, even so some of them volition require you lot to pay entrance fees to enter
Dali North Gate inwards the morning
Breathtaking views of the Cangshan mountains from the top of Dali North Gate
Walking along a cobbled pavement on the way to Wuhua tower
Wuhua tower. There's non much happening correct right away equally it is soundless early on inwards the morning. It volition larn much to a greater extent than crowded afterwards inwards the evening
Smelling the trammel blooms at Dali South Gate
Erhai Lake & Chongsheng Three Pagodas
Erhai lake is located nigh 5km away from Dali quondam town, in addition to to encompass to a greater extent than the world quickly, I rented an e-bike (with a battery capacity that tin run upwards to alone 40km) from a store inwards Dali quondam town - 30 yuan per day
As a helpful tip, at that spot are many bike rental shops located contrary Yu'er Park, along the chief route that runs eastward from the Dali West Gate
Should you lot wishing to run further, higher capacity e-bikes that tin run upwards to 80km are also available to rent for fifty yuan per day. Alternatively, at that spot are pedal bikes that you lot tin rent, also for thirty yuan per day
1.30 pm - 5.30 pm - Sightseeing unopen to Erhai lake, visiting Caicun in addition to Majiuyi along the way. Both villages were interesting inwards their ain way, Majiuyi is a flake to a greater extent than upscale even so I absolutely adored Caicun for how laidback it was. For a modify of pace, instead of staying inwards Dali quondam town, you lot tin opt to rest a nighttime or 2 inwards 1 of many guesthouses here
5.35 pm - Rode dorsum to Dali quondam town. Did a quick photograph halt at the Chongsheng Three Pagodas enroute. Didn't run inwards equally I felt the entrance fee (121 yuan) was a flake equally good much. There's no need to encounter anyways equally you lot tin persuasion the 3 pagodas from outside
Scoping out for an e-bike to rent from 1 of the many shops inwards Dali quondam town
Riding from Dali quondam town to Erhai lake
First stop, Caicun
My outset expect at Erhai lake. Caicun wharf tin live seen inwards the distance
Loved my afternoon walks unopen to Caicun, it's exactly so laidback
Some girls trying their luck fishing with nets near the lake
Erhai lake equally seen from Caicun
Another persuasion of Erhai lake from Caicun
Saw this on my way from Caicun to Majiuyi. This H2O pumping station inwards the middle of the lake connected past times a causeway is a pop spot for marriage photography
Candid shot of my rented e-bike alongside Erhai lake inwards the background
More views of Erhai lake closer to Majiuyi
In Majiuyi at last
Besides the non bad views of Erhai lake from its shores, the nutrient marketplace position pictured higher upwards is also 1 of Majiuyi's chief tourist draws
From Majiuyi, the views of Erhai lake are stunning in addition to gives you lot a realization of how vast the lake actually is
Sunset over the Cangshan mountains
Chongsheng 3 pagodas seen from the outside
Back inwards Dali Old Town
6.00 pm - Back inwards Dali quondam town in addition to returned the e-bike to the store I rented from earlier
6.05 pm - 9.00 pm - Spent the balance of my level walking unopen to Dali quondam town. Foreigner's Street is a item highlight inwards the evenings. Menu prices inwards Dali quondam town are a flake overpriced, even so finding inexpensive eats is non that hard equally at that spot is quite a few roadside stalls selling street nutrient close the Dali North Gate
Snacks at diverse shops inwards Dali quondam town - Yak cheese (5 yuan), roasted sausage (5 yuan) & spiced tofu (6 yuan)
9.05 pm - Return to hostel for a proficient night's rest
Ladies doing level aerobics close the Dali cinema
Dali North Gate all lit upwards at night
Street nutrient stalls selling inexpensive eats close the Dali North Gate
Street hawker whipping upwards some spiced tofu on a hot plate
Dali quondam town becomes quite a bustling in addition to lively house equally before long equally nighttime falls
Walking along Foreigner's Street
Another business office of Foreigner's Street
Dali quondam town middle inwards the evening
A minor man-made current running along a pavement on the way to Wuhua tower
There's turkish H2O ice cream hither too
Wuhua tower, all beautifully lit upwards at night
Views of Dali quondam town from the top of Wuhua tower
8.40 am - Walked from the hostel to Zhonghe ropeway station (under thirty minutes). Take banking company annotation that it's an uphill climb to the ropeway station, you lot tin opt for a taxi if you're non feeling upwards to it
9.10 am - Arrive at Zhonghe ropeway station. Went to the ticket booth in addition to purchased a ticket for the chairlift - 30 yuan (one way). H5N1 provide ticket volition cost lx yuan. One to a greater extent than of import affair to banking company annotation is that this ticket is valid for provide trips from Zhonghe temple alone in addition to cannot live used for Gantong or Ximatan ropeway stations, thus if you're planning to run upwards the mount from 1 ropeway station in addition to larn out from another, it's best to purchase 1 way tickets at the respective ropeway stations. Keep inwards heed also that the lastly chairlift going downwardly is at 5pm, this is the same for all 3 ropeway stations
At the same time, I also paid the Cangshan scenic expanse protection fee - 40 yuan
9.25 am - Rode chairlift to Zhonghe temple
9.50 am - Arrive at the top of Cangshan mount (hopped off at the ropeway station close Zhonghe temple)
Breakfast at a minor store close Zhonghe temple - Sausages x 2 (6 yuan)
10.00 am - 12.00 pm - Photo walk along the Cloud Traveller's Path, going northwards along the trail until I reached the Taoxi stream. The trail is fairly apartment for the most business office in addition to has fantabulous views of Dali in addition to Erhai lake
12.05 pm - Turned dorsum in addition to retraced my steps dorsum to Zhonghe temple
Zigzagging some neighborhoods to larn to Zhonghe ropeway station
Zhonghe ropeway station
My outset chairlift experience, was pretty nervous that it swayed so much inwards the wind, but thankfully I made it inwards 1 piece
Zhonghe temple is alone a curt walk away from the ropeway station at the top
Views of Dali in addition to Erhai lake from Zhonghe temple
Walking on the Cloud Traveller's Path. It was fairly apartment for the most part, so walking unopen to it was a breeze
Quite a feat of engineering, the trail is carved into the stone on the side of a mountain, color me impressed!
More magnificent views of Dali from upwards here
The Taoxi current tin live seen snaking downwardly the mount inwards the distance
Another business office of the trail farther on
The walk from Zhonghe temple to Taoxi current took me nigh an hour, I could've done it inwards less time, but I was so smitten past times the views that I couldn't halt taking pictures every right away in addition to then
Day trip to Cangshan Mountain (continued)
12.45 pm - Back inwards Zhonghe temple. Rested for a flake before continuing on
1.00 pm - 3.00 pm - Photo walk along the Cloud Traveller's Path, this fourth dimension going southwards along the trail until I reached the Phoenix Eye Cave. The cave isn't really interesting in addition to tin live skipped, even so to brand the best of your fourth dimension here, pay a see to a viewpoint (with to a greater extent than magnificent views of Dali) nigh 100m farther downwardly the trail from the cave
I contemplated walking the relaxation of the way to Gantong temple in addition to accept the chairlift downwardly from there, but I was told that the Gantong ropeway station was closed for an result that day, so I decided to telephone squall upwards it a 24-hour interval in addition to provide to Dali quondam town
3.10 pm - Walked downwardly the stairs from Phoenix Eye Cave to Ximatan ropeway station/Tianlongbabu motion painting city, located at the foothills of Cangshan mountain
4.00 pm - Arrive at Ximatan ropeway station/Tianlongbaby motion painting city. Did a quick photograph halt before walking dorsum to the hostel (under thirty minutes)
On the Cloud Traveller's Path again, this fourth dimension heading due south towards Gantong temple
Beautiful spruce woods along the trail
Entrance into the Phoenix Eye Cave
The viewpoint farther downwardly the trail from Phoenix Eye Cave
So glad I made the determination to explore to a greater extent than of the expanse in addition to flora this place. The views are amazing!
Ximatan ropeway equally seen from upwards here
Heading dorsum downwardly to Ximatan ropeway station using these stairs from Phoenix Eye Cave
Back at the bottom of Cangshan mountain, in addition to exited close Ximatan ropeway station/Tianlongbabu motion painting city
Back inwards Dali Old Town
4.40 pm - Back at the hostel. Early dinner at the hostel - Yunnan fried rice alongside soup (20 yuan) & soft drinkable (7 yuan)
8.00 pm - Walked from the hostel to Dali quondam town (under 10 minutes)
Went to a move way in addition to booked a ticket for the 9am jitney departing for Lijiang the side past times side morning time - 80 yuan (one way)
Alternatively for a slightly cheaper option, you lot tin caput to the Dali northward jitney station (in Xiaguan) in addition to observe buses going to Lijiang from at that spot (last I checked, the fare to Lijiang was anywhere betwixt 50-60 yuan). To larn to Dali northward jitney station, only accept jitney #4 from the chief route (in front end of Jade Emu International Hostel) for 2 yuan
8.30 pm - 10.00 pm - Walked unopen to Dali quondam town before returning to the hostel
Spent my terminal level inwards Dali past times wandering aimlessly unopen to Dali quondam town
