Arrive in laid-back Chengdu, meet your driver and enjoy a smooth private transfer to your hotel. Keep today soft after the flight: settle in, freshen up and ease into the city’s unhurried rhythm with a cup of jasmine in a classic People’s Park teahouse and a gentle wander through the lantern-strung Jinli lanes at your own pace.

Heads-up (Arrival & Flow)
• Meet & assist: Your guide greets you after customs; luggage is loaded for a direct hotel drop.
• Check-in: Passports required for hotel registration; early room access subject to availability (we request it).
• Light day: No fixed touring—choose a short park/teahouse stroll to shake off jet lag.

Practical & Useful Tips
• Cash/cards: Cards are widely accepted at hotels; carry some CNY for teahouses and snacks.
• Footwear: Cushioned trainers—park paths and Jinli’s flagstones are easy underfoot.
• Pace yourself: Hydrate, take short breaks; save “big sights” for tomorrow.
• Translation: Have addresses saved in Chinese characters for taxis/Didi.

Optional at Extra Cost
• Teahouse experience in Renmin Park: choose jasmine, tieguanyin or Sichuan dark tea; learn the two-finger “thank you” tap.
• Hot-pot dinner (mild to fiery) or a curated Sichuan tasting—mapo tofu, gong bao chicken, pickled veg and chilled mung-bean jelly.
• Foot massage near Jinli to reset after the flight.

Etiquette & Comfort
• In teahouses, seats are casual—order first, then linger; refills are common.
• Ask before photographing staff or calligraphy games; keep voices low in quiet corners.
• If anything feels strenuous today, simply skip it and unwind at the hotel.

Day Summary: A calm welcome to Chengdu: easy transfers, a restorative teahouse pause and a short Jinli stroll—perfect groundwork for pandas and temple paths ahead.

Set out early for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to catch the calm, cool feeding window, when black-and-white gourmands are most active. Stroll flat, well-paved paths past bamboo groves and landscaped ponds, pausing at railings and shaded benches to watch juveniles wrestle, adults crunch bamboo, and—if open—the nursery viewing room. Keep an eye out for the auburn charm of red pandas curled in the trees. Return to the city for a gentle cultural afternoon: the restored courtyards of Kuanzhai Alleys (Wide & Narrow Lanes) for teahouses and artisan shops, and the cypress-shaded precincts of Wuhou Shrine, where Shu Han history and Three Kingdoms lore come alive at an easy pace.

Heads-up (Timing & Routing)
• Start early: Aim for opening time to soften crowds and heat; feeding usually follows soon after gates open.
• Flat walking: Paths at the Panda Base are mostly level with gentle gradients; abundant rest points.
• Order of sights: Outdoor enclosures → (if open) nursery windows → red pandas → exit via lake path; then Kuanzhai → Wuhou Shrine in the afternoon.
• Transfers: Typical drive times—Hotel ↔ Panda Base ~45–75 mins; Panda Base → city centre ~40–60 mins (traffic dependent).

Practical & Useful Tips
• No flash near enclosures or nursery windows; a short zoom is handy for portraits through railings.
• Keep cool: Light layer/umbrella; Chengdu mornings can be humid. Hydrate between stops.
• Payments: Cards at main cafés; carry small CNY notes for snacks and souvenirs.
• Teahouse pause: In Kuanzhai, try jasmine or tieguanyin—tap two fingers on the table to say “thank you”.
• Reading the shrine: Wuhou’s galleries are best taken slowly—your guide will highlight key halls so you can sit between sections.

Accessibility & Comfort
• If any walk feels strenuous, shorten the circuit and extend a bench break or teahouse stop—your guide will tailor the pace.
• The Panda Base provides plentiful shade and restrooms; Wuhou Shrine has wide courtyards with seating nooks.

Optional at Extra Cost (Evening)
• Sichuan Opera with bian lian (face-changing), comic skits and shadow play—short, vivid acts; theatre pick-up/return can be arranged.
• Guided snack stroll around Kuanzhai/Jinli: gentle tasting walk (mild options available) featuring dan dan noodles, sesame cakes and chilled herbal jelly.

Day Summary: A golden-hour encounter with giant pandas, then courtyard culture and tea-scented lanes—unhurried, flat-path exploring with generous time to sit, sip and simply watch Chengdu go by.

Glide south on a sleek high-speed train to the foothills of Mount Emei (Emeishan), one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains. Meet your driver on arrival and transfer a short distance to your lodge near Baoguo Temple, the gateway precinct of Emei. After check-in, let the pace drop: lanterns blink on beneath cedar boughs, incense curls in the dusk, and monks move quietly between halls. A gentle twilight wander in the temple grounds sets a contemplative tone for tomorrow’s mountain day.

Heads-up (Rail & Transfers)
• Station routine: Arrive 40–60 mins early for security & platform checks; tickets/ID required to enter the concourse.
• Seat comfort: Spacious G-series trains with overhead racks; keep valuables at your seat.
• Arrival: Emeishan Station → hotel typically 15–30 mins (traffic dependent).
• Check-in: Passports needed for hotel registration; bags delivered to room while you freshen up.

Practical & Useful Tips
• Footwear: Comfortable trainers for flat temple paths; save hiking shoes for tomorrow’s trails.
• Layers: Evenings can be cool; carry a light fleece/shell for the precinct stroll.
• Cash/cards: Donate boxes & small snack stalls may prefer cash; hotels accept cards.
• Photography: Low light after sunset—steady your phone on railings; avoid flash inside halls.

Wellbeing & Pace
• Keep tonight light and unhurried after travel—short precinct loop, tea, early night.
• If any walk feels strenuous, simply relax at the hotel garden/tea lounge and save energy for tomorrow.

Optional at Extra Cost (Easy Add-ons)
• Temple tea pause: Try locally grown Emei Maofeng in a quiet pavilion.
• Calligraphy blessing slip from the temple scriptorium (when available).
• Simple vegetarian supper at a monastery kitchen (seasonal, subject to temple schedule).

Etiquette & Safety
• Walk clockwise around main halls; keep voices low and shoulders covered inside sanctuaries.
• No flash near statues; do not touch offerings or drum/gong unless invited.
• Paths can be damp after rain—use handrails, especially at steps and bridges.

Day Summary: A smooth rail hop delivers you to Emeishan and the calm of Baoguo Temple—soft light, incense and cedar shade—perfect preparation for the sacred mountain ahead.

Choose a gentle day tailored for views without long hikes. Take the park eco-bus up Mount Emei and connect to the cable car for effortless access to panoramic boardwalks near the summit precincts—bamboo groves, temple eaves and wide lookouts, all on largely level, well-formed paths. Pause for tea, breathe the cedar air, and photograph distant ridgelines from safe, railed viewpoints. Prefer riverscapes? Swap to Leshan Giant Buddha: an eco-boat cruise delivers the classic full-height view with level riverside paths before/after—zero stair commitments, just big scenery at an easy pace.

Heads-up (Access & Flow)
• Emei route: Hotel → Baoguo gate → park bus → cable car → summit boardwalk loop (mostly flat).
• Leshan route: Drive to Leshan → eco-boat (no steps) for the best Buddha frontage; optional flat stroll by the riverside park.
• Tickets: Park bus/cable and Leshan boat are pay-on-the-day; your guide handles queuing and timing.
• Timing: Mornings are clearer and quieter; we keep a flexible window to dodge crowds/weather.

Practical & Useful Tips
• Footwear: Trainers with grip—boardwalks/flagstones can be damp.
• Layers: Cooler at altitude and breezy on platforms; pack a light shell.
• Facilities: Restrooms and tea kiosks at cable stations and main terraces.
• Photos: Wide-angle for ridge panoramas; phone HDR helps in bright/cloudy mix.
• Snacks & water: Bring a reusable bottle; light snacks in the day-pack keep energy steady.

Comfort & Flexibility
• Today is curated for minimal stairs. If any section feels strenuous, simply skip it and enjoy a longer tea stop or return to lower terraces.
• Cableways can develop queues at peak times; we use off-peak slots and shaded waits when possible.

Safety & Etiquette
• Emei macaques: Keep food zipped away; do not feed or approach. Hold cameras firmly.
• Stay behind railings at viewpoints; surfaces can be slick after rain or mist.
• At temples, keep voices low; no flash near shrines; walk clockwise through main halls.

Optional at Extra Cost
• Hot-spring soak near Baoguo on return—perfect leg-and-back reset.
• Guided photography hour at golden light on summit terraces.
• Vegetarian monastery lunch (Emei classics; subject to kitchen schedule).

Day Summary: Big views, small effort—either Mount Emei by bus-and-cable with panoramic boardwalks, or the Leshan Giant Buddha from a serene eco-boat—all arranged with level paths, shade and plenty of tea breaks.

Take a short domestic flight south-west into Yunnan, descending over the jade-blue sweep of Erhai Lake and the snow-dusted spine of the Cangshan range. Meet your driver for a smooth transfer to your boutique stay near Dali Old Town. The rest of the day is purposely relaxed: an unhurried wander on cobbled lanes past whitewashed Bai-style houses and flowered courtyards, or a gentle lakeside stroll to watch cormorants and fishing skiffs in the late light.

Heads-up (Flight & Transfers)
• Typical flight time: ~1.5–2 hrs Chengdu → Dali (DLU); alternative routings may use Kunming (KMG) with a short hop onward.
• Dali Airport → Old Town: about 30–40 mins by private transfer.
• Hotel check-in: passports required for registration; we request early room access where possible.

Practical & Useful Tips
• Altitude: Dali sits around ~2,000 m—walk slowly on arrival, hydrate, and keep the afternoon light.
• Footwear: Cushioned trainers for cobbles; lakeside paths are flat and easy.
• Weather: Evenings are cooler by the lake—carry a light layer; sunhat for daytime.
• Cash/cards: Cards at hotels/most cafés; bring small CNY for market snacks and taxis.
• Markets: If open, the Old Town market is great for fruit, nuts and Bai-style snacks; ask your guide for the calmest hour.

Wellbeing & Flexibility
• Today is a light day. If any walk feels strenuous, skip the lanes and enjoy the hotel garden/terrace with tea.
• Your guide can arrange a short point-to-point drop/pick-up so you only walk the easiest, flattest section you fancy.

Optional at Extra Cost (Easy Add-ons)
• Three Pagodas view-stop at golden hour (external viewpoints, minimal steps).
• Tea tasting in a Bai family courtyard—light introduction to Yunnan greens and pu’er.
• Lakeside e-cart shuttle to a quiet promenade for sunset (flat path, benches).

Etiquette & Notes
• Old Town alleys are residential—keep voices low, step aside for scooters, and ask before photographing residents.
• Pack out litter by the lake; stick to signed paths to protect reeds and bird habitat.

Day Summary: A swift hop brings you to Dali—mountains, Erhai shimmer and Bai courtyards—perfectly gentle exploring to settle into Yunnan’s slower cadence.

Ease into Yunnan life with a calm circuit through Xizhou and along the shores of Erhai Lake. Begin among Bai-style courtyards—whitewashed walls, indigo trims and carved gateways—where a friendly artisan demo (tie-dye, woodblock or pastry) is arranged with a seated welcome if preferred. Later, roll out on a scenic Erhai loop: reedbeds, boat jetties and mountain reflections, pausing for short, level photo stops. Round off at the Three Pagodas park for the classic postcard view—golden bricks against the Cangshan skyline—taken from easy-access paths.

Heads-up (Flow & Access)
• Xizhou courtyards: Mostly flat flagstones; seating provided during the demo and tea welcome.
• Erhai loop: We focus on short, level pull-offs with benches and shade; no long walks.
• Three Pagodas park: We use easy paths near the central vista; steps are optional and avoidable.
• Drive times: Dali Old Town ↔ Xizhou ~30–40 mins; Xizhou → lakeside stops 10–20 mins each.

Practical & Useful Tips
• Altitude: ~2,000 m—keep the pace gentle; hydrate and take sun breaks.
• Footwear: Cushioned trainers for cobbles and park paths.
• Sun & breeze: Lakeside can be bright and breezy—carry a light layer, hat and sunglasses.
• Shopping: Xizhou is known for indigo textiles and baked rushan snacks; bring small CNY for artisans.

Comfort & Flexibility
• Today’s touring is gentle by design. If any section feels strenuous, skip it and enjoy an extended café/tea stop—your guide will adjust the pacing.
• Option to use a point-to-point vehicle drop so walking segments remain short and flat.

Optional at Extra Cost
• Private tie-dye workshop (indigo) with a simple handkerchief/shawl project—seated and unhurried.
• Lakeside e-cart shuttle to a quiet promenade for sunset frames.
• Bai tasting lunch featuring local cheeses, mushrooms and seasonal greens.

Etiquette & Notes
• Courtyards are often family-run—ask before photos and support artisans by purchasing directly.
• Stay on signed paths at the pagoda park; no drones without permits.
• Carry litter until you find bins; protect lakeside reeds and bird habitat.

Day Summary: A culture-rich yet easygoing day—Bai heritage courtyards, artisan crafts and an unhurried Erhai shoreline loop—finished with iconic Three Pagodas vistas from level, well-kept paths.

A day wholly for R&R. Wake to cool mountain air and an easy breakfast, then do exactly as you please—read on the terrace, sip jasmine in the hotel teahouse, or amble no farther than the garden. If you fancy a gentle outing, take a soft lake cruise on Erhai for breeze, birdlife and mountain reflections, then drift back for a quiet afternoon of spa time and unhurried tea.

Day Summary: A true pause in Dali—tea steam, lake shimmer and spa calm—so you’re rested for tomorrow’s onward chapter.

Leave Dali on a short countryside drive to Shaxi, a beautifully preserved caravan town on the old Tea-Horse Road. Check in to a tranquil courtyard inn—timber beams, stone patios and birdsong—then take an unhurried, flat stroll through the old bazaar: cobbles lined with wooden shopfronts, a small theatre stage on the square, and the photogenic stone bridge arching over the clear river. Linger for golden-hour reflections and return to your courtyard for a restful evening under lantern light.

Day Summary: A gentle immersion in Shaxi—heritage bazaar, stone bridge views and courtyard calm—shaped for easy walking and unhurried, atmospheric evening time.

Transfer north from Shaxi to Lijiang, settling at a calm base just outside the busiest alleys for level access and easy pick-ups. This afternoon, keep things gentle: a waterside amble around Black Dragon Pool (Heilongtan)—arched bridges, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain mirroring in the lake—and a short wander through quiet neighbourhood lanes on the edge of the Old Town where paths are flatter and crowds thin.

Day Summary: A soft-landing in Lijiang—edge-of-old-town charm, Black Dragon Pool reflections and flat, uncrowded lanes—tailored for no-stairs exploring and easy pacing.

A calm morning among Naxi villages beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Begin with the Baisha frescoes—quiet halls, soft light and centuries-old pigments—taken slowly with time on benches between rooms. Continue to Yuhu village, a lake-side cluster of stone lanes where water channels murmur past courtyards; stroll gently, pausing for tea and mountain views. If you fancy a little more, add the Blue Moon Valley boardwalk (optional, level) for turquoise terraces and short, flat sections along the water’s edge. Return to your hotel for an easy afternoon at leisure: a foot spa, courtyard reading or a slow coffee while the mountain light shifts.

Day Summary: Heritage art, lake-bright village vistas and—if you wish—an easy Blue Moon Valley stroll, followed by a leisurely Lijiang afternoon to rest, read and reset.

Ascend the Yunnan–Tibet corridor on a scenic drive to Shangri-La (Zhongdian), with calm viewpoint stops above the mighty Tiger Leaping Gorge. We keep the day easy—short pull-offs for photos and river panoramas, no strenuous walking—before rolling onto the broad high plateau, where grazing yaks, prayer flags and distant snow peaks signal your arrival. Check in around ~3,200 m; the afternoon is intentionally light: tea by the window, slow breaths and gentle exploration of the hotel grounds only if you feel like it.

Day Summary: A scenic highland drive with easy, rail-guarded gorge viewpoints and a soft-landing on the Shangri-La plateau—arrive, acclimatise and rest for tomorrow’s gentle explorations.

Ease into the high plateau with a gentle morning at Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (Songzanlin), a 17th-century complex mirroring over a reed-rimmed lake. We use the electric carts from the visitor centre and keep to level viewpoints around the water, where gilded roofs glow against snow-touched hills. Within the precincts, your guide steers a short, low-stair route—incense curls, butter lamps flicker, and monks’ chants roll softly from assembly halls—before returning lakeside for wide, breath-easy vistas.

Day Summary: Sacred roofs and still water in the morning, then wooden-lantern charm or fireside calm in the afternoon—Shangri-La at its gentlest and most atmospheric.

Wake to clear highland light for a gentle day amid alpine meadows, spruce forests and glassy lakes. We use the park shuttle buses inside Potatso National Park to reach the most scenic stops, then amble short, level boardwalks by the water (benches at intervals). After a calm loop and photo pauses, continue to Napa Lake on the Shangri-La plain for wide-open skies, yak pastures and easy lakeside paths. Return to the lodge early for a relaxed afternoon of crafts, tea or spa time.

Day Summary: Shuttle-served alpine lakes and easy boardwalks in the morning; a soothing, choose-your-tempo afternoon for crafts, tea or the spa back in Shangri-La.

Enjoy an easy morning on the plateau, then transfer to the airport for your flight from Shangri-La (Zhongdian) to Chengdu (typically a short hop; some dates route via Kunming). Touch down in Sichuan’s mellow capital and settle back into city comforts. The afternoon is entirely at leisure: linger over one last teahouse session, slip into a gentle museum hour, or unwind with a soothing foot massage before dinner.

Day Summary: A gentle descent from the highlands to Chengdu, followed by a choose-your-tempo afternoon—tea, a calm gallery, or a restoring massage to round off your Yunnan & Sichuan chapter.

At your scheduled time, meet your driver for a smooth private transfer to the airport. Check in, clear formalities and board your homebound flight—carrying with you panda moments, tea-scented courtyards and high-plateau skies.

Day Summary: Seamless airport transfer, unhurried check-in and wheels up—farewell China, until next time.