Short answer
Yunnan's classic route runs north-west in a straight line — Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-La — and every leg is covered by train. Kunming to Dali takes about two hours, Dali to Lijiang roughly one and a half to two and a half hours, and Lijiang to Shangri-La about eighty minutes. You do not need an internal flight.
Budget 8 to 12 days: two in Kunming as the arrival city, two or three in Dali, three in Lijiang with one day set aside for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and two in Shangri-La. The order matters more than the days do, because the altitude climbs steadily from about 1,900 m in Kunming to about 3,300 m in Shangri-La, and that gives your body a chance to adjust instead of dumping you at 3,300 m on day one.
The most common planning error is treating Lijiang as the finish line and squeezing Shangri-La into a rushed day trip. Both towns keep their best sights outside the town itself, and both need at least a full day on the ground.
The route, in order
Yunnan is not a loop — it is a corridor. The high-speed line runs from the provincial capital north-west towards the Tibetan plateau, and the four places most visitors want sit along it in exactly that order. Going south-to-north means each stop is a little higher and a little colder than the last, which is the whole point.
| Leg | Roughly | What it's like |
|---|---|---|
| Kunming → Dali | About 2 hours | The busiest corridor in the province, with trains through the day. Second class is fine. |
| Dali → Lijiang | 1.5–2.5 hours | A short hop. Times vary by service, so check the app rather than assuming hourly departures. |
| Lijiang → Shangri-La | About 1 hour 20 | The big altitude jump happens on this leg. Fewer departures than the other two. |
Book all of it on 12306, the official railway platform, using your passport — the same process as anywhere else in China. See booking high-speed trains as a foreigner for the registration steps, and the Kunming–Lijiang train for the detail on this specific line.
How many days each stop deserves
Kunming, 2 days
Kunming is nicknamed the Spring City and it earns it: the annual average sits around 15°C, January averages about 8°C and July about 19°C, so there is no bad season and no brutal weather. Most people use it as an arrival and departure city, which undersells it. Two nights gives you the Western Hills and Dianchi Lake on one day and the Stone Forest as a long day trip on the other, with an evening on the old streets downtown.
Dali, 2 to 3 days
Dali splits into three separate places that people confuse with each other: the walled old town, the lakeside villages strung along Erhai Lake, and the new city where the station and most of the local life are. Stay in the old town for atmosphere or in a lakeside village for the view, but know that the two are a real distance apart. Three days lets you ride or drive part of the lake loop and still have a slow day.
Lijiang, 3 days
Lijiang is the emotional centre of most Yunnan trips. Give it two days for the Old Town and its surrounding villages, and one full day for Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a 5,596 m peak about 15 km north of the old town that you reach by cable car, the altitude up there is serious and the tickets need booking in advance through official channels. See the Lijiang Old Town guide for how the town works.
Shangri-La, 2 days
Shangri-La is a Tibetan-culture town at roughly 3,300 m, and it feels like a different province. Songzanlin Monastery, the Dukezong old town and Pudacuo National Park are the three things people come for, and each one is a half-day minimum. Two nights is the sensible floor; one night is a waste of the journey.
Altitude: the part that catches people out
Yunnan's plateau climbs fast, and the numbers are worth knowing before you book, because they decide how you should sequence the trip and how much slack to build in.
| Place | Roughly | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Kunming | 1,900 m | Barely noticeable. A normal city. |
| Dali | Around 2,000 m | Still comfortable; you may notice stairs more than at home. |
| Lijiang | 2,400 m | Where people start sleeping badly or waking with a headache. |
| Shangri-La | 3,300 m | Real altitude. Expect breathlessness on hills and stairs. |
| Jade Dragon Snow Mountain | 5,596 m at the summit | The cable car goes very high. Cold, thin air, no acclimatisation. |
When to go
Spring and autumn are the windows most guides recommend, roughly late March to May, and mid-October to November, because the skies are clearest and the temperatures are mild at every stop on the route. Winter is cold and dry but very sunny, which suits Lijiang and Shangri-La better than most people expect. Summer brings the province's rainy season, with afternoon cloud and showers that can hide the mountains you came to see.
What matters just as much as the season is the Chinese holiday calendar. The Lunar New Year period and the first week of October are the two peaks of domestic travel, and on this route that means trains selling out, hotel prices jumping and the Old Towns packed shoulder to shoulder. If your dates are flexible, avoid them.
Getting in and getting around
- Fly into Kunming. Changshui International Airport is the province's main gateway and the sensible place to start, with a metro and bus link into the city.
- Then stay on the ground. Trains cover all three legs, and every station on this route is central enough to reach your hotel by taxi or DiDi in a few minutes.
- Use DiDi rather than street taxis for the last mile, especially in Lijiang and Dali where guesthouses sit at the end of lanes no car can enter.
- Pack for three climates. Kunming is mild, Lijiang is cool and Shangri-La in winter is genuinely cold. Layers beat a single heavy coat.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fly between the cities in Yunnan?
No. Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La are all connected by train, and the longest leg is about two hours. Internal flights exist but the trains are cheaper, more punctual and drop you closer to the centre.
How many days do I need in Yunnan?
Eight to twelve days for the four-city route. Ten is the sweet spot: two Kunming, two or three Dali, three Lijiang, two Shangri-La. Five days is enough for Kunming, Dali and Lijiang only, and it will feel rushed.
Will I get altitude sickness in Shangri-La?
Some people feel it and most do not, but at around 3,300 m it is a real possibility. Ascending gradually by train is the best mitigation. Take the first day slowly, drink more water than usual, skip alcohol, and treat a headache or poor sleep as a signal to rest rather than to push on.
What is the best time of year to visit Yunnan?
Late March to May and mid-October to November give the clearest skies and the mildest temperatures across the whole route. Winter is cold, dry and sunny; summer is the rainy season. Avoid the Lunar New Year and the first week of October if you can.
Can I book these trains as a foreigner?
Yes. Register on 12306 with your passport, add yourself as a passenger, and pay through Alipay or WeChat Pay. Your passport is your ticket at the gate; there is nothing to print or collect.
Is Dali or Lijiang the better stop?
They do different jobs. Dali is a lake town with a relaxed pace and villages to explore; Lijiang is a dense historic town with a bigger mountain on its doorstep. If you must cut one, cut Dali to a single night rather than skipping Lijiang's mountain day.
Is Lijiang Old Town free to enter?
There is no ticket gate on the lanes, but a ¥50 Old Town Maintenance Fee was introduced in August 2025 and is valid for a year, checked at certain sites rather than at the entrances. Details are in the Lijiang Old Town guide.
Do I need a visa for this trip?
Depends on your passport and route. China runs several visa-free schemes, including unilateral visa-free entry for many nationalities and 240-hour transit. Check the 2026 entry rules before booking flights.
Related reading
Train durations, elevations and the Lijiang maintenance fee follow the published sources above and are current as of September 2026. Schedules, ticket release windows and opening arrangements are set by the railway and by local authorities and do change, confirm the specific journey in the 12306 app and the specific attraction on its official channel before you rely on it.