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Songtsam_Exploring-the-Three-Parallel-Rivers_8N9D

8 NIGHTS

Lijiang Tacheng Cizhong Meili Shangri-la

The Three Parallel Rivers area of Yunnan encompasses a majestic land hemmed in by the mighty Yangtze,
the free-flowing Mekong, and the wild Salween.
Many of the twenty-five different ethnic minorities currently living in Yunnan can be found in this area,
which features snow-capped peaks more than approx. 3.73 miles (6000m) high, glaciated gorges, and terraced rice fields.

ITINERAY

1

Songtsam Lodge Lijiang

  • Pick up from Lijiang Sanyi International Airport(1 hour drive).

If you arrive early, you can head to the Dongba Academy. There, you can follow a teacher to learn Dongba characters, experience the woodblock printing of the Dongba Twelve Zodiacs, and enjoy a Naxi-style afternoon tea. This way, you can not only enjoy the fun of learning an unfamiliar writing system but also gain insight into how the local ancestors understood the world and life. Isn’t that wonderful?

  • Have welcome dinner at Songtsam Lodge Lijiang.
Lijiang

2

Songtsam Lodge Tacheng

  • After breakfast, visit Dayan Ancient Town(20 mins drive).Then stroll along the route described by Russian writer Peter Goullart in Forgotten Kingdom, and uncover the former glory of this vital Tea Horse Road town and the resilience of its people over centuries. The walk ends at Zhongyi Market, where you'll immerse yourself in the daily life of the Naxi people, explore local ingredients, and experience the vibrant charm of the ancient town.
  • Have lunch at Songtsam Lodge Lijiang.
  • Drive to Tiger Leaping Gorge(5 hours drive) for a day hike.Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River, a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River. It is one of the top 10 famous hiking trails in the world. In particular, we choose the most beautiful and less difficult route from Chama Guesthouse to Zhongtu Inn.

The route can be extended according to your physical strength and preference.

  • Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Lijiang.
Tacheng

3

Songtsam Lodge Tacheng

  • Afterbreakfast, depart for Tacheng (4 hours drive) passing the First Bend of the Yangtze River and visit Shi Gu Village on the way. 
  • Once check-in, have lunch at Songtsam Lodge Tacheng.
  • Relax and take in sights of the beautiful rice and flower fields and the surrounding ancient village.
  • Visit Hada Village (15 mins walk )in the afternoon to learn how to make soy milk and tofu with a local family in their courtyard.
  • Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Tacheng.
Tacheng

4

Songtsam Lodge Cizhong

  • After breakfast, visit Yunnan Golden Monkey National Park(30 mins drive) and hike for a while to search for the monkeys in the nature reserve.
  • Have lunch at Songtsam Lodge Tacheng.
  • In the afternoon, depart for Cizhong (4 hours drive).
  • Arrive at Songtsam Lodge Cizhong  and relax.
  • Have wine dinner at Songtsam Lodge Cizhong. Combined with the integrated local culture of Cizhong, the restaurant of Songtsam Lodge Cizhong has carefully designed a 5-course dinner featuring fusion dishes—Western cuisine blended with local Yunnan ingredients. While dining, you can also taste 5 glasses of wine from Shangri-La, each reflecting different terroirs of the region. Starting with sparkling wine to awaken your taste buds, followed by red wine paired with the main course and ice wine with dessert, this experience allows you to fully savor the beauty of food and wine pairing.
Cizhong

5

Songtsam Lodge Meili

  • After breakfast, visit the Songtsam Rizui Vineyard (40 mins drive). In 1898, French missionaries arrived in Cizhong. While building the church, they also brought grape cultivation and traditional winemaking techniques to the area. Today, the northwestern Yunnan region remains one of China’ s most important wine-producing areas. Accompanied by Songtsam’ s travel guide, you will tour the vineyard of Songtsam Winery, learning how Songtsam uses the unique "biodynamic farming method" of Shangri-La to care for this land, as well as how nature, the local economy and people’ s lives are interdependent.
  • Have lunch at Songtsam Lodge Cizhong.
  • Wine is a medium of sharing and expression, carrying within it the sunlight and soil, the cycle of seasons, and the stories among people. As Songtsam’s exclusive winery, what we aim to present is not only the unique terroir of the Shangri-La region but also our original aspiration to reveal the hidden mountain sanctuary, bringing clarity to what once seemed beyond reach. At the Cizhong Wine Experience Center, savoring a glass of Songtsam’s mystery wine blend will lead you to a deeper understanding of the charm of terroir.Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Cizhong.
  • Visit the century-old Cizhong Catholic Church (15 mins walk). The significance of Cizhong Village lies in its location on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. It is a village where different religions and ethnic groups coexist harmoniously. Here, there are not only monasteries and stupas of Tibetan Buddhism, but also a Catholic church—and to this day, more than half of the villagers practice Catholicism.
Mass can be attended at 20:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and at 9:00 in the morning on Sundays.
Meili

6

Songtsam Lodge Meili

  • After breakfast, depart for Meili, check-in Songtsam Lodge Meili (1.5 hours drive),and take a short break to acclimatize to the altitude gradually.
  • Have lunch at Songtsam Lodge Meili.
  • Accompanied by the Songtsam guide, you will hike up the back mountain(light hiking). This area is the water source for Deqin County. The mountain is mostly covered with primeval forests, boasting rich vegetation. Its unique soil types and favorable climatic conditions have nurtured abundant wild edible fungus resources. In Yunnan in July, as long as there is rain, wild fungi such as matsutake, termite mushroom, boletus, and golden chanterelle will break through the soil. Various wild fungi you can’ t name grow freely in the forest on the back mountain of Songtsam Lodge  They are rich in multiple vitamins and high-quality protein, with a unique flavor. Some also have health-beneficial pharmacological effects.
  • Explore the surrounding village and visit a local family tolearn how to print Tibetan prayer flags (3-5 mins walk).
  • Have dinner at Songtsam Lodge Meili.
Meili

7

Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La

  • Get up early and expect the Snow Mountain of Sunshine. Early in the morning, if you are woken up by the telephone ringing, it is to tell you that "Snow Mountain of Sunshine" has appeared! Then the curtains are lifted and the Sunshine rises above the top of Mt. Kawagebo (weather permit).
  • After breakfast, visit Feilaisi Temple(30 mins drive), join a Sang offering, which faces Meili Snow, and you can hang the Tibetan prayer flags you made the day before here to pray for blessings. 
  • After that, depart for Benzilan(2 hours drive), stop off  Dongzhulin Monastery and the Moon Bay of the Jinsha River. Dongzhulin Monastery sits overlooking the beautiful Jinsha River. It is not that well known but has become popular with the local Tibetans. The Moon Bay of the Jinsha River is a bend 15 km north of Benzilan and the mountains on their way southward block the Jinsha River and as a result, a hairpin turn has been formed creating a natural wonder.
  • Have picnic lunch in the forest.

Picnic lunch available from April to November, during December to March, have lunch at the Songtsam Lodge Benzilan.

  • After noon,hike into Niding Forest (30 mins drive), which is a beautiful primeval forest filled with towering Yunnan and Huashan pine trees and an abundance of peonies, azaleas and irises. The hike starts in the small tranquil village of Niding and takes a circular route mainly downhill with low difficulty.
  • Depart for Shangri-La (2hours drive), visit Napa Lake, which is both an ideal field for herdsmen and a paradise for many species of birds.
  • Have dinner at Songtsam Linka Shangri-La.
Shangri-la

8

Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La

  • After breakfast,visit Songzanlin Monastery (10-15 mins walk), the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province and sometimes referred to as the “Little Potala Palace”.
  • Have lunch at  Songtsam Linka Shangri-La.
  • After noon, you can choose which activity to participate in based on your personal preferences:

Option 1: On the grassland in front of  Linka Shangri-La, experienced instructors will start with teaching you how to saddle a horse and lead a horse, guiding you step by step to become a graceful equestrian. After the horse-riding lesson, an archery experience will be held—draw the bow, nock the arrow, and enjoy the carefree time on the grassland.

Option 2: Have a city walk through Dukezong Ancient Town, with a history of over 1,300 years , this ancient town boasts the best-preserved and largest Tibetan residential complex in China.  For the caravans traveling along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, Dukezong was a vital hub—the first major stop after entering Tibet. Enjoy a cup of afternoon tea while listening to a Songtsam guide share stories about the old and new faces of the town and daily life in the region.

  • Have dinner at Songtsam Linka Shangri-La.
Shangri-la

9

Songtsam Linka Retreat Shangri-La

  • After breakfast, transfer to Diqing Shangri-La Airport(25 mins drive).
If your flight is scheduled for a later time, you may visit the Songtsam Museum. You will be given an explanation of the cultural knowledge contained in the museum's collections.
Shangri-la

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