6 Days Kunming Hiking to Yiliang & Shilin

► Route: 6 Days of Kunming → Chaishitan Reservoir → Yiliang → Xiaoshao Village → Shilin Town → Long Lake → Kunming

Day 1 Kunming to Chaishitan Reservoir

On your first day, you are recommended to visit the Chaishitan Reservoir, which is 84 km (52 mi) from Kunming. At the lower reach of the Nanpanjiang River, it features beautiful scenery and fun activities. Upon arrival, have lunch first, enjoy a leisurely afternoon hiking or fishing, and then stay overnight in the scenic area.

► How to get there: Chaishitan Reservoir is 2 hours’ drive from Kunming. From 7:00 to 20:50, there is bus every 10 minutes running from Kunming East Coach Station to Yiliang, costing CNY 17 per person. From Yiliang, you can take a minibus to Chaishitan Reservoir at a cost of about CNY 10.
► Top Things to Do: hiking, rafting, yachting, fishing, barbeque, camping…
► Opening Hours:
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 4 hours
► Ticket Price: Free to enter; CNY 200 for fishing for one day.

Day 2 Yiliang County

Scenic Yiliang County

On the morning of the second day, visit Chaishitan Dam, the highest dam in Yunnan Province. You may ride a speed boat to explore the reservoir area. Finish your sightseeing in Chaishitan, go back to Yiliang County and have lunch. In the afternoon, it is recommended to visit the Wanjia’ao Ecological Park. Covering an area of 130 acres, this park is the base for floriculture in Kunming.

► How to get there: Take bus Yiliang Line 3, Line 66 or Line 67 from Yiliang Bus Station to the park, in 30 minutes and costing CNY 1. A taxi takes 10 minutes and costs CNY 10.
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 1 to 3 hours
► Ticket Price: Free

Stay overnight in Yiliang County.

Day 3 Xiaoshao Village & Sun Valley Hiking

Xiaoshao Village

Take a minibus to Xiaoshao Village, about 30 km (18.6 mi) north of Yiliang County. Upon arrival, go to Xiaoshao Village Visitor's Center. It is a nice experience to taste the mushrooms there.

After a short break, hike to Sun Valley, where a stream stretches over 10 km (6.2 mi). Walking along the path at the bottom of the valley, you will not only experience an exciting adventure, but also enjoy the beauty of nature. You may choose to find an open area to camp or you may stay overnight in Xiaoshao Village.

► Hiking Time: 4 to 5 hours
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Ticket Price: Free

Day 4 Dadieshui Waterfall

In the morning of the fourth day, hike about 2 hours to Dadieshui Waterfall and Shiban River. The waterfall is the largest in Yunnan, with a drop of 90 meters (295 feet).

► Opening Hours: 8:00 – 18:00
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 hours
► Ticket Price: CNY 18

After visiting the waterfall, go to visit the Dieshui Hydropower Station 2 km (1.2 mi) away. Finally, take a minibus to Shilin Town, at a cost of CNY 5 – 8 per person. Stay overnight in the town.

Day 5 Shilin Town to Azhuodi Village

Azhuodi Village

You can visit the world famous Stone Forest from Shilin Town. Or if you like a more off-the-beaten-track experience, the Azhuodi Village is recommended, which is famous for the embroidery of the Sani people of the Yi nationality.

You can admire the exquisite handicraft or buy some embroidery souvenirs, which reflect the folk customs and local people’s good wishes for life. In the afternoon, you could stroll around the forests of apple and persimmon trees. Climbing the little hummocks will also be fun.

► How to get there: Take a minibus from Shilin Town to Azhuodi Village, with a fare of CNY 5-10 per person.
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: 4 hours
► Ticket Price: Free

Stay overnight in a local hostel. Be prepared for the limited local facilities.

Day 6 Long Lake; Return to Kunming

On the last day, you are recommended to visit the Long Lake Scenic Area. Bring your own food and have a picnic there.

► How to get there: Take bus line 65 from Shilin East Bus Station to Weize, which takes 30 minutes and costs CNY 5. Then, you can walk to the lake in 30 minutes or hire a local car to get there.
► Top Attractions: Dushi Mountain, Dajian Mountain, Erjian Mountain, Sanjian Mountain, Mopan Mountain, Penglai Island, Round Lake…
► Things to Do: Camping, boating, fishing, mountain climbing, archery, picnic, picking fruits, watching folk dance performances…
► Opening Hours: All day long
► Recommended Time for a Visit: half day
► Ticket Price: CNY 10

Go back to Shilin Town and transfer back to Kunming City in the afternoon.

More Kunming Hiking Tours:

Kunming Mountain and Village Tour: 13 days Kunming hiking adventure to mountains and villages
Kunming Side Trip: 3 Days of Kunming - Mt. Jiaozi - Kedu - Kunming
Kunming Natural Spots Tour: 3 Days of Kunming - Lujiang - Luoping - Kunming

Recommended Cheap Kunming Package Tour:

Yunan Highlights Tour: 8 days of Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-la