Serica Journeys Day journeys in China
Yunnan · 丽江

Lijiang

A Naxi town at 2,400 metres, under a snow mountain.

Typical day
6–10 hours
Party size
1–6 guests
Guiding
English
Pick-up
Lijiang old town and Shuhe hotels

Lijiang's old town is a UNESCO-listed Naxi settlement laid out around a spring-fed water system, with no city wall and a street plan that follows the water rather than a grid. It is also extremely popular domestically, which means the hour you visit matters as much as anywhere in China.

Above it, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain rises past 5,500 metres. The altitude is real and we plan around it rather than pretending otherwise.

Journeys

2 private day journeys in Lijiang.

Prices are quoted per party once we know your dates and numbers. Every itinerary below can be adjusted — they are how we run the day by default, not a fixed menu.

7 hours Private departureEnglish guide

The Old Town, Baisha Murals and Naxi Culture

Old town at dawn · Black Dragon Pool · Baisha village · Murals

Itinerary
07:30
Meet in the old town. Water system, Mu Palace, Sifang Street while it is empty.
09:30
Black Dragon Pool.
11:00
Baisha village and the murals.
12:30
Naxi lunch.
14:00
Shuhe old town, or free time.
15:00
Finish.
Highlights
  • The old town before the day crowds — the only hour it reads as a town
  • Black Dragon Pool, and the mountain reflected in it if the weather cooperates
  • Baisha, the original Naxi settlement, quieter than Lijiang proper
  • Ming-era murals mixing Buddhist, Daoist and Dongba imagery in one wall
Included
  • Private vehicle and driver
  • English-speaking guide
  • Site entries
  • Lunch
  • Bottled water
Not included
  • Old town maintenance fee, if levied on your dates
  • Gratuities

Know before you go. Lijiang sits at about 2,400 metres. Take the first day gently and drink more water than feels necessary.

9 hours Private departureEnglish guide

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Glacier Park cable car · Blue Moon Valley · Yak Meadow alternative

Itinerary
07:30
Pick-up. North about forty minutes.
08:30
Scenic area entry and shuttle to the cable car.
09:30
Glacier Park cable car and the boardwalk, at your own pace.
12:00
Descend. Lunch.
13:30
Blue Moon Valley and the White Water River.
15:30
Return to Lijiang.
16:30
Back at your hotel.
Highlights
  • Cable car to the glacier boardwalk above 4,500 metres
  • Blue Moon Valley's terraced pools below the north face
  • Oxygen and a down jacket included, not sold to you at the base
  • A lower-altitude alternative if the day or your body says so
Included
  • Private vehicle and driver
  • English-speaking guide
  • Scenic area entry and shuttles
  • Glacier Park cable car
  • Down jacket and portable oxygen
  • Lunch
  • Bottled water
Not included
  • Outdoor performance tickets
  • Gratuities

Know before you go. Glacier Park cable car tickets are capped daily and sell out. It also reaches altitudes that do not suit everyone — the Yak Meadow and Spruce Meadow routes are lower and we will switch without argument or penalty.

Other cities
Beijing
Shanghai
Xi'an
Chengdu
Hangzhou
Guilin & Yangshuo