Yunnan Province
What follows is a brief introduction to Yunnan Province. As featured in 
Trekking information relating to the Tiger Leaping Gorge can be found by clicking here!
Kunming
Kunming
The capital of Yunnan Province is often referred to as 'the Spring City,' because of its average temperature of 15°C. As a result flowers are in bloom all year long.
Because of the climate, Kunming is a popular destination throughout the year and has many places of interest to visit:
Dianchi Lake covers a huge 300 square kilometres and is the largest lake in Yunnan Province. Situated in the heart of the Yunnan-Guizhuo Plateau, it is often called 'the Pearl on the Plateau.' Visitors are able to take cruises around the lake, enabling them to take in the beautiful landscapes, such as Western Hill Forest Park, Avalokitesvara Hill and Zheng He Park.
Dianchi Lake
The Yunnan Ethnic Village can be found near Dianchi Lake. It comprises of a number of villages built to showcase the customs and lifestyles of the ethnic groups from Yunnan Province.
The Yunnan Ethnic Village
The Golden Temple Scenic Area is located on Mingfeng Mountain, to the north of Kunming City .The temple was originally built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is famed for its main hall, which is made completely of bronze. The World Horticulture Exposition was held in 1999 in the Golden Temple Gardens and the exhibition halls still remain. One of the main plants on show is camellia, for which Mingfeng Mountain is famous.
The Golden Temple scenic area
Stone Forest Scenic Zone is Kunming's feature attraction. There are waterfalls, lakes and over 100 stone forests, of which the Greater and Lesser Forests are the most spectacular.
Stone Forest Scenic Zone
The Alu Caves are situated over 150 kilometres from Kunming, but attract a great many visitors. The caves are 300 metres deep and within them can be found, stone pillars, underground rivers, stalagmites and amazing stone flowers.
Dali
Located in the heart of Yunnan Province, Dali was first built during the early Ming Dynasty. Its ancient south and west watchtowers are still intact and are one of the city's main attractions.
Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain are situated besides each other and provide very picturesque scenery. Cangshan Mountain forms part of the Yunling Range and is one of 19 peaks. Erhai Lake covers an area of over 250 square kilometres and its 3 islets are one of its best features.
Erhai Lake
Mt. Cangshan
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple were built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and form a part of the Chongsheng Monastery. The biggest of the three is the Qianxun Pagoda, standing 16 stories.
The Three Pagodas of Congsheng Temple
Dali is a city famous for its butterflies. Butterfly Spring can be found 25 kilometres from the city and during the 4th lunar month is the venue for the 'Butterfly Gathering' festival. At this time of the year, thousands of butterflies gather and flutter around the spring.
Butterfly Spring
Lijang
Over 200 kilometres from Dali, Lijiang City is a unique city, famous for its ancient history, scenery and ethnic customs of the local Naxi people.
The Ancient Town of Lijiang was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1997. It is well preserved, has a history stretching back over 800 years and is still inhabited by many Naxi families.
Lijiang Old Town
Yulong Snow Mountain is often referred to as the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a popular resort for skiing, all year round.
Yu Long Snow Mountains
Black Dragon Pond is in the heart of Yuquan Park. The park was originally constructed during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The pond lies at the foot of a mountain and is shaped like a crescent moon.
Black Dragon Pond
Tiger Leaping Gorge is located at the point at which the Qinghai-Tibet and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau's come together. The Gorge consists of the upper, middle and lower sections and runs for over 17 kilometres.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
The Baisha Frescoes can be found in the ancient town of Baisha, approximately 10 kilometres from the city of Lijiang. The frescoes date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and are housed in Glazed Hall, Grand Baoji Palace and Dading Pavilion.
Fresco Baisha Village
Xishuangbanna
Located in the southwest of Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna is often referred to as the Kingdom of Plants and Animals, because of its many tropical rainforests, in which can be found thousands of varieties of plants and hundreds of rare animals. Such animals include the Asian elephant and bison.
There are many ethnic groups in the region, all living in close proximity to the Lancang River. Tourists have the opportunity to experience their customs and witness their festive activities, in the Ethnic Customs Park.
Other scenic spots include; the Lusenlin Forest Park, the Manfeilong Pagoda, the Menglun Botanic Garden, the Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park and the Wild Elephant Valley.
Zhongdian
Located in the heart of the Hengduan Mountain Range, Zhongdian is both a huge county and the town that is its capital. It is one of three counties, which make up part of Diqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures. The prefecture stretches across both Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces, as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region. The scenery in and around Zhongdian is breathtaking, with many fine tourist attractions:
Songzanlin Monastery is also known as Guihua Monastery and is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province. It was constructed on a site chosen by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1679 and during its prosperity was home to more than 3,000 monks.
Songzanlin Monastery
Bitahai Lake covers an area of 166 hectares and is famed for its beautiful landscape. It is surrounded by wooded mountains, which are full of azaleas and is an ideal habitat for rare animals, such as the silver pheasant, wild bull, leopard and lynx. Its name comes from the Tibetan language and means 'a piece of land as soft as cattle hair felt ' and is considered a holy place by the local people.
Bitahai Lake
