Lijiang tea horse road

4 Days of Lijiang - Jianchuan County - Shaxi Town - Shibao Mountain - Maping Pass - Jianchuan County - Dali

On the first day, take a coach at the Lijiang Passenger Station to Jianchuan County which is located 75 kilometers (46.6 miles). The price of a ticket will charge you CNY16 and you need to spend 1.5 hours on the way. Upon arrival, there are minibuses heading for Shaxi Town just at the exit of the bus station. Get on one of them and you need to spend CNY7 for one ticket. After one hour's driving, you will get to the ancient Shaxi Town, which is the only fair on the Tea Horse Road. As a fusion of multiracial cultures, Shaxi remains the pattern of Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644 A.D.) as well as the unique culture feature. It is also well known for a large number of exquisite and vivid wooden carvings of Bai Minority. Here is also a square street, named Sideng Street. Walk at a leisurely pace in the Shaxi Town and enjoy yourself. You can also visit the Jingfeng Park at the exit of the west gate. Arrange your accommodation here.

On your second day, start to travel from the Sideng Street. Walk along the cobbled road to north and you will fetch the Shaping Village after about 20 minutes. Start to climb up the mountain along the stairs of red sandstones. After about 40 minutes, you will reach the Stone Chime Temple, which belongs to the Shibaoshan Mountain Scenic Spot. One entrance ticket of the whole scenic area will charge you only CNY30. As you go along, you will pass by five grottoes, a vauclusian spring and Bai ethnic villages. Continue to walk north and the Lion Gate is just opposite to the Stone Chime Temple. There are also three grottoes here. Besides, it is a wonderful place to have an overall view of the Stone Chime Temple Grottoes. Follow the path to north and go through the Azalea Corridor. Then turn right to walk thought a mountain road which will save you one hour to fetch the Baoxiang Temple. This temple was built near the cliff, so it is also called “the Hanging Temple in Yunnan”. In every autumn, the Shibaoshan Song Festival is celebrated here. At that time, Baoxiang Temple will become a sea of Bai Minority folk songs. If you are energetic and have a high walking speed, you can turn right at mountain path and climb up the Stone Umbrella Hill. Lodge yourself at Baoxiang Temple.

Get up early on the third day. Climb up 99 steps to reach the Jinding Temple to watch the sight of the sunrise. After breakfast, start to ambulate along the way to north and pass by the Bat Cave and Haiyun House. Exit the scenic area from the north gate and take a bus back to the Shaxi Town. After lunch, walk west to the Maping Pass, which sits about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). You had better find a local guide to experience the ancient Tea-Horse Road. It will take you 4-5 hours on the way. Pitch camp at a fine spot.

Walk back to Shaxi Town, take a minibus back to Jianchuan County and a coach to Dali. Your journey ends.