Practical Guide to Plan a Yunnan Tibet Tour

According to the Lost Horizon, the best selling 1933 novel written by the British novelist - James Hilton, Yunnan is where the paradise - Shangri-La located. Shangri-La, the “Eden in the dream”, is a place that could not possibly exist on earth. In Tibetan, Shangri-La means the “sun and moon in heart”. It is an ideal home with endless grassland, perennially snow-capped mountains, azure lakes, harmonious society, hospitable people and mysterious culture. As a Chinese saying goes, "The earliest sunrise is seen in Shangri-La; and the most unique place is also there". However, the exact position of Shangri-La described in this book has never been disclosed. We only know that it probably locates in Yunnan or Tibet. Many adventures tried to find it but failed. The longing to visit Shangri-La is so powerful that people begin to wonder if the mythical paradise could be real. Do you want to search for the real Shangri-La? If you want, just take a Yunnan Tibet to find it. To help you make a perfect plan for a Yunnan Tibet tour, this guide is going to outline everything you need to know to plan a trip from Yunnan to Tibet so you can have the most amazing trip ever. Read on for more!

 
Yunnan Tibet Tour

Part 1. Yunnan & Tibet Fact

Located in southwestern China, Yunnan is the most ethnically diverse province in China. It is rich in biodiversity thanks to its advantageous natural conditions of abundant plateau mountains and distinct climates. Apart from splendor landscapes and biodiversity, it is also diverse in its extraordinary mix of peoples. The combination of fantastic scenery and many different ethnic groups has made Yunnan a charming destination for both international and domestic tourists.

Tibet, as the neighboring autonomous region of Yunnan, also offers tourists superlative sights to see and amazing things to do. In Tibet, you can encounter fabulous monasteries, breathtaking lakes, and rivers, stunning views of the world’s highest mountains and one of the most likable cultures.

Part 2. How to Get to Lhasa from Yunnan 

There are two ways for travelers to get to Lhasa from Yunnan: by train or flight. Here is some detailed information about the two ways to get to Lhasa, you can choose one of them according to your needs.

Way 1: How to Get to Lhasa by Train

Taking a train to Lhasa is a unique experience for many tourists who prefer to enjoy a train tour. But unfortunately, there is no direct train between Yunnan and Tibet. Though Tibet train does not run from Yunnan to Tibet, tourists can take flight from Kunming to Xining and then take Lhasa-Xining train to Tibet. At present, there is only one direct flight from Kunming Changshui Airport(KMG) to Xining Airport(XNN) every day. The flight route distance between Changshui and Xining is about 1690km and the duration is around 2 hours and 35 minutes.

After arriving at Xining, you can transfer a train to Lhasa. Currently, 5 pairs of trains are available daily with the tour time of around 21 - 21.5 hours. The distance between Xining and Lhasa is about 1,956 km (1,215 mi) and the top speed is about 120-160km/h (75 - 99 mph). The ticket price is CNY 521 for a hard sleeper and CNY 808 for a soft sleeper.

Note: This timetable is only for reference. If you want to know the accurate time, please navigate to this guide.

Way 2: How to Get to Lhasa by Flight (from Kunming & Shangri-La)

Taking a flight is the most convenient and quickest way to Lhasa from Xining. Currently, 5 direct flights from Kunming to Lhasa are available every day. With only 3-4 hour’s flight, tourists can arrive at Lhasa. You can search for flight information on flight booking websites or just inquire about the flight or other information.

Notes: The timetable is just for reference since the flights to Lhasa are greatly affected by climate and seasonal change. Before buying flight tickets, please make sure you have got the Tibet Travel Permit, without which you are not allowed to board the flight. If you don’t know how to apply for a TTB, you can contact us to help you.

Part 3. How to Plan a Yunnan Tibet Tour Reasonably

You can start your trip from Kunming and spend one day to visit some of its famous tourist sites like National Geography Park, Stone Forest, and Dongchuan Red Land. Then you can take a flight to Lijiang to stay 1-2 days to visit the well-preserved Lijiang Ancient Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and Lugu Lake, etc. Next, travel to Shangri-La from Lijiang for 3-5 days to see “the Lost Paradise” on earth. There are a lot of tourist spots in Shangri-La like Pudacuo National Park, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, and Tiger leaping gorge. After finishing your Yunnan tour, you can take a 2-hour flight from Shangri-La to Lhasa.

Part 4. Best Time for Yunnan Tibet Tour

Yunnan is a beautiful place can be visited all year round. But different parts of Yunnan display different scenery to its visitors. To make sure to see its best, we recommend you to visit Northwestern Yunnan from May to October, when various beautiful flowers are in blossom on the plateau. And the best time for visiting Southwestern Yunnan is from October to next April when the weather is comfortable. And Tibet also can be visited all year round, but the ideal time is from May to October when summer sunshine melts the snow and roads and high passes are free to traverse.