7 Days Dongchuan, Yuanyang & Jianshui Photography Tour

Itinerary Details Day by Day

Day 1 Kunming Arrival

Welcome to Kunming, the Spring City of China! Upon arrival at the Kunming airport/train station, the local tour guide and driver will meet you in the arrival hall and escort you to your hotel. The rest time is free for you relax and explore this beautiful city in southwestern China.

Free Time Idea: stroll in the most picturesque park in Kunming urban area - the Green Lake Park. Here you can share the happiness of local people’s doing tai chi, performing local opera, and other vibrant activities. If you visit the park in November or December, you will see the grandeur of huge flocks of red-beaked gulls that migrate there from Siberia.

Day 2 Kunming - Dongchuan Red Land (B)

Today you will depart from Kunming in the early morning to take a 3-hour, 160-kilometer journey to Dongchuan Red Land Scenic Area. You will arrive there around noon time, then enter the core area of the red land from the south route (Luo Si Wan - Wa Fang Liang Zi - Le Pu Ao) to capture the beautiful scenery along the way, then reach the famous Hua Shi Tou Village (Flower Stone Village 花石头村) and the intersection of Road 107. Check into the pre-booked hotel, find a restaurant for lunch and rest.

Around the middle of afternoon when the afternoon light is better, come out for photography. First, capture the landscape of Hong Tu Di Da Guan (Red Land Grand View 红土大观) which is majestic and grand. The interplay of light and shadow makes it more three-dimensional. Then photograph the Lao Long Shu (Thousand-Year Ancient Dragon Tree 千年老龙树) which is also known as the Sacred Tree, an old fir tree standing alone on the red land, simple and ancient. Later, shoot the myriad scenes of Luo Xia Gou (Sunset Valley 落霞沟) at sunset. It is the most iconic spot! The scenery under the lingering sunlight is the most beautiful, and due to the deep valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, the sun sets relatively early, making the best time for photography around 4:30 p.m.

Since there is still time, return to the 107 intersection and head left to the south route. Focus on capturing the evening glow of Le Pu Ao, Luo Si Wan, and Wa Fang Liang Zi. All three spots are ideal for sunset photography. Along the way, conveniently photograph Le Pu Ao (乐谱奥), the unique landscape of the music-score-like hollow is most charming in the sunset), and Luo Si Wan (Screw Bay 螺蛳湾) to capture the winding road and the large spiral-colored land in the red soil, and finally, Wa Fang Liang Zi (瓦房梁子) to capture the most beautiful evening glow and sunset. The elevated terrain here provides a panoramic view of the scenery around Le Pu Ao.

Evening is to accommodation in the local village of Hua Shi Tou.

Photography Tips:

1). April to May is best to see fields irrigated with water, when blue sky and white clouds are well mirrored in the water; Autumn is the best season to enjoy the sea of golden crops. 2). Sunset is best to shoot during 16:30-17:30 with best light.

Day 3 Dongchuan Red Land - Shilin (B)

Around 6:00 in the morning, go to the northernmost part of the northwest route which is ideal for sunrise photography. From the high slope by the roadside, overlooking Da Ma Kan Village (打马坎村), smoke curls up from the village surrounded by red soil. The poplar trees around the village shimmer in the morning sun, creating a tranquil and charming pastoral scenery.

Continue down the road to capture Qi Cai Po (Seven-color Slope 七彩坡), a hillside that, when viewed from a distance, resembles a rainbow fallen on the earth, hence called the Colorful Slope. Proceed one kilometer down to Jin Xiu Yuan(锦绣园) for more photography. Jinxiu Yuan is a masterpiece of the red land, offering a panoramic view of the colorful terraced fields in the foreground and the distance. The expansive and magnificent scene, with colors like red, yellow, blue, and green, unfolds before your eyes, resembling a colorful world. Both Qi Cai Po and Jinxiu Yuan showcase the same piece of land, but viewing it from different angles provides distinct visual impacts. The area is also spectacular during the flowering season with extensive crops of potatoes and wheat.

Later, reach the intersection of Road 107 and capture the Hua Shi Tour (花石头) attraction which is adorned with dwellings, winding roads, and a row of gracefully shaped trees, creating a beautiful and picturesque scene. If time and weather permit, consider visiting the nearby Hong Tu Di Da Guan (红土地大观) for additional photography, as the lighting may be even better than the previous day.

After the tour, drive about 2.5~3 hours to Shilin County for accommodation, passing through Le Pu Ao and Luo Si Wan attractions on the way back which provides opportunities to stop and capture some memorable moments if you want and time permits.

Photography Tips:

1). Da Ma Kan: 06:00-07:00 is best to shoot sunrise with rural kitchen smoke, morning glow and fog. 2). Jin Xiu Yuan and Qicai Po are cultivated with colorful crops, and April to May is best to shoot red land pictures with beautiful flowers including potato flowers, buckwheat flowers, etc. 3). Le Pu Ao: The short time after sunrise is best to shoot the fluent line of the field ridges with front light, and sunset hour is also great with backlight.

Day 4 Shilin - Stone Forest - Yuanyang (B)

After breakfast, go to visit Stone Forest. As the “Essence of World Karst Landform”, Kunming Stone Forest has been listed as the UNESCO World Natural Heritage with the incomparable coverage of 12 square kilometers’ stone pinnacle groups. Take the sightseeing bus to visit the Greater Stone Forest Scenic Area to admire the typical concentrating cinerous stone pinnacles by walking through the maze of stone peaks and jumping high for the panorama of the forest of protruding stone peaks. Also, you will see the famous peak on many photos and even stones towering over 40 meters. Then, continue to ride the bus to explore the Lesser Stone Forest to closely look at the iconic stone “Ashima” like a young lady, listen to the touching love story of Ashima, and fill your eyes with the emerald garden-like park of wilder stone peaks surrounded by lush green plants and blossoms. Take the sightseeing bus to exit the scenic park.

The following journey is about 293 kilometers’ driving from Shilin County to Yuanyang which takes about 4 hours. On the way, you’ll have the chance to stop for relaxing exploration about some primitive ethnic villages near Yuanyang County.

Upon arriving in Yuanyang, you’ll be transferred to your hotel first and in this afternoon, have a nice shoot in the spectacular Bada Rice Terrace - the best place to shoot sunset and catch the terrace panorama. At dusk, when the sun shines on the 950-hectare rice paddies rising from 800 meters to 2000 meters, then the magnificent scene forms - like the ladders toward heaven led by bright light. Hold your breath when sunset glow shining upon the paddies and you'll see the 3700-level terraces first turns pink, then rosy and later dark red, pink, golden and white…

After the tour, you’ll be escorted to your hotel in Yuanyang. Have a good rest tonight.

Day 5 Yuanyang (B)

Start your day early by heading to Duoyishu Rice Terrace (多依树) to witness a captivating sunrise. Positioned amidst high mountains on three sides and stretching into the valley on the fourth, Duoyishu offers a misty Hani village with mushroom-like houses adorning the rice paddies, resembling sailboats at sea. The first light casts a splendid ray over the mountains, transforming the tranquil blue terraces into a brilliant golden hue as the sun rises.

Next, proceed to Aichun Village (爱春), about 5km away, to marvel at the blue rice terrace. The blue color is not from the water but reflects the expansive sky. From a high observation deck, soak in the picturesque scene of azure skies, white clouds above, and layered blue rice terraces on the ground, with traditional Hani houses peeking through the trees. (Travel tip: Visit Aichun Village between 09:00-10:00 for the optimal time to appreciate the blue rice terrace.)

Enjoy a leisurely cultural trip to Azheke Village (阿者科) in the following hours. This primitive Hani Village, with 51 protective mushroom houses, showcases harmonious living between humanity and nature. Explore the village's numerous old mushroom houses, stone mills, and encounter sheep, buffaloes, and black pigs, with smoke rising from chimneys. Visit a local Hani family to engage in insightful conversations about their daily life and ethnic customs.

Later, capture breathtaking shots at Laohuzui Rice Terrace (老虎嘴), the core area of the Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces. Also known as Tiger Mouth, it stands out as the steepest, grandest, and most magnificent rice terrace in Yuanyang. This location provides the best vantage point for a sunset spectacle. From the top of Laohuzui Rice Terraces, enjoy a panoramic view resembling a blooming white flower. As the sun sets, the terraces transition from a clear and bright blue, mirroring the surroundings, to a radiant golden hue. With the sun's glow, the paddies transform rapidly into shades of pink, rosy, and dark red.

After the sunset, return to your hotel for a well-deserved rest.

Day 6 Yuanyang - Jianshui (B)

In this morning, you will head to Jianshui County, about 2 hours’ driving. After arriving in Jianshui, you’ll pay a visit to Jianshui Ancient Town which is reputed as “Museum of Ancient Buildings and Residential Houses” with a history of about 1200 years. Stroll along the old street and see kinds of old wells to witness how water pays an important role in making the famous Jianshui stinky Tofu. Reach Chaoyang Tower to see this imposing Ming edifice which is modeled on the Yellow Crane Town in Wuhan and Yueyang Tower in Hunan and bears more than a passing resemblance to Tian’anmen in Beijing.

Then you’ll visit Confucius Temple, the third largest Confucius temple in China. The temple has operated as a school for 750 years and was so successful that over half of all Yunnan’s successful candidates in imperial examinations during this period came from Jianshui.

Lastly, have a nice walk to Zhu Family Garden, a spacious 20,000-square-meter residential complex built in Qing Dynasty comprising ancestral buildings, family homes, ponds and lovely gardens.

Day 7 Jianshui - Kunming Departure (B)

With fresh air in the morning, go for Double Dragon Bridge which is a Seventeen-Arch Bridge with 148 meters long and 3 meters wide. It crosses above the injunction of Lu River and Tachong River which looks like two Chinese dragons, hence the name Shuanglong Bridge.

Later, transfer to Tuanshan Village. Built in Ming Dynasty, Tuanshan Village is regarded as the Gem of Chinese Civil Houses and the most beautiful village where the architectural style of the 19th century and beyond remains intact and the distinctive way of people's life is preserved, fully showcasing China's indigenous cultural characteristics. Have a wonderful stroll in this old village and explore the distinctive buildings, unique lifestyle and folkways of Tuanshan Villagers.

After the tour, drive about 2~3 hours to your hotel in Kunming, or to catch your flight/train (after 18:00) to next destination or back home.