Yunnan

Yunnan sits on China’s southwestern frontier, and its landscapes range from the 6,000-metre Meili Snow Mountains in the north to tropical rainforest in the south. The capital Kunming is mild all year; Dali with Erhai Lake and the Cangshan range, and Lijiang with its UNESCO-listed old town and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, form the classic route.

North lie Shangri-La, Lugu Lake and the Meili range; south, the Dai villages and rainforest of Xishuangbanna; southeast, the Honghe Hani rice terraces; and west, the volcanoes and hot springs of Tengchong. Home to more than twenty ethnic groups, Yunnan trips often mix scenery with village visits and suit 6–12 days.