Dali & Lijiang Travel Guide: Jade Dragon Tickets, Erhai and Old Towns

Give Dali about three days and Lijiang two to three days, and travel between them by train. Most people come from Kunming: the fastest train to Dali takes just under two hours from Kunming Station, and Dali to Lijiang takes about one and a half to two and a half hours on the C trains. Dali is the lake-and-mountain stop, with Erhai Lake, the Cangshan range and Bai villages. Lijiang is the Naxi old town with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain behind it. The one thing to book before anything else is the Glacier Park cable car on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: tickets go on sale seven days ahead in an official WeChat mini program, they are real-name, and one ID can buy only once in 90 days. Book your trains and rooms first, then buy the cable car ticket the moment sales open seven days before your mountain day.

How many days, and how Dali and Lijiang differ

Three days in Dali and two or three in Lijiang is the comfortable split. In Dali, one day goes to the old town and the Three Pagodas, one to Erhai Lake, and one to the Cangshan mountains. In Lijiang, one day goes to the old town and Shuhe, and one full day goes to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. A third Lijiang day gives you a spare in case the mountain is clouded in or the cable car is stopped for weather. If you only have four days in total, do two and two, and cut Cangshan.

The two places feel different, so it helps to know what each is for:

• Dali (大理, Dàlǐ) is about the landscape and the Bai people (白族, Báizú), the main local ethnic group. The old town sits between the Cangshan mountains and Erhai Lake (洱海, Ěrhǎi, "ear-shaped lake"). Days here are slow: cycling along the lake, walking between villages, sitting in courtyard cafés.
• Lijiang (丽江, Lìjiāng) is about the Naxi people (纳西族, Nàxīzú), their old town of canals and stone bridges, and the snow mountain. The old town is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing that also covers the Baisha and Shuhe villages. It is busier and more commercial than Dali, and the mountain day is the main event.

How to read the map

"Dali" covers a whole area, not one town. Dali Old Town (大理古城, Dàlǐ Gǔchéng) sits on the west side of Erhai Lake, at the foot of the Cangshan range. Xiaguan (下关, Xiàguān) is the modern city at the south end of the lake; Dali Railway Station is in Xiaguan, not in the old town. City buses run from the station to the old town (more on that below). Shuanglang, the best-known lakeside village, is on the northeast shore, across the water from the old town. Xizhou, the other village most people visit, is on the west shore, north of the old town.

In Lijiang, the old town (also called Dayan, 大研古城) is in the middle of the modern city. Black Dragon Pool park is at its northern edge, Shuhe is a short taxi ride to the northwest, and Baisha is further north on the road toward the mountain; all three are covered by the old town maintenance fee. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is north of the city: the drive to the Ganhaizi area at its foot can take about 80 minutes when summer traffic is heavy. Lijiang Sanyi Airport is about 28 km from the city.

Altitude and weather

Lijiang is high. The district seat next to the old town stands at about 2,400 metres, and health officials say altitude sickness mainly starts above about 2,500 metres. Most people feel fine in town, but the top of the Glacier Park cable car on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is at 4,506 metres, and that is where people get headaches and shortness of breath. This is one reason to visit Dali first: you spend a few days a little lower before going up to Lijiang and then onto the mountain.

Both towns are mild by day and cool at night. In January, Dali averages a high of about 16°C and a low of about 3°C, and Lijiang a high of about 14°C and a low of about 0°C. In July, Dali averages a high of about 25°C and a low of about 17°C, and Lijiang a high of about 23°C and a low of about 15°C. Summer is the rainy season in this part of Yunnan, so expect afternoon showers and more cloud over the peaks. The dry season, roughly November to April, usually gives the clearest mountain views. In winter the days are often sunny and dry, but bring a warm layer for the evenings, because many guesthouses have little or no central heating.

Getting there, and getting between Dali and Lijiang

The train is the easiest way in for most visitors. Kunming is the usual starting point: fly into Kunming, then take a train west to Dali, then north to Lijiang. Both Dali and Lijiang also have airports with domestic flights, which make sense if you are coming from far away and do not want to change in Kunming.

Kunming to Dali

Kunming has two big stations, and which one you leave from matters. Kunming South (昆明南, Kūnmíng Nán) is the main high-speed station for trains from Shanghai and Guangzhou; Kunming Station (昆明站) in the city centre sends most of the trains toward Lijiang and Shangri-La. For Dali, both work. On a sample weekday there were about 56 trains a day from Kunming to Dali; the fastest from Kunming Station took 1 hour 55 minutes, and the fastest from Kunming South took 2 hours 18 minutes, because many trains start at Kunming South and stop at Kunming Station on the way. The first train leaves at about 6:00 and the last regular one at around 21:24; check 12306 for the times on your date.

A second-class seat costs roughly 110 to 145 yuan depending on the train: on the sample date, the D8652 from Kunming Station (the fastest, 1 hour 55 minutes) was 109 yuan and the G2840 was 145 yuan. All of these trains arrive at Dali Railway Station in Xiaguan.

Dali to Lijiang

This is the leg to book early. On the sample date there were only 9 trains from Dali to Lijiang: seven C trains and two slower Y tourist trains, leaving between 7:00 and 18:18. The fastest C train took 1 hour 36 minutes, and most C trains took between 1 hour 36 minutes and 2 and a half hours. A second-class seat was 80 yuan. With so few trains, the good morning departures can sell out in holidays and summer, so buy your ticket as soon as you know your date.

Kunming to Lijiang direct, and going on to Shangri-La

If you want to skip Dali on the way up or go straight back to Kunming at the end, there were 10 direct trains from Kunming to Lijiang on the sample date. Almost all leave from Kunming Station, not Kunming South; the fastest takes 3 hours 29 minutes, but most take about 4 hours. Second class on the fastest train, the C86, was 190 yuan. For the return trip there were 12 trains from Lijiang to Kunming, the fastest taking 3 hours 23 minutes.

From Lijiang you can continue north to Shangri-La by train: there were 10 trains on a sample day, the fastest taking 1 hour 10 minutes. The full Kunming–Dali–Lijiang–Shangri-La route, with all the train times in one table, is in our Yunnan circuit route guide.

Booking train tickets

All of these trains are on 12306, China Railway's official booking system. Tickets are real-name: you buy with the passenger's ID and show the same ID at the station, and a foreign passport is one of the accepted documents on the 12306 website and app. Train counts and fares above come from one sample date; trains may be added on weekends and in holidays, so check 12306 for your own date. Our train booking guide walks through registering with a passport.

From the station to the old town

Dali: Dali Station is in Xiaguan, and the old town is a bus or taxi ride north. Bus 4 and the tourist express bus both run from the station to the old town's south gate, Renmin Road and the Three Pagodas, and bus 8 runs from the station to the old town's east gate. Pay the fare on board by phone or with cash; check the amount as you board. A taxi or DiDi is quicker if you have heavy bags; if your guesthouse is inside the old town, ask the driver to stop at the nearest gate and expect to walk the last part.

Lijiang: Lijiang Station is outside the old town, and the old town is closed to traffic. The easiest way in is a taxi or DiDi to the nearest gate or car park, then walk. Lijiang's metered taxis start at 8 yuan for the first 2 km by day, then 2.6 yuan per km. Between 23:00 and 7:00 the start fare is 9 yuan and 3 yuan per km. City buses also run from the station; check the route number at the stop outside the exit, as it is not published in English. Our DiDi guide covers setting up the app in English.

Airports: From Lijiang Sanyi Airport, about 28 km from the city, there are taxis and an airport shuttle bus into town. Dali's airport is outside Xiaguan, well away from the old town; take a taxi or DiDi, or ask your hotel whether it offers a pickup and confirm the price before you land.

Dali Old Town and the Three Pagodas

Dali Old Town is a walled grid of stone streets with tiled roofs, gates on each side and the Cangshan mountains rising directly behind it. The walls and gates have been rebuilt, but the street layout is old, and it is a pleasant place to wander for a morning. Dali Old Town has no entry gate fee for wandering its streets; individual sights charge their own tickets, so check on arrival.

Three places help you get your bearings:

• Renmin Road (人民路, Rénmín Lù) runs downhill from the mountain side toward the lake. It has cafés, small shops, tie-dye workshops (indigo tie-dye is a Bai craft) and, in the evening, street musicians and stalls.
• Foreigner Street (洋人街, Yángrén Jiē) got its name from the backpacker cafés of earlier decades. Today it is mostly ordinary shops and restaurants, but it is a useful landmark.
• Wuhua Tower (五华楼, Wǔhuá Lóu) is the large gate tower in the middle of the old town, on the main north–south street between the south and north gates. Walk the old town's main street from the south gate through Wuhua Tower and you have seen its spine.

The old town is quietest in the morning. In the evening Renmin Road and the streets near Foreigner Street fill up, which some people enjoy and others avoid by eating in the side lanes.

The Three Pagodas

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple (崇圣寺三塔, Chóngshèngsì Sān Tǎ) are Dali's best-known sight: three white pagodas on the lower slope of the Cangshan mountains, just north of the old town. The pagodas were in the first group of sites placed under national protection in China, and the scenic area is a national 5A site, the top tourist rating. Behind the pagodas, the temple complex climbs the hill and includes a large bell and a bronze Guanyin statue; much of it is a modern reconstruction, so the pagodas are the main reason to come.

The Dali prefecture government lists the opening hours as 7:30 to 18:30; that listing dates from 2023, so check the scenic area's notices before you go. Tickets are sold at the entrance and on the scenic area's official booking channel; check the current price there, as prices and promotions have changed in recent years. Bus 4 and the tourist express bus both stop at the Three Pagodas, or it is a long walk or short taxi from the old town's north gate. Go in the morning, when the light is on the front of the pagodas and the reflection pond behind them is calmer.

Xizhou

Xizhou (喜洲, Xǐzhōu) is a Bai town on the west side of the lake, north of the old town. It has some of the best-kept old Bai courtyard houses in the area, with carved gateways and painted walls, and rice fields running down to the lake. It is also where to try Xizhou baba (喜洲粑粑), a round flatbread cooked over charcoal, sweet or savoury. Xizhou fits naturally into a day around the lake (next section), or you can go on its own by taxi or DiDi from the old town. Some courtyard houses are open as small museums with their own tickets; prices are posted at the door.

Getting around Erhai Lake

Erhai is a long freshwater lake with the Cangshan mountains on its west side and lower hills on its east. Going around it, or part of it, is the main Dali day out. You do not need to circle the whole lake; most people pick one shore. The west shore, from the old town north to Xizhou, has the mountains behind the fields and the villages. The east shore, around Shuanglang, has the view back across the water to the mountains.

The lakeside rules that affect you

Erhai is protected by its own regional law, and in August 2025 the Dali city government restated what is not allowed on the lakeside ecological corridor, the path that runs along the shore. Picnicking, barbecues, camping and fishing are banned on the corridor, unlicensed bike and e-bike rental is banned, and motor vehicles and e-bikes may not enter the corridor at will. The notice focused on the 46 km stretch of the western shore from Yangnanxi to Taoyuan in Xizhou.

In practice this means the corridor is for walking and cycling; ride an e-bike on the road, not on the corridor path; and rent your bike or e-bike from a proper shop, not from someone standing on the path. Rules on specific sections can change and signs on site are what count, so check the signs at each entrance and follow them. Access to some shoreline spots changes as protection work goes on, so do not plan a day around one photo spot you saw online.

Bike, e-bike or a car with a driver

This is the main choice in Dali, and it comes down to your fitness, your budget and how much you want to stop.

• Bicycle: best for the west shore between the old town and Xizhou, where the corridor path runs flat beside the water and the fields. You go slowly, stop when you like, and it costs little. It is not realistic for the whole lake in one day unless you are a strong cyclist.
• E-bike: the most popular option. It covers more distance, so you can do the west shore and reach Xizhou with energy left, but you must stay on the road where e-bikes are not allowed on the corridor. Ask the rental shop to show you how to check the battery level and how far it will go, and ask what happens if it runs out on the far side of the lake.
• Car with a driver (包车, bāochē): the best choice if you want to see both shores in one day, travel with children or older relatives, or the weather is uncertain. The driver waits while you walk around each stop. Your guesthouse can usually arrange one; agree the route, stops and price in writing (a WeChat message is fine) before you set off.

A good one-day plan: go by car to Shuanglang on the east shore in the morning, cross to Xizhou on the west shore for lunch, then ride or walk part of the west-shore corridor in the afternoon light. If you would rather have the transport, timing and English-speaking guide arranged for you, Erhai day tours with set pickup points are listed on Klook; read what is included and where the pickup is before you book.

Shuanglang, Haishe Park and the boats

Shuanglang (双廊, Shuānglàng) on the northeast shore was a fishing village with small islands on either side. Today it is mostly guesthouses, cafés and shops along the water, and it gets very busy in the middle of the day. Go early or stay the night if you want it quiet.

Haishe Park (海舌公园, Hǎishé Gōngyuán), the "sea tongue", is a narrow strip of land that sticks out into the lake on the west shore near Xizhou. It is a pleasant short walk with water on both sides and the mountains behind, and it fits easily into a Xizhou visit.

Boats: tourist boats run on the lake from piers on both shores, and some combine a cruise with a stop at a small island. Routes and prices change by season and the operators do not publish them in English, so check at the pier or ask your guesthouse what is running. A boat is a good alternative on a day when you do not want to cycle.

Cangshan and its cable cars

The Cangshan (苍山, Cāngshān) range rises right behind the old town. It is a UNESCO Global Geopark of about 500 square kilometres, with 19 peaks and 18 streams between them, and its highest peak, Malong, is 4,122 metres. From the mid-slopes you look down on the old town, the fields and the whole length of Erhai Lake.

The Jade Belt Road

The main walking path on the mountain is the Jade Belt Road (玉带云游路, Yùdài Yúnyóu Lù), a trail about 2 metres wide and about 11 km long that runs along the slope. It starts at the Gantong cable car in the south and ends at Taoxi in the north, and it links all three cable cars, so you can ride up one and walk along the mountain past streams and pools such as Qingbi Stream, Seven Dragon Maidens Pool and Zhonghe Temple. The path is mostly level, which makes it an easy half-day walk once you are up.

Which cable car to choose

• Zhonghe cable car (中和索道) starts closest to the old town, behind its west side. It goes up to the middle of the Jade Belt Road at Zhonghe Temple. Choose it if you want an easy half day: ride up, walk part of the path, ride down.
• Gantong cable car (感通索道) is at the southern end, near Gantong Temple, and reaches the start of the Jade Belt Road. Choose it if you want to walk the path north toward Qingbi Stream and Seven Dragon Maidens Pool.
• Ximatan cable car (洗马潭索道) is the big one. It runs from the Tianlong Babu film studio at the bottom, through a middle station at Seven Dragon Maidens Pool, to Ximatan near the ridge: 5,555 metres long, climbing 1,648 metres in closed 8-person cabins. The top station is at 3,966 metres, which is high enough to feel the altitude, and much colder than the old town. Choose it for the high alpine views, and bring a warm jacket even in summer.

Each cable car sells its own ticket, and a Cangshan entry fee may be added on top or included. Prices differ between the three and between high and low season, and the operators change opening hours by season, so check the current price and hours at the cable car or in its official booking channel before you go. Cable cars on Cangshan can stop running in strong wind, heavy rain or snow, and clouds can hide the view even when they run. Keep Cangshan flexible in your plan, and go on the clearest morning you get.

Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe and Baisha

Lijiang Old Town is a maze of stone lanes, Naxi-style wooden houses and small canals fed by spring water, crossed by many little stone bridges. It is beautiful and very crowded: the middle gets packed with tour groups by late morning, and by evening the bar streets are loud. The way to enjoy it is to walk early, before 9:00, or late, after the groups leave, and to wander away from the centre into the quieter residential lanes.

The old town maintenance fee

Lijiang charges a maintenance fee (古城维护费, gǔchéng wéihù fèi) for the protected old town areas. New rules came into force on 1 August 2025: the fee is 50 yuan per person, valid for 365 days, with unlimited entries during that time. One payment covers the Dayan old town including Black Dragon Pool, the Baisha village buildings and the Shuhe village buildings. Children under 12 or under 1.2 m tall and people aged 60 and over are among those exempt, along with residents of Lijiang. The rules do not say how foreign visitors prove their age, so if you are 60 or over, carry your passport and show it when asked.

Older guides describe different amounts and say the fee is checked only at certain sights. Under the current rules it is one fee, valid for a year, for all three areas, set out in the Lijiang city government's fee rules. How you pay and where it is checked (at entrances, by QR code, or at sights such as Black Dragon Pool) is explained at the payment points; keep whatever receipt or QR code you are given until you leave Lijiang.

What to see in the old town

• Sifang Square (四方街, Sìfāng Jiē) is the old market square at the centre. It is the busiest spot, best seen early in the morning.
• Mu Mansion (木府, Mù Fǔ) was the home and office of the Mu family, the Naxi rulers of Lijiang for centuries. It is a large walled compound of halls and gardens on the southwest side of the old town, and it sells its own ticket at the gate; check the price and hours there.
• Lion Hill and Wangu Tower (狮子山万古楼, Shīzi Shān Wàngǔ Lóu): the tall wooden tower on the hill above the old town gives the classic view over the sea of grey roofs, with the snow mountain behind on a clear day. Entry is ticketed separately; check the price at the gate.
• Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭, Hēilóng Tán), a park at the north edge of the old town, has the famous view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain reflected in the water behind a marble bridge. It is inside the maintenance fee area. Go in the morning, when there is less wind on the water and the mountain is more often clear.

A note on evenings: the lanes around the bar street in the old town play loud music until late. If you want quiet nights, do not book a room on or next to those lanes (see "Where to stay").

Shuhe and Baisha

Shuhe (束河, Shùhé) is a smaller old village northwest of Lijiang, with the same canals and wooden houses but fewer people. It was a stop on the old Tea Horse Road (茶马古道, Chámǎ Gǔdào), the caravan route that carried tea and goods between Yunnan and Tibet. It is a good place for a slow afternoon, and many people stay there and visit Lijiang Old Town by day. It is covered by the same maintenance fee.

Baisha (白沙, Báishā) is a quiet village further north, on the way to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, known for old murals and a slower, more rural feel. It is also covered by the maintenance fee. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain new visitor centre, where you can buy mountain tickets in person and board the sightseeing train, is in the Baisha area too, so Baisha fits well on the afternoon of your mountain day or the day before.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: tickets, cable car booking and timing

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山, Yùlóng Xuěshān) is a line of 13 snow peaks north of Lijiang, the highest reaching 5,596 metres. You do not climb it; you ride a cable car high onto its side. The scenic area includes the Glacier Park, Blue Moon Valley and Spruce Meadow. It is the most complicated booking of your trip, because the entry ticket is sold in one WeChat mini program and the cable cars and the show in another, each with its own rules. Here is how it works.

What you have to pay, and what is optional

Every visitor needs two things: the scenic area entry ticket at 100 yuan and the scenic area eco-bus ticket at 20 yuan, 120 yuan in total, and both must be bought in advance. Everything else is optional: the cable cars, the show, the sightseeing train and the electric carts.

The optional items:

• Glacier Park cable car (冰川公园索道): 120 yuan, on top of the entry and eco-bus tickets. It climbs from 3,356 metres to a terrace at 4,506 metres, rising 1,150 metres over 2,968 metres of cable. This is the one most people come for: at the top, a boardwalk climbs toward the glacier and the peaks. Many older guides and apps list this cable car at 140 yuan; that figure usually adds the 20-yuan eco-bus to the 120-yuan cable car ticket.
• Spruce Meadow cable car (云杉坪索道): 40 yuan. It is a short ride, 958 metres long, to an alpine meadow at 3,261 metres ringed by spruce forest, with the peaks above. It is lower and gentler than the Glacier Park, but still high altitude.
• Yak Meadow cable car (牦牛坪索道): closed. It stopped carrying visitors on 4 March 2026 for rebuilding, and the new cable car is expected to open in 2028, with the date to be announced by the operator. Ignore any tour or blog that still offers it as an option.
• Impression Lijiang (印象·丽江): an outdoor show with a large cast of local performers on a stage at Ganhaizi, at 3,100 metres, running since July 2006. Standard tickets are 280 yuan and VIP tickets 346 yuan. Show times are not published in English; check them in the booking mini program when you buy.
• Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷, Lányuè Gǔ): a chain of turquoise pools in a valley below the peaks. The electric carts there cost 10 yuan for one section or 40 yuan for the full route.
• Spruce Meadow electric cart: 15 yuan one way or 20 yuan return.
• Snow Mountain sightseeing train (雪山观光火车): 50 yuan one way or 80 yuan return, boarding at the new visitor centre in Baisha.

How to book: two mini programs

Booking happens inside WeChat, in two separate mini programs (小程序, xiǎochéngxù, small apps that run inside WeChat). Both are in Chinese only. If WeChat is new to you, set it up before your trip with our WeChat setup guide.

1. Entry ticket and eco-bus: in the mini program "玉龙雪山服务" (Yulong Xueshan Fuwu, "Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Service"). You can book up to 7 days ahead, and booking is real-name. If you cannot book online, there is a ticket window at the scenic area's new visitor centre in Baisha; the old southwest gate does not sell tickets on the spot, except to older people, children and visitors with disabilities. At peak times, visitors and cars without tickets bought in advance are redirected.
2. Cable cars and Impression Lijiang: in the mini program "丽江旅游集团" (Lijiang Lüyou Jituan, "Lijiang Tourism Group"). Tickets go on sale 7 days ahead and are real-name, with a face scan both when you buy and when you ride. One ID document can buy cable car tickets only once in 90 days. At least half of each day's cable car tickets are kept for independent travellers rather than tour groups.

Two things to know before you start. First, the cable car company says it has not authorised any online platform to sell its cable car tickets directly, so be careful with third-party sites that claim to sell Glacier Park tickets on their own. Tours that include the cable car still need the ticket booked in your name through the official channel, so ask the tour company how they do this. Second, the scenic area has not published whether foreign passports can be used for the real-name and face-scan steps in these mini programs. If the passport option does not appear when you register, call the scenic area's official hotlines at +86 888 513 1068 or +86 888 888 9999 and confirm how foreign visitors can book. The lines are likely to be in Chinese only, so ask a hotel or guesthouse to call for you, and ask them to help with the booking if needed. The rules are published in the scenic area management committee's ticket notice (in Chinese).

On the day: timing and check-in

The scenic area opens at 5:45 and stops admitting visitors at 16:30. These are the hours published for the 2026 summer season; check the scenic area's notices for the hours in your month. In busy periods, entry is by time slot, and parts of the area are managed in zones. Your cable car ticket also has a time printed on it, and the check-in windows are short:

• Glacier Park cable car: check in at the Snow Kitchen restaurant (雪厨餐厅), where you change to the shuttle up to the cable car, between 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the time on your ticket.
• Spruce Meadow cable car: check in at the Xuechuan Visitor Hub (雪川游客港), with a window of about 90 minutes around your ticket time. The hub at Ganhaizi opened in July 2023 and is where the scenic area buses, the train and private cars arrive; buses take you on from there to the sights.
• Both in one day: the Lijiang tourism bureau has advised leaving at least 4 hours between your two cable car times. These check-in rules were published in late 2024; check the instructions on your ticket for the current version.

Getting there takes time. From Lijiang city, the drive to Ganhaizi can take about 80 minutes when summer traffic is heavy, and parking at Ganhaizi is limited. The scenic area asks visitors to come by bus or shared car, or to drive to the new visitor centre in Baisha and switch to the sightseeing train or the scenic area's direct bus. Most independent travellers book a car with a driver for the day through their guesthouse, which also solves the problem of getting back to town. Leave early: with an early cable car slot, you avoid the worst queues and have a better chance of clear skies, as cloud often builds over the peaks later in the day.

Altitude on the mountain

The Glacier Park terrace at 4,506 metres is much higher than anywhere else on this trip. The cable car lifts you from 3,356 metres to the top in minutes, only a few hours after you leave Lijiang at about 2,400 metres. Mild altitude sickness is common at this height. Its signs include a tight chest, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. To lower your risk:

• Spend at least a night or two in Lijiang before the mountain day, and do Dali first if you can.
• At the top, walk slowly, do not try to climb the boardwalk quickly, and turn back if you feel unwell. You do not have to reach the highest point.
• Drink water and dress in layers: the scenic area warns that it is high up and that day and night temperatures differ a lot.
• Use the free help on the mountain. At Ganhaizi and at the upper and lower cable car stations, the scenic area offers free hot drinks, ginger tea and sweets, blood pressure and blood oxygen checks, and health advice. Oxygen cans are sold from vending machines in the main areas for 9.9 to 19.9 yuan.

A severe headache, forceful (projectile) vomiting, losing your balance or not being able to walk in a straight line are danger signs: stop going up and get to medical help as fast as you can. Health officials advise people with serious lung disease such as severe COPD, asthma or interstitial lung disease, congenital heart disease or pulmonary hypertension not to go to high altitude. If that is you, do not go up the mountain unless your doctor has cleared you for high altitude: even the Ganhaizi area and the show venue are at about 3,100 metres. If you are healthy but worried about mild symptoms, the Spruce Meadow cable car, topping out at 3,261 metres, is the lower option than the Glacier Park. Our health and medical care guide explains how hospitals work in China.

Weather, children and closures

In strong wind, heavy rain or other extreme weather, the cable cars may be suspended or slowed at short notice. There are also planned maintenance days, announced in advance, when one cable car does not run. If a suspension happens on your day, go to the service desk straight away and ask to move your ticket to the next day: because one ID can buy cable car tickets only once in 90 days, you may not be able to simply buy a new one. This is why a spare day in Lijiang is worth having. Do not walk into areas that are not open to visitors; the scenic area bans it and takes legal action against people who do.

For children, the 2024 rules from the Lijiang tourism bureau say cable car rides are free under 1.2 metres and half price between 1.2 and 1.4 metres, sorted out at a children's ticket window on the day. The rules mention Chinese family documents and do not say how foreign children are handled, so confirm at the window, and bring your children's passports.

Where to stay

Both towns are full of kèzhàn (客栈), courtyard guesthouses in traditional houses. A good one, with a courtyard and staff who answer messages, is worth more than a chain hotel here, because the owner can help with the bookings that are hard to do as a foreigner: a car with a driver for Erhai or the mountain, a call to the Jade Dragon hotline, or a lift from the station.

In Dali

• Inside the old town: the best base for a first visit. You can walk to restaurants, the buses to the station and the Three Pagodas leave from its gates, and the Zhonghe cable car is close. Pick a lane a block or two away from Renmin Road and Foreigner Street if you want quiet nights.
• On the lake (Shuanglang, Caicun): for lake views and a slower pace. Shuanglang, on the northeast shore, has the most guesthouses with water views, but it is far from the old town and the station, so you depend on taxis. Caicun (才村, Cáicūn), a lakeside village just east of the old town, is a compromise: on the water, but a short ride from the old town.
• Xiaguan: the modern city around Dali Station. Only stay here if you arrive late or leave early by train. A hotel listed as being in "Dali" can be in Xiaguan, so check the map before you book.

In Lijiang

• Inside the old town: for atmosphere and walking out of your door into the lanes early in the morning. Two downsides: cars cannot enter, so you will pull your bag over stone lanes and steps from the nearest gate, and rooms near the bar street are noisy until late. Ask the guesthouse how far it is from the nearest car drop-off and whether someone can meet you there.
• Shuhe: calmer evenings and the same Naxi architecture, a short taxi ride from the old town. Good for a three-night stay where one day is spent on the mountain.
• The new town: modern hotels with lifts, car access and lower prices, outside the old town. A sensible choice if you have heavy luggage, mobility needs or an early start for the mountain.

Once you have picked an area, compare guesthouses and hotels on Booking.com, and read the location notes and the map, not just the name. Hotels register your passport with the police at check-in; a few very small family guesthouses cannot do this for foreign guests, so confirm when you book, and see our hotel booking and registration guide.

How to plan 5 or 6 days

This plan starts with arrival in Dali from Kunming and ends in Lijiang, from where you can go on to Shangri-La or back to Kunming.

• Day 1, Dali: train from Kunming to Dali, bus or taxi to the old town. Afternoon walk along Renmin Road and up to Wuhua Tower; dinner in the side lanes.
• Day 2, Dali: Three Pagodas in the morning, then the Zhonghe or Gantong cable car and part of the Jade Belt Road in the afternoon. If the morning is clear, swap and do Cangshan first.
• Day 3, Erhai: Shuanglang in the morning, Xizhou and Haishe Park at lunch, cycling the west-shore corridor in the afternoon.
• Day 4, to Lijiang: morning train from Dali to Lijiang (book it early). Afternoon in Shuhe or Baisha, evening walk in the old town. Check your Jade Dragon booking: ticket times, check-in points and the mini program confirmations.
• Day 5, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain: early start, Glacier Park or Spruce Meadow cable car, Blue Moon Valley, and Impression Lijiang if you want it. Back to town by late afternoon.
• Day 6, Lijiang: old town at dawn, Black Dragon Pool, Mu Mansion and Wangu Tower. This day also works as your spare mountain day if day 5 is cancelled for weather.

For five days, cut day 6 and book the earliest cable car slot you can get on day 5, so a short weather delay still leaves time in the day. With more time, add Shangri-La after Lijiang. Our Kunming–Dali–Lijiang–Shangri-La circuit lays out the longer route with train times. Book the Dali–Lijiang train on 12306, or in English through Trip.com, as soon as you know your date.

Avoid the first week of October (Golden Week) and Chinese New Year if you can: both towns are packed, and cable car tickets are the hardest to get. If your dates cannot move, read our Golden Week survival guide.

What to eat

Look for rushan (乳扇), a Bai cow's-milk cheese pulled into thin sheets, grilled and spread with rose jam; erkuai (饵块), a pressed rice cake grilled with fillings or stir-fried; sour and spicy fish (酸辣鱼) in Dali; cured rib hotpot (腊排骨火锅) and jidou liangfen (鸡豆凉粉), a local bean jelly served cold in Lijiang. In summer and autumn, wild mushrooms are everywhere. Every year from about May, Yunnan's health authority warns people not to pick, buy or eat wild mushrooms they do not know, and to go straight to the nearest hospital after any dizziness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhoea or hallucinations. Eat them only in busy restaurants that cook them through, and never pick your own. For more, see our food safety guide and how to order food with zero Chinese.

Money, internet and emergencies

Almost everything in both towns, from guesthouses to bus fares, is paid by scanning a QR code with Alipay or WeChat Pay. Alipay accepts foreign Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover cards; check that your card works by adding it before you travel. Our Alipay setup guide walks through it. Carry some cash for village stalls: Chinese yuan cash is legal tender and businesses are not allowed to refuse it.

You will need mobile data for maps, DiDi and the booking mini programs, so set up a SIM or eSIM before you arrive; see our SIM card and eSIM guide. In an emergency, call 110 for the police and 120 for an ambulance. Both are free to call and need no area code; for who speaks English and what to say, see our emergency numbers guide.

FAQ

Last updated: October 2026