Yunnan Self-driving Tour Strategy Free Travel Route Recommendation

The season of warm spring and blooming flowers is very suitable for going out to play. Spring breeze is not as good as you, spring scenery is not as good as travel, so where are some places in Yunnan that are suitable for spring self-driving tours? Here are some self-driving routes recommended by the editor.

Short-line self-driving

Route: Kunming – Yuanjiang

Itinerary: About 201 kilometers one way, 2 days 1 night/3 days 2 nights is better

The world’s highest bridge

Yuanjiang County is located in the south of Yuxi City. Starting from Kunming, take the Kunmo Expressway south, and you can reach it in 3 hours. It passes through the world’s highest bridge on the way, which is a shocking check-in point that you can’t miss when you drive.

Standing on the bridge overlooking the deep valley, the turbid river water meanders, like a dragon shuttling between the mountains, dividing the mountains into two, the mountain valleys are opposite, and the momentum of “a bridge flying over the north and south” forms a natural and beautiful scenery with the towering mountains.

Delicious food

Yuanjiang County is known as the “Sun City” and is one of the hottest areas in the country. Abundant sunshine makes Yuanjiang a natural tropical orchard with fruits all year round.

Every spring, when most fruits in other places are not yet on the market, Yuanjiang has already filled the garden with fresh fruits and fragrant fruits. Star fruit, jujube, sweet mango that can be listed in March…

Never seen before, as long as you like the taste of fruit, Yuanjiang can satisfy you. You can eat until you are full for only ten yuan. It’s a “big orchard in central Yunnan”!

In addition to the drool-worthy long street banquets of the Hani people and Dai-style barbecue, Yuanjiang has become a favorite of foodies and a paradise for foodies.

Nano Terraces

Don’t think that Yunnan only has Yuanyang Rice Terraces. On the south bank of Yuanjiang, there is a piece of hot land known for its terraced cloud sea and Hani culture in Yunnan – Nano.

Nearly 10,000 acres of terraced fields extend from the foot of the towering Ailao Mountain to the top of the mountain, layer upon layer, with ridges and ditches intertwined, and they are arranged in an orderly manner, connecting the terraced fields into a step-by-step “heavenly ladder” that is breathtaking.

This is the best time to view the Nano Rice Terraces, with clear contours and bright colors. In the morning, the clouds and mist are shrouded, like a fairyland.

Mid-line self-driving

Route: Kunming – Ning’er – Lancang – Xishuangbanna

Itinerary: About 580 kilometers one way, 5 days 4 nights / 6 days 5 nights or more is better

Ning’er

Ning’er, formerly known as Pu’er, is the hometown of Pu’er tea and the location of the ancient Pu’er Prefecture. It is located in the south of Yunnan Province, in the middle of Pu’er City, and is an important transportation hub on the Kunman International Corridor, a key location in southern Yunnan.

Especially in spring, the place is full of greenery. It has become a popular and trendy tourist project to visit Ning’er to watch the cloud sea, see the sunrise, and appreciate the cherry blossoms.

The morning Ning’er is surrounded by surrounding mountains and mist. The cloud sea of Pu’er Mountain rolls like waves in the sky. The golden sunlight shines on the cloud sea, and the clouds collide with each other, crowded and bustling.

Lancang County

This year, the Simao-Lancang Expressway opened to traffic in January, shortening the travel time from Simao to Lancang from the original 3.5 hours to 1.5 hours. Just for Jingmai Mountain, a “natural museum of tea trees”, it is worth taking a detour.

Here live five minority ethnic groups who planted tea trees earliest in the world, as well as the 10,000-acre ancient tea garden left by the ancient Bulang King for his people. Various villages are scattered, and tea trees are densely populated.

In early spring, the 10,000-acre tea garden has just sprouted new buds, enjoying the nourishment of sunshine and rain, waiting for the tea pickers to gently pick them off and extract the first batch of new tea in spring.

In Jingmai Mountain, besides watching the 10,000-acre ancient tea garden, you can also visit the ancient village of thousands of years, view the tea mountain cloud sea, and watch the brilliant starry sky at night. The simplicity and enthusiasm of the mountain people are also the most beautiful scenery.

Xishuangbanna

As one of the popular tourist destinations in Yunnan, everyone must be familiar with how to play in Xishuangbanna!

Visit the Chinese Academy of Sciences Tropical Botanical Garden to see flowers that change color, dancing grass that trembles with music, arrow poison wood that kills with a single drop of blood, and various other exotic flowers and plants;

Go to the Wangtianshu Scenic Area, walk on the hundreds-meter-high skywalk, and fully appreciate the exotic beauty of the tropical rainforest;

Encounter Asian elephants in the Wild Elephant Valley and Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park, watch hundreds of peacocks spread their wings and fly over the lake.

Of course, for foodies, the most favorite is the Xingguang Night Market. The food stalls are always crowded with people, whether it is fruit desserts or seafood barbecue, none of them can be missed.

Here you can also take a boat tour of the river, enjoy the gentle spring breeze of Xishuangbanna, and appreciate the twinkling lights on the shore. It’s so beautiful!

Long-line self-driving

Route: Kunming – Dali – Lijiang – Diqing

Itinerary: 1100 kilometers, 8 days 7 nights

Follow Dali and Lijiang all the way to the northwest, to Diqing. The confluence of the three rivers has nurtured the “River Culture” here for thousands of years. The Jinsha River, Lancang River, and Nujiang River run side by side in the towering mountains and valleys.

On this road, you can see everything, from high mountains and snow peaks, canyons and rapids, forests and snowfields, glacial lakes, snow-capped mountain flower fields, and ethnic customs.

Erhai Lake in Dali

This magical land of Dali will never disappoint you, no matter when you visit. Dali in spring is especially stunning. The snow on the top of the mountain has not melted, but the flowers are blooming in full bloom below. The sunlight in the ancient city is dazzling, and the warm wind blows on the Erhai Lake.

When you go to Dali, you must go to Erhai Lake to check in. “Cangshan Mountain has no ink for thousands of years of painting, Erhai Lake has no strings for thousands of years of qin”, no matter how many times you have been here, it will always be the white moonlight in my heart.

Driving along the banks of Erhai Lake, the hustle and bustle of the world seems to have disappeared. In the drizzle, the scenery before you is constantly changing shades of light blue and deep green.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is slowly waking up under the warm spring breeze. At the foot of the snow mountain, springs, green trees, and flowers dance with the notes of spring. Winter is gone and spring has come. Here you will meet the most beautiful Blue Moon Valley.

Shangri-La

“Shangri-La, the most beautiful pure land in the world. It is clear and bright in the mountains and valleys, and dazzling and beautiful in the ancient and secret realm.”

Here are the “Little Potala Palace” Songzanlin Temple, the “Moonlight City” Dukezong Ancient City, the primitive forest Pudacuo Park, the world’s largest prayer wheel…

Wildflowers bloom in the meadows in spring, and blue skies, grasslands, flower seas, lakes, and herds of cattle make up the most special scenery of Pudacuo Park.

There is also the Meili Snow Mountain, known as the “God of the Snow Mountain”, with snow peaks pointing straight to the blue sky, deep blue water cutting through the canyons, and dense primeval forests around it. The flocks of sheep on the green grass outside the forest are like white clouds dotted around.

Spring is warm and flowers are blooming. The weather is getting warmer. Why don’t you go out for a walk?