1-day Erhai Hiking Tour

Butterfly Spring derived its present name from a romantic legend. A beauty and an honest but poor boy (they were in deep love of each other) jumped together into the spring to escape the persecution of a rich man, and the next day, a couple of butterflies was flying around the spring.

 

Butterfly Spring seems like a miracle. On the arrival of the lunar April, thousands of butterflies assemble around the spring on time to have a fixed butterfly meeting. Colorful butterflies of various sizes and shapes are flying in the skies over the spring, which seems only can be seen in the movie. Some naughty butterflies fly hand in hand to make a string of butterflies and then hang themselves up on the trees. The clear spring bleeding out from the stone crevices will assemble to form peaceful pools. The pools assembling the fresh and sweet spring are as large as 6,500 m², which are the outstanding sceneries in the park.

In addition to the butterflies and the springs, the flourishing trees act as the indispensable decorations. Towering old pines, green palms, gorgeous bamboos and other kinds of trees cover the entire park. In the early summer, graceful butterflies fly over the blooming flowers, making people hard to tell apart the flowers from the butterflies.

This spectacular sight has given rise to a local festival ---"Butterfly Meet" on April 15th. On that day, the young Bai dress up and come to the Butterfly Spring to attend it. The young men play instruments and sing for the girls they loved. The romantic spectacle of the butterflies as they feed and mate in such abundance has become a symbol of true love in the heart of the Bai people.

Notes:
Butterflies are not flying around the spring all the year round, but only a few days, so the best time to make a tour in Butterfly Spring is the 15th in lunar April

Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:00

Ticket Price: 45 CNY

Location: North side of the Zhou Town, Dali City

Transportation: Shuttle bus from the ancient town in Dali can bring you here (40 minutes / 4 CNY).

The Three Pagodas, which have experienced for 1,800 years’ history, were once parts of an old temple. In the years of 1925, almost the entire temple was ruined in a destructive earthquake, while these three pagodas stood there surprisingly intact. They are the symbols of the history of Dali City and historical witnesses of the development of Buddhism in the area. As its name implies, Three Pagodas are made of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle. They are one of the most significant and majestic wonders in Dali and look magnificent.

 

Standing by the peaceful Erhai Lake, Three Pagodas look more mysterious in the reflections on the lake. Locate at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, the white pagodas look more outstanding and gorgeous. The 70-meter-tall main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, is one of the tallest pagodas of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Inside the Qianxun Pagoda, there was a wood ladder for climbing to the top, which now is broken. Three Pagodas, Zhaozhou Bridge of Hebei Province and Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an are three curiosities of Chinese ancient architecture.

In the Qianxun Pagoda, there are many sculptures of Buddha made of silver, wood or crystal, Buddhist classics, and more than 600 various medicinal ingredients. These cultural relics play an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City. When the night falls, the pagodas are lighted up, shinning the whole sky. Reflections on the lake make the night more gorgeous.

Opening Hours: 8:00 -- 19:00

Ticket Price: 121 CNY

Location: 13 kilometers away from Xiaguan City, Dali

Transportation:
From Xiaguan city, tour bus will bring you here (3 CNY)
From the Ancient Town in Dali you can come here on foot (30 minutes)

Facing the Erhai Lake in the east and close to the Heihui River in the west, the Cangshan Mountain embraces many marvelous landscapes, among which the sceneries of clouds, springs, snow and marble are the top four charming.

 

Standing at the peak of the mountain, you can enjoy the beautiful varied clouds over the Cangshan Mountain, which will be as thin as a veil and then as dark as ink. The most magical and beautiful clouds are called Yudai Cloud that looks like a fairy dancing with a ribbon made of jade and the Wangfu Cloud that looks like a lady waiting for her husband with great eagerness.

Springs bleeding out from the rocks form many gorgeous landscapes. Apart from the eighteen streams, there are still many lakes over the altitude of over 3,800 meters, along the shores of which valuable medicine materials, trees of rare species and various flowers can be seen.

Amazingly, the 4100-meter-high Cangshan Mountain is covered with snow all the year. When the sun rises, it is very dazzling and splendid, especially in March. On the moonlight night, the snow reflects off the mountain, which will form a picture of a crystal world.

The last thing worth us to pay special attention to is a smooth marble named Cangshan Stone. Cangshan Mountain is a famous manufacture center of such a stone. The Caihua Stone distinguish itself by its unique patterns. Natural scenes of mountains, flowers, birds or people appear once it is polished.

Come to experience the roaring stream rushing down from the peak along the valley of the Cangshan Mountain, come to experience the special customs of the Bai Minority and come to experience the scenic spot group around the Cangshan Mountain and come for the discovery of more distinctive sceneries.

Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 18:00

Ticket Price: 90 CNY

Location: Cable car and horse can bring you here.
 

Jizu Mountain is a member of the five mountains famous for the Buddhism in China and the others are Emei Mt., Wutai Mt., Jiuhua Mt. and Putuo Mt. With 13 splendid peaks, 34 steep cliffs, 40 hills of various sceneries, 45 mysterious caves, more than 100 marvelous spring pools, Jizu Mountain is a good place for adventure for extraordinary sights.

 

Standing at the peak of the 3240-meter-high Jizu Mountain, you will be amazed by the wonderful landscapes. At the east, the fantastic sunrise is waiting for you. At the south, the various caprice clouds will make you busy to tell what they are like. At the north, the snow mountain covered with white shinning coat is a feast of eyes. At the west, you can have a bird’s eye view of the peaceful and beautiful Erhai Lake.

In the mid of the Ming Dynasty, Jizu Mountain enjoyed the same fame as Ermei Mountain, Wutai Mountain, Jiuhua Mountain, and Putuo Mountain, with old trees touching the sky, smoke raising upwards, lots of old temples around the mountain, masters of monk coming out generations after generations, and visitors and scholars coming and going frequently. This mountain has been prosperous over thousand years, known as "A Mountain with Spirit, Capital of Buddhism".

Jizu Mountain has a long history and a bright culture. It is said that Kasyapa once performed Buddhist rites there. The existing structures on the mountain include the Zhusheng, Jingding, and Fota temples, the Kasyapa Hall, Huashou Gate and the Huideng and Muni convents. Jizu Mountain features a magnificent landscape and various animals and plants. It is a nature reserve in Yunnan Province.

Note:
March and April are the months when traditional festivals are celebrated, which is the best time for experiencing the pure local customs and culture.

Opening Hours: 8:30 -- 17:30

Ticket Price: 60 CNY

Location: Binchuan County, Dali City

Transportation: Shuttle bus from the county center will bring you to the foot of the mountain. To the peak, you can take the cable car or ride the horse.

 

Owing to the erosion of the wind and the water, marvelous and interesting landscapes can be seen in the flourishing forests in Shibao Mountain. Huge stones are shaped by the wind and water into a ball, a bell or other kinds of bizarre appearances. Mysterious grottoes with precious cultural relics will be a special experience. Ancient temple with hundreds years of history has more amazing scenes for discovery.

 

Shibao Mountain is 25 kilometers southwest of the Jianchuan County. The most attractive sceneries in the mountain are the grottoes of Nanzhao and Dali states. There are 16 grottoes housing 139 unique stone statues, including religious figures, the royal family of Nanzhao State and the Persians, which are the most valuable art in the culture of the Bai Minority. The danxia landform that spreads all over the mountain adds an excellent touch to the scenery.

In the Shibao Mountain, the annual traditional folk song festival has been being held in March for centuries, which is the most solemn festival of the Bai Minority that reflects the pure and plain customs.

Opening Hours: 7:00 -- 20:00

Ticket Price: 50 CNY

Location: Jianchuan County, Dali City

Transportation: Shuttle bus will bring you here (15 CNY).
 

The Iron Pillar is actually a pillar made of iron in the Tiezhu Temple in Midu County. With a tallness of 3.3 meters, a circumference of 1 meter and weight of 2 tons, the iron pillar, has witnessed 1100 years of changes, is the oldest and famous historic relic in Midu County. The Iron Pillar is said to be cast by using the confiscated weapons at the order of Zhuge Liang, the most brilliant military consular in Three Kingdoms period (220-280).

The Iron Pillar Temple, decorated with the exquisite carvings and gorgeous paintings, is full of the antique style. The special designs of the entire temple architecture together with the towering ancient banyans, the graceful plum trees, the blooming azalea, the fragrant Osmanthus, the adorable bamboos and the pathways paved with ancient bluestones forms a peaceful and pleasant environment, making the ancient temple more holy and mysterious.

On 15th of lunar January, the Yi Minority will get together in the temple to hold the annual solemn Pillar-worship ceremony here.

Opening Hours: 9:00 -- 20:00

Ticket Price: 10 CNY

Location: Midu County, Dali City

Also called the Shuchang Sea, Tianchi Lake extends one square kilometer at an elevation of 2,552 meters in Wubao Mountain, 20-odd kilometers west of the Yunlong county seat. The water here is crystal-clear and surrounded by green hills. In the lakeside forests, nearly 100 species of animals and plants can be found. The lake area is a second-resort of Yunnan Province.

 

There is a vast open space on the shore of the Tianchi Lake surrounded by flourishing forest, which is a great place for camping and having campfire party. Into the virgin forests, you can find the trace the trails of the rarely seen animals and have a closer touch with the charmingly beautiful plants of various shapes and colors. Deep inside the peaceful lake, precious fishes of various kinds are having fun. On the island, groups of wild ducks are enjoying the peaceful life.

The sceneries around the Tianchi Lake will vary from season to season, any of which has the same charm that can make you reluctant to leave.

Opening Hours: the whole day

Ticket Price: free

Transportation: Bus from Xiaguan and Baoshan County can bring you here.
 

Weishan County is an ancient with centuries of history where rare historic relics and wonderful landscapes can be seen. There are 16 Stone Age sites with more than 2,000 cultural relics and sites of other periods may be discovered in this area, which proofs that here has been a significant place along the Chinese history.

 

The county of Weishan lies on the northern part of the subtropical zone and covers an area of about 2200 square Kilometers. Weishan County is a mountain area. In the northeast part of the county, there is a big mountain pass, named Longqingguan, around which lies a stretch of primeval forest. In ancient times, the famous Silk Road from China to the west went through the pass. It is also the necessary passage for migratory birds. In autumn, thousands of migratory birds fly over it, which makes a magnificent scene. Since the ancient times, a stone tablet has been set up beside the pass. On its several big Chinese characters were engraved, which means “he grand pass for migratory birds.” It is said that this is the earliest record made by the ancients, watching the flyway of the migratory birds.

This religious ancient town full of pure customs is an ideal resort for your tour for the sightseeing, rehabilitation holidays or archaeology.

Opening Hours: the whole day

Ticket Price: 30 CNY

Location: Weishan County, Dali City

Transportation: Bus from Xiaguan Long-distance Bus Station will bring you here (1.5 hours).