Seven Days Exploring Central to Southern Yunnan

A tailor-made seven-day, six-night in-depth tour of lesser-known Yunnan for a family of three, avoiding the crowds at popular spots like Lijiang and Dali. Carefully selected destinations are scenic, culturally authentic, and rarely visited by tourists. The entire trip is purely for leisure with no shopping stops, paced gently, ideal for families with children, and the total budget is controlled within 8,000 RMB, making it affordable for most. 🌿 Highlights: Tranquil landscapes · Authentic culture Route: Kunming → Mile (Dongfengyun) → Jianshui → Shiping → Baoxiu Town → Fuxian Lake → Return to Kunming This route connects hidden gems from central to southern Yunnan, blending art, ancient architecture, countryside, and lakes. It offers both visual impact and a sense of everyday life, truly experiencing the "slow Yunnan." 📅 Daily Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Kunming, easy adaptation ✈️ After arrival, check into an economical hotel near Nanping Street or Green Lake (about 260 RMB/night). In the afternoon, stroll around [Green Lake] or visit the [Yunnan Provincial Museum] (free, reservation required) to learn about ethnic minorities. Dinner: try small pot rice noodles or tofu rice noodles, about 30 RMB per person. ⚠️ Avoid traps: Do not trust "low-price one-day tours" at the airport or station; beware of being taken to jade shops. Day 2: Kunming → Mile, explore the red brick art town 🚌 Take a bus or carpool to Mile (about 2 hours, 60 RMB per person). 🏡 Stay in Mile city or at Dongfengyun guesthouse (about 280 RMB/night). In the afternoon, visit [Dongfengyun Art Town]: A surreal red brick architectural complex shaped like wheat ears, great for photos, very intriguing for kids. The town is quiet with few people, featuring creative markets and parent-child handicraft experiences (pottery about 50 RMB per person). 🍇 Optionally visit a vineyard to taste sweet Mile grapes (seasonal, best from August to October). Day 3: Mile → Jianshui, travel through the ancient Lin’an city 🚌 Morning transfer to Jianshui (about 2 hours, carpool 80 RMB per person). 🏡 Stay in an old courtyard guesthouse inside Jianshui Ancient Town (recommend rooms off the main street for quiet and cheaper, about 280 RMB/night). In the afternoon, explore [Jianshui Ancient Town]: Climb [Chaoyang Tower] to watch the sunset, visit [Zhu Family Garden] to admire exquisite wood carvings (ticket 35 RMB). Kids can experience ancient private school calligraphy and dress in Hanfu for photos. 🍜 Must-eat: Jianshui grilled tofu (roasted on-site), grass sprout rice noodles, steam pot chicken, about 40 RMB per person. Day 4: Tuanshan Village + Shuanglong Bridge, a timeless ancient village 🚌 Morning private car to [Tuanshan Village] (15 minutes from town, ticket 30 RMB): Centuries-old southern Yunnan residences with blue bricks and gray tiles, quiet alleys, simple villagers, perfect for sketching and slow photography. 🌉 Afternoon stop at [Shuanglong Bridge] (Seventeen-Arch Bridge, free): An ancient bridge spanning the Lu River, stunning at sunset with almost no tourists. Dinner at a local restaurant outside the ancient town to avoid high prices in tourist areas. Day 5: Jianshui → Shiping, visit the famous cultural town 🚌 Morning transfer to Shiping County (about 2 hours, carpool 100 RMB per person). 🏡 Stay in a guesthouse in Shiping Ancient Town (about 260 RMB/night). In the afternoon, visit [Shiping Ancient Town] and [Zhengying Ancient Village]: Zhengying is known as "Yunnan’s First Village," with many ancestral halls and a strong cultural atmosphere, great for children to learn about family traditions. 🍲 Must-try: Shiping tofu (made with natural well water, tender and smooth), dipped fish, about 35 RMB per person. 💡 Tip: Free cycling around Yilong Lake in Shiping, very pleasant for an evening stroll. Day 6: Shiping → Baoxiu Town → Fuxian Lake, picturesque countryside 🚌 Morning to [Baoxiu Town] (30 minutes from Shiping), visit [Yuan Jiagu Former Residence] and enjoy the rural scenery. Rice paddies stretch widely, egrets fly, like an ink painting, perfect for family hiking. In the afternoon, head to the west shore of [Fuxian Lake] (about 2 hours by car, carpool 120 RMB per person). 🏡 Stay at a lakeside guesthouse outside the scenic area (avoid the expensive Luchong area, choose near Jianshan or Baiyi Villas, about 280 RMB/night). Evening lakeside walk to watch fishermen haul nets and listen to the gentle waves. Day 7: Light cycling around Fuxian Lake + return 🚴 Rent a three-person electric bike in the morning (80 RMB/day), visit [Gushan Island Boardwalk] and [Sakura Valley]. Lunch: copper pot fish and potato rice, about 40 RMB per person. In the afternoon, return to Kunming (about 1.5 hours, bus 45 RMB per person), end the trip according to flight schedule. Optionally stop by [Dounan Flower Market] to buy fresh flowers as souvenirs (10 RMB per bouquet of roses, 30 RMB per bucket of carnations). 💰 Overall Budget (for a family of three) Item Estimated Cost ------------ -------------- Round-trip airfare 2500-4000 RMB Local transportation About 1000 RMB Accommodation (6 nights) 1700 RMB Meals 1400 RMB Tickets + experiences 600 RMB Total About 7200 RMB 🌼 Reasons to Recommend Fewer crowds, beautiful scenery: Dongfengyun, Tuanshan, Zhengying, Baoxiu, and other places have few tourists, peaceful and free. Authentic culture: From Hani branch Yi to Han Chinese overseas hometowns, diverse cultures naturally present. Family-friendly: Many hands-on experiences, slow pace, educational, kids won’t be tired and will gain knowledge. ✅ Warm Tips: Big temperature difference between morning and evening in the mountains, bring a light jacket; don’t forget sun protection and mosquito repellent. Use Alipay/WeChat for all expenses to avoid cash disputes. This route takes you into a Yunnan untouched by noise—full of art, ancient charm, and everyday life, perfect for a family to quietly feel the beauty of the land and warmth of its culture.