Begin your 5-hour private tour with a pickup from your central Kunming hotel, and settle inside your private, climate-controlled vehicle with your guide.
Then, soak in the views of the city streets and surroundings on route to your first stop: the Dragon Gate in the Western Hills, overlooking Dianchi Lake, also known as the ‘Pearl of the Plateau.’
Take in the ornate Dragon Temple cut into the sheer rock face above the lake, and learn how it was hand-hewn from the cliffs by Taoist monks between 1781 and 1835.
Next, continue to Huating Temple, one of the oldest and biggest of the Buddhist complexes in Kunming. This elaborate Western Hills temple has origins dating back to early medieval times, and sits in fragrant gardens awash with ponds, bamboo groves, flowers, and fruit trees.
Step inside to view the hundreds of gilded Buddha statues and richly detailed stone carvings of animals and birds, and listen as your guide shares tales of the temple’s history.
After your visit here, take a break over a Chinese lunch at a popular local restaurant, and then head to the shores of Dianchi Lake to visit the beautiful Grand View Tower.
Admire the delightful gardens around this medieval, 3-story pavilion-style building, and explore inside to see the decorative interiors. While here, drink in the panoramic views over the lake to the Western Hills on the horizon. Capture photos of the forest-clad hills, and see why they’re sometimes known as the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ hills for resembling the outline of a sleeping woman.
After five hours, your tour comes to a close with a drop-off back at your hotel.
