After breakfast, catch the high speed train to Dali. Meet your guide upon arrival and drive to Dali Old Town, well known for its Bai culture and picturesque location between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.

After soaking in the ancient city, drive to Cangshan Mountain. Take a chairlift up to the midpoint and hike for about an hour to get rewarded with breathtaking valley views, or continue on to the top through the clouds for dreamy vistas of Erhai Lake and the city below.

Once you’re down the mountain, drive to Xizhou and spend the night in a boutique hotel — one of 200 national heritage-listed private houses that has been refurbished to preserve rich Bai architecture while incorporating modern elements.

Spend the morning wandering the cobbled streets in the historic market town before driving to Shibaoshan Mountain, a national heritage site where your first hike of the trip awaits. The 2-hour journey will take you past the Qian Gui Shan viewpoint to the Stone Bell Temple, passing by Buddhist shrines, cave temples, grottoes and vantage points for panoramic views of the valley. Look out for dan xia, spectacular red-purple sandstone formations that bear a tortoise-shell surface pattern, as well as Huangshan Mountains in the distance.

Once you make your way back down, you’ll drive to Shaxi Old Town, where you’ll stay one more night.

Embark on a journey to the outback and practice the art of hunting in the wild with majestic falcons — a thrilling and ancient practice that few will ever have the opportunity to experience. Weave your way through lush foliage, German hunting dogs in tow, and witness local farmers hard at work, while following the falcon closely as it searches for prey. If you’re lucky, you may witness the falcon soaring to monumental heights before swooping down to catch a wild pheasant or rabbit.

Replenish your energy afterwards by tucking into a nourishing lunch prepared directly at the campsite. After a thrilling day in the wild, drive back to Lijiang Old Town for dinner.

Enjoy a light breakfast before driving to the starting point of the inimitable Tiger Leaping Gorge hike. Once there, you’ll have an early lunch at a Naxi guesthouse (2,670m) before embarking on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The hike will be moderately difficult so keep hydrated and rest when you need to.

Conquer the famous 28 Bends, the most challenging part of the route aptly named for its arduous trail of 28 bends that takes about 3-hours to complete and look out for the Tiger Leaping Stone en route. The day ends at Tea Horse Guesthouse (2,670m) for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Spend the day exploring Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan where monks have resided in for over 300 years. Visit a local Tibetan family and try yak butter tea and traditional snacks. Enjoy your evening in Dukezong town and don’t miss the lively night scene as locals gather in the square and dance for hours into the night. Feel free to join in the fun.