Yunnan. Three Rivers. Day 7

We leave the mountains behind, but they don’t leave us. As we descend from the high valleys, the white peaks remain in the rearview.

The road leads us through Shangri-La. A name that once was fiction, now maps a real place. The town itself is a curious blend of old Tibetan houses, prayer wheels the size of trucks, and the faint echoes of Western imagination. We pause for a walk through the old monastery quarter, maybe a butter tea in a hidden courtyard – but then we continue. Our destination today is Lijiang.

As we arrive, the rhythm shifts again. Cobbled streets, gently flowing canals, wooden bridges and tiled roofs that seem frozen in time. But we don’t follow the crowds. Lijiang can feel like a theatre – beautiful, but staged. 

So we take a different turn. Past the souvenir lanes and into the quieter quarters. We talk to an old woodcarver in his courtyard workshop. We find a rooftop café with no sign, only open to those who know. And we walk, slowly, through alleys where flowers grow wild and music comes not from speakers, but from the hands of someone playing just because. 

In the evening, we retreat further still – to Baisha, a village just north of town, once the seat of the Naxi kingdom. No neon signs. No loud markets. Just ancient murals, the soft rhythm of village life, and a handpicked residence where architecture, calm and mountain air come together in quiet luxury.

Dinner is served in the courtyard. A mix of local ingredients and international finesse.

Overnight stay in a 5-star luxury village hotel