Friends who are traveling with a group should have had this experience: being woken up by a phone call at 6:30 in the morning, dragging their luggage to wait for the bus in the hotel lobby, being urged to get on the bus after taking two photos at the scenic area, and the most familiar scenery throughout the journey is the car window. Returning from Yunnan is even more tiring than going to work.
And what about pure independent travel? Dali Erhai Lake is 140 kilometers away, with expensive taxis, slow public transportation, electric bikes peeling from the sun, and even a nightmare of dragging luggage to change hotels. Just understanding the traffic would cost half a life.
So we strongly recommend the third gameplay - Yunnan tourism charter.
What does this mean? The itinerary is completely autonomous, departing at any time you want; Exclusive vehicles and drivers follow throughout the journey, without carpooling or waiting for a ride; The driver is your local guide. Where are the best places to take photos and which restaurants are authentic? Asking him is ten times more reliable than flipping through guides.
Today's article will teach you step by step how to use a 6-day, 5-night chartered bus route from Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang to fully explore the most romantic scenery in Yunnan in one go.
Day 1 | Landing in Kunming, chartering a car to pick up the passengers and directly driving to lie down
As soon as the plane landed, the chartered driver was already waiting for you at the exit with a sign. No need to queue up for a taxi, no need to study subway routes, just deliver directly to the hotel for check-in.
If you still have energy in the evening, let the driver take you to Kunming Old Street for a walk. Must eat a bowl of Chen Xi Tofu Rice Noodles, with a spicy soup base and tender tofu that melts in your mouth. After dinner, take a walk on Wenlin Street, which hides many interesting small shops and is suitable for leisurely strolling.
Advantages of chartering a car ①: No need to wait for airport pick-up, no need to carry luggage, and start vacation mode immediately upon landing.
Day 2 | Kunming → Dali, Karst Wonders and Wind, Flowers, Snow and Moon
In the morning, head straight to Shilin Scenic Area. It is about 90 kilometers from Kunming city to Shilin, and the bus needs to be transferred twice. The chartered bus will go directly to the parking lot of the scenic area. Strolling through the various stone forests, searching for Ashima's incarnation stone, the karst peaks are densely packed like a forest, and with just a snap, you can easily capture a large area.
Drive to Dali in the afternoon, and you won't get bored on the way - the driver is your "living map". Wherever there are beautiful observation decks along the way, and which service area has delicious grilled bait blocks, he has a clean door.
Arrive at Dali Old City in the evening and check in at the home stay near the south gate of the ancient city. At night, I went to Renmin Road for a stroll and sat down at a mushroom hot pot restaurant, so fresh that my eyebrows fell off. But please note: mushroom hotpot must be cooked thoroughly before eating.
Advantages of chartering a car ②: Kunming to Dali is about 300 kilometers away, and chartering a car goes directly. You can stop halfway without having to accommodate the schedule of public transportation.
Day 3 | Around Erhai Lake, the most prominent road in Yunnan Province
This is the highlight day for taking photos throughout the entire trip.
The Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor prohibits motor vehicles from passing through, but chartered drivers can take you to the entrance of each scenic spot and walk for a few minutes to reach the best parking spot. Is there a sea of people at the S bend of the Qianxi River? Let the driver take you to Langqiao and Longkan Pier, where the scenery is cleaner with fewer people. In the evening, the lake is covered with golden light, making it the best sunset viewing spot in Dali.
At noon, I went to Xizhou Ancient Town and had a freshly baked Xizhou rice cake. It was sweet with brown sugar and sesame seeds, salty with meat filling, and crispy until it crumbled. In the afternoon, I went to Zhoucheng to experience Bai ethnic tie dyeing. Making my own piece of cloth by hand is more meaningful than buying any souvenirs.
💡 Camera Position List: Covered Bridge Cave, Solitary Tree by the Water, Longkan Pier Reef, Xizhou Rice Field.
Advantage of chartering a car ③: The entire journey around Erhai Lake is 140 kilometers, and chartering can be done at any time. Do you see any beautiful scenery? Shouting 'Master, stop for a moment' is the freedom that only chartered cars have.
Day 4 | Dali → Lijiang, Conquer Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 4680
Departing from Dali in the morning to Lijiang, the journey takes about 2 hours. There is only one protagonist today - Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
⚠️ The key point is that from 2026, Yulong Snow Mountain will fully implement an appointment system, and entry is not possible without an appointment. Tickets for the Glacier Cableway are available for purchase every night at 20:00 on the "Lijiang Tourism Group" mini program, and it is common for tickets to be sold out during peak seasons. Grab tickets by yourself? To be honest, both hand speed and internet speed have to compete.
A reliable chartered driver will help you plan the time in advance, and some can even assist in ticket grabbing or provide ticket grabbing advice, so that your trip to the snow capped mountains does not have to gamble on luck.
The cableway leads directly to the 4506 meter platform, and you can hike along the wooden boardwalk to the 4680 meter stone monument, where the glacier is right at your feet. After descending the mountain, we headed straight to Blue Moon Valley - the lake formed by the melting of snow capped mountains, presenting a layered color of Tiffany blue and emerald green. The ceiling of Yunnan is not white.
Advantage of chartering a car ④: Due to the tight travel time in snowy mountains, chartering a car can accurately control the departure time and avoid the chaos of carpooling and rushing cars. Before going up the mountain, the driver will also remind you to buy oxygen cylinders - they are sold twice as expensive in scenic spots as in ancient cities.
Day 5 | Slow Time in the Old Town of Lijiang, Second Brush of Blue Moon Valley
In the morning, go to Shuhe Ancient Town, which is much quieter than Dayan Ancient Town and suitable for a leisurely stroll. If you haven't filmed enough at Blue Moon Valley the day before in the afternoon, you can go back and reshoot - the advantage of chartering a car is that the itinerary can be flexibly adjusted without being hijacked by fixed routes.
In the evening, I returned to the Old Town of Lijiang to find a hot pot restaurant for cured ribs. Xiangshan Market is a gathering place for braised pork ribs and hot pot. Marinated and dried pork ribs are stewed with leek roots and tomatoes, which have a strong salty aroma. It pairs perfectly with a bowl of chicken bean jelly.
Advantages of chartering a car ⑤: If you want to change the itinerary midway, do you want to sleep an extra hour today? No problem. Do you want to visit another ancient town this afternoon? No problem.
Day 6 | Lijiang → Kunming, return with a full load
On the last day, the driver will take you to Lijiang Station to take a high-speed train back to Kunming (about 3.5 hours), or directly charter a car back to Kunming (about 6 hours, suitable for friends who want to see the scenery along the way), and then send you back by plane.
Don't forget one thing before leaving: ask the driver to take you to the Beimen market to buy souvenirs. Choose freshly baked flower cakes, with the best value for money under 10 yuan per box. Don't buy expensive ones in scenic spots.
💰 Reference for charter fee
Many friends are concerned about whether chartering a car is expensive or not. According to the latest market trend in 2026:
5-seater economy sedan: During the off-season, it costs 260-350 yuan per day, with an average of only 65-75 yuan per person (calculated based on 4 people). The price includes all fuel, parking, and driver service fees.
7-seater business vehicle: 350-500 yuan/day, suitable for 4-6 person families to travel, with lower per capita cost.
Cross city multi day routes (such as Kunming → Dali → Lijiang) are usually charged on a daily basis, and the overall cost of a 7-day loop is about 5000-7000 yuan (including the driver), which is much more convenient than renting a car and driving.
On a per capita basis, chartering a car may be much cheaper than you think, but the experience is completely different.
📌 Guide to avoiding pitfalls for chartered cars
✅ Be sure to sign a contract: clarify whether the fuel and toll fees are included, confirm the cancellation rules in advance, and avoid temporary price increases.
✅ Check driver qualifications: Select drivers with a rating of 4.8 or above and more than 3 years of experience, and the order funds on legitimate platforms are guaranteed.
✅ Advance communication route: Clearly state the attractions you want to go to and ask the driver to help you plan the optimal route, avoiding detours and wasting time.
✅ Off season travel is more cost-effective: From mid November to late March of the following year (excluding Spring Festival) is the off-season, and charter prices are generally reduced by 15% -30%.
The beauty of Yunnan lies in a sunset by the Erhai Lake, a deep breath at the top of a snowy mountain, and a bowl of rice noodles in an ancient city alley. These moments are worth meeting in the most comfortable way possible.
Joining a group is about completing tasks, independent travel is about challenging tasks, and chartering a car is about enjoying the journey.
Hand over the steering wheel to yourself, hand over the road conditions to the driver, and leave the rest to Yunnan.
