20 Aug 2022
I took this trip immediately after Lost Plate's other Yunnan adventure (Dali to Lijiang) and the two are very different, but both fabulous.
You're in for longer (and bumpier) car rides on the roads between Lijiang and Shangri-La, but it's so worth it to visit far flung wineries and small villages.
Highlights included dinner at the winemaker's house in Cizhong and of course Yubeng, which has views that simply cannot be beat. Even if you're not a regular hiker (I'm not), consider doing the waterfall hike. You have an entire day to complete it and while I've seen more spectacular waterfalls, I've never seen anything like the prayer-flag festooned scenery en route.
(All of this with a caveat that while I'm no great hiker, I don't seem to be sensitive to altitude. If you are, or suspect you might be, the hike might not be for you.)
When you add up the hotels and transport and tours and personal assistance (especially with those pesky Covid tests and health codes), never mind the unending food and drink, I can't even believe what a value Lost Plate provides. Unless you are a fluent Chinese speaker, you're not likely to have a more varied, fun, and delicious time in Tibetan Yunnan than by taking this tour.