Originally Posted by
LUGlodo
Hello,
I am planning a trip to China (my first) with some friends (all young and fit), which includes Sichuan and Yunnan. We wanted to go from Chengdu to Zhongdian overland in order to enjoy the mountain scenery and stop in some villages such as Kangding, Litang, Yading and Xiangcheng.
Has anyone have any experience in this part of China and on the options we have? Is it possible to go by bus or is it better to rent a car with driver (price?), if at all possible?
Otherwise, we could just fly from Chengdu to Lijiang, but I guess that we would loose some of the sights of the mountains.
Any help is highly appreciated, thanks a lot!
Getting a tour guide with a driver and a car is the best option, if you get a group of 5, it can be very cost effective. Inquire locally with tourist agencies. Or maybe go with a guide on a short trip, once you get to know her or him, there are more things that can be offered in more reasonable prices. To give you an idea, 2 years ago, I was in Lijiang, they were offering Landcruiser tours roundtrip from Lijiang to Lhasa for 3000 RMB per person, I think it is 7 days one way. Once you get an experienced tour guide, it is really easy to organize everything.