Lijiang Naxi Culture Tour: UNESCO Old Town & Mu Palace

Naxi script is still written as pictures, and you'll learn it from someone who uses it daily.

A private full-day tour of Lijiang with hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide covers the UNESCO-listed Old Town, Mu Palace, Black Dragon Pool, and the Dongba Culture Museum, where you learn Naxi pictographic script. The tour includes lunch and transport by private vehicle, running nine hours from morning hotel pickup through afternoon exploration of Yuhu Village and the Former Residence of Joseph Rock.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Lijiang and Naxi culture

• Meet tour guide at hotel
• Visit Lijiang Old Town (Dayan Town)
• Tour Mufu Palace
• Learn Dongba script at Donaba family
• Visit Yuhu Village and Former Residence of Joseph Rock
• Walk around Black Dragon Pool Park and Dongba Museum

The experience

The guide meets you at your hotel in the morning and drives you straight into Lijiang Old Town: officially called Dayan Town, a name that literally translates to "great ink stab," describing how the town sits on rich flatland surrounded by green mountains. It's one of four best-preserved ancient cities in China and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. From there you move to Mu Palace, a Ming-dynasty structure known as the "Forbidden City" of Lijiang, where the guide walks you through the Tusi's ruling history and the fine arts the Naxi people developed.

The Dongba Culture Museum is where the script lesson happens. Dongba is considered the last living pictographic script in the world, still in active use by the Naxi, and the museum visit includes time to learn how it works. After that, you drive to Yuhu Village at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. An authentic Naxi settlement where you'll see stone houses, women in traditional dress, and Yuhu Lake. The village also holds the Former Residence of Joseph Rock, an Austrian-American botanist who stayed in Lijiang for 27 years and conducted major research on the Naxi minority. You finish the day walking around Black Dragon Pool park, where local people gather, and the guide continues sharing Naxi culture throughout.

Lunch is included, and the nine-hour itinerary accounts for both travel time and the meal stop. The private vehicle and driver stay with you the whole day, so the pace is yours to set at each stop.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• lunch.
• an experienced English-speaking guide and skilled driver.
• transport by private vehicle.
• local taxes.
• entry to all attractions mentioned.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30 and 09:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (11 to 75 years) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Yunnan Adventure Travel

Is this one for you?The private vehicle and hotel pickup mean you don't need to navigate Lijiang's layout or arrange your own transport: useful if you're staying outside the Old Town or prefer not to drive on unfamiliar roads. The nine-hour day gives you time to linger at each stop instead of rushing through a checklist.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is Naxi script and why is it worth learning about?

Dongba script is a pictographic writing system still actively used by the Naxi people and is considered the last living script of its kind in the world. The Dongba Culture Museum teaches visitors how the pictures represent words and ideas, connecting the written form to Naxi daily life and history.

How does the day flow, and when do I get lunch?

The guide picks you up at your hotel in the morning and takes you first to Lijiang Old Town, then to Mu Palace, followed by the Dongba Culture Museum where you learn the script. After that comes Yuhu Village and Joseph Rock's former residence, with lunch included during the day and a final stop at Black Dragon Pool park before returning to your hotel.

Is this tour suitable if I don't have a car or I'm staying outside the Old Town?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you don't need your own transport. The private vehicle collects you from wherever you're staying in Lijiang and returns you there at the end of the day.

What was Joseph Rock's connection to Lijiang and Yuhu Village?

Joseph Rock was an Austrian-American botanist who lived in Yuhu Village for 27 years and conducted extensive research on the Naxi minority and the region's plant life. His former residence is preserved in the village and is part of the tour.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The tour is described as a leisure day tour with leisurely exploration of the village and park areas. You'll walk around the Old Town, through Mu Palace, around Yuhu Village, and through Black Dragon Pool park, but the pace is unhurried and the itinerary is suitable for all physical fitness levels.