Stone Forest & Yuanyang Rice Terraces 2-Day Private Tour

Two days, two UNESCO sites: limestone peaks and thousand-year-old rice terraces carved by hand.

A 2-day private tour from Kunming to Stone Forest and Yuanyang Rice Terraces with an English-speaking guide, private air-conditioned vehicle, entrance fees and hotel pickup. Day one covers the karst landscape of Stone Forest, then a four-hour drive to Yuanyang to explore Qingkou Hani Village and watch sunset at Bada Terrace. Day two begins with sunrise at Doyishu Village, continues through Shengcun Morning Market and Duoyishu Area, then returns to Kunming. Accommodation in Yuanyang is optional. Meals are not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Kunming to Stone Forest and Yuanyang

• Meet guide in Kunming hotel lobby
• Travel to Yunnan Stone Forest Geological Park
• Explore Big and Small Stone Forest areas
• Drive to Yuanyang Rice Terraces
• Visit Qingkou Hani Village and Mushroom House
• Explore Bada Terrace and watch sunset
• Transfer to hotel in Yuanyang

Day 2: Yuanyang sunrise and return to Kunming

• Meet guide early for Doyishu Village sunrise
• Visit Shengcun Morning Market
• Return to hotel for breakfast
• Stroll Duoyishu Area and view terraces
• Discover Hani and Yi ethnic villages
• Transfer back to Kunming hotel

The experience

You start from your Kunming hotel and head straight to Yunnan Stone Forest Geological Park, about 90 minutes away. The park is a vast natural gallery of limestone formations that have stood for 270 million years: the result of an ancient seabed that gradually rose and eroded into the landscape you walk through today. Your guide leads you through the Big Stone Forest Area and the Small Stone Forest Area over two hours, pointing out the best photo spots and sharing the legendary stories tied to each formation. The Ming Dynasty called it the "First Wonder of the World," and the scale of the stone groups makes that claim feel earned.

From Stone Forest, you travel four hours by private vehicle to Yuanyang Rice Terraces, watching the landscape shift as you go. Yuanyang's terraces are the world's largest and most dramatic: carved by hand over a thousand years by the Hani people and still actively farmed today. You spend the afternoon exploring on foot: start at Qingkou Village, a key area for the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage designation, where you walk through the Mushroom Houses and learn about Hani folk customs and their distinctive lifestyle. Then move to Bada Terrace, the biggest section of the rice fields and the best vantage point for sunset. Your guide handles the route. You choose the pace and which villages interest you most.

Day two starts early. You meet your guide before dawn to reach Doyishu Village and watch the sunrise break over the terraced fields: the moment the landscape shifts from shadow to color. Afterwards, visit Shengcun Morning Market to see how local Hani and Yi communities shop and trade. Your guide can help you negotiate if you want to buy. You return for breakfast, then spend the rest of the morning walking Duoyishu Area, taking in the terraces from the mountain ridge down to the valley floor and passing through different ethnic villages. When you're ready, your driver takes you back to Kunming.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Kunming.
• English-speaking private guide.
• transport by private air-conditioned vehicle.
• entrance fees to Stone Forest and Yuanyang Rice Terraces.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30 and 08:30

AgesAdult (10 to 90 years) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4): 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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Unique Beijing Tours

Is this one for you?This is a private tour with your own guide and vehicle, so the pace and stops are yours to set: ideal if you want to linger at a viewpoint or skip a site without holding up a group. The two-day structure fits both UNESCO sites and a sunrise into one trip from Kunming without rushing either one, and the early morning departure on day two is what makes the Doyishu sunrise possible.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is Stone Forest actually like when you get there?

Stone Forest is a natural park of limestone formations rising from the ground like a petrified forest. The rocks are tall, narrow and densely packed, creating passages and open areas to walk through. Your guide points out named formations and tells the stories behind them, and the scale of the landscape makes it feel like you're walking through a gallery of natural sculptures rather than a single monument.

Can you book a hotel in Yuanyang through this tour, or do I need to arrange it myself?

You book your own hotel in Yuanyang. The tour does not include accommodation. The tour operator can recommend options, but the booking is your responsibility. If you want the hotel included, some versions of this tour offer that as an add-on option at checkout.

How much time do you actually spend walking on this tour?

Day one includes about two hours of walking at Stone Forest and then a four-hour drive to Yuanyang, with the afternoon spent exploring Qingkou Village and Bada Terrace on foot at your own pace. Day two starts with an early walk to Doyishu Village for sunrise, then a visit to the morning market and a walk through Duoyishu Area before the return drive to Kunming. The walking is easy and self-paced. There are no strenuous hikes.

What do the Hani people's Mushroom Houses look like, and what happens inside them?

Mushroom Houses are traditional Hani dwellings with a distinctive rounded, thatched roof that resembles a mushroom. Your guide takes you through the village to see them and explains the Hani way of life, their folk customs and how they have managed the terraced fields and forests for centuries as part of a complete ecosystem.

Is the sunrise at Doyishu Village guaranteed, or does weather affect it?

The tour is scheduled to reach Doyishu Village early in the morning so you can watch the sunrise, but weather conditions like cloud cover or fog can affect visibility. The visit happens regardless. What you see depends on the conditions on the day you travel.

Does the tour include meals, or do you eat on your own?

Meals are not included in the tour price. You arrange and pay for your own breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your guide can recommend local restaurants and help you order, but food is your responsibility.