Is train travel included in the price?

Yes. Lernidee.de includes four train journeys: Chengdu to Dali, Lijiang to Shangri-La, and Shangri-La to Kunming and on to Luang Prabang. All are in second-class seating. Flights (Frankfurt to Chengdu and Vientiane-Bangkok-Frankfurt) are extra unless booked as an option.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. An experienced German-speaking cruise director leads the ship portion. Qualified local German-speaking guides accompany all land excursions in southern China and Laos.

The Mekong Sun, a 28-passenger river cruise ship. Cabins range from economy (12 square metres near stairs and generators) to superior (16 to 18 square metres with balconies). All meals and drinks are included aboard.

What hotels are included?

Ten nights in three-star comfort hotels: Buddha Zen Hotel Chengdu (2 nights), Landscape Hotel Dali (2 nights), Doof Resort Lijiang (1 night), Hilton Garden Inn Shangri-La (2 nights), Holiday Inn Kunming (2 nights), and Villa Maly Luang Prabang (1 night).

When does this trip depart?

Four departures run in October 2026, February 2027, October 2027, and February 2028, each at the base price of 5,080 EUR.

What is included in meals?

All meals are provided according to the daily itinerary. Aboard the Mekong Sun, breakfast, lunch, dinner, water, coffee, and tea are included. In hotels, meals are as noted per day.

lernidee.de · Escorted tour

Geheimnisvolle Schönheiten: Per Zug und Schiff durch Süd-China und Nord-Laos

18-day rail and river journey from Chengdu through Yunnan to Luang Prabang

Lernidee.de's 18-day journey combines train travel through Yunnan province in southern China with a relaxing river cruise through northern Laos. You depart Frankfurt, arrive in Chengdu, and spend two days visiting the giant panda research centre and the old town. Four train journeys in second class take you through mountain passes and UNESCO valleys: the historic Bai kingdom city of Dali, the UNESCO-protected Lijiang with its Naxi culture, and a climb to Shangri-La above 3,000 metres in the Tibetan highlands. You visit the 300-year-old Songzanlin Monastery and share butter tea with a Tibetan family. The new cross-border express train carries you from Kunming through forests to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO town on the Mekong. There you board the Mekong Sun for five nights of downriver cruising to Vientiane, with stops at remote villages, waterfalls, and local markets. A German-speaking cruise director and local guides accompany the entire trip. Hotel stays are in three-star comfort properties; all meals on the ship and most ashore are included. The pace is relaxed, with two to three nights per location. Groups are limited to 28 passengers.

What to know before you look closer

The starting price (5,080 EUR) excludes flights; round-trip flights from Frankfurt add 1,200 EUR. Laos visa fee (from 70 EUR) is not included.
Cabin locations in the Economy tier are near stairs and generators on the main deck; Superior cabins with private balconies on the upper deck cost considerably more.
Groups are capped at 28 passengers; departures are limited to October and February in 2026 and 2027.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Flugzeug
Auf nach Süd-China!
Flug von Deutschland nach Chengdu.
Day 2overnight: Chengdu
Ankunft in Chengdu
Transfer zum Komfort-Hotel. Nachmittags Bummel durch die Altstadt Jinli. Gemeinsames Abendessen.
Day 3overnight: Chengdu
Land der Pandas
Besuch von Chinas größtem Panda-Forschungszentrum mit Wäldern und Bambushainen. Nach dem Mittagessen Tee im traditionsreichen Teehaus des Volksparks.
Day 4overnight: Dali
Mit dem Schnellzug nach Yunnan
Fahrt mit dem Schnellzug in die alte Königsstadt Dali, bekannt für kunstvolle Bai-Häuser vor Bergkulisse und Erhai-See.
Day 5overnight: Dali
Bezauberndes Dali
Besuch des Dorfes Xizhou und der ehemaligen Residenz der Familie Yan. Bootsfahrt auf dem Erhai-See. Bummel durch die Altstadt von Dali und die drei weißen Pagoden des Chongsheng-Tempels.
Day 6overnight: Lijiang
Auf den Spuren der Bai
Fahrt über die Dörfer Shaxi (antike südliche Seidenstraße) und Baisha (Dabaoji-Tempel) nach Lijiang, Ankunft am Abend in der UNESCO-geschützten Altstadt.
Day 7overnight: Shangri-La
UNESCO-Juwel Lijiang und Reise ins Hochland
Stadtrundgang durch Lijiang (Markt, Löwenhügel, Teich des Schwarzen Drachen), Besuch des Museums der Naxi-Minderheit. Schnellzug auf über 3.000 m Höhe nach Shangri-La (Klein-Tibet).
Day 8overnight: Shangri-La
Naturwunder im Balagezong-Park
Besuch des Balagezong-Landschaftsparks im Drei Parallelflüsse-Naturschutzgebiet (UNESCO-Welterbe), des Shangri-La Grand Canyon und des Dorfes Bala sowie des Klosters Balazhuoma Lhakang.
Day 9overnight: Kunming
Hochlandzauber in Shangri-La
Altstadt-Erkundung und Besuch des über 300 Jahre alten Songzanlin-Klosters. Zu Gast bei einer tibetischen Familie mit Butter-Tee. Nachmittags Schnellzug nach Kunming.
Day 10overnight: Kunming
Steinwald von Shilin
Ausflug zum Steinwald von Shilin (UNESCO-Welterbe). Zurück in Kunming Besuch des Vogel- und Blumenmarkts.
Day 11overnight: Luang Prabang
Auf nach Laos!
Fahrt mit dem neuen Schnellzug von China nach Laos bis Luang Prabang. Optionaler Aufstieg zum Mount Phou Si zum Sonnenuntergang.
Day 12overnight: Mekong Sun
UNESCO-Stadt Luang Prabang
Besuch des Nationalmuseums im ehemaligen Königspalast und der Tempel (Wat Mai, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visoun, Wat Aham, Wat That). Nachmittags Einschiffung auf der Mekong Sun, Willkommens-Dinner an Bord.
Day 13overnight: Mekong Sun
Kuang Si-Wasserfälle
Morgens Beobachtung des Almosengangs der Mönche. Exkursion zu den Kuang Si-Wasserfällen. Weiterfahrt vorbei am Staudamm Xayaburi; nächtlicher Ankerplatz an einer Sandbank.
Day 14overnight: Mekong Sun
Laotische Ruhe
Entspannung an Bord, Landgang im Bauerndorf Ban Don Saingam, Reisfelder, Karstlandschaft und die Khao Hao-Höhle. Abends Barbecue am Mekong-Ufer.
Day 15overnight: Mekong Sun
Entspannung an Bord
Fahrt durch tropischen Regenwald und Felsformationen. Landgang im Städtchen Salakham.
Day 16overnight: Mekong Sun
Spektakulärer Mekong
Fahrt vorbei an Teakholz-Wäldern und Bergreisfeldern. Ankunft am Abend in Vientiane.
Day 17overnight: Flugzeug
Vientiane
Abschied von der laotischen Crew. Rundfahrt durch Vientiane (Nationalheiligtum That Luang, Arc de Triomphe). Abends Transfer zum Flughafen, Rückflug via Bangkok.
Day 18
Ankunft in Deutschland
Ankunft in Deutschland.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Visit China's largest panda research centre with bamboo forests, then afternoon tea at the historic People's Park teahouse
Day 4Fast train journey into Dali, the ancient Bai kingdom city with traditional architecture and views of Erhai Lake
Day 7Express train climbs over 3,000 metres to Shangri-La in the Tibetan highlands
Day 9Visit the 300-year-old Songzanlin Monastery and share butter tea with a Tibetan family
Day 11Cross into Laos aboard the new international express train to Luang Prabang
Day 13Early morning observation of the monks' alms rounds in Luang Prabang, then excursion to Kuang Si waterfall

Included

Flüge Frankfurt – Chengdu und Vientiane – Bangkok – Frankfurt in der Economy Class
Flusskreuzfahrt auf der Mekong Sun mit 5 Übernachtungen in der gebuchten Kategorie
4 Zugfahrten im Schnellzug (2. Klasse): Chengdu – Dali, Lijiang – Shangri-La und Shangri-La – Kunming – Luang Prabang
10 Übernachtungen in Komfort-Hotels in Chengdu, Dali, Shangri-La, Lijiang, Kunming und Luang Prabang
Erfahrener deutschsprachiger Kreuzfahrt-Direktor an Bord
Qualifizierte lokale deutschsprechende Reiseleitung in Süd-China und Laos
Ausflüge, Vorträge und Besichtigungen in deutscher Sprache laut Reiseverlauf
Mahlzeiten laut Reiseverlauf (F = Frühstück, M = Mittagessen, A = Abendessen), Wasser, Kaffee und Tee an Bord der Mekong Sun
Eintrittsgelder für die Besichtigungen laut Reiseverlauf
Umfassendes Informationsmaterial zur Reise

Not included

Visum-Gebühr Laos (ab 70 €)
Trinkgelder
Wunsch-Ausflüge

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?: Yes. Lernidee.de includes four train journeys: Chengdu to Dali, Lijiang to Shangri-La, and Shangri-La to Kunming and on to Luang Prabang. All are in second-class seating. Flights (Frankfurt to Chengdu and Vientiane-Bangkok-Frankfurt) are extra unless booked as an option.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. An experienced German-speaking cruise director leads the ship portion. Qualified local German-speaking guides accompany all land excursions in southern China and Laos.
Which ship is used?: The Mekong Sun, a 28-passenger river cruise ship. Cabins range from economy (12 square metres near stairs and generators) to superior (16 to 18 square metres with balconies). All meals and drinks are included aboard.
What hotels are included?: Ten nights in three-star comfort hotels: Buddha Zen Hotel Chengdu (2 nights), Landscape Hotel Dali (2 nights), Doof Resort Lijiang (1 night), Hilton Garden Inn Shangri-La (2 nights), Holiday Inn Kunming (2 nights), and Villa Maly Luang Prabang (1 night).
When does this trip depart?: Four departures run in October 2026, February 2027, October 2027, and February 2028, each at the base price of 5,080 EUR.
What is included in meals?: All meals are provided according to the daily itinerary. Aboard the Mekong Sun, breakfast, lunch, dinner, water, coffee, and tea are included. In hotels, meals are as noted per day.