Orchids of North West Yunnan
Our destination for this trip are the mountains of Northwest Yunnan, where we will travel within the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous Prefecture, Xiangeri-La, and Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. This trip offers some of the most spectacular scenery and nature in the northern hemisphere, with majestic mountain ranges, unique wildlife, and spectacular travertine limestone formations. This region is also home to a number of colorful ethnic groups, including the Naxi, Tibetan and Lili. But the true highlight is the experience of the richest temperate flora in Asia! Southwest China is the global distribution center of several genera of high horticultural significance, including many alpine plants, cypripediums, paeonies, and rhododendrons. We should see many splendid species in flower. On the tour, we will mostly stay at altitudes between 2000-3000 m (6500-10500 ft).
Another highlight of this tour is the experience of the authentic cuisine of Yunnan.
Dates & Prices
Dates: June 14-28, 2026
Price: $6200 pp. Single Supplement $600
Deposit Details: Deposits due no later than April 1, 2026. Inquire if there is still room after this date. Deposits are refundable up to April 1. Interested participants should send their deposits to the OCA as soon as possible to reserve a spot on the tour. Your deposit is what holds your place. If you cancel after April 1, your deposit may still be refunded if someone else can take your place on the tour. Final payments are due May 1.
Price includes: Ground transportation, internal flight, hotels, meals, guides, entrances to reserves and parks. Price does not include visas, nights pre- or post tour, travel insurance, alcoholic beverages, tips, or items of a personal nature (souvenirs, laundry, etc.). We suggest participants plan on an extra $200 to cover tips and other non-covered items.
Conservation donation: A donation based on the profit (estimated at $1000 pp) from the tour is donated to the Orchid Conservation Alliance. The Orchid Conservation Alliance is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and for USA residents, the donation may be tax deductible. A formal acknowledgement letter with the exact amount of the donation is sent to each participant at year end.
Androsace bulleyana
Alpine flowers
Arisaema sp
Astragalus sp
Black snub nose monkey
Boraginaceae sp
Boraginaceae sp1
Botanizing at 14000+ft
Cercis chinensis
Dali
Cypripedium yunnanensis
Cypripedium wardii
Cypripedium tibeticum
Cypripedium plectrochilum2
Cypripedium plectrochilum
Cypripedium margaritaceum (in bud)
Cypripedium lijiangense
Cypripedium guttatum
Corydalis sp
Cliffside walkway Balagezong
Daphne sp
Entrance to Balagezong Park
Gentian sp
Gentian sp2
Incarvillea zhongdianensis
Iris ruthenica
Lamiophlomis rotata
Mountains, Balagezong
Old Catholic Church
Old lijiang
Oreorchis nana
Paeonia delavayi
Rhododendrons near Shangri-La
Rhododendron sp3
Rhododendron sp
Rhodendron sp
Rhodendron sp 4
Primula secundiflora
Primula denticulata
Primula brevicaula
Pleione bulbocodioides
Pinguicula sp
Pedicularis sp2
Paeonia delavayi2
Salvia sp
Scree slope near Shangri-La
Shangri-La valley
Steep Valley Balagezong scenic area
Stellera chamejasme
Stone forest
view from cliffside walkway
wenqing with rhodos
White Rhododendrons
Yunnan scene
Zhongdian high plateau
Phalaenopsis wilsonii
Paphiopedilum armeniacum
Holcoglossum rupestre
Dulongjiang Moon Waterfall
Cypripedium wardii jpg
Cypripedium subtropicum by H. Jiang
Cypripedium margaritaceum
Cypripedium flavum
Cypripedium farreri
Coelogyne weixiensis
The Meili Snow Mountains
14-Jun Sun. Arrivals in Kunming, welcoming dinner. No other events planned for arrival date. Overnight: Kunming
15-Jun Mon. Internal flight to Lijiang. Explore Lijiang Old Town. Overnight: Lijiang
16-Jun Tue. Yulong Snow Mountain. Focus: Cypripedium forrestii , C. lichiangense, other orchid species.; visit Blue Moon Valley on the way. Overnight: Lijiang
17-Jun Wed. Lijiang – Tiger Leaping Gorge Focus: Cypripedium lijiangense, C. delavayi, etc.; sightseeing at Tiger Leaping Gorge. Overnight: Tiger Leaping Gorge
18-Jun Thu. Tiger Leaping Gorge – Tianbao Snow Mountain – Shangri-La Focus: C. bardolphianum, C. flavum, and other species. Overnight: Shangri-La
19-Jun Fri. Shangri-La – Balagezong – Napa Lake – Shangri-La Focus: Cypripedium calcicola, C. farreri, C. yunnanense, etc. Overnight: Shangri-La
20-Jun Sat. Shangri-La – Tacheng Focus: Liparis delavayi, Platanthera fanjingshanensis, Phalaenopsis wilsonii, etc. Overnight:: Tacheng
21-Jun Sun. Weixi Early morning visit to see Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkeys; various orchids Overnight: Weixi
22-Jun Mon. Weixi – Deqin Focus: Calanthe spp., Dendrobium thyrsiflorum, etc.; visit Cizhong Church en route; view Meili Snow Mountain in the afternoon. Overnight: Deqin
23-Jun Tue. Deqin – Bingzhongluo, Focus: Gongshan Alpine plants of Mt. Peacock and various orchids. Overnight: Bingzhongluo
24-Jun Wed. Bingzhongluo – Dulongjiang Focus: Epipactis gongshanensis and other orchids Overnight: Dulongjiang
25-Jun Thu. Dulongjiang – Gongshan. Focus: Various orchid species in Gongshan. Overnight: Gongshan
26-Jun Fri. Gongshan – Lushui. Focus: Cypripedium subtropicum and other orchids Overnight: Lushui
27-Jun Sat. Lushui – Kunming. Focus: Paphiopedilum armeniacum. Overnight: Kunming
28-Jun Sun. Participants return home
Group Size: Minimum 6, maximum 14 (not including the tour leaders).
Degree of difficulty: This trip has several days with long bus rides (although very scenic). Additionally, as we travel from south to north, there is a progressive increase in elevation, with several days spent at elevations over 9000 ft. Although there are no long treks involved, participants should plan on some walking and hiking to see the plants, which may include walking up hills, over rough ground, at elevation. Participants should be healthy and able to walk some distance without difficulty. This trip is not recommended for people with mobility difficulties.
International flights: Participants should arrange their own flights to Kunming (Yunnan). Plan on arriving on or before June 15 and departing on or after June 28. Most visitors will require a visa and should check with your authority. Wenqing will provide formal invitations and an itinerary with hotel addresses and other information which may be required for visa applications.
Insurance: All OCA travelers are required to have a travel medical insurance plan that will cover medical expenses in China, and also includes evacuation coverage (minimum $50,000). Trip insurance is not required, but participants may wish to purchase that as well. Many trip insurance policies include medical coverage.
Wenqing Perner
Wenqing and her late husband Holger Perner have led innumerable botanizing trips throughout China over the last 20 years. Wenqing is not only a superb tour organizer and orchid expert, she is also fluent in Mandarin, Japanese, English and German! Wenqing lives in Chengdu.
Hong Jian, Ph.D.
Hong is a professor at the Forestry Institute in Kunming, and a co-author and the photographer for the stunning book “The Wild Orchids of Yunnan.” He is probably the foremost expert on the orchids of this province; needless to say, he knows where the orchids are! Hong lives in Kunming.
Mary Gerritsen, Ph.D.
Mary is the president of the Orchid Conservation Alliance. This will be her eighth botanic tour to China, and her fourth tour to Yunnan. Mary lives in San Mateo, CA.