Dali Ancient Town at dusk, with tiled roofs and lantern-lit streets

PRIVATE YUNNAN JOURNEYS

How Yunnan felt, in their words.

Notes from private parties who traveled with Joy Liu. Families returning, a honeymoon, a first trip with a child. The planning is personal. The contract is with a licensed agency in Kunming.

10Traveler notes published on this page

10Countries they wrote from

PrivateYour own party, vehicle and pace

JoyOne consultant, from the first note to the road

Karst pinnacles of the Stone Forest reflected in a still pool near Kunming

Travel Journal · Canada · 5 min

Finding Another Side of China in Yunnan

After exploring some of China's most iconic cities, a Canadian traveler arrived in Kunming expecting one final stop. Instead, Yunnan became the beginning of an entirely new journey.READ THE JOURNAL

Three journeys, told at length

Each account is a note shared after a private journey. The lines around the quotation only restate what that traveler wrote.

A herder walking white goats along the river path in Shaxi, Yunnan

Singapore · A family, traveling with Joy again

A completely worry-free family trip

“This was our second time choosing Joy at Hidden China Travel, and he exceeded our expectations again. Yunnan was amazing: the scenery, the food, and how little we had to organize ourselves. Joy even got us business-class train tickets when we upgraded at short notice, and our driver-guide was easy to talk with the whole way.”
A quiet shoreline, pavilion and willows on Lugu Lake in northwest Yunnan

Indonesia · Newlyweds, with Yunnan as one chapter

A wonderful honeymoon stop in Yunnan

“We are a newlywed couple visiting China for our honeymoon, and Yunnan was one of the stops on our trip. Joy was incredibly patient and responsible in helping us plan our Yunnan itinerary; he also provided plenty of advice on pre-trip preparations and suggestions for visiting other destinations. We ended up having a wonderful time!”
Walkways cut into the rock above the Jinsha River at Tiger Leaping Gorge

Australia · A couple on a private journey

Tiger Leaping Gorge private journey

“The private journey was fantastic. We saw beautiful scenery and spent time with ethnic minority cultures. Our driver-guide drove steadily, was kind and patient, and looked after us properly. Yunnan is truly beautiful.”

Every note, briefly

A first line from each traveler. Where a longer account appears on this page, you can continue into it. The others are printed here in full.

“This was our second time choosing Joy at Hidden China Travel, and he exceeded our expectations again.”
Daniel & Sarah L.Singapore · YunnanRead the account
“Joy organized our private Yunnan journey, and the places he recommended were stunning, including Shangri-La, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and Yuhu Village. The trains got hectic for a moment, and he sorted them out. Our whole family is grateful for his help.”
The Tan FamilyMalaysia · Shangri-La, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Yuhu Village
“This was our first time bringing our young son to China, and it was a wonderful experience.”
Rachel & Kevin M.USA · A first family journey in ChinaRead the account
“We are a newlywed couple visiting China for our honeymoon, and Yunnan was one of the stops on our trip.”
Faisal & Aisha R.Indonesia · Yunnan, inside a longer honeymoonRead the account
“I joined this private journey to experience life in Yunnan, even after years of British Columbia scenery.”
Emily C.Canada · Yunnan, with a vegetarian tableRead the account
“The Hidden China Travel team was easy to reach before and during the journey.”
Claire & ThomasFrance · Before the journey, and on the roadRead the account
“The private journey was fantastic.”
Mark & Susan T.Australia · Tiger Leaping GorgeRead the account
“Our driver-guide in Lijiang was the best I have traveled with: professional, kind, flexible, and calm. I was with my family, her English was excellent, and her manner made us feel at home. I recommend the Hidden China Travel team.”
Michelle H.New Zealand · Lijiang
“We are grateful for our driver-guide’s patience, especially when traveling with children made the days a bit stressful. The service stayed dedicated the whole way. Five stars from us.”
David & Emma R.UK · A private Yunnan journey
“I finished an 8-day private journey with Hidden China Travel, from Kunming to Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La.”
Peter & Jenny K.Germany · Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-LaRead the account

Names may be shortened. Some notes were translated and edited for clarity.

Four more, a little more closely

Who was traveling, what they noticed, and the words they left. The route link appears only when the note is filed with a published journey.

A small boat on Erhai Lake, with the Cangshan mountains beyond

USA

Our driver-guide made the journey fun

Who traveled
Parents traveling with their young son
Where the note sits
A first family journey in China
What stayed with them
A humorous, knowledgeable driver-guide, stories of Yunnan’s ethnic minorities, and meals that felt comfortable.
“This was our first time bringing our young son to China, and it was a wonderful experience. Our driver-guide was humorous, friendly, and knowledgeable, with stories about Yunnan and its ethnic minorities that our family wanted to hear. Meals were comfortable, and we came home with very good memories.”
Painted woodwork and tiled eaves of a Bai courtyard in Xizhou, near Dali

Canada

Vegetarian needs well taken care of

Who traveled
A traveler who knows large landscapes
Where the note sits
Yunnan, with a vegetarian table
What stayed with them
Days she did not have to schedule, and excellent vegetarian meals at a separate table.
“I joined this private journey to experience life in Yunnan, even after years of British Columbia scenery. Joy arranged the days so I did not have to manage the schedule. He also arranged a separate table and excellent vegetarian meals for those of us who needed them.”
A lived-in lane in Shuhe, Lijiang, with tiled roofs, banners and people passing

France

A professional, patient, and funny driver-guide

Who traveled
Traveling together
Where the note sits
Before the journey, and on the road
What stayed with them
A team that was easy to reach, cautious and punctual driving, and hotels that were charming guesthouses or very comfortable.
“The Hidden China Travel team was easy to reach before and during the journey. Our driver-guide was professional, patient, and funny, and the driving was cautious and punctual. The hotels were either charming guesthouses or very comfortable, and we recommend them.”
A still highland lake and forested hills near Shangri-La

Germany

A Yunnan journey that exceeded expectations

Who traveled
An eight-day private journey
Where the note sits
Kunming, Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La
What stayed with them
Days that felt happy and relaxed, in a region they say they fell in love with.
“I finished an 8-day private journey with Hidden China Travel, from Kunming to Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La. I felt happy and relaxed every day, and Yunnan itself is stunning. I completely fell in love with it.”
Peter & Jenny K.Germany

Why travelers choose this way of going

The same practical things recur across the notes. They are also how a private Yunnan journey is arranged.

01

One person holds the plan

Daniel and Sarah had already traveled with Joy once. Claire and Thomas could reach the team before the journey and during it. Faisal and Aisha describe the planning as patient. You speak with Joy Liu from the first note through the days on the road. The travel contract is then issued by the licensed agency in Kunming.

02

The driver-guide is part of the day

Rachel’s family heard stories of Yunnan’s ethnic minorities. Michelle describes a Lijiang driver-guide who was calm, flexible, and at home in English. Mark and Susan mention steady driving. David and Emma name the patience required with children. The person for your dates is confirmed in writing.

03

The day is allowed to change

Daniel and Sarah moved into business class at short notice. The Tan family had a hectic moment with the trains, and it was sorted. Emily’s meals were vegetarian, at a separate table, and still part of the same journey. A private party can adjust without waiting on a coach.

04

What they remember is the feeling

Peter and Jenny write that they felt happy and relaxed on an eight-day route from Kunming to Shangri-La, and that they fell in love with Yunnan. Claire and Thomas remember the hotels and the humor in the car. The planning is there so the day can be quiet enough to keep.

The Yunnan in their notes

Dali, Shaxi, the gorge, Lijiang, Shangri-La. These are photographs of the route, kept beside the stories that mention those places.

These photographs were made on the route. They were not supplied by the travelers, and a journey does not promise every frame.

The company on the contract

The notes are the travelers. This is the agency that signs for the journey. Tripadvisor and Google are where many people look first; a public profile is linked here when the original reviews can be opened beside it.

L-YN-1017500

Yunnan Meizhen International Travel Agency Co., Ltd.

云南美珍国际旅行社有限公司. Joy Liu is your consultant. The agency issues the travel contract and receives payment to its corporate account.

Tripadvisor

Read the notes on this page: named parties, named places, shared with permission. Names may be shortened, and some lines were translated for clarity. There is no Tripadvisor average beside them.

Google reviews

There is no Google rating on this page. When a profile can be read in full, its link will sit here, next to the permit and the company documents.

A musician playing guitar from a moored boat on the shore of Erhai Lake

Tell Joy who is traveling.

A month, who is coming, and how you want the days to feel. You will see a written route before any payment. Nothing is confirmed until you have read it.

Weekdays 9:00–18:00 Beijing time, usually within 2 hours. Other times, within 24 hours.