Higher Land Inn

Stay HIGH above DALI

This is more than just a great place to sleep!

Enjoy the stillness and the beautiful scenery

You can choose between EASY forest trails and steep MOUNTAIN TREKKING. Or stay by the FIRE in the cafe and read a book, play music, games or even watch the clouds rolling by!

You might also sit in the ancient Taoist cave...

... or eat delicious & healthy European and local food cooked for you.

All rooms share clean public bathroom and shower, with plenty of hot water available 24 hours a day, soft and clean blankets keep you warm.

We have six rooms: one triple, four double and one deluxe room attached a balcony.

The cafe' is open from 9am-10:30pm. We have a menu that includes everything from pancakes with fresh bananas to chaomian and local cuisine. You're also welcome join in our family style dinner, set meals at 20RMB. The bar serves fresh ground coffee, masala chai tea, soft drinks, beer and imported whisky. We also prepare lunches and snacks for hiking trips. Our experienced cook prepares food according to your request, some of which comes straight from our garden. Vegetarian and vegan food is no problem!


The food is amazing, and if you stay here I recommend the family dinners. All of the staff and guests gather around the table and eat like a traditional Chinese family would. It is so fun, and often there are conversations in Chinese, French and English all going on at the same time! The folks that prepare the meals and take care of you during your stay are some of the funniest and most caring people I have ever met. They make me laugh; they stuff me full of food and make sure my needs are taken care of down to the smallest detail.

Dali is a hiker's heaven, with trails for every level of climbing enthusiast, whether you want to take it slow and enjoy the scenery, or go for a challenging climb. Hiking and mountain biking stores sell or rent gear in town. We can provide tents, torches, maps, first aid, and some of the most knowledgeable guides on the mountain to take you on trips ranging from 1-4 days. Hikers should be in good health, as the altitude and radical weather changes can be difficult for some.

What to bring for hiking and climbing

Hiking shoes, torches, windbreaker and light raincoat, warm sweater, ropes and rock climbing gear, thermos or canteen, first aid supplies

What we can provide

Tents, sleeping bags, inflatable mattress, hiking snacks/meals, trail maps, hammocks, and outdoor cooking supplies

Directions

Dali is a hiker's heaven, with trails for every level of climbing enthusiast, whether you want to take it slow and enjoy the scenery, or go for a challenging climb. Hiking and mountain biking stores sell or rent gear in town. We can provide tents, torches, maps, first aid, and some of the most knowledgeable guides on the mountain to take you on trips ranging from 1-4 days. Hikers should be in good health, as the altitude and radical weather changes can be difficult for some.

What to bring for hiking and climbing

Hiking shoes, torches, windbreaker and light raincoat, warm sweater, ropes and rock climbing gear, thermos or canteen, first aid supplies

What we can provide

Tents, sleeping bags, inflatable mattress, hiking snacks/meals, trail maps, hammocks, and outdoor cooking supplies


1. Weibao Mountain (Taoism) and Yi market (every 10 days): one and half hour bus ride to Weishan – the first capital city of the Nanzhao kingdom. The old tower, gate, street and local houses are preserved much better than in Dali. A real old town where people still live happily, playing cards or Chinese chess on the street, very little clean tea houses, restaurant, and cinema. Handcraft shops still busy on making weight scales, leather shoes, oil lamps, metal pots, write letters for people, grand stone mills The Weibao Mountain is 40minutes away from the town, one of the famous Taoist Mountain in Yunnan. Although lots of wooden carving and status in the temple were destroyed during cultural revolution, but the layout and atmosphere are different from one to the other. Some are small with pond and beautiful windows, some are quiet with lots of plants, some are big with pray hall and courtyards. But all surrounded in woods, each has a special god and story.
30minutes before Weishan, every 10 days, there is a great Yi market sale food, clothes, animals, tea and orchid. Fabulous to see colorful Yi women carrying basket shopping, villagers come by horse cart buying, men are choosing and dragging animals on the way home.

2. Chicken Foot Mountain (Buddhism): Famous around South-east Asia, is the birthplace of Jiaye Buddha. The pilgrims come here all year around. From the top of the mountain, which about 3100meters high, the Golden Pagoda facing to east where is sun comes out, and west is Cangshan Mountain range and Erhai Lai.

3. Jianshuan is the area the original Bai lives. People here are specialist on wood and stone carving and making cheese. Thousand Lion Mountain is a mountain has about 1000 lions carved on the rocks in different gestures and sizes, it's a spot with no tourist except local Chinese spend weekend here. Shibao Mountain grottoes were carved 300years during the Nanzhao kingdom, its red rock is geomorphologically very impressive, has a very scenic view over the valleys and the other temples. Shaxi is a very important township village along the tea-horse trail, now is protected by government. It has stalls, temple, stage and square. Located in a beautiful valley where the river is running through and old stages scattered in other villages surrounded. Very beautiful hikes and interesting visiting.

4. Bai village visiting and cheese tour: Dali is the very rare place people makes fresh cheese in china, there are two kinds, one is come out a long narrow sheet called 'Rushan', which is crispy after deep fry or it can be melt as foreign cheese in the oven; the other one is in a block called 'Rubing', which is heavy and tasty, soft after light fry, goes very well with tomato in salad. During the visit of Bai traditional houses and farming, you will see the whole process of making cheese and taste the fresh cheese, after all we will arrange you stay in a local guest house by the east bank of lake, you will enjoy the beautiful sunset reflects on the Erhai Lake and delicious Bai food.

5. Tea tour: Dali is on the south Tea-Horse trail, it is the main place making 'Tuocha' – compacted green tea transported from here to Tibet by horses. There are few tea factories around the area, allows people to visit. More information is available on request, do not hesitate to write us an email or to call us for the possibility of visiting.

6. Yunlong, ancient Bai village Nuodeng located on the tea and horse trail, was one of places producing salt, many old bridges and the most traditional Bai courtyards.

7. Hiking in the Cangshan Mountain: As a wind screen of Old Dali town, the summit of Cangshan mountain is Malong Peak which is 4122meters, of course it's hard march along the cliffs after 3700meters, it's hard to believe there is a TV station at the second highest summit Zhonghe Peak which is 4090m, people still maintaining the facilities.
There are lots of Bai legend about this Cangshan Mountain upon its miserable clouds, marble, spring pools, waterfalls and magnificent gorges, 18 streams and 19peaks all named beautifully by the king of Nanzhao Kingdom.
Hiking in Cangshan is a great expedition, starts from Higherland Inn is the nearest and most beautiful way to the summit. Five hours up and three hours down, you will walk through Pine tree forest, bamboo bushes, azalea plateau, rocky marble pass, and grand pools which locates 3700m, squirrels are jumping among the trees, you can get great view of Whole Erhai Lake and Dali valley, if one is lucky can also see the summit of Jade Dragon Mountain at the far north and Chicken Foot Mountain at far east. The very scenic and very charming hike on Cangshan Mt range is the Cloud Pass which winding around six mountains (gorges) and five creeks (waterfalls), there are three temples in-between (two already turned up commercial, one is very quiet), the distance is 18km.
The gorge is deep and green and water is amazingly clear and green blue. The pass was repaved by stones in 2004, its flat and has the open view of Erhai Lake and Old Dali town, sometimes you can hear the wind whistling in the gorge, sometimes you can be chilled in the shade of pine trees, sometimes you can be excited by pheasant passing by but all the time you will be refreshed by the clean air and powerful sunshine.

Facilities

Restaurant, Airport Pick Up, Linen Included, Towels, Security Lockers, Luggage Storage, Guest Kitchen, 24 hour reception, Travel Desk/Travel Info, BBQ Area, Breakfast Not Included, 24 Hour Check In