Kunming Walking Tour Around Green Lake and University Quarter
Description
Kunming is one of China's most underrated cities. It doesn't announce itself to the world the way Beijing and Shanghai do. Spend your morning with us and discover the Kunming that you would have walked straight past on your own. We begin at Green Lake, the "Eye of Kunming", where Siberian seagulls have come every winter since 1985. From there we walk into the old university quarter, where three leading universities merged in wartime exile and produced China's first two Nobel laureates, and into an alley that was once an emergency exit during air raids and is now an open-air gallery. Kunming built a railway to Vietnam before it built one to Beijing. There is a pavilion where Ho Chi Minh held meetings, with a plaque almost nobody reads. Three hours in English, never more than six of you. We will point you to the best bowl of rice noodles nearby before we say goodbye.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our walk starts at Green Lake. We will spend around 50-60 minutes here.
After Green Lake, we will go through Wenhua Lane, up to the old university quarter, and go along Wenlin Street. There are plenty of stories and spots that the guide will tell you about along the route.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(5)
We had a wonderful time exploring Green Lake and the surrounding area with our guide. From the very beginning, the whole experience felt easy, enjoyable, and genuinely interesting. Our guide knew so much about the history and culture of the place. They told us great stories about Green Lake, showed us the best views of the lotus flowers and the seagulls that visit during the season, and helped us understand what daily life is like around here. They also took us to some lovely old streets, the grave of a poet, and pumpkin pancake that we never would have found on our own. What we appreciated most was how kind and thoughtful they were. They answered every question with a smile, walked at a comfortable pace for everyone, and gave us excellent food recommendations that turned out to be delicious. Their English was very clear and easy to follow. If you are planning to visit Green Lake and the nearby attractions, we strongly suggest booking this guide. They made our trip much more than just sightseeing; it felt like a real cultural experience. Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this walking tour around Cui Hu (Green Lake), Kunming, Yunnan. It was about 3 hours, but it never felt too long because there was always something interesting to learn. Our guide, Dioni, shared the history of the area, the landmarks, and the stories of the people who helped make Cui Hu what it is today. I especially liked that she included things she had discovered through her own research. She even built up the suspense when talking about some of the area's bittersweet history, which kept us engaged the whole time... We walked past the famous streets and university, stopped for a yummy pumpkin cake from a street vendor, and she even recommended a great place for Yunnan's famous rice noodle soup afterward, which was an awesome lunch (experience). It drizzled a bit during the walk, but the weather was cool and pleasant. And what is Kunming if it doesn't feel like Spring showers :) I definitely would have missed so much if I had just wandered around on my own. Thanks for showing me a different side of Cui Hu and making the history feel so alive!
We enjoy the research and the route design, and I'm so happy to know the stories landed. The pumpkin pancake wasn't officially part of the tour, but it's been such a hit I don't think we could drop it now. Thank you for walking with us!
It was really great, the guide was really kind and had great stories with a lot of cool info. The tour took around 3 hours. We also went to a lot of interesting places, including the beautiful green lake park and a lot of cool buildings in/around the university quarter. We also got a free snack and water which were very nice. Conclusion: great, absolutely recommended!
Having your family on the walk was a delight, and it's amazing that your son planned the whole China trip himself. So glad he found us!
This walking tour is the perfect way to explore Kunming and get familiar with the history. The guide was especially friendly and informative and I could tell she really cared about offering a memorable and meaningful experience. The tour felt personal and intimate and I even made some new friends. I definitely recommend it to anyone, whether you’re visiting this city for the first time, or if you just want something fun to do for a couple of hours.
Thank you for your kind words. Really happy that we've made your time in Kunming that much more memorable and meaningful. :)
We have enjoyed a wonderful tour with Heather! Thank you so much again, Dioni and Heather, for being so spontaneous and offering this amazing tour to us. Thanks to you we (Chinese-German couple) now have a new favorite city in China and will definitely come back.
Thank you Raphael and partner for being our early guests. It was such a delight for being able to walk with you and show the unique facets of this city. If you come back again please get in touch. Perhaps we'll get to Kunming Walk 2.0 by then. ;)
