2026 Winter Break Yunnan Trip: A Romantic Encounter with Feathers

Prologue: When Birdwatching Becomes the Entire Purpose of Travel

On the eve of the 2026 Spring Festival, my partner and I embarked on a 15-day birdwatching journey through Yunnan. From January 24th to February 7th, we drove across four provinces—Anhui, Hubei, Sichuan, and Yunnan—and finally, among the mountains, forests, and lakes of Yunnan, we encountered dozens of bird species by chance. This was no ordinary trip: every day's itinerary revolved around the traces of birds, and every stop could be the beginning of a surprise. When the Dark-breasted Rosefinch was only discovered after we returned home, when the Lady Amherst's Pheasant finally appeared before the lens on the third attempt, when the Asian Openbill stork fed gracefully in Kunming's wetland—these moments became the most precious memories of our 2026 winter break.

Itinerary Overview: A Thousand-Mile Dash for the Birds

Departure: From Hefei to Panzhihua (January 24th–27th)

January 24th: Departed Hefei, arrived in Yichang. Stayed at the Atour Hotel on Changjiang Middle Road. Dinner was at Global Harbor.

January 25th: Yichang to Neijiang. My partner raved about the rabbit meat in Neijiang, but I wasn't impressed. Stayed at the Atour Hotel near the Normal University.

January 26th: Neijiang to Panzhihua. Checked into the Atour Hotel near the Municipal Government, two nights for 618 yuan. Panzhihua was the first key birdwatching stop on this trip—we planned to stay two days, exploring Daheishan Forest Park, Wumo Road, and Meiziqing Reservoir.

January 27th: A full day of birdwatching in Panzhihua.

Panzhihua: Bird Shadows on Steep Slopes

The roads in Panzhihua left a strong impression—every time you went out, you were climbing a slope, and going downhill was the norm. The roads in Daheishan Forest Park were narrow and steep, making passing difficult, but the lack of traffic was a blessing. We parked near "Sky Mirror" and hiked uphill to spot birds.

The habitat here was delightful: the forest had no low shrubs, only towering trees, making it very comfortable to walk through. We encountered two bird waves, but photographing them was extremely challenging—the birds flitted up and down among the high branches, impossible to keep up with, and often flew away before we could even get a clear look. The only bird we photographed to our heart's content was the Giant Nuthatch. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to capture the Yunnan Nuthatch (we had already added the Giant Nuthatch to our list last year at Zixi Mountain).

Bird Species Recorded in Panzhihua: - Grey-necked Bunting (appeared multiple times) - Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush (both male and female) - Blue-fronted Redstart (male) - Russet Sparrow - Black-throated Stonechat (both male and female) - Fire-tailed Myzornis (both male and female) - Chestnut-vented Nuthatch - Giant Nuthatch (photographed to our heart's content) - Alpine Treecreeper - Himalayan Buzzard - Dark-breasted Rosefinch (Wumo Road, an unexpected addition—discovered only after returning home) - Steppe Buzzard (perched on a roadside power line, staring at me for half a minute) - Common Buzzard - Plain Prinia (Meiziqing Reservoir) - Black-throated Redstart (female, at a highway service area)

Practical Tips: Song Yanhua Restaurant in Panzhihua was our go-to—clean, comfortable, and with good food. We ate there last year too, and it seems we'll be back again next time.

Jianchuan: Waiting on the Lake Below Freezing (January 28th–30th)

January 28th: Panzhihua to Dali, then on to Jianchuan. Boat fare: 148 yuan + 200 yuan. Breakfast: 20 yuan.

To photograph birds, we stayed in a village near Jianchuan. The next morning, we were on the boat and out on Jian Lake before 8 a.m., not returning until noon. That morning was freezing cold—it got a little better after the sun came out, but it was still bone-chilling. On the drive from Jianchuan to Dali, my partner still hadn't warmed up after an hour. When we arrived in Dali, it was so hot we wanted to strip off our clothes immediately.

Bird Species Recorded in Jianchuan: - Glossy Ibis - Eastern Marsh Harrier (new addition) - Kentish Plover - Great Cormorant (the fish-catching scene was the highlight—on the way back, we saw one catch a big fish, struggle to swallow it for a long time, and finally drop it and fly away; the boatman picked it up and took it home) - Black-winged Kite (we approached slowly by boat, and it didn't seem too scared) - Hen Harrier - Smew - Long-legged Buzzard - Tufted Duck - Eurasian Wigeon

Jianchuan Tips: The car windows were frozen in the morning—my partner insisted on wiping them with water, but it froze instantly on contact. That's how cold it was, below zero.

Dali: Where Bustle Meets Birdsong (January 30th – February 2nd)

We stayed two days in Dali, checking into the Atour Hotel near the Ancient City for two nights at 1,093.48 yuan. We took all three cable cars on Cangshan Mountain and walked almost the entire Jade Belt Road, but we didn't see a single Lady Amherst's Pheasant.

Day One: Took the Gantong Cable Car up and down (100 yuan, free admission). Hiked up a section to the Jade Belt Road and walked to the Seven Dragon Maiden Pools—4.5 kilometers one way, so 9 kilometers round trip.

Impressions of Dali: Chaotic and disorganized, with shops and guesthouses everywhere, lacking planning, narrow roads, and crowded. When we tried to find Asian Openbill storks at Erhai Lake, we kept hitting dead ends for cars. We finally drove into a narrow alley lined with parked cars, barely managed to turn around, and headed back.

Bird Species on Cangshan Mountain, Dali: - Golden-winged Laughingthrush - Black-faced Laughingthrush - Black Eagle - Stripe-throated Yuhina (new addition) - Rufous-vented Yuhina - Rufous-fronted Bushtit (new addition, possibly starting to build nests) - Alpine Accentor - Blue-fronted Redstart (male, Zhonghe Cable Car) - Blue-fronted Robin - Grey-headed Thrush - Black-breasted Thrush - White-crowned Forktail - Grey-winged Blackbird - White-collared Yuhina - Brown-cheeked Fulvetta - Blue Whistling Thrush - Black-headed Greenfinch (both male and female) - Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler - Long-tailed Thrush

Zhonghe Cable Car: Open-air, 60 yuan round trip, slow-moving, comfortable as it weaves through the forest, but a bit cold. We arrived at 7:30 a.m., but the cable car wasn't running yet—the staff explained that the station manager was doing the morning inspection.

Ximatang Cable Car: The most expensive, 300 yuan round trip, opening late (9 a.m.). It hadn't run the day before due to strong winds. The cable car has two sections, reaching an altitude of 3,920 meters, with the highest observation deck at 3,996 meters. It was very cold up there, so we specifically chose a day when we were dressed warmly. Some people came down from Ximatang and walked the Jade Belt Road—I have no idea how they managed their clothing.

Bird Species at Ximatang: - Black-crowned Tit (photographed at the highest observation deck) - Eurasian Wren

Nanjian Wuliang Mountain, Phoenix Mountain: The Entire Forest to Ourselves (February 2nd–5th)

We arrived at the Yunshui Guniang Guesthouse on Phoenix Mountain in the afternoon. The place was quiet and peaceful—we were the only two guests, enjoying the solitude of the entire hotel and the entire mountain forest.

Surprises Came One After Another: - On the first afternoon, we stepped out and saw a Lady Amherst's Pheasant, but didn't get a photo. - The next morning, we went into the forest and saw another one, but still no photo. - "Third time's the charm"—on the third try, we finally got it. We saw four in total: two females and two males crossing the road.

Phoenix Mountain has several hiking loop trails, and we walked them all. The last one went down to a reservoir and looped back—it was quite thrilling.

Bird Species on Phoenix Mountain: - Pale-legged Leaf Warbler (new addition) - Northern Treeshrew (at first, we thought it was a squirrel) - Chestnut-vented Nuthatch - Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker - Golden-winged Laughingthrush - Rufous-breasted Accentor - Rufous-breasted Accentor - Orange-barred Leaf Warbler - Spot-throated Babbler - Blue-fronted Redstart (female) - Grey-winged Blackbird (female) - Lady Amherst's Pheasant (both male and female, finally photographed) - Grey-necked Bunting - Black Bulbul - Chinese Babax (a small group, with loud calls) - Rufous-vented Yuhina - Rufous-headed Parrotbill - Blue-fronted Robin (both male and female) - Eurasian Wren (discovered while wandering around the guesthouse in the evening) - Yellow-bellied Flowerpecker (new addition) - Brown-winged Parrotbill (new addition) - Green Shrike-Babbler (new addition)

Special Experience: At 7:30 a.m. on the second day, as we were about to have breakfast, we heard the call of a Grey Nightjar. We followed the sound, but it stopped calling at 7:40. On the night before we left, it actually came to the window and called—we quickly got dressed and went outside, but only saw it fly a few times, and couldn't locate it with the infrared. On the last morning, we heard it calling again, but still couldn't find it.

Ailao Mountain: Mysterious Primeval Forest (February 5th–6th)

Ailao Mountain is a mysterious place—bluestone paths, towering ancient trees covered in moss. We stayed at the Yunshang Shexia Guesthouse at Jinshan Yakou and only visited Jinshan Primitive Forest Park. We wanted to stay longer, but there were no rooms available, so we'll have to come back next time.

Bird Species on Ailao Mountain: - Yellow-cheeked Tit (the only one we photographed in a bird wave) - White-tailed Nuthatch (new addition, photographed to our heart's content) - Blue-fronted Robin (both male and female) - Grey-throated Leaf Warbler - Long-tailed Thrush (found a nest of earthworms and was eating them with gusto—my partner tried to use their phone to see what it was, but the rustling scared it away. We followed it, and eventually, it circled back to the same spot and continued eating) - Red-breasted Woodpecker (encountered another bird wave on the way down the mountain; it was a dizzying blur and we didn't get any photos, but seeing the Red-breasted Woodpecker was a delight) - Yellow-naped Woodpecker (new addition) - Chestnut-headed Fulvetta (new addition) - Himalayan Plain-backed Thrush (new addition—in the evening, we photographed a pair near the toilet at Yakou. At first, we thought they were Long-tailed Thrushes, but later, someone on Xiaohongshu mentioned them, and we realized it was an unexpected addition)

Kunming Fubao Wetland: The Final Surprise (February 6th)

Kunming Fubao Wetland is home to Asian Openbill storks. Navigate to "Fubao Xiaosanya Parking Lot," and you'll see them across the way. The storks were eating apple snails, a graceful sight.

Bird Species in Kunming: - Asian Openbill (new addition) - Chestnut-vented Nuthatch

The Return Journey (February 6th–7th)

Kunming to Luzhou (Luzhou felt like a city from the 1970s or 1980s), Luzhou to Yichang, and Yichang back home.

Summary: 15 Days, 13 New Additions, Countless Emotions

On this Yunnan trip, we added 13 new bird species to our list. Although some target species (like the Yunnan Nuthatch and the White-bellied Woodpecker) eluded us, the unexpected finds (the Dark-breasted Rosefinch and the Himalayan Plain-backed Thrush) made the journey full of surprises.

Birdwatching Insights: 1. Bird waves are hard to photograph: Every time a bird wave hit, it was a blur of activity. If we could photograph one species well, that was a success. 2. Patience pays off: The "third time's the charm" rule for the Lady Amherst's Pheasant proves that persistence is key. 3. Unexpected additions: Some species were only discovered after we got home, and others were found near a toilet—that's the beauty of birdwatching.

Travel Tips: - The habitat at Daheishan in Panzhihua is excellent, but driving is difficult. Plan ahead. - When birdwatching on Jian Lake, bring plenty of warm clothing. The morning temperatures are extremely low. - Each of the three cable cars on Cangshan Mountain in Dali has its own character. The Ximatang Cable Car reaches a high altitude, so dress warmly. - The Yunshui Guniang Guesthouse on Phoenix Mountain is a peaceful retreat, perfect for focused birdwatching. - Ailao Mountain is worth a return visit. The sunrise and sea of clouds over the primeval forest are unforgettable.

Regrets and Expectations: - Didn't photograph the Yunnan Nuthatch - Didn't photograph the White-bellied Woodpecker - Didn't visit Luodihe - Didn't eat at Xilou in Kunming

But these regrets are exactly the reason to set out again.

Postscript: From Hefei to Yunnan, 15 days, over 4,000 kilometers—we weren't just chasing birds. We were chasing the pure joy of discovering surprises in nature. When the Dark-breasted Rosefinch was found in photos after we returned home, when the Himalayan Plain-backed Thrush appeared unexpectedly near a toilet—these moments remind us that the greatest charm of birdwatching always lies around the next corner.