The brave girl’s solo trip to Yunnan is back! Follow-up on the small group experience

Just an ordinary college student, the Yunnan trip budget was all saved from living expenses and part-time jobs. This is a personally tested small group travel journal, a genuine experience for everyone’s reference, definitely not a promotion! 📍Why choose a small group? As a lazy person, I initially wanted to travel independently, but after checking the guides, I gave up right away—Yunnan’s attractions are scattered, I didn’t dare to drive myself, taxis are expensive, and public transport is inconvenient. After seeing “Yunnan small groups,” I was tempted, but online info was messy, with many private guides and carpool scams. In the end, I chose a 2-6 person pure-play small group, no carpooling or waiting around, the pace was super comfortable. 💛Travel: Scenery worthy of a screensaver all the way Riding in a 7-seat business van, each person has an individual seat, with enough space to sit cross-legged. Yunnan has many mountain roads, but the driver drove steadily. From the shore of Erhai Lake to the foot of Cangshan Mountain and then to Blue Moon Valley, the scenery outside the window kept changing, and the driver even stopped the car specially for us to take photos. Even if you’re bad at photography, you can easily get great shots✨ 💚Accommodation: Clean, worry-free, and atmospheric The accommodations arranged by the small group were a pleasant surprise. Two nights in characteristic guesthouses with ethnic style, sheets, hot water, and Wi-Fi all available, and importantly, close to the attractions! The inn in Dali had a balcony window facing Erhai Lake, with morning sunlight pouring in, the romantic vibe was full💭 Prices are student-friendly, without the cramped feeling of low-cost groups. 🧡Extra costs: Transparent and no traps The biggest worry about “fake pure-play” scams didn’t happen! The group did not include tickets, local transport, and other basic extras, and there were no forced purchases or upselling throughout 🐩. Meals were split equally; the driver took us to local restaurants where wild mushroom hotpot, chicken bean jelly, and claypot rice noodles were all super delicious, affordable, and authentic. 💙Companion service: Attention to detail maxed out The driver was a local uncle, not talkative but thoughtful. Seeing we wanted to take photos, he actively helped with composition; hearing we feared altitude sickness, he prepared oxygen bottles and glucose water in advance🫶 Attentive care throughout, felt as comfortable as traveling with friends. 💜Experience: Easier than independent travel No feeling of being “controlled” as imagined, the itinerary was very flexible. No rushing like big groups, we spent an entire afternoon sunbathing, enjoying the breeze, and taking photos by Erhai Lake, the timing was just right. 📝Avoid pitfalls Tips 1. Always check real photos of accommodations; 2. Immediately blacklist groups labeled “pure-play” but include 🐩 items; 3. Experiences vary greatly between different groups, so compare and do your homework. This Yunnan trip was super fulfilling💐 Mountains, sea, wind, and flowers all included, and the companions were gentle too. If you’re torn between independent travel or group tours, this kind of small group is worth considering—no exhaustion, no scams, and great value.