Learn Chinese
in Kunming

If you're surrounded by a completely Chinese-speaking environment every day, seeing only Chinese characters and hearing only Chinese, your Chinese will improve very quickly. Furthermore, with Sojourn Abroad's professional Chinese courses, under the guidance of expert Chinese teachers, your Chinese will improve significantly.

When you live and learn Chinese in China, you'll be able to buy fresh fruit in Chinese at the market every day, order your favorite food in Chinese at snack shops, and participate in various Chinese activities and parties. What a vibrant and fulfilling life that would be!

There is no best city. You can choose the city that best fits your preference. All Sojourn Abroad programs have the same price for Chinese language lessons. No matter which city you choose, the tuition fee stays the same. However, the living expenses vary. For example, in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, accommodation costs will be higher than in other cities.

Other factors you need to consider include the city's scale, weather, cuisine, etc. All Sojourn Abroad cities are carefully selected to help you fully understand and experience China. Delve into Chinese culture deeply by living in one place for some time, and you will fall in love with this country.

All Chinese classes at Sojourn Abroad are taught by professional teachers, so with classroom learning combined with extracurricular practice, your Chinese will improve very quickly.

If you have never studied Chinese before, it usually takes 1-3 months of study before you can use Chinese in your life.

With 3-6 months of study, you will have virtually no problem communicating in Chinese while living in China.

No matter which city you choose, the tuition fee is always 280 USD/week. That includes 15 group Chinese classes per week.

We have 4 levels:

• Beginner: for students who have never studied Chinese or have studied a little.
• Elementary: for students who are around HSK 1 to 2.
• Intermediate: for students who are around HSK 3 to 4.
• Advanced: for students who are around HSK 5 to 6.

Unlike university programs, all Sojourn Abroad Chinese language programs can be from 2 weeks to 2 years. It is suitable for short-term stays and ideal for long-term living. You can choose the program length according to your needs.

Unlike university programs that you have to start at a specific time, all Sojourn Abroad programs offer the flexibility that you can start the program on any Monday throughout the year. We will offer a placement test before you start the program and recommend the class that best matches your level.

Sojourn Abroad offers homestay and apartment hunting services. If you need help with finding an apartment, SA charges a one-time fee of USD 600. This includes

• Property viewing (taking you to see different apartments).
• Help with signing the contract (help translate items).
• Help with calling for repair of property defects during the contract period (repair fee not included).

If the rent exceeds USD 600, the service fee will be equivalent to one month's rent.

Close to the school are many affordable hotels and hostels, which are ideal for short-term stays.

If you need help with finding an apartment, SA charges a one-time fee of USD 600. This includes

• Property viewing (taking you to see different apartments).
• Help with signing the contract (help translate items).
• Help with calling for repair of property defects during the contract period (repair fee not included).

If the rent exceeds USD 600, the service fee will be equivalent to one month's rent.

Before you arrive:

• Email us the number of bedrooms, budget, and how long for the rent
• Pay the apartment hunting service fee
• Book a hotel for 2 to 3 days, allowing us to take you to see the available apartments after you arrive

After you arrive:

• Check into your temporary hotel
• We will take you to check out the apartments and confirm the rent
• Sign the contract
• Pay the rent
• Move in

We recommend that you take a Chinese course with Sojourn Abroad for 1 to 2 years to achieve fluency in Chinese.

Because Sojourn Abroad offers Chinese courses in over 18 cities across China, you can change cities every two months to maximize your experience of different cultures and customs while improving your Chinese proficiency.

To ensure all students have the opportunity to practice speaking in class, we ensure that each class has no more than 10 students. Through the teachers' diverse and engaging teaching methods, students thoroughly enjoy interacting with their classmates, encouraging and helping each other, and becoming good friends.

You will take 3 small group classes every day Monday to Friday, so 15 classes per week. One class is 40 minutes.

Yes, absolutely. Sojourn Abroad aims to provide you with the best Mandarin learning experience. We make sure that you are truly making progress and learning new things. Just tell your assistant at SA, and she/he will help you switch.

Yes! Sojourn Abroad is legally registered and licensed. We are able to provide the necessary documents for you to apply for tourist visas or student visas. Taking a Chinese language course with Sojourn Abroad is the best solution for people who want to live in China for the long term.

Sojourn Abroad in Kunming is located in the city center, right opposite Spring City 66. It is easy to get anywhere in the city.

Kunming’s food scene is a flavorful journey through Yunnan’s diverse cultures, from street snacks to iconic hot pots. Here are the must-try dishes, each offering a unique taste of the “Spring City.”

🍜 Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles (过桥米线)

This is Kunming’s most iconic dish—a culinary ritual in a bowl. You’re served a piping-hot, oil-topped broth along with separate plates of paper-thin meat slices, quail eggs, vegetables, and rice noodles. The heat of the broth cooks the raw ingredients instantly at your table. Legend says a scholar’s wife invented this method to keep her husband’s lunch warm while he studied on an island . It’s more than a meal; it’s an experience and an absolute must when in Kunming .

🍄 Wild Mushroom Hot Pot (野生菌火锅)

Yunnan is home to over 800 varieties of wild mushrooms, and locals treat them with reverence . From late spring to autumn (peak season June-September), this hot pot is the region’s most celebrated dish . Fresh mushrooms like porcini and termite mushrooms simmer in a rich chicken broth, creating an intensely flavorful soup . A word of caution: mushrooms must be boiled for a set time (often with a timer) before eating—some can cause hallucinations if undercooked !

🍲 Small-Pot Rice Noodles (小锅米线)

For a taste of everyday Kunming life, skip the ceremony and try this spicy, soul-warming noodle soup. Cooked individually in a small copper pot, it’s a hearty and affordable local staple, usually costing between 5-15 yuan . The broth is packed with minced pork, pickled vegetables, spring onions, and a satisfying spicy kick . It’s what locals crave when they want a quick, delicious, and authentic meal.

🍳 Grilled Rice Cake (烧饵块)

This is Kunming’s answer to a “Yunnan-style taco” and a beloved breakfast item . It’s made from a chewy, pounded rice cake (erkuai) that’s grilled over charcoal until puffed and crispy . It’s then spread with a savory fermented bean curd or sesame sauce and often wrapped around a fried dough stick, pickled vegetables, and bean sprouts . You’ll see long lines at street stalls every morning as locals grab this satisfying, handheld breakfast.

🥔 Fried Potatoes (炸洋芋)

The ultimate Kunming street snack, found everywhere from tiny shops to mobile carts. Potatoes are cut into odd-shaped chunks, deep-fried until crispy on the outside and soft inside, then tossed in a spicy, mouth-numbing mixture of chili, herbs, and secret sauce . For just 3-5 yuan a box, it’s an addictive, budget-friendly treat, often eaten with a toothpick while walking around the city .

🥧 Flower Cake (鲜花饼)

Given Kunming’s nickname as the “Spring City,” it’s no surprise that flowers make it onto the menu. This delicate pastry is a romantic local specialty. The filling is made from edible roses, traditionally picked in the morning and preserved with honey . Wrapped in a flaky, buttery crust, each bite is floral, sweet, and fragrant—a perfect souvenir for your taste buds and much more delicate than a typical Western pastry.

🍗 Steam-Pot Chicken (汽锅鸡)

This dish showcases the purity of Yunnan’s ingredients. The chicken is cooked in a special unglazed clay pot, where steam rises through a hollow tube, condenses on the lid, and drips back down, slowly creating a crystal-clear, intensely flavorful broth without a single drop of added water . The result is incredibly tender chicken and a golden, aromatic soup that is so highly regarded it has been served at state banquets .

🍜 Vietnamese Noodle Rolls (越南小卷粉)

While originally from Vietnam, these delicate rice rolls have been wholeheartedly adopted by Kunming, especially in the Dongjiawan neighborhood . They are fresh, translucent rice noodle sheets wrapped around a savory filling, most famously at the legendary “Dongjiawan No. 76” stall, where long queues are a daily ritual . Served with a tangy, sour-spy dipping sauce, they offer a light, refreshing, and profoundly satisfying burst of flavor.

Kunming is a city where dramatic natural wonders, diverse ethnic cultures, and a relaxed urban vibe all come together. Here are the must-see attractions you shouldn’t miss, from world-famous landmarks to local hidden gems.

🏞️ Natural Wonders

1. Stone Forest (Shilin) – UNESCO World Heritage Site
About a 1.5-hour drive from Kunming, the Stone Forest is a breathtaking landscape of towering limestone pillars that look like petrified trees. This 350-square-kilometer “natural sculpture gallery” was formed over 270 million years and is the only karst stone forest in a subtropical plateau region in the world. Beyond the main Stone Forest area, you can explore the less-crowded Naigu Stone Forest. Local Sani minority people add cultural depth with their legends, including the famous story of “Ashima”. The site is a 5A-rated scenic area, and visiting truly lives up to the local saying: “It is a waste of time without being in the Stone Forest while visiting Kunming”. (Ticket: around 130 RMB)

2. Dianchi Lake – Kunming’s “Living Room”
As the largest freshwater lake in Yunnan and the sixth-largest in China, Dianchi Lake is the sparkling heart of the city. Locals enjoy a “lakeside lifestyle” here—you can stroll, bike, or take a boat ride across its vast, shimmering waters. The lake is most magical from November to March, when tens of thousands of black-headed gulls migrate from Siberia to feed along the shores. Haigeng Park and the lakeside viewing platforms offer the best panoramic views of the water and the surrounding mountains. The area is also home to several other attractions, including Daguan Park and Yunnan Nationalities Village. (Admission: Free)

3. Western Hills & Dragon Gate (Xishan)
Overlooking Dianchi Lake, the Western Hills are known locally as “Sleeping Beauty Mountain” because their ridgeline resembles a reclining woman. The highlight is the Dragon Gate (Longmen), a series of grottoes and stone pathways carved precariously into the sheer cliff face—an astonishing feat of ancient craftsmanship. From the top, you’re rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of Kunming city and the vast expanse of Dianchi Lake far below. You can take a cable car up from the nearby Yunnan Nationalities Village to save energy for exploring the temples and forest paths. (Ticket: around 40-90 RMB)

4. Dongchuan Red Land – “God’s Palette”
For photography enthusiasts, a trip to the Dongchuan Red Land is unforgettable. Located about 250 kilometers from Kunming, this striking landscape gets its name from the region’s unique, vivid red soil. The colors are most intense in May and June after plowing, and again in September and October when buckwheat and rapeseed flowers add contrasting patches of white and yellow to the crimson fields. The rolling hills of color have made this a rising hotspot for landscape photography and a truly unique natural attraction outside the city.

🏛️ Cultural & Historical Sites

5. Yunnan Nationalities Village
Yunnan Province is home to 25 different ethnic minority groups, and this village by the shores of Dianchi Lake is the perfect place to experience their diverse cultures in one day. The park features 1:1 scale replicas of traditional villages, complete with the unique architecture, costumes, and customs of groups like the Yi, Bai, and Dai. You can watch lively singing and dancing performances, learn about folklore, and even participate in traditional festivals. It offers a vivid, immersive introduction to the rich cultural tapestry that makes Yunnan so fascinating. (Ticket: 90 RMB, with discounts for students)

6. Kunming Old Street & Jinma Biji Fang
This 900-year-old area at the city’s center is where you can feel the soul of old Kunming. Wander along the stone-paved paths, past traditional tile-roofed wooden buildings that stand in fascinating contrast to the modern city. Jinma Biji Square is the historic heart of the old town, named for two ancient, legendary horses. Today, the area is bustling with local snack stalls, teahouses, and quirky shops. It’s the ideal place for a relaxed stroll, people-watching, and sampling authentic street food while soaking in the unique blend of old and new. (Admission: Free)

7. Yuantong Temple
As the largest and most significant Buddhist temple in Kunming, Yuantong Temple has a history of over 1,200 years. Its unique layout is centered around a massive, serene pond connected by a central bridge, a design not commonly seen in other Chinese Buddhist temples. The temple is a tranquil escape from the bustling city, with ancient banyan trees, graceful architecture, and the soothing sounds of chanting monks. If you visit in March, the adjacent Yuantong Hill in Kunming Zoo explodes with thousands of cherry blossoms, making for a particularly romantic and fragrant visit.

8. Cuihu Park (Green Lake Park)
Known as the “green lung” of Kunming, Cuihu Park is where the city comes to relax. Located in the heart of the city, this is not just a tourist attraction but a living showcase of Kunming’s laid-back lifestyle. In the mornings, you’ll see locals practicing tai chi and dancing; in the afternoons, people play cards and chat in the tea houses. From November to March, the park becomes a winter haven for the same black-headed gulls that visit Dianchi Lake, creating a lively scene as visitors feed the birds from the willow-lined shores. The park is especially beautiful at night, when its elevated boardwalk glows with soft amber lights. (Admission: Free)

🛍️ Unique & Modern Attractions

9. Dounan Flower Market
Kunming is known as the “Flower City,” and Dounan Flower Market is Asia’s largest fresh-cut flower market. This is not a dainty boutique but a massive, bustling wholesale operation where flowers are sold by the kilo. It’s an incredible sensory experience to walk through aisles piled high with roses, lilies, carnations, and exotic blooms at astonishingly low prices. The market is most active and exciting at night, around 8 PM, when the auctions begin. It’s the perfect place to buy a gorgeous bouquet for yourself for just 20 RMB or to find unique, affordable souvenirs. (Admission: Free)

10. Yunnan Provincial Museum
For a deep dive into the region’s rich history, the Yunnan Provincial Museum is a must-visit. The beautifully designed, modern building houses a vast collection of exhibits that trace Yunnan’s story from ancient times to the present. Its highlights include spectacular artifacts from the ancient Dian Kingdom, a sophisticated Bronze Age civilization, as well as exhibitions on the area’s diverse ethnic cultures and the historical Tea-Horse Road. It’s conveniently located just 10 minutes from the lakeside and offers a fascinating, educational break from natural sightseeing. (Admission: Free)