Shangri-La - a Mystical Paradise
Located at about 3380 meters above sea level, Shangri-La is located in the heart of the Hengduan mountain range, and it is surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes against the backdrop of blue skies. Officially named Zhongdian, Shangri-La County is primarily a Tibetan county in northwestern Yunnan Province and the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The county was renamed Shangri-La in 2001 as part of the local government's marketing campaign to boost mass tourism in the area.Visitors are mainly attracted to this area by its beautiful natural scenery in combination with the mystic atmosphere of Tibetan culture that suggests an outer worldly paradise. As it used to be a part of Tibet's Kham province, the influence of Tibetan culture and religion can be found in all aspects of the local's lives, ranging from food, architecture, religion, and festivals.
The main attractions of Shangri-la include the Old Town, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, Pudacuo National Forest Park, and the Yila Grasslands. The best time to visit Shangri-la would be from the spring to autumn, or during one of its festivals.
One of the most eleborate celebration of the Tibetan cultural heritage is definitely the horse racing festival, held annually in Shangri-La during the Dragon Boat Festival period. In addition to the racing of horses, and demonstration of horsemanship, it also involves dancing, singing and feasting. Horse traders assemble here in their finest attire of furs and silks. Families of villagers camp in tents at the designated horse racing meadow land at an elevation of 3,288 meters for 3 days and 3 nights with non-stop singing and dancing!
Here is a brief introduction of each of the main attractions in Shangri-la:
Old Town – characterized by cobbled stone streets, and ancient looking Tibetan style buildings, the town is a tourist hub filled with cafes, souvenir shops and guesthouses. A monastery with a huge prayer wheel sits on top of the hill which one can walk up for a good view of the entire old town and beyond.
Ganden Sumstelling Monastery – Built in 1697, it is the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan, and the most important Tibetan Buddhist Institution in SW China. At its peak, the monastery contained accommodation for 2000 monks; it currently accommodates in its rebuilt structures 700 monks in 200 associated houses.
Pudacuo National Park - The park was officially formed on June 25, 2007. Totaling 1295 sq. KM, the region of this park contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species, though it comprises only 0.7 percent of China's land area. It is notably home to vulnerable Black-necked cranes, many rare and beautiful orchids, and Himalayan Yew, a coniferous tree whose extracts are a source of the anticancer drug, paclitaxel.
Yila Grasslands – Also known as Napa Lake wetlands, Yila Grassland is located about 10 KM from town. It is a scenic spot where migrant birds can be spotted, and the locals use the meadow as pasture land for their livestock.
Here are some tours which we offer that takes you to uncovers the magic of Shangri-La county in Yunnan:
1. Yunnan Odyssey - with a 2-day Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek
2. Horse Racing Festival in Shangri-La with Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek (June 11 - 17, 2010)