Two days in Shangri-La: all you need to know

Are you planning a trip to Shangri-La? This article provides all the information you need to visit the old town and the surrounding area.

If you are planning a trip to Shangri-La (香格里拉 Xiānggélǐlā or Śambhalaḥ in Tibetan शम्भल), it probably means you have visited Lijiang already (here is my travel guide). You are now looking for something else to do in the area.

Thanks to recent infrastructure projects, such as a new highway and a high-speed railway, visiting this little Tibetan city is now quite convenient. Technically, you can even do it on a day trip, but I recommend staying a few nights.

Until December 17, 2001, Shangri-La was called Zhongdian (中甸), but the name was changed to match the mystical place James Hilton talked about in his novel Lost Horizon. It was a marketing move to get more tourists. In the book, Shangri-La is an ancient and secret city of wise men, gathered from all over the world, of different sexes, cultures, religions, and temperaments, who live exceptionally long lives and are truly happy.

When is the best time to visit Shangri-La (香格里拉)?

The city lies at an elevation of about 3100 meters, so it’s pretty cold in winter. It can often rain in summer, so visiting in spring or autumn is better.

Regardless of when you decide to go, try to avoid all the national holidays and the month of August when students and teachers are on holiday. August is exceptionally crowded because most Chinese are trying to escape from the heat of the rest of the country.

Remember that, due to its elevation, you might experience altitude sickness, especially if you fly from a much lower elevation.

How to get to Shangri-La

Right next to the city is a small airport and a newly built high-speed train station. You can either fly or take the train. The other option is to take a bus from Lijiang. There are buses every 20 minutes or so, and thanks to a new highway, it only takes 2.5 hours.

If you opt for the bus, remember that foreigners cannot book their tickets in advance using an app. So you’ll have to go to the bus station in person (bring your passport). I recommend doing so if you want to leave at a specific time, as tickets sell out quickly. You cannot buy the return ticket from Shangri-La to Lijiang while you are in Lijiang. So I suggest booking the return ticket when you arrive in Shangri-La. Here you can book a train ticket.

Things to see in Shangri-La

Why do people want to visit this part of Yunnan? Well, first of all, this is an exciting area because it is geographically and ethnically part of the Tibetan plateau.

Visiting Tibet (here is my guide) is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming (although worth it), so this is a good alternative for many. You’ll see many Tibetan temples and people, though their attire is quite different from that in other Tibetan areas. If you are looking for other places to visit alongside your stay at Shangri-La, check out this page.

Here are some places you can visit in the area.

Shangri-La Ancient Town (独克宗)

One of the city’s highlights is the old town called in Chinese Dukezong (独克宗), which, until the big fire of 2014, dated back 1300 years. Unfortunately, it was destroyed, and it has since been rebuilt. The local government tried to preserve the same architectural style, but it’s actually a “brand new old town.”

The old town is small but lovely, with numerous local restaurants and small shops. It’s the ideal place to stay for a few nights while you explore the surrounding area. You can use Trip.com to book a hotel there.

One of the most famous restaurants is Flying Tiger, a good restaurant founded by a French guy. It is a little expensive, but the food is good (unfortunately, in 2025, it caught fire and is currently closed).

Half a day in Napahai (纳帕海) Nature Reserve

With a total area of 31.25 square kilometers and an elevation of 3266 meters, this wetland was designated a Nature Reserve in 1984. It’s a flat area dotted by ponds and surrounded by mountains. Right before Winter, you can find some rare black-necked cranes looking for food.

Reaching Napahai is easy since it’s only a few kilometers from the old town. Visiting the area is a bit more complicated. These are the main options:

• Renting a bike: there are a few bike shops, and if your time is limited, biking around the whole area is not an option. Also, unlike in places like Yangshuo, there is no cycle track, so you must be careful. This is a good option only if you have the whole day, the weather is nice, and you don’t mind the cars.
• Renting an electric bike: the same shops also rent electric bikes. There is a catch, though: the stores are all located in the old town or just outside, and this means that by the time you reach Napahai, your battery is already 1/4 down. You certainly won’t have enough juice left to visit the whole grassland. This option is only recommended if you want to see a small area.
• Hiring a driver is the best option, but also the most expensive. You can find people around the old town handing out their contact cards. Tell them you want to visit Napahai (纳帕海), and they will drive you around the park. Don’t forget to bargain. If you choose this option, you can see the whole area in about three hours and stop wherever you like.

There are also a few hotels in the reserve, but i think, they are overrated and overpriced. This is probably the most famous.

Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (噶丹松赞林)

The highlight of Shangri-La is, without a doubt, the Songzanlin Monastery. Located only 5 km from the old town, this beautiful Tibetan temple was built in 1679. It’s the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, sometimes called the Little Potala Palace, and the most important monastery in southwest China.

Its architecture is a fusion of Tibetan and Han Chinese. It was extensively damaged in the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt in 1983. At its peak, the monastery housed 2,000 monks. Now, there are only about 700 monks.

This beautiful monastery has, unfortunately, become incredibly touristy. If you are looking for something truly authentic, then I recommend heading further north (about 2 hours’ drive) to visit the Dongzhulin Monastery (噶丹东竹林寺): no entrance ticket and no tourists (so far).

If you’re interested in exploring the western part of Yunnan, which is still largely untouched by tourism, I recommend not missing this guide.

Inner Harmony Stupa of Pagoda Tazhongta (塔中塔)

Located just south of the old town, this 108-meter-tall pagoda is impossible to miss. It’s allegedly the world’s tallest and largest Buddhist white pagoda, and I think the word “white” is the catch here.

It was built in 1997 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Diqing Prefecture’s founding. The interesting thing is that there is another, smaller one inside the pagoda.

I couldn’t find any other information about it, but I noticed that inside, there are many paintings dedicated to Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Buddhist Yellow Hat Sect, also known as the Gelug.

Potatso/Pudacuo National Park (普达措)

Potatso National Park, located about one hour from the old town, is a stunning place, and it’s worth spending a whole day hiking the area. The park’s buses take tourists to different viewpoints. The unique thing about this area is that Tibetan people still live in the park.

You’ll see yaks and horses lazily grazing everywhere, and if you are lucky, you might even see a few wild White Eared Pheasants.

Pudacuo is my favorite area near Shangri-La, and if you have to choose between this place and Napahai, I recommend Pudacuo.

Here are a few more pictures:

When I visited the park, I also had the chance to see a local Tibetan house, but you need special permission to do so. There is also an overpriced glamping site (about 1588 RMB per night), but it is only open for a few months per year.

Balagezong Grand Canyon (巴拉格宗大峡谷)

This Grand Canyon is quite impressive and not that popular yet. You can spend more than half a day exploring the area.

The Baishui River carved the canyon, which stretches over 50 kilometers. From the main peak (5545 meters) to the river, there’s an impressive drop of about 3500 meters.

It takes about 1.5 hours to get there from Shangri-La. After paying the entrance ticket, you’ll take the scenic bus that will first take you to a very underwhelming village built in a spectacular spot. After that, you can take the same bus and head first to a Tibetan temple and then on a path built on the side of the canyon, where you can take a zipline. Finally, you can catch another bus and head to the bottom of the canyon for an easy trail (about 2 km). You can either come back on foot or take a boat. I recommend the latter option.

Yubeng and North of Shangri-La

Yubeng is a remote Tibetan village located at the foot of the sacred Meili Snow Mountain. It used to be a remote and half-forgotten village considered a paradise for hikers. Recently, it has seen significant development, and it’s no longer inaccessible. Here you can find my complete travel guide.

Park of the Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkey – Rinopiteco Bieti

Shangri-La can be a starting point for reaching Tacheng (塔城), home to the Snub-Nosed Monkey Park. It’s estimated that there are only between 2000/3000 left in the world, and this is the only place you can see these beautiful monkeys in the wild. In this article, I discussed in detail the conservation efforts to save these monkeys.

Tour vs DIY

It is possible to visit all these places alone, but this obviously requires a good deal of adaptation and preparation. If you prefer to join a tour, I cooperate with a local tour operator that arranges trips to Yunnan. Send me a DM on Instagram if you need their contact information.

Regardless of your choice, remember to get good insurance for your trip to China. I recommend this one.

Final thoughts

Shangri-La is an excellent place to explore if you have the right expectations. Don’t expect any Lost Horizon-like place. It’s a small Chinese city with a lovely old town and several exciting sights, which has recently seen an incredible increase in tourist numbers.

What makes it worth it is its location near Tibet and Lijiang, and its proximity to a lot of nature. I think it’s worth a trip, especially if you are already in Lijiang or Dali (here is my travel guide). Otherwise, if you want to visit a Tibetan area, you are probably better off heading for Qinghai or Sichuan if you cannot go directly to Tibet.

Unfortunately, if you have a drone, you cannot use it in Shangri-La and Napahai because they are too close to the airport.

Remember to get a VPN before coming to China. This one works well. If you need an eSIM, I recommend this one.

Here is my travel guide to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, near Lijiang, and here is my Yunnan travel guide.