Shangri-la
This 300-year-old Tibetan monastery complex about 4km north of the old town is home to around 600 monks. Extensive rebuilding has robbed the monastery of…
Mark Read
Shangri-la
Shangri-la (香格里拉, Xiānggélǐlā), formerly known as Zhongdian (中甸, Zhōngdiàn) and sometimes 'Gyalthang' in Tibetan, is where you really start to breathe in the Tibetan world – if you can breathe at all, given the altitude.
Attractions
Must-see attractions for your itinerary
Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Museum
Shangri-la
Attractive modern permanent exhibitions on local history, folk traditions and religious culture make this a worthwhile stop before or after the Guishan…
Shangri-la
Atop 'Great Turtle Hill' in the heart of the old town, this modern temple stands on the site of an original 1667 construction consecrated to a replica of…
Shangri-la
Thangka master Lobsang Khudup trains young students in painting and Buddhist philosophy here. Even if you're not in the market to buy, it's worth stopping…
Shangri-la
China's first national park, this collection of small mountain lakes is about 25km east of Shangri-la. From the visitor centre, a 20-minute bus ride drops…
Shangri-la
One of the oldest Buddhist temples in Yunnan, local monks claim this small hilltop temple in a walled forest reserve is at least 500 years old and perhaps…
Shangri-la
For the best views over Shangri-la, head to this delightfully named and little-visited temple. The temple has a couple of monks inside and a handful of…
Shangri-la
This huge prayer wheel just beside Guishan Temple stands at 21m high and contains 100,000 small prayer wheels. At least six people are needed to make it…
Articles
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