Must see attractions in 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…

Attractive modern permanent exhibitions on local history, folk traditions and religious culture make this a worthwhile stop before or after the Guishan…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Some 7km northwest of Shangri-la you’ll find the seasonal Napa Sea, surrounded by a large grassy meadow that pushes right up to the mountains. Between…