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 September and March it attracts a myriad of rare species, including the black-necked crane. Outside of these months, the lake largely dries up and you can see high numbers of yaks and cattle grazing. During the wet season, the small road that circles the lake makes an excellent bike or motorbike day trip from Shangri-la.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
4.03 MILES
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…
Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Museum
5.86 MILES
Attractive modern permanent exhibitions on local history, folk traditions and religious culture make this a worthwhile stop before or after the Guishan…
5.81 MILES
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…
5.86 MILES
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…
18.89 MILES
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…
11.04 MILES
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…
5.69 MILES
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…
5.79 MILES
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…
Nearby Shangri-la attractions
4.03 MILES
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…
5.69 MILES
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…
5.79 MILES
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…
5.81 MILES
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…
5. Deqin Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Museum
5.86 MILES
Attractive modern permanent exhibitions on local history, folk traditions and religious culture make this a worthwhile stop before or after the Guishan…
5.86 MILES
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…
11.04 MILES
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…
18.89 MILES
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…