Shangri-La 香格里拉

1

A major town on the Tea Horse Road and one of China's better-preserved Tibetan-style old towns: Sifang Street, Guishan Park and the world's largest prayer wheel (Jixiang Shenglichuang, the 'Auspicious Victory Banner', approx. 21 m tall, takes several people pushing together to turn) are its landmarks, and climbing Guishan Hill gives a bird's-eye view of the whole town

2

The largest Gelug (Yellow Hat) Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province, known as the 'Little Potala Palace': the Zhacang assembly hall rising against the hillside and its reflection in Lhamo Yangtso Lake are classic photo spots

3

One of mainland China's first national park system pilot sites (designated around 2007): three sections — the Shudu Lake boardwalks, Militang Pasture and Bita Lake; a visit takes approx. 3-4 hours, at 3,500-4,100 m elevation

4

A seasonal plateau lake-marsh wetland: high water forms a lake in summer and autumn, receding to Yila Grassland in winter and spring; the ring road around the lake suits cycling or a chartered car

5

A sightseeing snow mountain reached directly by cableway; the main peak stands at approx. 4,500 m, and 'Shika' means 'the mountain with red deer' in Tibetan

6

A famous gorge where the Jinsha River carves between the Yulong (Jade Dragon) and Haba snow mountains, with a drop of over 3,000 meters between the river and the peaks on both sides; at Upper Tiger Leaping, take the plank walkway down to the river to see the rushing rapids at Tiger Leaping Stone

7

An all-in-one canyon scenic area deep in northwestern Yunnan, with Gezong Snow Mountain, the Tibetan village of Bala, the Gangqu River gorge plank walkway, and natural Buddhist stupas as the highlights

8

A travertine terrace landscape of calcified spring deposits, with milky-white terraced pools stacked layer upon layer like crescent-shaped rice terraces; in the Naxi language it is called 'Shilizhi', meaning 'a flower that gradually grows'