Searching for the Lost Horizon - 2021 May Day Shangri-La In-Depth Self-Driving Tour

Number of days：7 days
Time: April
Average cost: 5,000 yuan
With whom：parents and children
Updated: 2021.10.14

I had planned a self-driving tour to Yunnan during the National Day holiday in 2020, and even grabbed a high-speed rail ticket for September 30th, but eventually gave up due to weather and other reasons. When I bought a China Southern Airlines Happy Flight 2.0 redemption ticket in 2021, the first destination I thought of was Lijiang, so I redeemed the ticket to Lijiang as soon as possible (China Southern Airlines does not have direct flights to Shangri-La). The May Day holiday was limited, and in order to reserve enough time for Shangri-La, I had to give up the attractions in Lijiang and only use it as a round-trip destination. April 30th, Day 1: We arrived in Lijiang in the afternoon. With no plans for the evening, we went to see the "Eternal Love of Lijiang" performance. The Lijiang Eternal Love Scenic Area is a large performing arts park created by Songcheng Performing Arts. It features several themed areas, including the Ancient Tea and Horse Street, Nacuo Lake, Snow Mountain Beach, ethnic villages, the Eternal Love Square, and a large indoor science and technology amusement complex. The area is vast, and we arrived almost on time. If you have time, you could explore the area earlier and then watch the performance in the evening. The performance was quite visually appealing, with the legendary horse caravan segment being the most memorable. Lijiang is renowned for its Ancient Tea-Horse Road, known as the "Southern Silk Road," a cultural route for economic and trade exchanges between southwestern China's ethnic minorities and foreign lands. At the end of the performance, a giant white pagoda was raised to offer blessings to the audience. May 1st, Day 2: Departing from Lijiang, our first stop was Tiger Leaping Gorge. Tiger Leaping Gorge, located between Haba Mountain and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, gets its name from the legend of a tiger leaping across the river from a rock in the middle of the river. Watching the river rush forward, it feels as if it split open two mountains to form the gorge. It's not rainy season now, so the river is not heavy, but the water is green, making it a beautiful photo spot.

The middle section of the Xiangli Expressway is not yet open to traffic, so you need to take the Xijing Expressway instead. If the entire section were open, the drive from Lijiang to Shangri-La would only take two hours. Fortunately, the journey was smooth, and we arrived in Shangri-La by noon. After a simple lunch, we headed to Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province. Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, also known as the "Little Potala Palace," was a popular spot for tourists. To wait for the tour guide's explanation, we wandered around the area.

The two main temples, Zhacang and Jikang, are built on the highest point, in the center of the temple. The Zhacang Hall is spacious and magnificent, and the numerous Buddha statues enshrined in the hall are all dressed in gorgeous clothes and have lifelike expressions. Only by standing before the Buddha statue can one feel the Buddha's greatness and one's own insignificance (photography is prohibited indoors). The prayer wheel must be rotated three times clockwise, a practice many visitors try. Here, one can get a closer look at the shimmering golden spires on the rooftops. The best vantage point for panoramic views is the hill opposite the temple. Don't take the scenic area shuttle bus directly from the temple. Instead, walk along the lakeside walking path to the hill opposite or to the lakeside for panoramic views. From the hilltop observation deck, walk a few steps to the highway bus stop, where you can catch the bus. It was already evening when we left Ganden Songzanlin Monastery, so we decided to have dinner before heading to the hotel. We came across a very authentic Tibetan restaurant; their butter tea was fantastic. After dinner, it was almost dark, so we headed to our favorite hotel for the night: Gaoshan Villa on Napa Lake. The hotel is nestled against the mountain, blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape without disturbing the natural beauty. Respecting nature, nature will unreservedly display its beauty. The hotel is located in the Napahai Scenic Area, offering stunning views. It's the perfect place for a relaxing getaway, where you can watch the clouds roll by! All rooms face the Napahai Yila Grassland. From the large balcony, guests can enjoy unobstructed views of Napahai and the closest point to the waterway. However, due to months of drought, the grasslands on both sides have transformed into lush green meadows, where cattle and sheep graze leisurely. The hotel's restaurant is just a stone's throw from the grassland, offering a breathtaking view while enjoying the delicious food. Napa Lake is probably at its most beautiful right now, with the grass just beginning to show a hint of green. We slowly enjoyed a meal at the hotel. Looking at the pictures of huge crowds everywhere on our social media, our trip truly felt like a vacation. We didn't check out until 11 o'clock, then drove around the area and headed to our next stop: Pudacuo National Park.

May 2, Day 3: Pudacuo National Park

There are two routes to visit Shudu Lake. One is to take a boat tour, which takes about minutes; the other is to walk along the plank road along the lake, which takes about forty to fifty minutes. Walking slowly along the plank road, you'll see the shimmering lake on one side and pristine forest on the other. The yaks were lying quietly on the lakeside meadow, taking a nap, as if no one was around.

This primeval forest is said to be where Si Teng, the heroine of the TV series "Si Teng," wakes up. Rumors online suggest that "Si Teng" is a promotional video for Yunnan tourism.

Alpine Lake

The dead trees by the lake make people feel that this is a real primeval forest.

The altitude here is 3,625 meters. Cowboy hadn't adjusted to the altitude yet, so he gave up the forest hike and chose to walk and rest along the lakeside plank path.

In the afternoon, we returned to Shangri-La Old Town from Pudacuo National Park. Today, we chose to stay in Dukezong Ancient Town to experience this moonlit city.

Moonlit City under the setting sun.

Dukezong Ancient Town, also known as the "Moonlight Town," is located in the heart of Shangri-La. Most of the buildings were rebuilt after a fire in 2014.

Anyone visiting Shangri-La shouldn't miss a visit to Asia's largest prayer wheel; it's truly breathtaking!

On May 3rd, day four, we set off for Deqin, passing the Jinsha River's Great Bend. The Jinsha River's Great Bend is known as the "First Bend of the Yangtze River." Here, the Jinsha River forms the dividing line between Yunnan and Sichuan, with Benzilan Town in Deqin, Yunnan, on one side and Zigeng Township in Derong County, Sichuan, on the other. From the other side of the Jinsha River, it looks as if someone has moved a pyramid to the bend, with the Sun Cone Peak appearing almost golden. Beneath the "pyramid," a jade belt encircles the foot of the mountain. This is the clear Jinsha River, its golden and jade hues creating a classic gold-inlaid-jade scene. Not far from the foot of the mountain, the ring road winds around the "pyramid" like a belt. The highway passes through the Baima Snow Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4,290 meters, making it one of the highest roads in Yunnan Province. Along the highway, there's a Baima Snow Mountain Observation Deck, offering panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains. The majestic Yunling Mountains, part of the Hengduan Mountains, boast a series of snow-capped peaks. From a distance, the perpetually snow-capped main peak resembles a galloping white horse, earning it the name "Baima Snow Mountain." To protect the typical vertical mountain landscape of the Hengduan Mountains' alpine canyons and preserve the water and soil of the upper Jinsha River, a 190,000-hectare nature reserve was established in 1983 on the Jinsha River slopes of the Baima and Renzhi Snow Mountains in Deqin County, Yunnan Province. This reserve has now expanded to 270,000 hectares. The reserve boasts 20 peaks exceeding 5,000 meters in elevation, with the highest peak, Zhalaquenida, reaching 5,640 meters. The clouds in the sky of Deqin County are really like cotton. You can feel their softness and fluffiness. We stayed at the Feilaisi Meili Past Inn, which faced the Thirteen Peaks of Meili Snow Mountain. You could see them from the balcony or from your bed. Before I even put down my denim backpack, I was already looking at the snow-capped mountains with the hotel's binoculars. This bridge over the Lancang River leads to Yongming Glacier to the right and Yubeng Village (a hiker's paradise) to the left, about 12 kilometers away (surprisingly, it's so close to the mysterious Yubeng Village!).

We arrived at the inn around 3:00 PM and asked the receptionist what nearby attractions were. She recommended Yongming Glacier and said it was about an hour's drive away. We put our luggage away, rested for a while, and then set off around 4:00 AM, continuing along the Dianzang Highway towards Tibet. The road was full of sharp downhill turns, with cliffs on one side and steep slopes on the other, and we were always worried about falling debris. Sitting in the car, my heart was in my throat. After countless bends, we finally reached the bottom of the valley and saw this small river. Don't be fooled by its unassuming appearance; it's the Lancang River, another of the renowned Three Parallel Rivers. The wind in the valley was incredibly strong. We tried to get off the bridge to take a photo, but as soon as we opened the car door, it felt like it was about to blow away. Frightened, we quickly closed it. Meili Snow Mountain Park scenic spot distribution map.

We arrived at the Yongming Glacier ticket office around 5:00, but were told that it would close at 6:00 and the tour bus would return at 5:30. The entire glacier walk took at least three hours, so we had no choice but to return the same way.

The white thing beneath the thick clouds is the Yongming Glacier.

There's a village below Yongming Glacier, surrounded by dense forests and bordered by grapevines. There's a small stream by the roadside, fed by meltwater from the glacier. I tried it, and it's truly ice-cold. Since I missed the glacier, I decided to try some meltwater here.

May 4th, day five, watching the sunrise in Meili. The best time to view the Meili Snow Mountain is from the end of October to May of the following year. The weather is clear, the air is clean and the transparency is high. The main peak can often be seen. However, the climate of Meili Snow Mountain changes rapidly, and there are many opportunities for Kawagebo Peak to appear. After the sun came out, the main peak finally revealed its true face. The sky was a deep blue, and the blue sky, white clouds, snow-capped mountains, and white pagoda were so beautiful that words could not describe them. A photography enthusiast on the terrace couldn't help but sigh, "Only the eyes can appreciate the beauty of the present." Our trip was planned because we bought a "Happy Flight" ticket six months ago. Since the May Day holiday was the only longer holiday in the first half of the year, we chose to travel during the May Day holiday. A week before departure, I checked the weather forecast daily, predicting rain most of the May Day holiday, so I gave up hope. But starting from Shangri-La, it was sunny all the way. When I got to the inn, I asked the front desk, and they said they saw the Sun Shining over Golden Mountain this morning, and they thought they might see it again tomorrow. Although I didn't get to see the perfect "Sun Shining over Golden Mountain," I felt incredibly lucky to be able to see the entire thirteen snow-capped peaks and experience the "Kawagebo Hada Offering" ceremony. It was a truly unexpected bonus.

After breakfast, we drove to our last stop in Shangri-La—Balagzon. It's said that this is the "Blue Moon Canyon" mentioned in the book "Lost Horizon." Here's a video with the music from "Balagzon." Since this was my first time making a video, I had to shoot everything on the spur of the moment, so the results are pretty mediocre.

At the entrance of the scenic area, you must sign an agreement, commonly known as a life and death agreement, before you can drive into the hotel. Because the road is full of sharp bends like this, it is best to take the scenic bus up the mountain if you are not good at driving.

This hotel is newly built and partially unfinished. It is located on the site of the original Bala Village. All the villagers of Bala Village moved to the new village at the foot of the mountain.

This breakfast is simple yet exquisitely presented. It emphasizes health.

This rice noodle dish is especially delicious. Bala Zhuoma Lhakhang is located across from the Chaobai Yangxin Mountain Villa and adjacent to the Bingquan Health Villa. This Tibetan cultural museum (photography is prohibited inside) is well worth a visit for visitors interested in learning more about Tibetan culture. A row of white pagodas stands in front of Bala Zhuoma Lhakhang. From here, you can overlook Bala Village, located halfway up the mountain, where Yangxin Mountain Villa is located.

The two brave men chose the cable car ticket, which allows them to slide directly from one end of the plank road to the other.

May 5, Day 6, Balagzong Scenic Area

Mani pile at the Shambhala Pagoda scenic spot

After breakfast, we set out from the Snow Mountain Pilgrimage Yangxin Manor and drove for about an hour to reach the Shambhala Pagoda, which is over 4,300 meters above sea level. The handsome and humorous housekeeper Gesang told us many legends of Tibetan Buddhism. This is a natural pyramid-shaped pagoda. The cowboy went to the mountain to pick up a piece of ice and was very happy. He prepared to take it back to the hotel.

Shangri-La Grand Canyon. This is the earliest developed scenic spot in Balagzong and the first one you see when you enter it, but we didn't start visiting it until we came down from the mountain resort the next day.

This is the starting point of the canyon and the end point of the rafting. This was taken from the Echo Wall looking down.

Flowing through the canyon is the Gangqu River. From a distance, the water appears emerald green, like jade, but up close, it's crystal clear, as transparent as pure water.

We played a game of skipping stones across the water.

There are very few tourists in the Grand Canyon, and it took a long time to see a kayak drifting.

From the canyon entrance, walk about 1.5 kilometers to reach the starting point of the rafting. There's nothing else to do here besides rafting, so if you're not planning on rafting, you can only return the same way.

This bend is the only place where the water is relatively turbulent; the rest of the river is relatively calm.

There's a small beach in the middle of the river.

At this point, we bid farewell to Balagzon. It took us nearly five hours to drive back to Lijiang, successfully concluding our Shangri-La trip. Perhaps due to the pandemic, despite being a May Day holiday, our entire trip went very smoothly, with no traffic jams or crowds. Each day was a leisurely journey, slowly uncovering the mysteries of Shangri-La, a journey of the soul and a spiritual practice.