Shangri La Travel Guide

Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is situated in the northwest of Yunnan Province, with Tibet to its west and Sichuan to its east. Shangri-La, formerly known as Zhongdian County, is the capital of Diqing Autonomous Prefecture. Shangri-La is 315 kilometers north of Dali and 659 kilometers away from Kunming. Shangri-la is a Tibetan word meaning land of sacredness and peace. It is located at the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, from where the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Province originate. 

Many snow-capped mountains surround Shangri-la. Of these, the three well known ones are Meili, Balang, and Haba mountains. The Tibetans consider these mountains sacred. Meili Mountain is famous for its highest peak: Kang Karpo, towering over Yunnan at 6740 meters above sea level. Thirteen lesser peaks, each more than 6000 meters above sea level, surround it. Kang Karpo peak is shrouded in mists and clouds most of the time. Meili is one of the eight sacred mountains the Tibetans worship. Beneath Kang Karpo, the Mingyong and Sinong glaciers stretch down to a level of 2700 meters. Because of its changeable climate, Meili Mountain is fraught with danger and remains unconquered until today. more about Shangri La »