Shangri-La in Yunnan Province in south China was once known as Zhongdian (a Mandarin name). In 2002, it was renamed Shangri-La to promote tourism after the fictional Tibetan place in Lost Horizon by James Hilton, who got some of his inspiration from descriptions by explorer Joseph Rock, who spent 27 years in Yunnan near Shangri-La. Shangri-La means 'the Sun and Moon in the Heart' in Tibetan.
Located on the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Shangri-La enjoys magnificent mountain-scapes — snow-capped mountains, deep gorges, rushing rivers, and tranquil lakes. The biggest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Yunnan Province, Songzanlin Lamasery, is the spiritual symbol of Shangri-La.
The Shangri-La tours that we recommended will enable you to see the best of Shangri-La and enrich your experience with some exclusive activities such as visiting a lama's dormitory, thangka painting lessons, and extension tours to the best-kept secrets of Shangri-La.
Top Recommended Yunnan Shangri-La Tours
The suggested itineraries for a private Shangri-La tour below will give you some inspiration. Please feel free to contact us no matter if you would like to combine it with the popular cities in Yunnan or would like to get off the beaten path to explore more about Shangri-La area.
- Songzanlin Lamasery
- Tangka painting learning
Yunnan Tours including Shangri-La
Here are the recommended Yunnan tours including Shangri-La We are happy to combine any other destinations with Shangri-La according to your interests to create your private trip.
- Mountains and Old Towns
- Ethnic Minorities
Other Popular Destinations in Yunnan
Here are the other popular cities for a Yunnan tour. Click to get more information about each destination and tours
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
Una muy recomendable visita a Lijiang con Yong, un muy buen guia.ng
en nuestra etapa en Lijiang hemos tenido en Yong un magnífico guia que nos ha organizado una excelente visita a la zona, adaptàndose a mis necesidades de ir en uns silla de ruedas. more
Mar 2024, CARDONA TORRAS CELS
|
Excellent first trip to Lijiang
Excellent first trip to Lijiang. Our guide Alice was very kind and patient and also very accommodating with last minute changes and itinerary change given one of the places we were supposed to go to was shut for maintenance work. She explained everything to us and also answered our many many random questions! more
Jan 2024, Customer
|
Li Jiang is amazingly pretty
Li Jiang is amazingly pretty. Very scenic and unforgettable. Our guide Alice has done wonderful job explaining the history and culture. She is also very service minded. We love our hotel that China Highlights arranged. The old town preserved well the Chinese culture and is a must place to visit. more
Jan 2024, Khim Boo
|
Shangri-La Travel Tips
The altitude of Shangri-La is 3,300 meters above sea level. Most of our clients don't experience any altitude sickness problems. However, if you have a problem with your breathing or blood pressure, etc. please ask your doctor if you can visit Shangri-La.