Your Adventure Awaits
The Shangri-la Utopia
To journey through the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture —Yunnan’s mythical Shangri-La — is to ascend a physical and spiritual staircase, starting from the vast, monastery-crowned plateaus of Zhongdian, where the air is thin and crisp with the scent of incense and pine. Moving northward, the road plunges into the dramatic, sun-baked gorges of the Yangtze River to reach Benzilan, a verdant oasis of traditional wooden craftsmanship where the climate softens, offering a brief, warm respite before the dramatic climb toward the heavens. Suddenly, the horizon is shattered by the jagged, sacred peaks of the Meili Snow Mountain range, its glacial spires cutting through the clouds in a breathtaking display of alpine majesty that has humbled pilgrims for centuries. Tracking the Mekong River south, the landscape shifts miraculously into the hidden valley of Cizhong, an enchanting microclimate where nineteenth-century French history lingers in the terraced vineyards, producing exceptional high-altitude wines tended by local Tibetan Catholics. The journey culminates in the lush, temperate forests of Tacheng, where the endemic, golden-haired Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys leap through the canopy, and the vibrant congregation of Naxi, Lisu, and Tibetan ethnic tribes harmoniously intertwine, leaving you with the profound sense that Shangri-La is not merely a destination, but a sublime, living mosaic of nature and soul.
History & Culture
China
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When To Go?
Highlights
Accommodations
A smorgasbord of inspiring hotels and lodges spread through the valleys of Shangri-la where profound hospitality are lovingly tendered by characterful locals. Experience a blend of striking architecture, authenticity, homage to traditions and heritage and the sense of ethereal space all at once.
Experiences
A celebration of Shangri-la's ethnic atmosphere where nature and traditions are at the epicenter of every resolve. We will uncover Shangri-la in all its deeper-meaning essence, its world-class wines, remote villages, astounding Himalayan peaks and the return to innocence.
Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrive Shangri-la
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Arrive into Shangri-la Diqing Airport today where on arrival, we transfer to the Hotel Indigo Diqing Moonlight City - an IHG Hotel. Seated atop the Dukezong Ancient Town, experience a sensory stay inspired by the Tibetan cultures and are designed to offer a sense of modern sanctuary, with mesmerizing panoramic views. We will take the rest of the day to acclimatize to the altitude, standing at 3,160m above sea level.
DAY 2: Shangri-la / Balagezong Grand Canyon / Benzilan
Awake to a rejuvenated morning as we depart Shangri-la journeying north where we gradually descend in elevation and into the inspiring realms of the Balagezong Grand Canyon, one of the core scenic area of the “Three Parallel Rivers” and appointed as one of the national parks in the greater Shangri-La area. We take our time to appreciate the incredible scenery of snow-capped mountains, valleys, forests, lakes, meadows, pastures, rivers and villages all encompassed.
Thereafter, we continue our descend to a comfortable 1,900m above sea level with the Jinsha River always by our side. Our first wine endeavor will be a visit to the small-batched Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, founded by Lu Yijing and young winemaker, Quan Shiping, restoring an abandoned Tibetan house and working with local Tibetan farmers to grow truly world-class wine grapes for the creation of astounding wines reflecting the unique high-mountain terroir of Shangri-la.
Continuing to ease our acclimatization, we finally arrive at the brand-new Linden Centre Benzilan, located on the footprints of a former village school where rooms offers views of the mountains.
DAY 3: Benzilan / Meili
By now, you should be acclimatizing well and after breakfast, we have a small but warm surprise setting us in the right vibes to continue our drive north, parallel to the Jinsha River, where we eventually stop to admire the jaw-dropping First Bend of the Jinsha River, one of the most dramatic views along the valley. A
short drive thereafter arrives us at the mystical Dongzhulin Monastery, much quieter than the more famous Songzanlin, adorned with exquisite collections of wall paintings and other artifacts. Built in 1667, it is actually more influential among local Tibetans with a longer history than the Songzanlin, and once housed treasures from the Polata Palace.
Continuing further north, we will soon be flanked by the majestic Baima Snow Mountain on the west as we climbed in elevation and the air gets thinner. Eventually, we arrive at the Wunongding Viewing Deck where we may be treated to a jaw-dropping panorama of the incredible Meili Snow Mountains. If we are fortunate, we will get to marvel at all of the 13 peaks with altitudes of over 6,000m above sea level.
Not far away, we arrive to check in at the Poodom Deqin Meri Hotel, perched at 3,600m on the Wunongding Viewing Platform east of the Meili Snow Mountain, the Poodom Deqin Meri hotel faces the sacred "Thirteen Peaks of Meili", where a hundred-mile tapestry of snow-capped summits unfolds across the horizon. We will enjoy a 3-nights stay here, taking in the majestic and inspiring views amidst one of China's newest and spectacular architectural and design hotel.
DAY 4: Meili
Slow is the agenda today and we will wake up to some of the most surreal views and spiritual energy. After breakfast, we will begin our visit to the Feilaishi Temple. Built in 1614 during the Ming Dynasty, the Feilai Temple has an interesting story. Legend has it that the temple instructor by the name of Nanka Jiequ Rinpoche was in meditation and saw a Buddha flying from India and landing on Kawagebo Mountain. Hence, he organized the local Tibetans to build the temple giving it its name. Enjoy an immersive visit of the temple complex that consists of the Zisun Hall, the Hall of God, Haichao Hall, Liangxiang Hall, Liang’er Hall and Sipei Hall in a juxtaposed fusion of three religions, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Directly facing Mount Kawagebo, the highest peak at 6,740m, widely recognized as the most beautiful snow mountain in the world and honored as the “God of Snow Mountains”, you will have the most mesmerizing views that is emblematic of the Shangri-La Autonomous region in Yunnan Province.
Later, we continue to Mingyong Village, where we will hop onto a electric cart through mountain paths for 6km before alighting for a 2km walk (moderate 30 – 40mins) uphill, eventually with the
Taizi Temple in sight and a brief walk to the observation deck where we finally witness the Mingyong Glacier, the largest and longest glacier of the Meili Snow Mountains stretching
11.7km in length from the altitude of 6,740m down to 2,700m in elevation. Be mesmerized by the spectacular sights and enjoy time for quiet contemplation before we descend back by electric cart to the village and thereafter, a return to Poodom Deqin Meri Hotel.
DAY 5: Meili (The Hidden Village of Yubeng OR Wines with Altitude)
OPTION A: The Hidden Village of Yubeng
We embark on an excursion today to the reclusive village of Yubeng, one of the most sparsely-populated villages adorned with only a horse trail that connects it to the secular world. The entire Yubeng Village is composed of Upper and Lower sections of the village at over 3,000m above sea level. On an estimated hour walk through the Upper and Lower sections of the village, we will witness stunning traditional houses in the valley dominated by the snowcapped mountains. We will enjoy our picnic lunch while soaking into the slow life of the village.
Remarks:
The average hiking duration ranges between 2 - 4 hours on elevations of above 3,300m. You will traverse on undulating hills, witness verdant valleys, wildflowers pastures in season. On a completely spontaneous basis, we have the chance to interact with local Tibetan villagers and the freedom to express the hike.
OPTION B: Wines With Altitude
Some of the world's most elusive vineyards are located in very little-known and mysterious locations in the Shangri-la Autonomous region. Today, we will have the opportunity to uncover some of these wines, the early challenges of grapes cultivation in high altitude, the chance to witness the vineyards, set in incredible magical environments.
Remarks:
This experience is not a given and operates purely on a granted appointment, scheduling where we will visit off-the-beaten-path villages accessible by 4WD via dirt-tracks and trails. We will have the opportunity to learn consummately about the world-revered wines produced in this region, tasting sessions and intimate interactions with local villagers instrumental in the viticulture production.
DAY 6: Meili / Cizhong
We spend our final morning with the final gaze of Meili Snow Mountain, taking our time to pause and reflect, slowing down to breathe in the thin atmosphere and later in the afternoon, we will depart for Cizhong, descending back to a comfortable 1,800m in elevation and meeting the Lancang River for the first time. After a 1.5hrs drive, we will arrive into the Cizhong village, one of the rare Catholic communities in China that blends a colorful mixture of Buddhist and Christian practices. Take a walk in the village center where we may have the chance to visit a local house - with insights into the cross-cultural influence. On the streets, meet a community of Lisu, Yi and Tibetan ethnics going about daily lives in harmony. Visit the historic Catholic Church of Cizhong, first built by French missionaries from the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris in 1867 and later reconstructed after the Tibetan revolt of 1905. We will also visit the highly-regarded Xiaoling Estate, revered as one of the finest wineries not just in Yunnan but in all of China, run by Burgundian Bertrand Cristau, combining French winemaking savoir-faire with distinctly Chinese soul and working with local Tibetan farmer families who have been growing grapes for over a century.
Later, we arrive shortly at the Songtsam Lodge Cizhong, newly refurbished in 2025 and repositioned as the first wine lodge in the Himalayas set on the steep banks of the Lancang River. We will have the time at leisure to unwind and later, a chance to visit its private wine cellar, tasting and the evening calls for a wine-pairing experience.
DAY 7: Cizhong / Tongle Lisu Village / Tacheng
Awake to a comfortable day amidst relaxing environments and later, we continue our journey south to the Tongle Lisu Village - home to the largest Lisu ethnic community in China. We will be immediately greeted by friendly locals and witnessing hundreds of well-preserved Lisu dwellings made from logs and wood planks, without using nails. As we enter the village, a traditional welcome is ensued in the form of the "Achimugua" folk dance, a hospitality gesture for welcoming guests. A local feast follows, with opportunities for engagement with the Lisu ethnics, regarded as some of the best singers and dancers, and friendly people in the country.
Thereafter, we continue a 3 hours' drive to Tacheng, arriving into the idyllic environments of the Songtsam Lodge Tacheng, surrounded on all sides by fertile valleys, rice fields where we will enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to unwind.
DAY 8: Tacheng / Shangri-la
Rejuvenated this morning, we will visit the nearby Yunnan Golden Monkey National Park - home to the endangered Snub-Nosed Monkeys indigenous to the region and thriving in higher altitudes than any other primate species in the world. Learn about the high-priority conservation efforts on a morning walk into the woods with your ranger guide and witness the troops at close proximity.
Thereafter, we will leave Tacheng for a visit to the sacred Laiyuan Temple belonging to the Zhigong Gajue sect of Tibetan Buddhism and an important religious center of teachings for prominent Rinpoches. In the same cluster area, we will stop at the Damo Patriarch Cave, built into a cliff to honor the journey of the Dharma Patriarch who was said to travel from India to China and meditated in the cave for a decade before attaining enlightenment to Buddhahood.
From here, we will continue a 3 hours' drive reuniting with the Jinsha River before making a return to Shangri-la. Our final 2 nights' stay will be at the Songtsam Linka Retreat, blessed with sweeping views of the fertile rice fields below and the back of the Songzanlin Monastery.
DAY 9: Shangri-la
It all comes down to this as we finally come face to face with the Songzanlin Monastery. Completed in 1681, it is the largest Tibetan monastery in Yunnan and nicknamed the “Little Potala Palace”, due to the style and atmosphere and is home to over 700 monks and lamas. Inside the main complex, many historical Buddhist events are well-illustrated by three bronze statues and the colorful murals. They represent the Lord Buddha’s life, and at the wheel of life that characterize the six realms of existence: heaven, demigods, humankind, hell, hungry ghosts and animals.
We will then continue into the historic Dukezong Ancient Town, once the hub of the ancient Tea Horse Road, and now keeps the best-preserved and largest Tibetan residential complex in China. The layout of the town resembles a lotus with eight petals, with the Moonlight Square in the epicenter. Consider a visit to the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Museum and the Ancient Tea Horse Road Museum to learn about life during the era. We will also have the opportunity to visit Zhongdian Market to get a glimpse of everyday life with stalls parading fresh produce as well as yak cheese and aroma emanating from local cuisine and snacks.
DAY 10: Departure Shangri-la
Our sojourn in Shangri-la Autonomous region comes to an end as we transfer to Shangri-la Diqing Airport for your onward journey or the Shangri-la Railway Station for your high-speed bullet train journey to Lijiang, Dali and beyond.
Featured Hotels
Poodom Deqin Meri Hotel
At 3,600 meters on a Meili Snow Mountain viewing platform, this hotel by designer Wu Bin approaches architecture as spiritual theater. The structure plays with angular stone walls and sharp lines that mirror the Himalayan ridges behind it, interiors stripping back to essentials: textured stone corridors, meditative courtyards, handcrafted furniture in pale wood. Rooms are built around the view, large windows turning every sunrise over the peaks into the main event. Public spaces emphasize scale and light, sculptural staircases and walls of glass that dissolve the line between lobby and landscape. More sculpture than hotel, it belongs to the elevation as much as the town below.
Privileges
Complimentary Breakfast
Priority Room Upgrade at check in*
Songtsam Linka Retreat, Shangri-la
Hidden in the city’s peaceful and green valleys between Tibetan villages and Himalayan barley fields, the retreat faces the back of Songzanlin Monastery which can be seen across the meadow and is located only a short distance away.
According to the mountain, the retreat uses the Tibetan stone-house buildings with Kham style,
and all of them are well arranged among each other with flowers and trees. There are monks, local people and horses passing by the path of pine forest beside the retreat, which are natural harmony and full of Zen.