Shangri-la
Shangri-La is a county-level city in northwest Yunnan at 2,700 to 3,500 meters, known for Songzanlin Monastery, the Old Town of Dukezong and the Pudacuo National Park lakes.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Shangri-La is a county-level city in northwest Yunnan, China, and the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Its name comes from the mythical land in James Hilton's 1933 novel Lost Horizon. The city sits at roughly 2,700 to 3,500 meters, so it is much cooler than most of Yunnan.
The southern half of town is mainly home to Naxi people, and the northern half to Khampa Tibetans, so Tibetan Buddhist details such as prayer flags and carved stones appear across the town. The main sights are Songzanlin Monastery, a major monastery near the county town, and the Old Town of Dukezong, where the main temples and prayer wheel survived a 2014 fire. Pudacuo National Park, with its two high-altitude lakes, and Tiger Leaping Gorge round out a visit. Summers are cool and rainy, winters are dry and sunny but chilly, and snow from November to March can disrupt transport, so check conditions before you travel. Many travelers use the city as a gateway to Tibet.
Shangri-la in five
- Plan around 3,280 metersA Chinese embassy page gives the altitude as 3,280 meters. Arrive slowly and keep the first day short; the Lhasa guide has the TravelHealthPro rules of thumb for sleeping altitude.Altitude advice
- Choose road or flight to get inThe embassy page puts the town 315 km north of Dali along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway and 659 km from Kunming, with scheduled flights from Kunming. Lijiang and Dali are the usual road legs.Kunming
- Know the Tibetan-prefecture caveatShangri-la is in a Tibetan autonomous prefecture, outside the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Tibet guide covers the UK note on access limits for such prefectures.Tibet
- Pair it with Three Parallel Rivers sceneryUNESCO's Three Parallel Rivers property includes the Meili, Baima and Haba snow mountains. The embassy page places Shangri-la at the foot of the Meili range, so viewpoints and day trips are close.UNESCO on Three Parallel Rivers
- Add Shudugang Lake for a short outingThe embassy page lists Shudugang Lake 35 km from the county seat, with forests of white birch that turn gold in autumn. It makes a half-day outing without the long trek.
Things to do in Shangri-la
See all attractions in Shangri-la
Need to know
- Altitude
- About 3,280 meters above sea level (Chinese embassy page)
- Getting there
- Flights from Kunming; 315 km by road north of Dali
- Getting around
- Taxis and day tours to the lake and monasteries
- Best base
- Shangri-la town for monasteries and day trips
- Time needed
- 2 days; 3 with Tiger Leaping Gorge
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryClear7 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh8°Low-3°Cold, clearJanuaryClear
Good
- High
- 8°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 57 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, clear
- FebruaryPartly cloudy10 rainy days4 snowy daysHigh9°Low-2°Cold, clearFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 4
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, clear
- MarchRain15 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh12°Low1°Cool, dryMarchRain
Good
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, dry
- AprilRain17 rainy daysHigh15°Low4°Cool, clearAprilRain
Good
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, clear
- MayRain18 rainy daysHigh17°Low8°Mild, bloomMayRain
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 137 mm
- Rainy days
- 18
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, bloom
- JuneRain24 rainy daysHigh20°Low11°Rainy seasonJuneRain
Good
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 155 mm
- Rainy days
- 24
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rainy season
- JulyRain28 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh20°Low12°Rainy seasonJulyRain
Mixed
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 280 mm
- Rainy days
- 28
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Rainy season
- AugustRain27 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh21°Low12°Rainy seasonAugustRain
Mixed
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 311 mm
- Rainy days
- 27
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Rainy season
- SeptemberRain23 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh19°Low11°ClearingSeptemberRain
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 168 mm
- Rainy days
- 23
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Clearing
- OctoberRain14 rainy daysHigh17°Low8°Clear, coolOctoberRain
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 88 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Clear, cool
- NovemberClear5 rainy daysHigh13°Low2°Cold, dryNovemberClear
Best
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 31 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, dry
- DecemberClear2 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh11°Low-2°Cold, clearDecemberClear
Best
- High
- 11°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 17 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, clear
Average daily high and low in Shangri-la, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Shangri-la
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
1
- Feels like
- -2°
- Humidity
- 99%
- Wind
- 1 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 49%
Shangri-la
04:40 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today13°0°49%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 13°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 49%.
- Wed15°-1°0%Wednesday: Fog. High 15°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu15°-2°0%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 15°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri15°-3°0%Friday: Clear. High 15°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat13°-2°4%Saturday: Clear. High 13°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Sun13°-3°1%Sunday: Clear. High 13°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 1%.
Updated 01:01 AM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.661 CNY
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Tiger Leaping Gorgeroad leg toward LijiangA deep Jinsha River gorge walked as a multi-day trek.Read the guide
- Lijiangsouth by roadNaxi old town, listed by UNESCO in 1997, per a Chinese embassy page.Read the guide
- Dali315 km south by roadErhai Lake and the old town, the other usual stop on the Yunnan loop.Read the guide
Before you go to Shangri-la
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Shangri-la, checked
- Check China visa and visa-free entry rules on the National Immigration Administration website before you book flights.Source
- The city sits at roughly 2,700 to 3,500 meters. Ask a doctor about altitude sickness before you travel.
- Snow and light precipitation can disrupt transport and cut off the area from November to March. Check road status before a bus or jeep trip.
- Walk clockwise around prayer wheels and stupas, and ask before photographing monks or people at prayer.
Plan around Shangri-la
The trek between two snow ranges
Read the guideLijiangNaxi old town to the south
Read the guideDaliErhai Lake, 315 km south
Read the guideKunmingThe flight gateway for Yunnan
Read the guideTibetThe plateau region next door
Read the guideAll of ChinaVisa-free entry, payments, trains and cities
Read the guideChina visa-free entryThe 30-day list and the 240-hour transit
Read the guideShangri-la FAQ
How high is Shangri-la?
A Chinese embassy page gives 3,280 meters above sea level. Plan slow first days and avoid a hard hike on arrival; the Lhasa guide has the altitude rules of thumb.
Is Shangri-la in Tibet?
No. It is in northwest Yunnan, in Deqen (Diqing) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, so the Tibet permit rules do not apply. The Tibet guide covers occasional access limits for Tibetan prefectures.
How do I get to Shangri-la from Kunming?
By air or by road. The embassy page gives 659 km from Kunming and mentions scheduled flights between the two. From Dali the road is 315 km north along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway.
How many days do you need in Shangri-la?
Two days for the town, a monastery and a lake outing, three if you pair it with Tiger Leaping Gorge on the way to Lijiang. Add a rest day if altitude affects you.
When is the best time to visit Shangri-la?
April, May, September and October. Winters are cold and clear, and June to August brings rain. Autumn colors at Shudugang Lake, per the embassy page, make October attractive.