Things to Do in Shangri-La (Zhongdian)

No.1: Dongzhulin Monastery

Type: Religious Sites

Distance from Deqin County: 23 km

As one of the 13 great Lama Monasteries in China, Dongzhulin Monastery is located in Benzilan Town of Deqin County, 105 kilometers away from Shangri-La County. With an altitude of 3,000 meters above the sea level, the monastery is geographically located in the low area in the back of Baimang Snow Mountain. With orderly-distributing architecture complex, the lofty monastery can be mistakenly deemed a town when looked from the distance.

Built in 1667, Dongzhulin Monastery was originally named Chongchongcuogang, which in Tibetan means “temple beside lake with cranes”. In the temple, there are quite a few precious cultural relics like the gilded Maitreya Buddha, Statue of White Drolma, Buddhas of Three Worlds, Yama (the ruler of the hell), Manjusri (Wenshu), 18 Arhats statues and Thakang scroll paintings depicting Buddhist stories. There are also a great number of Buddhist stupas and religious instruments and props, being a Buddhist cultural treasure house for the pilgrims. Gegong Festival is held on December on the Tibetan calendar.

▶ 5 Days Shangri-La & Meili Snow Mountain Pilgrimage Tour

No.2: Meili Snow Mountain & Yubeng Village

Type: Mountains

Distance from Deqin County: 40 km

Meili Snow Mountain is a holy land of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists, and ranks the first among the eight sacred mountains in Tibet. It has 13 peaks with average altitude of over 6,000 meters above sea level, which means 13 prince peaks. The main peak, kawagebo, is a snow mount in a pyramid shape, commonly known as the Goddess of Meili Snow Mountain.

It is good to visit Meili Snow Mountain in winter and spring periods between October and May. While the best time is after the end of October, you can view the main peak. The best locations to view it: one is at Wunongding Viewing Deck. Standing there are 13 white towers and an open terrain, which is quite spectacular. The other is at Feilai Temple Incense Table. It is the best position to shoot a panoramic view of the thirteen peaks and to look at the wonderful scenery of the sunrise and sunset.

Yubeng Village at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain is a hiking paradise that every trekking lover should visit at least once in the lifetime!

▶ 7 Days Shangri-La Tour with Meili Snow Mountain & Yubeng Village Hiking

▶ 5 Days Yubeng Trekking Tour

No.3: Mingyong Glacier

Type: Glaciers

Distance from Deqin County: 48 km

Mingyong Glacier, an extremely long ice under the Kawakarpo Peak, is the largest, longest and lowest valley glacier in Yunnan Province. Meili Snow Mountain gives birth to many a cirque and glacier, among which the Mingyong Glacier is the longest.

Mingyong Glacier is a tropical monsoon contemporary glacier at the lowest latitude and elevation of any glacier in China. It is sacred to locals. Its top is covered with ice and snow all year round. It has a low snow line, high temperature, melts quickly and lives on rainfall; therefore, it has a high velocity of movement. In winter, its glacier tongue can extends to an altitude of 2800 meters from 5500 meters, resembling a silver dragon rush to the Langcang River. The Mingyong Glacier is one of the classical outdoors hiking routes around Shangri-La.

▶ 5 Days Shangri-La & Meili Snow Mountain Pilgrimage Tour

No.4: Feilai Temple

Type: Religious Sites, Ancient Architecture

Distance from Deqin County: 10 km

Originally built in 1614, Feilai Temple has a history of about 400 years. A legend goes that the temple was built by a Sakyamuni Buddha who flew here from Tibet. One thing special is that Feilai Temple is a combination of three religions - Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Directly facing the Kawagebo Peak, it is famous for its viewing deck for amazing scenes of the magnificent Meili Snow Mountain. Visit between October and December, travelers who wake up early will be greeted with the dazzling scenery of sunrise over the Snow Mountains.

▶ 7 Days Shangri-La Tour with Meili Snow Mountain & Yubeng Village Hiking