China Trip: Shangrila

Shangrila is one of places that I wanted to go so so much. It is described as nearly heaven by James Hilton in his book "Shangrila". A happy and isolated place from the outside world, with friendly citizen, that is Shangrila. I imagined it as a green wonderland with colourful flowers and cows everywhere. However it was totally different from my imagination! That is just because of different season. It's just beginning of summer in mid of March. Hence there is no greenland and flowers, but dull chocolate color field everywhere, and snowing most of the time.




The popular spot in Shangrila is Pu-Da-Cuo National Park. 普达措国家公园.
The area is huge that we need to travel by their environmental-friendly car.
The average altitude at Pu-Da-Cuo National Park is around 3500m in height. Hence all movement should be slow, (despite the frozen toe due to super cold weather).
Although huge, all the places look the same for me as it was snowing everywhere.



Pu-Da-Cuo National Park is China's first national park.

While the region comprises only 0.7 percent of China's land area, it contains more than 20 percent of the country’s plant species, about one-third of its mammal and bird species and almost 100 endangered species.
~~ sources from http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/asiaandthepacific/china/placesweprotect/pudacuo-national-park.xml~~







It should be a worth place to visit. However i suggest that it should be visited during spring or autumn, and not when the place is freezing cold in winter or early summer.