Wenfeng Monastery, Lijiang

Lijiang is located in northern Yunnan province not too far from the Tibetan border.  There are convenient highways to and from the city along with scheduled flights, but no rail transportation,  So people most often choose busses as a easy way to travel to and from Lijiang.  Lijiang's airport is about 26 kilometers (or a 45-minute drive) from the downtown area.

The best time to visit Lijiang is September and October.  When you arrive there you can check into your hotel and relax in order to help acclimatize yourself to the high altitude (averages about 2,400 meters).  It is also a good idea to avoid strenuous activities and overeating.  Ample sunscreen to protect against the sun's ultraviolet rays is an absolute must.

On the second day take a bus from Lijiang's Old Town to the Wenfeng Monastery.  The bus fare is between 2RMB and 5RMB and admission to the monastery is 12RMB.  Taxis are available for about 25RMB.  The monastery, built between 1739 and 1743, is situated at the foot of Mt. Wenbi about eight kilometers from Old Town.  The monastery was the supreme academy of the Gagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism.  The property is festooned with numerous varieties and colors of camellias.  When your visit is completed, return to Lijiang in the afternoon.  You can take the No. 13 bus to Lijiang World Heritage Park.  The park is open to the public from 0800 to 1800 and the admission fee is 100RMB.  The park displays Lijiang's world heritage sites constructed in a proportion of one to 150 square meters.

Xiaozhongdian small village, Shangri-la

On the third day, take a bus from the Lijiang Passenger Transport Center to the village of Xiaozhongdian, about a 190-kilometer journey.  There you can soak up the natural beauty of verdant meadows, brilliantly colored flowers and quiet waterways.  Go ahead to Mt. Qianhushan (Admission Fee: 20RMB) afterwards.  The mountain is dotted with lakes of different shapes and sizes that are surrounded by virgin forest.  It is truly a paradise on earth.  There is a legend that the lakes were formed by shards of glass from a mirror broken by a fairy while she was making herself up.

Xiaozhongdian is a small village consisting of some beautifully decorated Tibetan farmhouses.  If you stay overnight, you would have to do so with a local family as there are no hotels here. 

On the fourth day, take the bus to Zhongdian, now officially called Shangri-la.  It is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, dense forests, alpine lakes and lush grassland.  Many ethnic groups including Tibetan Buddhists live here.