Shangri-La Pudacuo National Park

Shangri-La Pudacuo National Park

Shangri-La Pudacuo National Park is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

Pudacuo is located in the eastern part of Jiantang Town, the county seat of Shangri-La in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, about 35 kilometers from downtown Shangri-La. In Tibetan, "Pudacuo" means a lake that delivers all beings and leads to the other shore of suffering — as the name suggests, it is a sacred and beautiful place. Pudacuo National Park is the first national park on the Chinese mainland, covering a total area of 1,313 square kilometers. It includes the Shudu Lake and Niyu areas at the core of the "Three Parallel Rivers" UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in Yunnan, as well as the Bitahai Nature Reserve, an internationally important wetland. The park has an average altitude of nearly 3,500 meters and still maintains a complete primeval forest ecosystem, alpine meadows under blue skies and white clouds, and crystal-clear plateau lakes, making it a microcosm of Diqing’s outstanding ecological environment.

The total length of roads within the scenic area is about 70 kilometers, featuring viewpoints, ethnic culture tourism villages, and other attractions. It takes a full day to explore everything.

Transportation: From Kunming, you can choose to take an overnight bus (ticket price: 210 yuan), traveling over 730 kilometers and taking around 10 hours to reach downtown Shangri-La; or take a flight (ticket price: 650 yuan), which takes about 50 minutes to get to Shangri-La. Driving northwest from downtown Shangri-La for about 60 kilometers will bring you to Pudacuo National Park.

Suggested Duration

1 day

Transportation

[Bus]

Shangri-La Bus Station operates four daily buses to Pudacuo, departing at 8:00, 8:30, 9:30, and returning at 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, and 16:30. The one-way fare is 15 yuan per person, and the journey takes about half an hour.

[Chartered Car]

The cost is about 100 yuan one-way, 150–200 yuan round-trip, or approximately 50 yuan per person for carpooling. It's best to agree on a pick-up time with the driver when heading there and leave their contact number in case you can't find a ride back.

Admission Fee

The all-inclusive ticket is 258 yuan per person (including 138 yuan for the entrance fee and 120 yuan for the park sightseeing bus), and the Bitahai boat cruise ticket is 50 yuan per person.

Students under 24 years old, active-duty military officers, and seniors aged 60–69 with valid ID can enjoy a 50% discount on the entrance fee but must pay the full sightseeing bus fare. Retired cadres, seniors over 70, and people with disabilities holding valid ID do not need to pay the entrance fee but must purchase the full-price sightseeing bus ticket.

Opening Hours

8:00–17:00 (April–October)

8:30–16:00 (November–March)

Location

Shuangqiao, Shangri-La County, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province

Jiantang Town: Jiantang Town is the county seat of Shangri-La in Yunnan Province, situated at an altitude of 3,300 meters. Surrounded by mountains and featuring flat terrain in the center, it is a key town along the ancient Tea Horse Road and today’s Yunnan-Tibet Highway.

　Jiantang Town is the county seat of Shangri-La in Yunnan Province, situated at an altitude of 3,300 meters and surrounded by mountains. Jiantang Town

features flat terrain in the center and is a key town along the ancient Tea Horse Road and today’s Yunnan-Tibet Highway. It is divided into the Old Town (Dukezong, or Central Town) and the New Town. The history of Jiantang Town: Established in 1996 through the merger of the former Central Town and Dazhongdian Township. The Central Town was established in 1957, 195... Jiantang Town detailed information++