Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area

Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area

The Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area is a national-level scenic spot.

The Three Parallel Rivers refer to the natural wonder where the Nujiang, Jinsha, and Lancang rivers, all originating from the Tibetan Plateau, flow through the deep gorges of the towering Hengduan Mountains—including the Yunling, Nu, and Gaoligong ranges—in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Yunnan Province, China. It is the largest World Heritage site in China by area.

The "Three Parallel Rivers" refers to the Jinsha, Lancang, and Nujiang rivers, which originate from the Tibetan Plateau and flow parallel for over 170 kilometers from north to south within Yunnan Province. They traverse the towering ranges of the Tanggula, Gaoligong, Nu, and Yunling mountains, forming a rare natural geographical phenomenon of rivers running side by side without merging. The shortest straight-line distance between the Lancang and Jinsha rivers is 66 kilometers, while that between the Lancang and Nujiang rivers is less than 19 kilometers.

The Three Parallel Rivers are located in the longitudinal valley region of the Hengduan Mountains, the southern extension of the Tibetan Plateau in northwestern Yunnan. This area includes Nujiang Prefecture, Diqing Prefecture, as well as parts of Lijiang and Dali Prefectures, bordering Myanmar to the west and adjacent to Sichuan and Tibet to the north.

The scenic area consists of three river sections—Nujiang, Lancang, and Jinsha—featuring eight central scenic zones and over 60 scenic spots, covering a total area of more than 3,500 square kilometers. The three rivers flow parallel for hundreds of kilometers in the longitudinal valley region of the Hengduan Mountains in northwestern Yunnan, with the closest straight-line distance between them being 66.3 kilometers. Among these, the Nujiang and Lancang rivers are separated by only 18.6 kilometers across the Nu Mountain range.

The main landscapes include: the Three Parallel Rivers, high mountain snow peaks, deep gorges and rapids, alpine meadows, glacial lakes; tectonic collision zones with minimal wind, vast and beautiful snow mountain flower fields, abundant rare flora and fauna, the magnificent Baishuitai (White Water Terrace), unique ethnic customs, and more. These elements create a landscape characterized by grandeur, danger, beauty, uniqueness, serenity, mystery, and openness. It is the largest in Yunnan Province by area, the most spectacular in scenery, and the most diverse in ethnic culture, making it an incredibly alluring yet largely undeveloped virgin scenic area. It was designated by UNESCO for special investigation and approved by the State Council in 1989 as part of the second batch of national-level scenic areas.

The natural landscape of the Three Parallel Rivers consists of the Nujiang, Lancang, and Jinsha rivers and the mountain ranges within their basins, covering a total area of 1.7 million hectares. It includes nine nature reserves and ten scenic areas in Lijiang City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. Located at the intersection of East Asia, South Asia, and the Tibetan Plateau, it is a rare representative of high mountain landforms and their evolution, as well as one of the regions with the richest biodiversity in the world. The scenic area spans three prefectures: Lijiang, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture.

The Three Parallel Rivers region is the world’s most abundant geological and geomorphological museum. Forty million years ago, the collision between the Indian subcontinent plate and the Eurasian plate triggered intense compression, uplift, and erosion in the Hengduan Mountains, creating an alternating pattern of high mountains and rivers. This formed the world’s only natural wonder of three major rivers flowing parallel for 170 kilometers.

The Three Parallel Rivers scenic area features towering snow-capped mountains stretching continuously, with elevations ranging vertically from 760 meters in the Nujiang hot-dry valley to 6,740 meters at Kawagebo Peak. It encompasses a variety of spectacular landscapes, including high mountain gorges, snow peaks and glaciers, alpine wetlands, forest meadows, freshwater lakes, rare animals, and precious plants. The area has 118 snow-capped mountains over 5,000 meters in elevation, each with unique shapes. Accompanying the snow-capped mountains are pristine forests and hundreds of glacial lakes scattered across the landscape. Kawagebo Peak, the main summit of Meili Snow Mountain at 6,740 meters, is covered with ancient glaciers. These crystal-clear glaciers extend from the peak down to the forested area of Mingyong Village at 2,700 meters, forming the most spectacular and rare low-latitude, low-altitude monsoon maritime modern glacier in the world. For centuries, the Tibetan people have regarded Meili Snow Mountain as a sacred mountain, strictly adhering to the taboo against climbing.

Lijiang’s Laojun Mountain is home to China’s largest and most well-preserved danxia landform, nestled within a sea of lush primeval forests, creating a dazzling spectacle. Many red rock surfaces have weathered into cracked patterns, and one slope resembles thousands of small turtles forming a giant turtle, arranged naturally and orderly as if marching toward the rising sun in the east.

The Three Parallel Rivers region is hailed as a "global biodiversity gene bank." Due to its avoidance of the Quaternary Ice Age continental glaciers and the north-south orientation of its mountain ranges, this area serves as a major corridor and refuge for species migrating between northern and southern Eurasia, making it one of the richest regions for biological communities on the continent. Although this region accounts for less than 0.4% of China’s land area, it hosts over 20% of the country’s higher plants and 25% of its animal species. Currently, it is home to 77 nationally protected animal species, including the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, antelope, snow leopard, Bengal tiger, and black-necked crane, as well as 34 nationally protected plant species, such as the dawn redwood, Alsophila, and yew.

Every spring, when flowers bloom, the grasslands like green carpets, quiet forests, and azure lakes are blanketed with vibrant blooms. Over 200 species of rhododendrons, nearly 100 species of gentians, primroses, and other wildflowers such as Meconopsis, Cypripedium, and lilies can be seen. As a result, botanists refer to the Three Parallel Rivers region as a "natural alpine garden."

Additionally, the region is home to 16 ethnic groups, making it a rare place in the world where multiple ethnicities, languages, religions, and customs coexist. For a long time, the Three Parallel Rivers area has been a destination of fascination for scientists, explorers, and travelers, who highly value its significant scientific worth, aesthetic appeal, and the unique cultures of its minority groups.

The scenic area includes three river sections—Nujiang, Dulongjiang, Lancang, and Jinsha—featuring eight central scenic zones and over 60 scenic spots (areas), covering more than 3,500 square kilometers. The three rivers flow parallel for hundreds of kilometers in the longitudinal valley region of the Hengduan Mountains in northwestern Yunnan, with the closest straight-line distance between them being 66.3 kilometers. Among these, the Nujiang and Lancang rivers are separated by only 18.6 kilometers across the Nu Mountain range. The main landscapes include: the unique "Three Parallel Rivers," majestic high mountain snow peaks, perilous gorges and rapids, beautiful alpine meadows, serene glacial lakes, rare tectonic collision zones, vast snow mountain flower fields, abundant rare flora and fauna, the magnificent Baishuitai, unique ethnic customs, and more. These elements create characteristics of grandeur, danger, beauty, uniqueness, serenity, mystery, and awe. It is the largest in Yunnan Province by area, the most richly featured in landscapes, and the most diverse in ethnic culture. It is an incredibly alluring yet largely undeveloped scenic area. It was designated by UNESCO for special investigation and approved by the State Council in 1988 as part of the second batch of national key scenic areas.

The natural landscape of the "Three Parallel Rivers" is located in the longitudinal valley region of the Hengduan Mountains, the southern extension of the Tibetan Plateau. It consists of the Nujiang, Lancang, and Jinsha rivers and the mountain ranges within their basins, covering a total area of 41,000 square kilometers. Situated at the intersection of East Asia, South Asia, and the Tibetan Plateau, it is a rare representative of high mountain landforms and their evolution, as well as one of the regions with the richest biodiversity in the world. Additionally, the region is home to 16 ethnic groups, making it a rare place in the world where multiple ethnicities, languages, religions, and customs coexist.

Due to the unique geological structure of the Three Parallel Rivers region, the concentrated biodiversity of Eurasia, its rich cultural resources, and its beautiful and magical natural landscapes, this area has become a one-of-a-kind global wonder.

In the 1980s, a UNESCO official was astonished to discover on a satellite remote sensing map that three ever-flowing, mighty rivers run parallel in the region located between 98° and 100°30′ east longitude and 25°30′ and 29° north latitude on Earth. These are the "Three Parallel Rivers" (Jinsha, Lancang, and Nujiang) in the longitudinal valley of the Hengduan Mountains in northwestern Yunnan, extending from the southern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.

The Three Parallel Rivers flow side by side for about 170 kilometers within Yunnan Province, located in the western part of the province—Lijiang Prefecture, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture—covering a total area of 40,000 square kilometers. The shortest straight-line distance between the Nujiang and Lancang rivers is only 18.6 kilometers, while that between the Lancang and Jinsha rivers is just 66.3 kilometers. From the 760-meter elevation of the Nujiang valley to the 6,740-meter peak of Kawagebo, the region experiences four seasons in a day and a different climate every ten miles.

The Jinsha River flows northeast, gathering the Yalong, Dadu, and Jialing rivers, eventually forming China’s Yangtze River. The Lancang River flows southward, crossing the border to become the upper reaches of the Mekong River in neighboring countries. The Nujiang River flows southward with rapid currents, entering Myanmar to become the upper reaches of the Salween River. All three rivers originate from the Tibetan Plateau and flow side by side through the rugged mountains of Yunnan. The Jinsha River makes a dramatic U-turn at Shigu Town (the First Bend of the Yangtze) before heading eastward into the Pacific Ocean… Meanwhile, the Lancang and Nujiang rivers flow through Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, eventually emptying into the Indian Ocean.

People know of a place on Earth where humans and nature coexist harmoniously—a utopia filled with peace, tranquility, and happiness—Shangri-La. In fact, the beautiful Shangri-La is located in Yunnan’s Three Parallel Rivers region. As early as the 1920s, Austrian-American Joseph Rock wrote, photographed, and collected species for National Geographic Magazine in this region for nearly two decades. British author James Hilton’s novel *Lost Horizon* made Shangri-La famous worldwide. This is also the birthplace of China’s renowned ancient international trade route—the Tea Horse Road. Sixteen ethnic minorities have lived together in harmony for centuries.

The Three Parallel Rivers is like a history textbook of Earth’s evolution. The collision between the Indian Ocean plate and the Eurasian plate caused the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, forming the Hengduan Mountains, which include the massive ranges and rivers of the Dulongjiang, Gaoligong, Nujiang, Lancang, Yunling, and Jinsha rivers aligned within a 150-kilometer span. This is the world’s only "Three Parallel Rivers" high mountain and canyon natural landscape.

Address: Within Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, and parts of Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County along the Jinsha River

Type: National park, nature reserve, river, UNESCO World Natural Heritage

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Opening hours:

Open all day

Ticket information:

No admission fee required.