Pudacuo (also known as Potatso) National Park in Shangri-La

14 September 2024

We had only one full day to explore the sights around Shangri-La before leaving for Kunming at night. Two of the attractions that we visited on this day were the Potatso National Park and the Songzanlin Monastery.

Located about 21 km to the east of Shangri-La city, Potatso National Park is famous for clear lakes, green meadows, streams, wetlands, forests, rare plants and rare animals. I was looking forward to enjoying some hiking and taking some photos of their renowned landscape and nature in this park.

From our hotel located on the edge of Dukezong Ancient town, we travelled by car for about 40 minutes to Potatso National Park. The park is also known as Pudacuo National Park and is the first national park on the Chinese mainland. 

Entrance to Potatso National Park.

While waiting for our guide to purchase the entry tickets, we went to buy some coffee and saw a stall selling the yak meat skewers. The yak is a kind of hairy ox native to the part of the Tibetan plateau that stretches into Yunnan Province. Since we had yet to try the grilled yak meat, we were glad to make use of the opportunity to try some.

We were the stall’s first customer for the day. The lady manning the stall grilled just one skewer that my son ordered without any fuss. After the skewer was cooked, she added spices like salt, chilli and pepper powder onto it.

Yak meat is not cheap at 15 RMB per skewer.

Happy with his yak meat skewer and morning coffee.

We saw the map of the park.

Map of Potatso National Park. Shudu Lake is the lake located in the top part of this map while Bita Lake is the lake located on the bottom right.

In the 500 square meters park, there are three main scenic areas open to visitors: Bita Lake in the south, Shudu Lake which is a part of Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area in the north and Militang Alpine Pasture in the middle.

From the entrance, we had to take a green sightseeing bus. These sightseeing buses run among these scenic spots and stop at fixed stations as shown in the map. Travel route in the park is about 69 kilometers and it would takes about 4 to 6 hours to cover all the spots. Since we only had the morning to spend at the park, our guide recommended that we see Shudu Lake only.

There is commentary in Chinese, delivered by a lady with a microphone in the bus, as we travelled to Shudu Lake. It was about a 20 minutes’ scenic ride from the bus stop near the park entrance to Shudu Lake. By the time we arrived at Shudu Lake, it was almost 10.30 AM.

There is a nice 3.3 km long wooden walkway along the shore of this lake, making it easy to navigate. Visitors can also opt to take a boat ride on the lake. 

Guide map of the 3.3 km Shudu Lake walkway. We started our walk at the bottom part of the trail and headed northwards long the path marked in yellow. 

We saw some wetlands at the initial part of the trail. The water from Shudu Lake actually drains out from this area. The weather was cloudy, cool and windless. This is a perfect place to soak in the fresh air and beauty all around us. It is also a perfect place for landscape photographers where there are rolling hills covered with forest, reflecting off the surface of the still water.

Tibetan prayer flags and good luck charms hanging from racks.

We were lucky to be able to see a flock of white eared pheasants. Although wild, they came close to the path and we were able to get good close up views of these birds.

 White eared pheasants in Potatso National Park. 

Unfortunately, we did not have close encounters with the free ranging yaks and horses at Shudu Lake.

More views of the epic wetlands.

The pier for those choosing to go for a lake cruise. 

We were impressed by the scenery at Shudu Lake. Although the lake is at an altitude of 3,595 meters above sea level, we did not experience any ill effects of altitude sickness.

      

Shudu Lake as one of the biggest lakes in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is 3,595 meters above the sea level. 

We saw an impressive white-hair yak that was used for photos. The guy would help visitors up on the back of the yak for a photo shoot with the gorgeous scenery in the background. He also sang some local folk songs while the photographs were taken, adding to the country vibes.

This was the only yak that we saw up close.

It was not crowded during our visit. We could enjoy a leisurely walk along the lake shore. We stopped often to snap photos of the landscape. Unfortunately, we did not spot any yaks, horses or other animals along the boardwalk at this area.

Boardwalk along the shore of Shudu Lake was not crowded during our visit. 

Couple in traditional costumes in front of us.

Wild flowers on the green grass.

      Part of the boardwalk is over water. 

The later part of the trail is through a pine forest. Some of the pine trees in this area are huge.

Heading into the pine forest at this area of the trail.

We met some fearless chipmunks who came onto the boardwalk hoping for some food.

A couple of squirrels came to play on the walkway and are not afraid of the visitors.

Some other visitors threw some nuts to them and we soon hear an announcement in Chinese” over the loudspeaker:  “Do not to feed the animals”. Big brother is watching!

Some of the pine trees are so tall and straight. The trunks are perfect for used as columns in the wooden houses.

      This tree is larger than it looked on photo. 

The forest also has some unique sights such as the “tree beards”. These are light greyish green lichen that hangs from the branches of some trees, giving an impression that the trees have beards.

Lichen hanging from tree branches that made it looked like the tree has beard.   

Dead trees on the shore due to past flooding.

These roots from the dead trees are interesting photo subjects.

These dead tree trunks added some interest into the foreground of the landscape photo.

 

The trail ended at Pier 3, which is also a stop for those who go on the boat cruise. From the pier, we could see a green meadow across the lake with many tiny black dots. These dots are yaks and horses.

From the 3rd pier, we saw yaks and horses roaming on the meadow across the lake. I believe this could be Militang Pasture.

Zoomed in photo of the free ranging yaks and wild horses.

Looking at the map on the Pier 3, I noted that there is an eco hiking trail that leads from the initial bus station to the meadow, along the northwestern shore of the lake. I would have loved to hike on this trail, if only we had the whole day at the park!

Map showing the boat routes, hiking trails around Shudu Lake. 

It was already slightly past noon time when we took the shuttle bus back to the entrance. Overall, we had spent about 90 minutes at Shudu Lake and it was a great experience.

If only we had time to spend a whole day at Potatso National Park. 

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Lunch at a traditional Tibetan family's house in Conggulong Village

14 September 2024

We went by car to the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery Scenic Area, after our morning visit to Potatso National Park. Ganden Sumtseling Monastery Scenic Area is a big place, consisting of Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (also known as Songzanlin Monastery), Lamuyangcuo Lake in the front, Conggulong Village in its east, Xiaojiezi Village and Dongqusheng Hill in its west, and the celestial burial platform in its south.

After lighting from our car in the large parking lot attached to the Tourist Service Center of Ganden Sumtseling Monastery Scenic Area, we entered the clean and spacious service center. There was a diorama in the service center that our guide used to explain our plan at this area. The main attraction is, of course, the Songzanlin Monastery. Prior to the visit to the monastery, our guide had arranged for us to visit a Tibetan family’s house in the Conggulong Village and have our lunch there.

Our guide purchased the entrance tickets which included a shuttle bus service from the service center to the monastery which is about 3 kilometers away. We have the option to walk but the roads are under maintenance and hence muddy or dusty.

Once on the shuttle bus, our guide requested the shuttle bus driver to make an unscheduled stop at Conggulong Village. From there we took a short walk into the village. We could see many traditional Tibetan houses. Traditional Tibetan houses are designed to blend in with, rather than stand out from, the beautiful natural landscape that surrounds them. As such, they are constructed largely from natural materials, such as wood, stones, and dirt or mud. Many families raise animals as well, including cows, yaks, sheep, and horses. We saw only chickens running around in the village.

Typical Tibetan residential houses are painted white in colour.

Beautifully decorated window with colourful eaves on top and black frame.

Firewood and a lone chicken outside a house.

We went to one of the largest and most beautiful building in the village.  Upon entering the large nicely decorated door, we found ourselves in a spacious courtyard. The courtyard is covered with a transparent roof allowing natural light in and keeping the place warm.

 We will be visiting this Tibetan family home.  

Exquisitely decorated doorway leading to a courtyard.

Covered courtyard with transparent roof. Photos of the Chinese flags, China’s past and present leaders are hung on the eaves.

We were then invited to view the residential area which consists of a 2 story building made entirely from wood. The living quarters for the family were on the second floor.

Living room with traditional wooden furniture but modern flat screen TV.

Much of the space was open with a wood-burning stove for heat and cooking in a corner.

Traditional stove with 4 chambers sits in a corner.

Mythical Qilin figures sit on top of the stove’s cover.  The Qilin symbolizes goodwill, benevolence, gentleness, integrity, and kindness towards other living beings.

There is a room with a shrine for worship and meditation. Next to this room is a guestroom with a queen size bed for guests which may include a monk who comes for prayers with the family and then stay over.

Our guide also showed us the apparatus used to make the traditional yak butter tea or po cha. The po cha is made from tea leaves, yak butter, and salt that is churned and mixed in the long cylindrical apparatus.

Apparatus used to make the traditional yak butter tea or po cha.

We then proceed down to the dining area on the ground floor. We had the option to have lunch in the courtyard or inside the house. Our guide recommended that we sit in the house as it would be more comfortable.

Walking down to the dining room. The entire house is made of wood and look and feels solid. We could see the thick wooden columns made from local pine trees.

Dining room with a pot of pre-made yak butter tea sitting on a electric stove.

Yak butter tea.

Table already preset with some appetisers and sauces.

We sat and helped ourselves to some homemade Tibetan snacks which included dumplings, cured salty pork, peanuts, yogurt and pancakes.

More snacks brought to our table.Eating pancakes the local way. 

More hot, freshly cooked dishes for our lunch were then brought to our table.

So much food for just the three of us.

Stir fried mushrooms with vegetable.

Minced yak meat with celery and chilli.

Pickled cucumbers.

Fried egg with bitter gourd.

Grilled chicken that is surprising well seasoned and tender.

While we were enjoying our lunch, the family sat in the table next to us to have their lunch too. I noticed their food was not as elaborate as ours. Due to language difference, we did not interact much with them except the smiles and nods of heads to express our gratitude of having us in their home.

We were also served some homemade barley wine to try. The clear white colour liquid has high alcoholic content and tastes like the more familiar Korean soju.

Enjoying Tibetan hospitality and delicious lunch.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience, delicious lunch and opportunity to see the insides of a typical Tibetan home In Shangri-La.

From there, we took a short walk from the village to the entrance of Songzanlin Monastery, perched on top of a hill. We could see some of the quarters that the monks lived in along the way and some cosmos flowers that were in bloom.

Walking to Songzanlin Monastery. 

Next post: Our visit to Songzanlin Monastery.

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Our visit to Songzanlin Monastery

14 September 2024

A trip to Shangri-La would have been incomplete without a visit to the ancient Songzanlin Monastery or the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery.

Songzanlin Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple complex in Yunnan Province. The main monastery structure is built in Tibetan style with a gilded copper roof similar to the one at the Potala Palace in Lhasa and is hence called the “Little Potala Palace”. The other buildings in the complex are built-in Han Chinese style. It was originally build between 1679-1681 by the Great 5th Dalai Lama, got destroyed during the revolution of 1966 and was rebuilt in 1982.  It used to house over 2000 monks but the temple is now home to about 700 monks belonging to the Gelug Yellow Hat sect.

As we walked to the entrance of the monastery, we could see the homes of the monks located on the sides of the main monastery building.

The quarters for the monks on the sides of the Songzanlin Monastery.

The entrance is quite grand. A pair of stone lions guards the gate like most Chinese temples. On the top, there are symbols of Buddhism, a pair of male and female deer at either side of an eight-spoke dharma wheel.

Main entrance to the monastery.

Dharma Wheel and a pair of deer on top on the entrance.

View of the monastery from the gate.

To get to the monastery, we had to climb a flight of stairs. The monastery is at an altitude of 3880 meters. At this high altitude, climbing the stairs is not easy due to the thin air. This is similar to what we experienced at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. We still had a can of oxygen leftover from our visit to the mountain. It was put to good use although we could have made do without it.

       Walking through the main street lined with traditional Tibetan style buildings with white walls and colourful windows.

146 steps to the top.

Like us, many people were resting and catching  their breath on the way up. Once at the top, we were rewarded with excellent views of the surrounding, including Lamuyangcuo Lake.

View of Lamuyangcuo Lake from the Songzanlin Monastery.

After enjoying the views, we went to see the insides of the main buildings. The monastery houses many religious items and precious Tibetan Buddhist cultural relics, such as gilded statues of Sakyamuni, palm-leaf scripts, thangka (religious tapestries), and golden lamps.

Our guide told us the rules for visiting this religious site.

• No photo-taking inside the building.
• No wearing of sun glasses inside.
• Step over and not on the threshold when entering.
• Always go clockwise direction when visiting.
• No loud voices.

      

Large terrace with the religious buildings.

We went to the Prayer Hall where we saw many glided statues. This included the deities and dharma protectors, and also statues of Past Buddha, Current Buddha and Future Buddha. Thanks to our guide, we learned that the Future Buddha sits with legs down, like in chair while the Current Buddha sits crossed legged.

Unfortunately, no photography is allowed, so I could not take photos to show these statues.

The altar is decorated with many yak butter lamps and floral pieces carved from yak butter.

Front view of the main assembly hall.

In the main assembly hall, we also saw rows of seats where monks can gather to chant and meditate in unison. There is capacity for thousand of monks but currently only 700 monks reside in monastery.     

There are murals on the side that told the story of Buddha. It was good that we went with a guide. He told us story of how a prince in India named Siddhartha Gautama saw death, sickness and old age. He decided to give up his lavish lifestyle and embraced a life of extreme self-discipline to seek enlightenment and founded Buddhism.

We visited the last hall on the right where our guide explained the Buddha’s teachings. The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.       
View of the Shangri-La city in the distance.

One of the many chapels on the side.

One of the must do when visiting the monastery is to spin the prayer wheels. There are several prayer wheels in Songzanlin Monastery, varying in size and arranged in a harmonious layout.

The prayer wheel inside the monastery should be spun clockwise. Each spin is equivalent to reciting a scripture once, making it an excellent way to repent past deeds, ward off disasters, and accumulate merit.

Spinning the prayer wheel at the Songzanlin Monastery. We are to spin this wheel 3 times.

More prayer wheels.

Group photo before leaving the monastery.

After visiting the monastery, we went to take a walk around Lamuyangcuo Lake. This must not be missed as there are several spots for taking excellent photos of the Songzanlin Monastery reflected on the surface of the lake. 

The colourful roofs and structure of the monastery are best viewed from the path to the lake.

Zoomed in photo of the roof structure.

We took the lakeside boardwalk where are two panoramic viewing platforms for admiring the monastery: one is at the center of the lake and the other is near Conggulong Village, which is considered the best viewpoint.  

View of the monastery and its reflection on the surface of the lake at the first viewing platform.  

We could see dark clouds approaching!

By the time we walked to the second viewing platform, the wind had picked up forming ripples on the surface.

Taking photos at the second viewing platform at the center of the lake.

The dark clouds rolling in add drama to this photo. Will there be a storm soon?

Walking back to the monastery along the boardwalk.

After enjoying the views of the monastery and the lake, we had to return to the entrance of the monastery to take the shuttle bus back to the entrance of the Songzanlin Monastery Scenic Area. Fortunately, there was no rain, despite the dark sky.

From there we returned to Dukezong Ancient Town, about 8 km away.

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