Shangri-La | Balagezong, the once lost hidden world
Shangri-La | Balagezong, the once lost hidden world.
Most hidden worlds are usually out of reach. In the deepest part of Shangri-La, a place that was once impossible to find on a map, there are spectacular canyons, clear streams, ancient villages and strange geological wonders. Now it has a magical name - Balagezong.
📌Origin: Legend has it that Gezong Snow Mountain is the protector of Shangri-La, and Balagezong is a sacred place that everyone yearns for but cannot reach. It has been isolated from the world for thousands of years. When Snadindzhu was young, he had the opportunity to leave the mountains for the first time because of an eye injury. After becoming wealthy, he spent all his family wealth, carried a huge debt, and spent ten years building this plateau sky road, allowing the world to see the true face of Balagezong.
🧭Explore the hidden world:
Take a sightseeing car up the mountain from the main entrance, and the winding mountain road with dozens of big turns makes people sigh at the difficulty of this project. The view from the air is quite shocking.
Recommended itinerary: Millennium Bodhi Tree - Echo Wall - Xiangbala Stupa (optional) - Bala Village - Shangri-La Grand Canyon.
📍Xiangbala Stupa: The mountain is the stupa, and the stupa is the mountain; rock walls, stupas, snow mountains, wastelands, prayer flags, etc. are integrated into a paradise in the depths of the 4000-meter-high plateau. After a heavy snowfall, it is even more silver-clad and particularly sacred.
📍Bala Village: A Tibetan village with a history of more than 1300 years, surrounded by high mountains, retains the traditional ethnic style. A small museum records the bits and pieces of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. The butter dirty of 'Hidden Mountain Bathing Wild' coffee is a hit on the internet. Outside the window is the stupa under the mountains, and a few kittens are leisurely. There are several hotels in the village, which is the best place to watch the sunrise over the Golden Mountain in the morning.
📍Shangri-La Grand Canyon: The rugged terrain, the huge drop, the diverse ecology, the naturally formed plateau canyon, is a gift from heaven to Balagezong. Either walk along the plank road and enjoy the cliffs, waterfalls and deep valleys. Or drift down, fresh and exciting, feel the heartbeat of nature.
📍Millennium Bodhi Tree: The thousand-year-old Bodhi tree at the entrance welcomes guests. Despite the wind and rain, it is still full of vitality. The small trunk sprouts a large number of branches and leaves, covering a whole cliff.
📍Echo Wall: The natural huge mountain recess is named for its loud echo. Along the suspended plank road on the cliff, you can overlook the Shangri-La Grand Canyon and the snow-capped mountains. The Sky Mirror at the end is like a blue high-altitude swimming pool. Looking down is very exciting, and you can also experience the high-altitude zip line, flying on the top of the plateau.
In Balagezong, you can feel the grandeur and mystery of nature, and also understand the depth and colorfulness of minority culture. The trip to Shangri-La might as well add this stop.
Transportation & Tickets
🚗It takes about 2 hours to drive from Dukezong Ancient City, the ticket is 170 yuan, and 165 yuan online.
🎫The package ticket is 225 yuan, including the ticket and the bus from Dukezong Ancient City to the scenic area and the shuttle bus in the scenic area.
The ticket to Xiangbala Stupa needs to be bought separately at the Echo Wall scenic spot for 75, highly recommended. Shangri-La Balagezong Scenic Area
Overall, I like the tour because it is quite convenient to book online and they offer a round trip bus from Shangri-La old town to Balagezong national park. The bus leaves about 9 in the morning and leaves the he national park about 5:30 pm. I enjoyed the spectacular view in the national park and if you wanna go to Shambhala Stupa to see the highest snow capped mountain there you will need to pay 75 yuan extra. I think it worths it because I can enjoy the snow there. It is very beautiful there.
It is worth seeing, feeling the human geography, the 18 bends of the mountain road, the driver who drives the transfer car is good, and the waiting time is long. I didn't go to the pagoda to see the snow, and I will go to see it later. Although the tickets are not cheap.
The first station on the sightseeing bus to play the story of Snadingzhu is too easy to empathize. After getting off the bus, it was a place for the Buddha Hall, and we didn't go in. The second station has a sky mirror that is very filmed, but the wind is too big, and hats and people have to be taken away. The third stop is a long plank road, two kilometers back and forth. One stop behind is the canyon, we have no energy to go shopping again, and we will return directly. It is really inexplicable to go to the pagoda to make another 70. Why not directly included in the sightseeing fare? It takes more than four hours to walk and watch the flowers. It may be better to stay in Bala Village for one night.
Yunnan Yidiqing | Bala Village has been a place that no map in the world can find. It is known as the "secret land that has disappeared". It is deep in the Shangri-La Grand Canyon, with natural wonders and more human history. The mountains here are like eight petals of lotus flowers, and Bala Village is surrounded by snowy mountains. Built on a hillside, you can experience canyon rafting in the Shangri-La Grand Canyon, and you can challenge on the cliff glass plank road.
The Shambhala Buddha must go to the snow-capped mountains. The scenery of the sightseeing bus along the way is very good. There is a thousand-year-old bodhi tree at the door to go to see it. Personally, it is better to stay in the hotel inside. It takes two days to play to finish all.
I have seen the story of Snadingzhu on CCTV a long time ago and sincerely admire him. Balagezong is a place I have long yearned for. This year, I came to Shangri-La for the National Day. I only knew that Balagezon was the development and operation of Snadingzhu, and I admired him more. A private entrepreneur can operate such a large scenic spot so well, stronger than most state-owned scenic spots, and provide employment opportunities for hundreds of local Tibetans. It is amazing. Even the bus driver in the scenic spot told the tourists that "he is a great person". The staff praised the boss behind his back. Not easy. I have traveled to more than 600 4A5A scenic spots in 23 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country, and Balagezong gave me the best experience. The day I went was October 1st. There were still a lot of people, but there was no sense of crowding at all. The scenic spot had to take a sightseeing bus throughout the whole process. There was no need to queue for each stop of the sightseeing bus. The car waited for people instead of people waiting for the bus. There are several staff members at each car. The staff in the scenic spot are basically Tibetan compatriots. From them, I see the enthusiasm and simplicity of the Tibetan people. Tourists are particularly polite to ask any questions. They are not only answering all questions, but also knowing everything and explaining clearly. Every stop of the sightseeing bus, the driver must explain the next itinerary and precautions clearly before letting the tourists get off the bus, which made us particularly moved. Just for this service, I must evaluate it. In fact, in addition to the service, the scenery of Balagezong is also my favorite. It is especially beautiful and shocking. The whole Shangri-La I can't forget is Balagezong. In retrospect, the momentum is particularly strong, especially the Shambhala Buddha Tower, which is beautiful like another world. To go to Balagezon must go to the Shambara Tower, although it costs extra, but it is worth the cost. But to remind everyone, the scenic spot only has a car to the stupa every afternoon, 13:30 from the echo wall, friends who want to go to the stupa must arrive at the third station before 13:30 echo wall, I almost missed that day.
It's so shocking, it's worth a visit, the Grand Canyon, the glass bridge, the snow-capped mountains, from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, the altitude is from more than 2,000 to more than 4,000, the real experience is what a mountain sees the four seasons!
In winter, Shangri-La Balagezong is more worthwhile than Pudacuo. The natural scenery is beautiful, the story, the religious culture is supported. The Shambala Buddha Tower must go. The southern children can't pull out the snow. The scenic service staff is also very friendly. The only thing is that the motion sickness people are careful and bend more.