40 Best Scenic Spots Recommended by CNN V: Shangri-La Potatso National Park

Have you traveled in Yunnan? Will you lost in the dreamy scenery? Have you visited Shangri-la when you take a China Yunnan Tour? If it is, there is an attraction you shouldn't miss.

Chapter Five

Shangri-La Potatso National Park

A General Introduction of Potatso National Park

Potatso park, located in the east of Jiantang town Shangri-la county, is 35km away from the county seat. You won’t miss it when you take a China tour to Shangri-la. Bita Lake is the center of this beautiful park. The whole area of Patatso park is 1418 hectares, about 14km wide from east to west and 60km long from north to south. The highest point is “Mini Pond” altitude 4159.1 meters and the lowest point is “Hecha Channel” altitude 3180 meters in the conservation area. You should pay attention to the altitude reaction when you take a China Shangri-la tour.

Picturesque Scenery of Potatso Park

　　
The word “Potatso” means the god reached the other side of the lake by a boat in Tibetan. Potatso Park, combined by Bita Lake and Shudu Lake ecotourism area, is the most famous scenic spot of Shangri-la county, Diqing city., so it is a must-see to travelers who take a Shangri-la tour. Beautiful ecological environment and mysterious folklores endow the national park extremely high aesthetic value of ecological diversity and cultural landscape. It is worth to visit Potatso in your dreamland tour to Shangri-la.
　　
Potatso National Park is full of mirror-like alpine lakes, abundant grass pastures, flowers in full bloom wetlands and animals and birds haunting virgin forests. Taking a Yunnan Tour to Potatso will make you see abundant and various animals and plants species. And Bita Lake and Shudu Lake are known as Highland Pearls, abundant with mountain carps and heavy lips fish. You can have a taste in your China Shangri- tour. Every autumn and winter, plenty of wild ducks and other birds are playing by the lake; every spring and summer, mountains of azaleas and unknown wild flowers are blossoming everywhere, contrasted finely with singing birds. You will be intoxicated with the fragrant flowers and twittering birds during your China ethnic minority discovery tour to Shangri-la. When

Autumn Scenery of Potatso Park

wondering in the pastures, listening the tinkle of the horse neck bells and seeing the rising wave of smoke from distant herdman’s shed, you will find all of these are so harmonious with the surrounding natural environment. It will make your China Shangri-la tour unforgettable.

The Climate of Potatso National Park

The climate of Potatso national park belongs to subtemperate climate with long autumn and winter and short spring and summer. You should pay attention to the low temperate there in your China tour. The annual average temperate is 5.4 degree. The hottest month is July with a monthly average temperate of 13.2 degree; while the coldest month is January with a monthly average temperate of 3.8 degree below zero. It follows that the climate of Potatso is relatively low because of the high altitude. So please note the cold weather in your Shangri-la China tour. With the abundant rainfall, sometimes Potatso park is indistinct in the mist and cloud; sometimes it is totally hidden in the sea of cloud just like a fairyland. Such kind of climate makes the plants in the scenic area flourish and brings about a variety of species. You may learn something there in your Shangri-la tour.   

Squirrel

Potatso Transportation Guide

When taking a China Shangri-la tour to Potatso, You can take a night bus from Kunming to Shangri-la county about 10 hours. Or you can choose to take a plane from Kunming to Shangri-la county about 50 minutes. After you get to Shangri-la county, you can take a bus to Potatso park from Shangri-la passenger depot. Remember that there is only one bus to the park, departing at 9:30am and returning at 3:00pm. Or chartering a vehicle is also a good choice to Potatso park from Shangri-la. The transportation of Potatso is relatively convenient in your Shangri-la tour. 

Ticket Tips

Ticket: RMB190 (including entrance ticket and sightseeing tourist car ticket. )
Opening time: November to March: 8:00~16:00.
            April to October: 8:00~17:00.