Location Map of Shangrila City in Diqing

Shangri-La City (香格里拉市) is located in the northwestern part of Yunnan Province (云南省), China, in the heart of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’s Hengduan Mountains (青藏高原横断山区). It lies at the intersection of Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet.

Where is Shangri-La City?

Geographic Coordinates:

• Latitude: 27°50′ N
• Longitude: 99°42′ E

Surrounding Areas:

• East: Shangri-La is bordered by Daocheng County (稻城县) and Muli County (木里县) in Sichuan Province.
• Southeast: It is separated by the Jinsha River (金沙江) from Yulong County (玉龙县) and Weixi County (维西县) in Lijiang (丽江), as well as Deqin County (德钦县) in Diqing Prefecture.
• Northwest: The city shares borders with Derong County (得荣县) and Xiangcheng County (乡城县) in Sichuan Province.

Geographical Features:

• Altitude: Shangri-La is situated at an average altitude of around 3,200 meters (10,500 feet) above sea level, providing a high-altitude environment characterized by dramatic mountain scenery, alpine meadows, and deep valleys.
• Landscape: Shangri-La is surrounded by majestic peaks, including the Meili Snow Mountain (梅里雪山), which is considered one of the most sacred mountains in Tibetan Buddhism. The area is also known for its lush valleys, pristine lakes like Napa Lake (纳帕海), and picturesque national parks like Pudacuo National Park (普达措国家公园).
• Climate: The region has a highland climate, with cool summers and cold winters, and it experiences significant temperature variation due to its altitude. The weather can be unpredictable, with frequent rainfall during the summer months.

Shangri-La City was formerly known as Zhongdian (中甸) and Jiantang (建塘) in Tibetan, before being renamed in 2001 as Shangri-La County and later upgraded to a county-level city in 2014 under the administration of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (迪庆藏族自治州).