Shangri-La Introduction
Shangri-La County is a primarily Tibetan county in northwestern Yunnan Province in southwest China and the capital of Diqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. It was formerly called Zhongdian County but was renamed after the fictional land of Shangri-La in the James Hilton novel in 2001. The local Tibetan population refers to it by the name Gyalthang. "Shangri-La" or "Zhongdian" may also refer to Jiantang Town, the capital of the county.
Many travelers use the county town as a gateway into Tibet, either travelling many days overland by Jeep to Lhasa, or by flying from the city's airport. However, the town itself is a tourist destination, primarily due to the nearby Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, Pudacuo National Park, and Tiger Leaping Gorge.
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