With beautiful snow-capped mountains and a 2.5km boardwalk through narrow gorges, the Balagezong Scenic Area near the Shangri-La province is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas and plays an integral role in Tibetan history and mythology. Its major attractions include Bala Village, the Shangri-La Grand Canyon, the Palm Gorge and a series of plateau lakes. The Balagezong Tibetan Cultural Inheritance and Performance Center also hosts traditional shows and campfire parties outside the Water Village Hotel.

Bala Village is usually the first stop in visitors’ tours of the area, and it stands as the only village in the vast 176km² protected area. From here, you can see the 5,545m tall Balagezong Snow Mountain, or the Holy Gezong Mountain as it is also called. Retaining its traditional wooden houses, this Tibetan village is known in folk stories as the ideal home established thousands of years ago. On the outskirts of the village, you can see the sutras and flags wrapped around the Marnyi Stone fluttering in the wind.

Around the Gangqu River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, is the U-shaped Grand Canyon itself, standing at an elevation of 3.5km, which can be accessed via the boardwalk going through the lush vertical climate of the ridge valley. During the summer and rainy seasons, the snowmelt and rainfall creates a beautiful landscape of waterfalls streaming into the river below.

The main Gorge of the National Park, the Nanka Zhuorong or Tongtian Gorge, also known as the Gorge that leads to Heaven, actually leads to the Balagezong Snow Mountain with a drop of over 3,505m between two vertical cliffs. The Gorge itself leads to the Balagezong Snow Mountain, which is a favoured destination among seasoned hikers. With the glacier tongue from the mountain reaching down to 3,688m, there are 18 plateau lakes with beautiful jade-coloured water that can be hiked to, including the Sheep Lake and Longevity Lake. From the mountain hikes, you can see the nearby Shambhala Stupa, a famous spot featuring the Triratna peaks, which look like a seated Lama opening a scripture book. With so much to do and see at the magnificent area, you’ll surely be missing out if you give this spot a miss!