Zhongdian was named officially Shangri-la in 2001. Shangri-la is a name that has worked its way into the English language. Synonymous with utopia, the word was first used in 1933, coined by the English author James Hilton in his novel Lost Horizon.

Shangri-la was a fictitious paradise, characterized by towering snow-capped mountains, lush forests, vast gorges and idyllic lakes. The beautiful scenery described by Hilton made the name stick in popular memory and arouses a certain curiosity and mystery whenever it is heard.

With the endless kilometers of backcountry just waiting to be discovered, this region offers unique hiking and horse trkking chances to those who get the chance to make the journey down to northtern Yunnan. At an altitude of 3,200m, Shangri-la is the start of the doorstep of Tibet. But today, the town looks one of the China's next adventure hotstops.

A one-day trip to Shangri-la isn't nearly enough, however it can help make one feel like the turmoil and stress of city life has never been farther away.