Potatso National Park
- Chinese name: 普达措国家公园
- Location: Pudacuo National Park, Jiantang Town, Shangri-La City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
- Add: 云南省迪庆藏族自治州香格里拉市建塘镇红坡村双桥
- Climate: Sub-temperate and cold-temperate monsoon climate
- Area: 1313 km²
- Type: National Park
- Altitude: 3500 meters to 4159 meters
- Opening hours: April 1st-October 10th 08:30-16:00 (last entry 16:00); October 11th-March 31st of the following year 08:30-16:00 (last Admission 15:30)
- Attraction level: AAAAA level
- Official Website: https://www.pdcuo.com/en/
- Tel: 0887-8232523 13800138000
- Tickets Price: 138 (70 yuan tour fare, 68 yuan entrance fee)
- Virtual Tour: https://720yun.com/t/378jz5wurn7?scene_id=8203620
- Suggested tour time: more than 3 hours
Potatso National Park
·Potatso is located in the central area of the Great Shangri-La Scenic Area and is an important part of the World Natural Heritage “Three Parallel Rivers”.
·With Bita Sea, Shudu Lake and Militangya Alpine Pasture as the main components, it is one of the main tourist attractions in Shangri-La.
·It has geological landforms, lakes and wetlands, forests and meadows, river valleys and streams, rare animals and plants, etc. The original ecological environment is well preserved.
·Pudacuo is a paradise for photography lovers. The scenery in spring and autumn is especially beautiful. It is the best time to come to Pudacuo for sightseeing or photography.
In Sanskrit, “Pota” means a small boat, “tso” means a lake, and “Potatso” means “Pu Dacuo” means “Pu Da Cuo” means “the boat lake where all sentient beings reach the ideal shore”. During the rainy season, there are vast seas of clouds, rows of green woods on the hills, mirror-like lakes and meadow pastures full of cattle and sheep under the hills. Go after the snow in winter, the quiet lake and white woods, the fairy tale scene is even more fascinating.
Potatso National Park Tourist Map
Potatso National Park Video
Potatso National Park Photo
Potatso National Park Travel Guide
Pudacuo National Park, with an average elevation of about 3,500 meters above sea level, is mainly composed of three major scenic spots: Shudu Lake, Militang and Bitahai.
Shudu Lake (currently open): This is one of the largest mountain lakes in Shangri-La. A 3km wooden plank road was built around the lake, and the beauty of the lake can be seen from different angles. Hiking is the best way to visit. Among the plants that grow along the lake, you can also encounter cute little squirrels.
Bitahai (ecological maintenance, temporarily closed): This is one of the highest lakes in Yunnan. There is a small island shaped like a round tower in the center of the lake, which is regarded as a sacred mountain by the locals. Lakeside wetlands and alpine meadows coexist. From ancient times to the present, this beautiful place has also been given a lot of mythology. Unfortunately, since 2017, this attraction has been temporarily closed to protect the local ecology.
Militangya Alpine Pasture (ecological maintenance, temporarily closed): 3700 meters above sea level, because the overall shape is like a slender Buddha’s eye, this alpine meadow is named “Buddha’s Eye Meadow”, which is the local dialect “Militang”. This is an important pasture in Shangri-La, and the unique conditions make the cattle and sheep produced here extraordinarily fat. Unfortunately, in order to protect the ecology, this scenic spot has also been temporarily closed to the public since 2017.
Currently open routes
Pudacuo Scenic Area currently has 2 sightseeing routes open.
- Luorong Village Trekking Route
About 2.2km, there are many original roads. You can visit the villages living in the national park, and the scenery along the way is mainly mountain forests and small streams. - The route around the lake of the capital city
About 3.3km, the whole journey is a flat wooden plank road. There are vegetation along the lake and small trees growing in the water along the way, and playful squirrels are hidden among the vegetation.
Recommended itinerary
- Around 8:30: Depart from the city and head to Pudacuo.
- 9:00-11:00: Arrive at Pudacuo, take the scenic sightseeing bus to the “Luorong Village” station. After getting off the bus, go on foot, and the walking time is about 1-2 hours.
- Around 11:00: Take a sightseeing bus to the scenic area of Shudu Lake.
- 11:00-13:00: Trekking on the plank road around the lake, about 1-2 hours.
- Around 14:00: Return to downtown Shangri-La.
Note: If you want to feed the squirrels, you can bring some sunflower seeds. The squirrels in the scenic area are not too scared for tourists. You can take pictures very close, but please don’t hurt them.
