Jaunted

Shangri-La is thoroughly within Tibetan territory, but unlike its namesake, isn’t built into the side of a mountain. Instead, it’s within the plateau with only rolling hills framing it. While the book describes it as populated by monks and a few lovely women, many Tibetans, Chinese, and Naxis live in the town, selling everything from rare animal hides to the latest knockoffs from The North Face. Though not a hidden oasis, the “real” Shangri-La is an awesome place to buy cheap outdoor-wear. For some, maybe that’s preferable to a place where material possessions are shunned and people live for hundreds of years. Most hardcore trekkers plan to get their fun in now, anticipating an early demise.

Cycling outside Shangri-La is perhaps one of the few opportunities to interact with Tibetans without Chinese police leering over your shoulder. Here, as in Sichuan province, there are sizeable populations of Tibetans. But since it’s outside the named province, there are fewer restrictions and more opportunities for casual invitations into people’s homes (see above) to drink yak butter tea and eat yak cheese, sitting on yak-skin rugs. Though it’s not heaven on earth like the name implies, life’s good in Shangri-La. That is, unless you’re a yak.

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