Wikipedia (shortened):
“The Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is located in the northwest of Yunnan and belongs to the Tibetan cultural region of Kham. Dukezong is the historical center of Shangri-La. 2014, a fire destroyed 242 of the 1084 predominantly wooden houses in Shangri-La’s old town. No one was injured.”
Fiona and her husband collect trash in the mountains this way. We did the same on this hike. Later, at higher altitudes, it was important to maintain balanced breathing. Even bending down and standing up again left me out of breath for a while.
We split into an active hiking group with Fiona (Michi, Ludo, and me) and a relaxed group (the others). The active group set off at 7 a.m. for Tiger Leap Gorge, which meant a 90-minute drive to the start of the 11-km trail. I don’t think I’ve ever hiked so long at an elevation of 3,300 meters, but it was okay. We had great weather, great views, and a secluded start, but it gradually became more crowded.
We met up with the relaxed group at the end of our hike and together set off for Shangri-La. The landscape changed, and so did the houses, many with large glass extensions designed for large family gatherings.
The evening brought another dinner highlight, and later, Efan helped me buy a fleece jacket and Fiona had brought her husband’s weatherproof jacket, and with these two items of clothing, I was well prepared for the following days of quite low temperatures!
Many group members took beautiful photos and uploaded them to a Google album. I’ve used some of them on the blog if they show something I didn’t photograph. In other cases, I simply envy their skills and share the link upon request.